Day 2: Old San Juan

The day got off to a slow start, given the fact that I had a terrible time getting to sleep last night. However, things perked up when, upon the recommendation of my friend Yarí from grad school (who grew up and now lives in San Juan again), I had breakfast at Café Manolín…a shrimp omlette with arroz y habichuelas. From there, I took a leisurely jaunt down the Paseo de Princesa, a tree-lined walkway that leads down to the coast and ancient walls surrounding the city. On my journey, I encountered a group of very hungry-looking strays, one of which was quite friendly and followed me around. So…I decided to pet it, for better or for worse. As of this publishing, I have no visible outbreaks of fleas or rabies.

Hey look, you guys! A door that is over 250 years old! It is part of La Puerta de San Juan, built in the late 1700s and is currently the only existing doorway through the 20-foot thick, 48-foot high La Muralla, a brick wall surrounding much of Old San Juan.

On through the doorway and down the street to el Castillo de San Felipe del Morro, also known simply as El Morro. This place is immense, and the lawn leading up to it was speckled with people flying kites in this unusually windy weather. Seems like I brought a bit of Chicago with me. El Morro's nearly 500 years of history has withstood attacks from the British, Dutch, and Americans. Rightly so, as it consists of an impressive system of staircases, pathways, and canons. Neat-o!

From the walls of El Morro, the Cementerio de Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzis can be seen. It looks like a nice place to be buried. Unfortunately, I couldn't figure how to get in, other than jumping down into it, which may have led to my immediate burial (but probably not there, because it looks pretty full).

What better way to follow up a trip to a giant fort than by going to another giant fort? I must admit that when I arrived at Castillo de San Cristóbal, I was a little forted out. I spent much less time there, but I did get some nice shots of the place. I dunno...after three hours of forting around, I'd just had enough, you know? I mean, WTF? What the fort? Fortunately, there was a little place nearby that made a mean fresh pineapple frappé. A pleasant experience, except for the part where the owner wanted to rifle through my tour guidebook to see if his place was listed. It wasn't.

After the forts and frappé, it was time for some shopping. I saw all sorts of cool stuff, and will likely go back later this week to further rack up my credit card bill for next month. I did make a few purchases at Spicy Caribbee, a freaking awesome cooking store that reminded me of The Spice House in Chicago, but with a Caribbean flair. Maybe that's why it's called Spicy Caribbee. Anyways, I got some Mango Pepper Sauce, Lime Orange Pepper, and Herbed Sea Salt (which has dried ginger in it...quite a kick!). Delicious.

As I sauntered down Calle del Cristo, I noticed a church on the opposite side of the street. Further investigation into my trusty Moon Handbook revealed that it was the Catedral de San Juan Bautista, the oldest existing church in the Western Hemisphere! The smell of lilies from Easter services permeated the holy structure, which had a peace that was refreshing after being on the crowded streets of Old San Juan. This church also holds the remains of Ponce de Leon.

I also came across the Capilla del Cristo, a tiny church at the end of the street. According to Yarí, back in the day there used to be horse races down the street (which ends in a steep precipice, so...maybe use your head next time and race elsewhere) and one day a man couldn't stop his horse before he hit the edge. In those fleeting moments, he promised God that if He spared his life, he would build a church on the spot. Apparently he should have also asked for his horse's life to be spared because the horse went over the edge. However, the horse rider made it through and built said church. Next to the church is the Parque de Palomas, where flocks of seagulls flock to rest. We have one of those in Chicago...many, actually. They are called "El" train stations.

For dinner, Yarí picked me up and we headed to a place along the beach with horrible service (but nevermind, because the company was great). It was really nice to catch up with her as she is up to good things and was able to provide some much needed insight into the whole grad school/life experience. Afterward, she drove me around to some other parts of the city. As if the day wasn't already awesome, my hotel room was quiet as I prepared for bedtime. Turns out the Nuyorican is closed on Mondays. Sweet. Sweet dreams.