Last Saturday, the lovely Robin and I were so blessed to accompany my brother Don and his wife, Arvilla, on a walking tour of Old San Juan, guided by our friend Jorge Marzan, who grew up in Old San Juan. After parking, we began our adventure at the plaza surrounding the statue of Christopher Columbus.
We saw so much and learned so much. Old San Juan occupies a tiny island off the larger island's north coast, and is connected to the rest of Puerto Rico by three bridges. The explorer Juan Ponce de León is credited with founding the original settlement, Caparra, nearby in 1508, but what is today Old San Juan traces its beginnings to 1509.
The narrow, blue cobblestone streets and flat-roofed brick and stone buildings date to the sixteenth and seventeenth century, when Puerto Rico was a Spanish possession. The facades of the historic buildings are carefully protected by the city, and cannot be demolished.
Old San Juan is a delight to visit, a place throbbing with life and distinction. We loved every minute, and only wish we could have spent more time exploring it.
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