OLD SAN JUAN AND THE YOUNG CAT WHISPERER

Tuesday, January 30, 2024
Sky Princess
Stateroom S222/17
Old San Juan, Puerto Rico
Sun, 83F

 

We love Puerto Rico!

Where did our 14,000 steps take us today? Old San Juan is within steps of the port. Our first stop was Walgreen’s for cat nibbles and hair gel. Walgreens is half a block from the ship, and the store gets very busy later in the day. Anyway, TK was on a mission to find the stray cats that we saw on our last visit.  The story is that some are believed to be descendants of colonial-era cats brought to the island by Spanish ships.   More recently, mid-20^th century, cats were brought to the capital in the to kill rats. Guess what, the cats multiplied.

It did not take long to see cats roaming around as we walked along the tree lined sidewalks next to the shore on this beautiful day.    There were parks, gardens, sculptures, pigeons, narrow blue cobblestoned streets, bird of paradise flowers, bougainvillea, mangrove trees with exposed roots, and tourists.

 

Blue cobblestone street (closeup)

Bricks in Old San Juan streets are blue stone

cast from furnace slag which were brought over

on Spanish ships as ballast. 

The blue color comes from age and moisture.

They are  beautiful!

Looks to me like a baby being sacrificed

I could not find anything about it

TK and mangrove tree

Close up of mangrove tree

We love tree lined streets and sidewalks!

Street cats

Fountain

Most of the cats were friendly and hungry, they eagerly ate the treats TK was giving them.  After a while we arrived at the “Save a Gato” cat sanctuary.  A multitude of cats flocked around the “Cat Whisperer,” a sight to behold, as they seemed to treasure the treats that he was giving them.  He really enjoyed the cats and probably would have taken one home if he could. He left the rest of the cat treats with the sanctuary.

 And then we found the area of the cat sanctuary:

The Cat Whisperer

TK thought the car on the roof was amusing

Soon we arrived at the back a U.S. National Park, which includes the Castillo San Felipe del Morro, the citadel/fortification that protected the island from attackers approaching by sea for the 250 years.  Because we were coming from the back of the area, we had to climb a very steep mountain. Okay, it was really a hill, but still steep.

This colorful gate stands as an entrance 

to the walled city of Old San Juan. 

It is 16 feet tall, one of five, and the 

last one still in existence

 

The mountain we climbed. It kills me

that I cannot capture perspective

El Morro still protects the island!

By this time we were very thirsty, and TK spotted a sign for a coffee shop within the old army barracks near El Morro. Coffee was probably not the best thirst quencher, but it sure was delicious at the Don Ruiz Café inside the barracks area plaza. It turned out that Don Ruiz is a 4^th generation coffee producer whose ancestors arrived in the Caribbean during the 15^th century Spanish colonization.  We would totally recommend a stop for coffee here!

 

Don Ruiz Cafe

Very good coffee

Army barracks for the fortress

Between El Morro and the barracks is a square with a 4o foot tower known as El Totem Telurico, meant to symbolize the origin of the New World. The square itself was built in 1992 as a commemoration of Columbus’ first voyage to the Americas.  I am very fond of public art and Old San Juan did not disappoint!

 

El Totem Telurico

We continued our journey to Restaurant Barrachina, 104 Fortaleza, in Old San Juan.  We always stop here—a place that claims to be the birthplace of the pina colada. The pina colada here (without alcohol) is the very best, fresh, not watered down, delicious pineapple and coconut! 

 

A peak into Barrachina

Entrance

The quintessential Pina Colada!

The appetizers we shared were delicious too. [Assorted fried delicacies (turnovers, corn fritters and croquettes)/ Surtidos de frituras (croquetas, sorullitos de maíz y pastelillitos de carne y pollo)]—whatever they were, they were delicious. I did not ask. Key word: fried.

Obviously we had already eaten a few of these appetizers 

I might mention that it wouldn’t be Old San Juan without a policeman holding up traffic for an unknown reason—thing blaring horns, black Suburbans, angry shouts in Spanish.  The streets are narrow, reminiscent of our favorite European cities.

 TK bought another t-shirt at Cariloha and then he spotted a Starbucks. We have a fun collection of Starbucks coffee cups from many places we have visited. No coffee this time.

 

The lady next to TK (his left) wanted wave 

for the photo

Our latest Starbucks coffee cup

TK is such a good model!

Twelve thousand steps later, we returned to the ship for a break! 

TK's steps today

I have 13,410 today

Flags flying from the ship

New San Juan looks beautiful too!

Soon enough it was time for dinner and now TK rests.

 

TK’s Takes:  Today was the nicest day so far, weatherwise. Clear skies, no wind, lots of sun, and smooth seas.

Finally, the ship's library cucbicles

OLD SAN JUAN AND PINA COLADAS!

Carnival Celebration
San Juan, Puerta Rico
Wednesday, February 15, 2023—Donna’s birthday
84F, Sunny

Great photo of the old port area of Old San Juan

Taken by Donna

Old San Juan greeted us today with sunshine and warmth. The four of us got off the ship and walked around Old San Juan, wandering in and out of shops.

Street under construction

You can almost see the blue cobblestones

Another Old San Juan street

One of the shop’s clerks told us the island is still suffering from the two hurricanes I mentioned, plus an earthquake after that, and then Hurricane Fiona. It took a year after Hurricane Maria for electricity to be restored to the whole island—the longest blackout in U.S. history. 

We arrived at Barrachina’s, located in a beautiful colonial building over 200 years old with an interior courtyard and lush foliage. It is the birthplace and home of the world famous pina colada where don Ramon Portas Mingot first made the drink in 1963.  We arrived early enough so that we did not have to wait long to get seated, but by the time we left the restaurant there was a long line to get into the restaurant.  This is a very popular stop and we have been there three times.     (https://www.barrachina.com/ )

Entry to Barrachina's

 

TK and Janie at Barrachina's

TK-we are sitting in the open courtyard

One area of the courtyard

Bar in the courtyard at Barrachina's

TK and Lawrence wishing their wives would hurry up

Outside Barrachina's

We had pina coladas without alcohol and a delicious appetizer, “Puerta Rican Delights,” turnovers, corn fritters, and croquettes.  The pina coladas are wonderfully fresh—they should be because that is what everyone stops for!  There was another long line just to walk in and get one.

 

After that stop, we continued walking and browsing the shops. There is a lot of construction happening, especially in the streets, because of problems with the very old infrastructure.  The cobblestone streets are especially beautiful because they are blue stone cast from furnace slag which was brought over on Spanish ships as ballast. The blue color comes from age and moisture. Of course, I did not take a photo of those, but there is talk that after the reconstruction of the cobblestone streets they will eliminate car traffic from the area.

 

TK and Lawrence wait patiently as

Janie and Donna take photos and shop

A random courtyard restaurant

the Old World atmosphere I love

TK and I returned to the ship by about 3:00, stopping at a few parks along the way. I love that there are so many.   

 

For dinner tonight we went to Chibang,  a restaurant that serves both Mexican and Chinese food.  I did have a cheese quesadilla (great), but all the other choices were very spicy, so I opted for a strip steak—guests can also order some foods available in the main dining room. The décor was better than the red dining room, but the din was deafening. It reminded me of a school cafeteria and others agreed. Carnival ships are definitely different.

Entry to CHIBANG

 

Coconut Tea Tres Leches

The servers and the three of us sang Happy Birthday to Donna and we all had Coconut Tea Tres Leches, a light cake soaked in spiced coconut cream with 3 kinds of milk, very tasty. It’s an early night because it is ST. THOMAS time again tomorrow!!