Dick's Private Tour of Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

Our hotel is in 'New San Juan.' If I didn't have a name for this location I would swear I was in downtown Miami. Same stores, scenery, cultural mix--nothing unique that tells me this is San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Dick has been to this location many times--for work and tourism. So he took me to Old San Juan via a $14 taxi ride. The hotel staff clued us in on the fare, fare's are negotiable.

We first went to the old fort named Costillo del Morro. It was built by the Spanish. They held control of the fort for four centuries, against such noble foes as the Dutch and British. The location is totally defenseable by the meagerist, most untrained (incompetent) personnel. The fort itself has rock walls from 8 to 18 feet thick. It was built in three tiers. The first tier was to launch red hot cannon balls at the hulls of ships. The intent was to burn the wooden hulls. The second tier contained cannon capable of lobbing iron balls onto the decks and masts of enemy ships thus disabling them. The third tier was for the artillery to lob off the land invasion if it even got that far.

By the way Columbus discovered this island in 1493 and Ponce de Leon named it Puerto Rico.

We walked into town and saw the Cathederal where I sat and made a devotion to the Madonna holding the infant Jesus. The pose was very like Michelangelo's Pieta with the adult Jesus but this was about a two year old infant in the same pose and Mary had a very happy expression on her face. Nearby the Catherderal was The Conventa Hotel. Before it was a hotel it was a very lovely convent. Inside you could see an old tapestry with a biblical scene, many holy water fonts at doorways, grill work seperating the convent from the outside and and lovely courtyard turned into a cafe.

Next we went to an attraction that Dick remembered from 20 or so years ago. Called The Butterfly Gallery. Back in the day it was a gallery with preserved butterflies made into art and a restaurant. The restaurant went by the way side years ago and just the gallery remained. This part of the Caribbean and Central America is home to more butterfly species than just about any place in the world.

Our next stop was the best Puerto Rican restaurant in Old Town. It is called Restaurante Barrachina. It was founded by a Spanish chef from Valencia in the 1950's. In 1963 a noted (I forgot his name) bartender created the Pina Colada. Frozen Pina Colada's sans the rum are served to every customer. Dick ordered a baked Red Snapper filet with white wine sauce and I ordered the chef's special a Red Snapper with Shrimp and Creaole Sauce. The Creaole sauce was lightly seasoned and the spice could be added to taste at the table. Excellent food and highly recommended.

We walked off the calories by taking a stroll past the govenor's mansion still decked out for Chirstmas. We ended up at Pigeon Park. A lovely little plaza near the water that is filled, loaded, stuffed with pigeons. The cooing of hundreds of pigeons has to be experienced. It is acutally quite a relaxing sound.