San Juan - Puerto Rico - page 112

Walking west along Norzagaray, you can look down at the faded pastel houses of La
Perla, San Juan's poorest and most notorious neighborhood, which affront the fierce and
tempestuous Atlantic. Hidden in a former market building to your left is the Museo de
San Juan , which will fill the historical gaps in the story of one of America's oldest colo-
nial settlements. Saturday visitors can revel in the organic bounty of the Old San Juan
farmers market, held weekly in the lovely courtyard and returning the building to its ori-
ginal use. A block or two west the Plaza del Quinto Centenario , built in 1992 to
commemorate the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' 'discovery' of the New
World, blends in seamlessly with the older neighboring Cuartel de Ballajá. The latter
building houses the Museo de las Américas , a museum of changing exhibits on
Caribbean and European art. Across the grass expanses of Campo del Morro, kites soar in
the sky, picnicking families spread out to feast, and the stately fort of El Morro beck-
ons like a brooding sentinel. Stroll the former sentries' walks for iconic panoramic views
of San Juan and the sea. If you bought a joint ticket from Fuerte San Cristóbal, you'll get
in here at a reduced rate.
On your return, bypass down Calle del Morro to the Casa Blanca , the ancestral
home for 250 years of the descendants of Juan Ponce de León, and the oldest permanent
residence in the Americas.
A stone's throw to the east lies the Plaza de San José , with its statue of Juan Ponce
de León, cast from an English cannon captured in the raid of 1797. The east side of the
plaza contains two small museums that are worth a wander. More antiquity overlooks the
plaza from the north in the shape of the Iglesia de San José , the second-oldest church
in the Americas. The subject of an extensive restoration, its interior contains fascinating
murals and a series of displays documenting recent archeological discoveries made during
reconstruction work.
You can cut back to the Puerta de San Juan via a network of steep narrow backstreets
punctuated with stone staircases. Exiting the city via the old gate, turn right and follow the
mile-long Paseo del Morro , which hugs the city walls to the far tip of El Morro fort.
This stroll is most evocative at the end of the day as the sun sets over the bay and the dark
gray shapes of Cataño are transformed into twinkling lights.
Activities
One of the best places in town to buy or rent outdoor gear - including camping equipment
- is Acampa ( 787-706-0695; www.acampapr.com ; 1221 Av Jesús T Piñero, Ca-
parra; 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, 10:30am-5:30pm Sat) . It also does a number of good
tours all over the island.