In historic Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, is a history not written in our textbooks. Most of us consider Jamestown the first permanent settlement in the Americas, but decades earlier the Spanish had already begun building a pair of massive forts that would encircle a city on a headland at the mouth of San Juan Bay. These structures, part of San Juan Historic Site, feature walls that are 40 feet thick at the base, which helped withstand naval attacks by the English and the Dutch, and protected Spain’s possessions in the Caribbean for 350 years. Later, they held off U.S. Navy gun ships, for a short while, but Americans found a way to claim the entire island when Puerto Rico was ceded to the United States as a term of the Treaty of Paris, following the Spanish-American War. Jamestown’s original Fort James, in what is now Virginia, is long gone. But the fortresses in this U.S. territory remain much as they were centuries ago, surrounding streets paved with cobblestones that ships had used as ballast; pastel-colored colonial-era buildings; and a rich culture mixing elements of the Spanish, African, and Tainos, who were native to the island. The streets are filled with restaurants and vendors selling traditional cuisine, and salsa music fills the air. The Caribbean National Forest--or "El Yunque"--home to native orchids, towering tropical ferns, chirping tree frogs, and the Puerto Rican parrot--one of the world’s most endangered birds—is just a short drive away.
After the first colonists arrived in Puerto Rico in 1509, it became clear that the entrance to San Juan Bay had to be protected from European nations vying for Caribbean trade. Construction of a tower began in 1539, to protect the Spanish empire in the Americas. San Felipe Del Morro, or El Morro, would remain under construction for centuries, as a series of attacks—by Sir Francis Drake in 1595, the Earl of Cumberland in 1598, and the Dutch in 1625--made clear that more extensive protection was needed. A second massive embattlement, Fort San Cristóbal, would soon be erected to the east, at the entrance to the city, to protect against overland invasions. The forts and the walled city would soon become impregnable, even holding back the U.S. Navy in 1898. (A shell lobbed by a U.S. gunship is still lodged in El Morro.) Just a year before the U.S. invasion, the walls at the west end of the city had been torn down to make way for the growing population confined within the 50 square blocks of Old San Juan. (An exhibition, "The City that Grew Beyond Its Walls," based on documents lost for 100 years after the Spanish American War, is now on display at San Cristóbal.)
Evidence of the relatively recent American presence remains in the concrete battlements built atop the limestone and gravel walls. These were built to hold off German U-boats during World War II, and U.S. servicemen stationed here until the 1960s scratched graffiti into the surface. But the forts today are much as they were hundreds of years ago, when they were the gateway to the Indies and home to hundreds of soldiers sent to a strange land. The forts’ surfaces served as gigantic rainwater collection systems that filled cisterns designed to last through months-long sieges. Among the labyrinthine tunnels and mining galleries designed to hold off attackers, you’ll find images rendered by prisoners in the 18th century, including ships drawn on darkened dungeon walls. The San Juan Gate, where ships once anchored to unload new arrivals and goods, leads to a walkway that winds along the bay under the towering walls of El Morro to the tip of San Juan Bay and the base of the original tower. Across the water is the small fort, San Juan de la Cruz, which provided cross-fire protection for El Morro and helped defend the entrance to the bay. San Juan de la Cruz was built on a cay, while near-by cays were used to process slaves and eventually played host to a leper colony.
Ask the park staff about ranger-led activities, and you may learn about a day in the life of an 18th-century soldier or get details on the reconstruction work under way. Thanks to years of extensive experimentation, modern-day masons have replicated ancient techniques to preserve the walls in much the same way they were built. Using a mixture of lime and brick that predates cement, these artisans are leaders in the field of traditional lime masonry.
Before your trip comes to a close, be sure to venture beyond the walls of the fort to San Juan Cathedral, which dates to 1521 and is the final resting place of the explorer Juan Ponce de León, the first European to set foot in Florida, and the first governor of Puerto Rico. And make a visit to nearby La Fortaleza, the longest continually occupied governor’s mansion in the Western Hemisphere. Although the forts act as the centerpiece of this ancient city, you're sure to find much more to explore beyond their walls.
Sidetrip: Virgin Islands National Park
Pirates loved the Virgin Islands because of the numerous coves where they could anchor out of sight and launch their raids. Laurance Rockefeller fell in love with St. John because of its natural beauty. So he bought it—a lot of it, anyway. In the 1950s, Rockefeller began purchasing large tracts of land in St. John to protect it from development, then turned it over to the Department of the Interior. The U.S. Virgin Islands National Park’s 10,000 acres of land and 5,000 acres of water (and adjacent Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument) constitute a Caribbean paradise, with reefs teeming with life, pristine white beaches, isolated bays, tropical forests, and pre-Columbian Caribe Indian petroglyphs.
A third of the park is underwater, and much of its allure is contained in the delights of the sea. A self-guided underwater interpretive trail in Trunk Bay offers snorkelers a great introduction to the watery world of St. John, where you may spot sea turtles in the sea grass, rays, elkhorn and brain coral, translucent needlefish, or tarpon. You might even find a few colorful parrot fish, which chomp on coral and excrete it as the fine white sand you’ll be standing on when you towel off. At the remote and scenic Lameshur Bay, large boulders form caves teeming with fish and the remains of Tektite, an underwater habitat for aquanauts occupied in 1969.
In the winter months, the St. Francis Bay trail is a bird-watcher's paradise, and the Park Service offers guided trips down the Reef Bay Trail. You can walk three miles downhill through tropical dry and wet forests, past the ruins of Danish sugar plantations and cap it all off with a swim in the bay—accessible only by foot or by water—before taking a boat back to Cruz Bay.
To get to St. John from the airport in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, take a taxi or "safari bus" to Red Hook, where ferries depart at 6:30 a.m. and then every hour on the hour from 7 a.m. until midnight.
The National Park Service visitor center is in Cruz Bay, a couple of blocks from the ferry dock (www.nps.gov/viis or 340-776-6201). Lodging ranges from luxury resorts to camping and cabins in the park at Cinnamon Bay (www.cinnamonbay.com or 800-539-9998). The Maho Bay eco-resort has camping sites, tent cottages, and studios (www.maho.org, 800-392-9004). Both are in beautiful coves with bright blue water and white sand beaches.
Travel Essentials
Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, so American citizens don’t need to worry about bringing their passports. Old San Juan is about 15 minutes by taxi from Luis Munoz Marin International Airport. Winter temperatures average around 75 degrees. The Gallery Inn (787-722-1808) is in a renovated 17th-Century building near El Morro, and Hotel El Convento (787-723-9020) is in a 350-year-old former Carmelite convent. Dining options range from local favorites to Transylvanian fare, from sidewalk cafes to fine
dining.
During the San Sebastián Street Festival, from January 22-25, musicians parade through throngs of people on streets lined with exhibitions of traditional arts and crafts, photography, food and drink, and chess matches with masters. Be warned: The crowds can be overwhelming and the partying lasts all night.
The Old City and the forts are easily traveled on foot, but a good pair of walking shoes is a good idea and sunscreen is a must. San Juan National Historic Site is open from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. during the winter and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. during the summer. Orientation talks are offered at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4 p.m., starting in the main plazas at El Morro and San Cristóbal. The Caribbean National Forest is on Route 191 above the town of Río Grande and is open from 7:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. Bring water; insect spray; rain gear; sturdy, waterproof footwear; and an extra pair of socks.
For more information, check the following sources:
The Puerto Rico Tourism Company: 787-721-2400
San Juan National Historic Site: 787-729-6960
Caribbean National Forest: 787-888-1880
