A Brief History of Puerto Rica

• Puerto Rico (Spanish for 'Rich Port') is not just one island, but a Caribbean archipelago, officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
• The islands, strategically situated on the trade winds route, were colonised by Spain as early as 1493, on Columbus’ second voyage. They were used as a vital harbour facility, to establish their New World Empire.
• Columbus named the island San Juan Bautista after St. John the Baptist. Because of the amount of gold and other riches being exported, the Spanish named the first city on the island (later abandoned), Ciudad de Puerto Rico, (Rich Port City). Eventually, the shortened name was applied to the whole island. (It seems that gold was everywhere.)
• Puerto Rico was the general headquarters of the Spanish Inquisition in the Americas
•  Spanish rule led to the displacement and assimilation of the native population, the forced migration of African slaves, and settlement, primarily from the Canary Islands and Andalusia. The result is a very distinct Puerto Rican identity, a fusion of indigenous, African, and European elements lurking underneath American infrastructure.

• Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States, designated a commonwealth, 'acquired' in 1898, following the Spanish-American War. Before the war, the US offered to purchase Puerto Rico and Cuba for a sum of $160 million, but were turned down.
• Puerto Ricans have been U.S. citizens since 1917, and can move freely between the island and the mainland. However, they don't get a federal vote,or pay federal taxes. There is ongoing debate about this situation.

The Language Barrier

Spanish and English are the official languages in Puerto Rico. Wikipedia says that Spanish still predominates. A slight understatement. Many folk don’t speak English at all. I can get by with my rusty Spanish in the supermarket ‘donde este…’ but trying to track down a covid test is much trickier. Everything on the internet is in Spanish. Thank God for Google Translate

Facts and Factoids

• Just 111 miles long and 36 miles wide, Puerto Rico has a population of 3.9 million people, making it one of the most densely populated places in the world.
• The Puerto Ricans are called “Boricuas”, after the original settlers, which is sometimes rendered as “Borincanos” or “Borinqueños” and by extension into English as “Borinqueneers
• The US dollar is the currency used in Puerto Rico, but locals call it a “peso” or “dolar.”
• Puerto Rico competes as an “independent nation” in the Olympics and Miss Universe, as well as in many other international events.(Puerto Rico has won the Miss Universe title five times!)
• The island has the largest cave network in the Western Hemisphere

Food in Puerto Rico

Food in Puerto Rico has its own identity too. Mofongo, fried pickled plantain is the unofficial national dish, and the official one is arroz con gandules (rice and pigeon peas). Unsurprisingly, there’s a lot of seafood. Snapper. Delicious prawns in coconut sauce or garlic sauce and a marinaded pork chop called a Kan Kan, which is a huge semi circular slice - a meat mohawk. Most of it is served in the open air, because of Covid and the weather. Which means I have to battle the flies and the beady eyed great tailed grackles (great name for these very common birds) looking for their share. And of course - empanadas - the Spanish version of the Cornish pasty.

What to See in Puerto Rico?

Puerto Rico's (self imposed) nickname is Island of Enchantment, in deference to the gorgeous scenery. There's plenty to entertain and fabulous mountains, forests and 270 miles of beaches to enjoy. Puerto Rico has three bioluminescent bays - Mosquito is recognised as the brightest in the world. I went to:

• San Juan - the third oldest European-established capital city in the Americas and the oldest under the American flag
• The Beautiful Beaches of the South West

Puerto Rico - the Rich Port

Last time I came to Puerto Rico it was a forced stop at the airport at San Juan, as my Avianca plane had developed an engine fault en route to Bogota and then Ecuador. It was the middle of the night and we weren't allowed to leave the airport (which was closed anyway). so, I'm finally back for a proper look. And I'm surprised. Puerto Rico is a fascinating mish mash of Spanish Colonial heritage, American culture, jungle, mountain scenery and glorious beaches.

San Juan, Capital of Puerto Rico

About 80% of the population of Puerto Rico lives and works in the metropolitan area of  San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico. San Juan was founded by the Spanish colonists in 1521, That makes it the third oldest European-established capital city in the Americas, after Santo Domingo and Panama City, in Panama. It is also the oldest European-established city under United States sovereignty. The Spaniards originally called it Ciudad de Puerto Rico (City of Puerto Rico).

The old city was built on the western half of a small island called the Isleta de San Juan, today connected to the mainland by two bridges and a causeway. My Air BNB guest house is slap bang in the middle of this area. I’m really glad I’ve waited to hire a car. The streets are jampacked and on Sunday afternoon nose to tail with day trippers’ vehicles. I can walk everywhere from here.

Old San Juan Fortifications

Massive fortifications. – walls and forts - surround a large part of the island city. This is the Malta of the Caribbean. The biggest forts are run by the American National Parks Service. They’re in charge of the trail that leads round the headland below the walls. There are great views across to the mainland and balmy breezes turning into  bracing wake you up winds as I head north to the Atlantic coast. The path clearing volunteers have also taken on the care of the city’s stray cats. There are hundreds of them emerging from the bushes, mewing hopefully.

The key fortifications are the  sprawling sixteenth-century Fort San Felipe del Morro, with its lighthouse and green spaces on the headland - kite (chiringo) flying is popular here in the ocean breezes - and the seventeenth-century Fort San Cristóbal, defending the hinterland. They are both part of the national Parks San Juan National Historic Site. Countless picturesque turrets demand to be photographed, not to mention gates, the Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery, with its red domed church located just outside the city walls and La Princesa, the former jail.

There’s also  the 16th-century El Palacio de Santa Catalina, known as La Fortaleza, but that now  serves as the governor's mansion and the police won’t let you close enough to get a good look. That maybe because there were riots here not so long ago. The street used to have canopy of umbrellas but they were all burnt during the demonstrations

The Rest of Old San Juan

The very narrow streets in the enclosed city are a tasteful grey - blue rectangular cobblestone (Farrow and Ball would be proud) . They are edged with pastel houses, shops and bars. It’s very atmospheric. The balconies are festooned with Father Christmases and Wise Men, all mixed indiscriminately  together. There’s clearly no edict here about taking your decorations down by January 6^th.

There are statues of Christopher Columbus, it goes without saying. There’s also the elaborate façade of the Cathedral of San Juan Bautista (construction began in the 1520s, it was destroyed in a hurricane and rebuilt in 1540). It contains the tomb of the Spanish explorer and settlement founder Juan Ponce de León. He was a volunteer on Columbus’ second expedition, led the first exploration of Florida  and searched fruitlessly, for the Fountain of Youth. Nevertheless, he wound up, very rich, as governor of Puerto Rico. I saw Ponce de Leon's statue, standing in a square close by, but since I got home, it's been toppled.

Other buildings of interest predating the 20th century are the Ayuntamiento or Alcaldía (San Juan City Hall), the Diputación Provincial and the Real Intendencia buildings, which house the Puerto Rico Department of State (the Casa Rosa), the pretty San José Church (1523- the second oldest church structure in existence in the Americas, and the oldest church in the Americas, still in use) and the adjacent Hotel El Convento ( the former house of the Ponce de León family, known as Casa Blanca), the Teatro Tapia, and the former Spanish barracks (now the Museum of Ballajá). Below the city walls, to the north, is La Perla, low cost housing for the original city workers. Latin music blasts out, as it does from most of the bars.

American San Juan

The other half of the Isleta hosts most of Puerto Rico's central government buildings, including the casino and the very grand Commonwealth Capitol Building. Puerto Rico is represented federally by just one non-voting member of the House, known as a Resident Commissioner. Puerto Rico has had its own governor since 1952 and its political status is a matter of ongoing debate.  

 Literally camped outside here are some flag waving anti vaccination protestors. Opposite, is the Walkway of Presidents. A line up of bronzes of all the presidents who have held sway over Puerto Rico. It stops at Obama. I’m wondering if they haven’t got round to Trump yet, or if they’re just not going to.

It’s a fascinating and surprising walk, San Juan might be the nicest city in the Caribbean. I had no idea.

Tourism and San Juan

Down the hill, to the south, gigantic cruise liners. line the bay between the island and the mainland. There have been  a series of economic projects aimed at developing Puerto Rico into an industrial high-income economy. Tourism and hospitality, of course feature strongly. Whilst these have been successful 40 % of the population still live below the poverty line. (It’s 13% in mainland USA). The damage caused in 2017 by Hurricane Maria was extensive and an additional  set back. Covid is clearly not helping.

Condado Beach

Each  side of the Isleta de San Juan are beach resort areas. Slightly grander ones to the west. I’m heading for Condado Beach to the east. It’s only a mile or so from the airport and has a long wide strip of deep golden brown sand . It’s exceptionally soft and  deep. Hotels, apartment towers, bars and chain restaurants back the beach. I’m staying in a BnB in a Spanish style low slung house, in a small residential street. It's encircled by said high rise blocks. The beach is just up the road.

 The burger joint I venture into has well over a 100 brands of beer. There are three columns on each side of the menu and a build your burger card, that takes about 10 minute to fill in. I’ve also tried an Argentinian steak house. Grilled short rib and Manchego ice cream. Both are excellent.

Next up - South Western Puerto Rico.......And read more about Puerto Rico here.