Feb. 18 - Old San Juan, PR

“You have the brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And you are the one who'll decide where to go.” -Dr. Seuss 

Today we walked up to a little coffee kiosko in the Plaza de Armes for breakfast. We enjoyed a very good cup of coffee, a guava pastry and a nice visit with a local enjoying the same breakfast...to us it was the perfect way to start our day. After breakfast we headed up to El Morro. One of two forts that were built by the Spanish to protect the city from pirate attacks from the French, Dutch and English. Castillo San Felipe del Morro, (El Morro) sits atop a high promontory overlooking the entrance to the San Juan Bay. Construction on El Morro began in 1539, but the six-level fortification was not considered complete until 1787. El Morro is an immense fort with 18-foot thick walls, dungeons, barracks, outposts, ramps, and mazes of tunnels that protected the city from foreign invasion. 

San Juan Harbor was an important port because steering currents and trade winds blew sailing ships here. It was the first major island with water, shelter and suppliers that sailing ships in route to the Americas from Europe needed. Today Old San Juan is a busy hub for tourism. It's the Caribbean’s main cruise port and is home to more than 28 different cruise lines which bring millions of tourists to the city each year. (oh...that doesn't sound good).

We spent the day taking in the beauty of this old town and we've fallen in love. People have been walking these same streets for 500 years...small streets and colorful old buildings full of so many memories. If walls could talk, the stories they could tell.

Plaza de Armas...our favorite little area to relax and watch people and have breakfast.

Castillo San Felipe del Morro

Map of the fort.

The fort was protected by a dry moat. The moat was a key component of their defense. A moat makes it difficult for enemies to reach and climb the walls. Moats make the walls even higher and they hide the foundation of the fort protecting it from enemy cannon fire. 

This was the window in the lady's bathroom...what a view. 

Puerto San Juan [El Morro] Lighthouse - Four lighthouses have served to mark the entrance to Puerto San Juan. The present tower was built in 1908. 

A view of Maria Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery, Old San Juan and Castrillo San Cristobal. 

Maria Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery

Looking east across the entrance of San Juan Harbor. Fort San Juan de la Cruz is on the other side of the channel. The two forts provided cross fire and made entering the harbor impossible.

Military engineers of the 1600s and 1700s built sentry boxes, called "garitas," that protruded from high vantage points. Sentries kept an eye on the landward and seaward approaches, as well as the base of the walls below. Twenty-eight garitas remain on the fortresses and city walls of Old San Juan. Each is unique in style and shape., reflecting the influences of the Earline in which it was built. 

The Paseo El Morro (El Morro Walk) is a path that leads from the fort to the San Juan Gate. It provides great views of La Fortaleza (the Governor's Mansion), the  Islade Cabras and the San Juan harbor. 

We enjoyed lunch in this little outside cafe named El Parnaso. 

Two of the cruise ships that were in port while we were in OSJ...the people looked like little ants coming off their boats from a viewpoint high on the city wall.

Happy hour was at a little spot called El Adoquín del Patio. Far from the harbor and very local...but lots of fun.