Puerto Rico / Rich Port
"Adventure of the Seas" cruised past the old stone fort sited on the headland and into the protection of Bahia de San Juan. While standing on board a 1000ft cruise liner it was hard to imagine Christopher Columbus, 500 years ago, when he sailed here in a 60ft wooden caravel. He claimed the island for Spain and named it Rich Port - Puerto Rico.
Model replica of the Santa Maria, Columbus's flagship
The Santa Maria never returned to Spain, it was wrecked on a coral reef off the coast of Haiti when the 13 year old helmsmen, fell asleep while navigating.
The only thing these almost 13 year olds were steering towards was a cup of hot chocolate before we went ashore for the day. Columbus was supposedly the first European to taste cocoa, but I bet he didn't add quite as many marshmallows as my kids. Leaning out over the rail, as we approached the dock, I was charmed by the eclectic colonial mix of old and new. I understood why the Spanish called it “Isla del Encanto” - “Island of Enchantment”.
San Juan Cruise Port
We tied up alongside our sister ship "Freedom of the Seas". However, I realized there would be little independence or liberation with over 6000 passengers scrambling to get ashore.
The kids, of course, started complaining long before we even shuffled down the gang plank. I noted the heavy lines at the bottleneck of immigration ahead. Clutching my plastic ID tag tighter than the kids we pushed our way out of the air conditioned port terminal. With the midday temperature pushing towards 33C (92F) I clenched my teeth as the sun began to sear my scalp. The line for the city tour was longer than Kmart on black Friday and I was relieved that we had opted for free range wandering in the old city.
Wandering the streets of Old San Juan
I tried to imagined this place without the crowds, the clog of tourist buses and man made infrastructure. It was difficult to peel back the centuries to when the island was the home of the Taino Indians. They called it "Borinquen" meaning “The land of the Valiant Lord”. Few traces of the Indians remain, their culture was obliterated by slavery and European diseases.
I was also starting to feel wiped out as a headache clawed at my brow. The heat was as claustrophobic as the narrow streets. With sweat trickling down my spine and my hair sticking to the back of my neck I wondered where I could buy a hat? We wound through the cursory market stalls cluttered around the port, swept along in the mass tourism stampede. I greeted each vendor in Spanish and they promptly replied in English using well practiced phrases to convince me to part with my dollar. They simply saw me as one of the many cash cows that had floated ashore on the morning tide. Perhaps the lunchtime café would give me the meaningful connection with a Puerto Rican I was looking for.
Green Peace
Ordering a zucchini mint smoothie restored my inner green peace. But I was still left disconnected as the busy cafe staff had no time to chat. I had to accept I was merely part of the cruise ship herd, frantically lurching between forts and frozen yoghurt cafes. The only real connection I made was with the free wifi.
Colonial Spanish Architecture
I love old cities and given the chance will café hop, bouncing around inside old city walls marveling at the architecture with the forward planning of a pinball.
However, I realized the kids needed a more structured approach with a map and itinerary. So we followed the flags in the direction of the fort. I tried to comprehend what it meant to be Puerto Rican. The first 400 years of colonization was Spanish and the influence is clearly evident in the language architecture and people. Then over a century ago Puerto Rico became an American territory, the only one to have Spanish as an official language. I struggled to understand what it meant to be an "incorporated territory". Puerto Ricans choose their own governor and pay some federal taxes but have no representation in Congress. This quirky citizenship status means they can compete in Olympics in their own right and Puerto Rico has won Miss Universe five times.
Founded by Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the Americas, San Juan is the oldest city in American Territory. It was fitting that we hung out for a while by his statue. Well technically the craft market at the base of the marble effigy. When my kids decided my shopping time had expired we headed over to visit one of the forts.
Castillo of San Cristobal
The stone walls were still incredibly strong thick considering this impregnable structure was over 250 years old. It had been used as a defensive base by the Spanish and Americans.
Fort lookout
Peering through the narrow window slit out to sea I rested against the coolness of the rock. I was brushing shoulders with history as my eyes scanned the same view that hundreds of sentries had done over the ages.
Tunnel to the inner courtyard
Under the fort, secret passages or Galleries protected soldiers from enemy fire and allowed them to move around unseen by the enemy. We descended through the tunnel into the cool bowels of the castle and down to the dungeon. Once inside we closed the solid door of the narrow cell and the blackness was soul destroying.
500 year old dungeon graffiti
The horror of imagining life as a prisoner left to die in the dark only receded when the cell was flooded with light again. I noticed drawings etched into the rock and the ghosts of sailors past leapt off the walls. These captured men had left the mark of their existence by scratching a message into the future.
I needed to get out of the claustrophobia of the dark past and into the light of modern conveniences. I was going to need some bad ass coffee to give me stamina to drag the kids over to the other side of the city walls.
San Juan City Walls
It was so worth the procession of complaints as we marveled at the ramparts from underneath the shade of a tree. We re-entered the city through the San Juan Gate following the same path as the dignitaries of old who wound their way up the street to the Cathedral to thank God for a safe passage.
San Jan Gate
Turning back the kids were stoked to be headed back towards the boat. We had taken a comprehensive look at the old city, but the walking and the heat had taken its toll on us.
Governor's Mansion
Frowns at the Fountain
The world's largest telescope is in Puerto Rico, it determines if any asteroids are coming too close. I wonder if it had sighted the UFO that dropped the alien towel creature on my bed?
Alien towel creature
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