I spent my morning and afternoon exploring the forts in Old San Juan. Both are very rich in history and the architecture is amazing.
The bulk of my time and was spent at Castillo San Cristobal. The grounds are beautifully kept and there seemed to be more spaces to explore. Although I didn't have a flashlight, some of the barracks and the underground tunnel were lit. It was very impressive to see this huge fortress that was built in 1783. The dungeon walls had original drawings from the prisoners kept there. I couldn't imagine being held captive in such a space. Another highlight was seeing the close sleeping quarters of the soldiers stationed here. The beds were lined up literally touching each other. Original uniforms hung and it gave you a sense of what it would have been like to live there.
El Morro, seemed to be the more popular spot for tourists to visit. Construction began in 1539. They withstood many battles at that fort including a more famous one from Sir Francis Drake of England. This fort had many levels to it, but during my visit the lower levels were closed off for restoration so I was only able to explore a few of them. All pictures posted are from El Morro.
After trekking through both forts I did meander through Old San Juan. The streets are cobble stone and close together. In some ways it reminded me of being in Barcelona. Nothing is posted in English and after some guessing I was able to navigate around. I made it through the Old San Juan Cathedral before I discover a great little bar were I was finally able to try some authentic Puerto Rican food. I had Mofongo Relleno de Pollo. This dish is made similar to a chile relleno; mashed plantains stuffed with chicken. It was absolutely delicious and I'll be dragging anyone who visits me there to try it.
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