San Juan, Puerto Rico

Because I don’t like cold, grey winter weather, we have headed south each January since we retired. However, this year travel was a little more difficult…you know…that pandemic thing…

Anyway, with Puerto Rico as a “part” of the US, travel there was relatively easy, and the island is big and varied enough to spend a few weeks soaking up sun, sand and saltwater.

On our first evening on the island, we caught the golden hour while walking along La Muralla (the wall) that was built 400 years ago to protect San Juan.

The red gate in the picture below is the only remaining opening through the wall (out of 5 originally) along its 3 mile length.

The white castle looking structure in the back is the Governor’s residence.

Here’s another “golden” view:

The greenery at the base is a shrub, ”beach bean”, that provides shelter for HUNDREDS of cats. As we rounded one corner we were assailed by the extremely strong and noxious wafting of cat urine and excrement. But they’re so cute…

La Garita, the sentry box, in the picture above the cats, has become the symbol of San Juan.

They jut out of the wall in several places, and have narrow walkways to them sometimes, and narrow windows.

The thickness of the wall is just amazing. In some places it’s 45 feet thick! This next picture was taken from the grounds of El Morro, a fort built almost 500 years ago, to protect San Juan and its harbor. Unfortunately both forts in San Juan were closed due to the pandemic. You can see how thick the wall is, near the bottom right, as well as appreciate the wild Atlantic coast stretching away.

As we walked through Old San Juan, we really enjoyed all the brightly painted buildings with bright white trim.

I’ll have more later. For now, adios amigos!