The island of San Juan (St. John the Baptist) was discovered on Christopher Columbus’ second voyage to the New World in 1493 after he’d sailed around the world, proving it was round, not flat. He named it
We woke to beautiful sunshine with a light trade wind, and enjoyed the generous continental breakfast up on the roof of our Hotel El Portola, overlooking the city and water. We walked to a bus stop (35 cents for seniors) and met Gini and Gerry from La Quinta, CA. We went to Old San Juan, known as the ‘walled city’ because of its massive circling 20’ stone walls anchored by 2 huge forts. We rode on the free trolley past 16th century restored buildings, 200 year-old houses with balconies overlooking narrow cobblestone streets. Cars had to park half on the sidewalks, pigeons, people and domino tables were crowded together, all within a small seven block square neighbourhood. The cobblestones are blue, originally used by the Spanish as ballast for their ships.
The city was an outpost for the British, Sir Francis Drake among others. Here we are in front of the graveyard with very large, decorative gravestones honoring the dead, in front of the fort. Gerry is taking a picture of Ron trying to lift a cannonball which were used to defend the fort. We passed the home of Ponce de Leon continuously occupied 250 years, now a museum of early Colonial life.
Puerto Rican delights are coffee, cigars and rum, which is distilled from fermented molasses, a sugar cane by-product. It is aged in white oak barrels, either charred to give color or clear for white rum. The Bacardi Rum Distillery, the largest in the world is here. The rum is aged 8 years in charred barrels with hints of vanilla, toffee, honey, caramel and bittersweet chocolate, making it reminiscent of an aged cognac, they say.
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