PUERTO RICO: RICH PORT
Some years ago, my husband and I were on a cruise of the Caribbean. As we neared the end of the cruise, a number of passengers began to approach me separately. I had mentioned to them that my background was Puerto Rican. Typically, they would say, “We’ll be in Puerto Rico for a few hours (or days). What can we do while we are there?” I would sense their unease. “We don’t speak Spanish. Will we be understood?” And I’m sure that, underlying the questions was, “Is it a safe place to visit?”
I had to smile. Of all of the islands we had visited on the cruise, Puerto Rico, the start and finish of the cruise, was, as its name suggests, the richest port. Yet many cruise passengers seem to almost bypass the island. They fly in, take a bus to the port and board their ship, without having truly seen the host island. Similarly, at the end of the cruise, they dash to the airport for their flight home.
Some do spend a few hours in Old San Juan, shopping for cheap tee shirts or expensive jewelry. But I hope that they take the time to wander around this historic place. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site for many reasons!
Christopher Columbus discovered the island over five hundred years ago (over a century before Jamestown). The Conquistador, Ponce de Leon, owned property here. His grandson, also named Ponce de Leon, was the island’s first governor and owned Casa Blanca, which still stands in Old San Juan.
Missionary and historian, Bartolomeo de Las Casas, stayed here (at what is now a hospital run by nuns). The English pirate, Sir Francis Drake, was defeated here (Castillo Felipe del Morro, a fortress with a gorgeous chapel, dungeons and sweeping views of the ocean). The cobblestone streets (the stones are actually adoquines, ballast that weighed down the conquistadores’ ships) have tales to tell!
You can stay in a hotel that was once a convent (El Convento Hotel). The entrance to your room will look like a cell door and the small shells that once held holy water are now ashtrays. The courtyard now serves haute cuisine (Patio de Nispero), Hear Mass at a gracious colonial cathedral across the narrow street, or an old church (San Jose) nearby, where catacombs were discovered relatively recently. See the cliff where, legend has it, a rider once fell with his horse and offered to erect a chapel, if he survived. The resulting Cristo Chapel is a delicate vision of silver and iron-wrought grill artistry. Next door is Parque de las Palomas, where pigeons reign and sidewalk cafes (an horchata, non-alcoholic, milky drink made from sesame, is also refreshing). If your schedule permits, take a guided tour of the current Governor’s Mansion, La Fortaleza,a short distance away. Like many of the buildings in Old San Juan, it, too, has a lovely inner courtyard.
You can share a piña colada (rum, pineapple juice and coconut cream) at the Don Q bar, where the drink is said to have been invented (various places claim that distinction, so take it with a grain of sugar). Or sip a mojito (rum, lime juice and mint) at El Patio de Sam, a local hangout, near a plaza called Paseo de la Princesa, which leads to the ocean (El Morro fortress will be to your left). If you’re willing to chance drinking the local water, try a colorful and refreshing shaved ice treat at a piragua stand. Enjoy a typical Puerto Rican meal at La Mallorquina, the oldest restaurant in Puerto Rico or a breakfast of mallorcas and café con leche at La Bombonera bakery.
Museums, art galleries and beautiful statuary are everywhere in the Old City. One of my favorite statues, La Rogativa, a representation of St. Ursula and the virgins, overlooks the Door of San Juan, the original gate to the city. Teatro Tapia, which still holds plays and events, is an excellent example of 19 Century architecture, with ornate plasterwork.
Mundillo lace, religious statues (santos), Afro-Caribbean masks, handmade jewelry and miniatures of the colonial buildings in Old San Juan, as well as music CDs make great souvenirs. There is an outlet store by the Cathedral, where men like to stock up on Polo brand golf shirts. I love the colorful bathing suits, pareos, casual and evening wear, sold in shops around the old city.
Puerto Rico is a tropical island, hottest in July, coolest around December. Peak season is mid-November to mid-April, when you can really get away from the cold weather on the mainland. So prices are lower in the off-peak season, the second half of April to the first half of November. Hurricane season is from June 1-November 30, with the highest activity traditionally in September-October. Big hurricanes are rather unusual occurrences, as opposed to Florida and some of the other islands. Passports are not required, just a U.S. drivers license or valid, government-issued ID, since Puerto Rico is a Commonwealth of the United States.
The San Juan metroplex has a population of one and a half million, about half the population of the entire island. As in any big city, then, it’s a good idea to stay on the beaten track. It’s also good to check the dates and times places of interest are open, if and when tours are given, etc. Maps and literature are available at the airport information counter or at the offices of Puerto Rico Tourism at Pier 1 in Old San Juan.
You can also book a taxi at a fixed rate outside the airport baggage claim and at the pier upon disembarkation. City bus service is available from the airport to Old San Juan, if you aren’t overloaded with luggage or in a particular hurry. And, of course, your hotel concierge, travel agent or ship’s travel desk can be extremely helpful in providing orientation.
You’ll also find that many Puerto Ricans have at least a working knowledge of English. I once accompanied my boss, a Canadian expatriate, to one of the government agencies in Puerto Rico. My boss would say something in English and I’d translate it into Spanish. The government official replied in Spanish and I’d translate what he said into English. This went on for about a half an hour. I was about to translate something my boss said, when the government official interrupted, “It’s okay, Marie, I understand. I graduated from Harvard Law School.” If all else fails, hand signals work, too.
While the island is not without its social ills, Puerto Ricans generally are spiritual, friendly and family-oriented. Or as a recent survey concluded, we are “the happiest people on earth.” Famous Puerto Ricans include: three Academy Award winners (Jose Ferrer, Rita Moreno, Benicio del Toro), a Miss World (Wilnelia Merced, who now owns the franchise with her husband, British actor Bruce Forsyth) and five Miss Universes (including the reigning beauty queen), scores of sports figures (including the late humanitarian, Roberto Clemente) and entertainers (Chita Rivera, Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Chayanne, Ricky Martin), reporter Geraldo Rivera and Surgeon General of the US (Antonia Coello Novello), to name a few.
Puerto Rico was the adopted home of Spanish cellist, Pablo Casals. There is a museum in his honor in Old San Juan and the Casals Festival, a celebrated classical concert series, is held in July of each year. His Puerto Rican pupil and later wife, Marta Casals Istomin was head of the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Spanish opera singer, Placido Domingo, owns business interests on the island.
For more information on Old San Juan, see:
In future columns, I’ll explore what is popularly known as “New San Juan”—tourist destinations, the Condado and Isla Verde (which is actually in Carolina, Puerto Rico) –their beaches, hotels, restaurants and night life. We’ll tour the rest of the main island of Puerto Rico and take a brief hop to its outlying islands. From there, no problem, mon. We’ll head to the beautiful islands of the Caribbean by air and sea.
MARIE DELGADO TRAVIS is a freelance writer who, in addition to travel articles, writes poetry and prose in English and Spanish. She and her husband, Ed, have homes in Houston, TX and San Juan, PR. She can be reached at poetexx@aol.com.
