Puerto Rico - Exploring Old San Juan
Sunday, September 16
Our luggage still hasn't arrived...
So, wearing our old clothes, we head to breakfast and then off to the old town.
Fuerte San Cristobal
We take a taxi to Old San Juan and begin our walking tour at the fortress Fuerte San Cristobal, then walk along the Boulevard del Valle by the sea. On the right side, we look down at Barrio La Perla, originally built for the troops of the city of San Juan. Around 10,000 people live here in very close quarters — visiting is best done only with a local guide.
More information about the fort: www.nps.gov
Del Morro
If you don't walk along the boulevard as obliviously as we did, you'll spot La Casa de los Peluches on the left side (a house designed by Puerto Rican artist Thomas Huerta, covered with thousands of stuffed animals).
We continue through a large park, across the headland to Castillo de San Felipe del Morro at the harbor entrance right next to the old town — a must-see for every San Juan visitor!
From the Puerta de San Juan to Plaza de Armas
At around 35 degrees Celsius in the shade, doing this without our vacation luggage and in jeans is quite a sweaty affair. Nevertheless, we enjoy the beautiful weather and explore the old town.
On Calle del Cristo we find plenty of shops and outlets that invite you to stroll and browse. Thanks to the favorable US dollar, we can really indulge in some shopping here.
A taxi takes us back to Isla Verde for 10 dollars.
