Just a little ways South of the Florida keys is the island that Christopher Columbus first landed on after sailing across the Atlantic. A lot of people don’t know the history of the island, but Puerto Rico has plenty.
From the indigenous Taino culture, multiple battles involving every European country in the middle of their colonization phase, to being the final resting place of Ponce de Leon, Puerto Rico is a multicultural mashup with attitude to spare.
The capital city, San Juan, is a modern and showy metropolis that feels more like Miami than Madrid. However, it wraps around the original 500 year-old, fortress-ringed hill-town, now called Old San Juan, which oozes history and character.
Old San Juan’s mix of Spanish style and architecture with Caribbean colors and materials makes for one of the most beautiful old cities Becki and I have ever seen. Every time we go back, we find something new to be amazed by.
The cat’s that wander the streets and recline in the shade are something to behold. They catch your eye with their fetching good looks and capture your imagination through a wild flicker in their eye.
We found out on our last trip that these cats our protected in Old San Juan, because they’re direct descendants of the first cats brought to the Americas. These cats have a unique personality all their own, hiding in the shade from the tropical heat but popping out every so often to say hello.
They’re well cared for by groups of volunteers, and have plenty to eat. Not struggling to survive lets them have a much different feel than your typical Caribbean strays, for both the cat and the cat-lover. You could spend an entire day just watching these beautiful little furballs.
We thoroughly love Old San Juan, but what do you think of it?
Leave a Reply