Puerto Rico - san Juan, Old san uan, El Morro

On Thursday, our first full day, we hopped a bus to Old San Juan, on the western end of a peninsula. A major sight is El Moro, the fortress which protected Spain's colony from a sea assault. Folks not up for an uphill walk can take the free trolley that circulates throughout the old city. Six levels rise almost 150 feet above sea level and no siege was successful in capturing it despite efforts by the British and Dutch. We purchased a "combo" ticket that gave us entry to the San Cristobal fortress on the other side of the peninsula which provided protection from a land invasion.


Outer Guard room	Entrance	Central courtyard


Top level	View to south (lagoon)	View to ocean


View to cemetery & Condado	Mid-level cannons


Yes, we had to walk back up	The are big cannons	Observation post is no so big

I was disappointed with Old San Juan. It's fairly small and most of the shops are selling the same things. If you took "san Juan" and "Puerto Rico" off most the T-shirts sold here, they'd like like any generic design T-shirt you can pick up on an Interstate at 3 for $10. Susie was fortunate to find something with a genuine Puerto Rican motif.

Since the cruise ships dock here and are the principal business, food costs are very high. Just a burger at a cafe is $9. But there is a cafe at the HoJo's at Plaza de Armas that offers $5 lunches. And a "food court" in a building on the north side of Plaza de Colon that offers "comidas criollas" for about $7 and attracts many locals. Plus a "Coconuts" right across from the pier if you're in that area.


Plaza de Armas	There's one in most cities	A small plaza


San Juan Cathedral	Art in park across from cathedral	Children's Museum


Many steep streets	Chapel ruins at Cristo street	La Fortaleza - Gov's Mansion