Puerto Rico Puerto Rico is an island located 1000 miles southeast of Miami, Florida. It is an Island in the Caribbean Sea. The population is about 4 million People. They use the United States Dollar as their Currency.
The People speak both English and Spanish. The Capital City is San Juan.
HISTORY:
Puerto Rico was discovered by Columbus in 1493. It was a Spanish Colony for about 400 Years. The United States made it a Territory 100 Years ago.
YOU GET A SPECIAL PRICE IF YOU WANT TO STAY HERE WHEN YOU BOOK A CRUISE:
When you are on a Cruise they let you stay at the City your Cruise will depart from, (for an addition fee). You also have to fly they way they want you too so we went from Edmonton to Los Angels on Air Canada and connected to an American Airlines Flight to San Juan. It seemed strange to fly west to go to an Island that was east of us!
We arrived at the International and took a Taxi to the Hotel. It only took us 15 minutes to get there San Juan has a variety of Hotels. We decided to stay at the Caribe Hilton. It is between the Condado and the Old City. The Hotel is on a Peninsula and has a private beach.
WHAT WE SAW:
OLD SAN JUAN is the older part of the City. It was built by Spain in 1521.
Every Street leads to the Plaza and the Catholic Cathedral. The Streets are small and made of cobblestone
The Homes are made of grey cement and have a wall around them. I peaked inside of a few and saw their patio and gardens. They all had a black metal balcony with flowers handing from them.
We went to see the Paseo de la Princesa. The local Artisans display and sell their work.
The City Wall is 42 feet high. It surrounded the City began the 1630s.
La Puerta de San Juan was built in 1520. The wooden door that the Crew of the Sailing Ships had to pass through.
La Fortaleza was built as a Fort. It is small Castle that is used as the Governor’s Mansion for Centuries.
La Cathedral de San Juan is a beautiful Cathedral, (built in 1540), and was designed in a Gothic Architecture style.
El Morro is a high Castle that overlooks the Atlantic Ocean and San Juan Bay.
San Cristobal Fort was completed in 1771. This Castle was designed to protect the City from invaders.
Teatro Tapia is one of the oldest Theatres in the Western Hemisphere.
The Institute of Puerto Rican Culture show the Painting and Sculptors of Puerto Rican Artists.
OUR DAY TOUR:
OUR ONE DAY TOUR:
We went to see the Río Camuy Cave Park. It took us almost an hour to get there but it was nice to see the country side of Pueto Rico. There were a lot of Sugar Cane and Pineapple Farms and a few Ranches. Our Guide told us there were over 200 Caves and a few were so large a Skyscraper would fit into them. We saw a few sinkholes and there were a lot of limestone formations in the Caves. We took a Tram to see the Cueva Clara Cave. There were wonderful stalagmite and stalagmites, (limestone dripping and rising from the top and bottom of the Cave).
Our next stop was at the Barcadi Rum Factory. You take a tram to see the Factory where we got to see how they made the Rum. They make dark, golden and light Rum. They had a Bar where we could taste the Rums, (for free) and buy lunch. There is a Store than we could buy Rum, (cheaper than in the Stores) and T-Shirts.
Our last stop was at the Tibes Indian Ceremonial Centre. It was built to look like a Arawak, (the first people to live here), Village. We walked though the Village, the Garden, the Museum and the Archaeological Site to see them still discovering more parts of the Village.
MY CONCLUSION:
The Hotel cost us $90.00 USD per day.
I loved San Juan and would go back there if I could.
©LL2003