Experience it for free!
Through the electronic grape vine that is the Internet I received information that this weekend of July 18 and 19, The National Park services are offering free tours in Castle San Cristobal and El Morro Fort!
Come one, come all! The tours are different for each site, the San Cristobal tour features a Tunnel Tour starting at 10:30 am, Out works walk at 2:30 pm and informational talks every hour on the hour. While the El Morro tours feature Outwork walks all day and informational talks also on …

Oak barrels aging the rum
The worlds best rums are made in Puerto Rico. Some people would like to argue with that. Specially if they are from any of our neighboring Caribbean islands. But sadly for them, they are not the one writing this blog…sooo Puerto Rico’s rums are the best. Period.
This is going to be an anecdote about trying to find a good rum, in Old San Juan. Not that it’s hard to find, or there’s a drought going on. With all the bars in this small city, I’m amazed …

Lets face it, as much as we would like it to be, life is not a walk in the park. When we least expect it, things can go tumbling downhill on the cobblestones. Times like these you need to know where to find help: whether it be medical, police related, or transportation, Old San Juan has everything to get those first aids. The trick is finding them quick enough. So we’re here to help!

1- Medical Emergencies: On San Francisco street, in front of the Plaza de Armas you will find …

Candela
When there are so many bars and taverns in one place as Old San Juan, standing out becomes the primary goal of any bar owner who wishes to stay on top of the game. The most important part of any tavern is the bar: the oasis that must service the patrons. Nobody wants to drink in an Oasis where the water is dark and murky or where the surrounding vegetation is decayed and ugly.
How it looks is usually the first clue as to how it will taste. The same principle …

Finally, I’m about to talk about food. I’ve put this off as much as I can, because I’m not a food “connoisseur.” But I am still going to talk about it. Why? Because I love food and I love cooking! I’m not a pretentious elitist that believes food should be grueling work. Food is not something to over-think or to judge. In fact, we are lucky to be able to think about food in any other way besides survival.
I am of the belief that food should be appreciated for the …

Souvenir Sauces
In one afternoon I saw: a wall covered in shot glasses, a barrel full of tambourines, frogs in every article imaginable  and coffee cups shaped like butts and breasts. Going souvenir shopping in Old San Juan is the very definition of quirk.
Ranging from artful crafts like handmade cigars or wooden mask, all the way to the cliche key chains and t-shirts, no matter what your friends back home like, you will find something in OSJ for them. Hand made soap? Check. Fancy jewelery? More than you could afford to …

“You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave”
Ladies and gentlemen gather around, gather round and hear the voices from those who have disappeared! Vanished! Into the night. Nothing but their clothes and close items were found, and then their voices called from beyond! You stand near, from where the devils hand, was said to appear, to snatch foolish soldiers who dared venture the dark. Welcome to the Castle San Cristobal, and welcome to The Devil’s Guerite!
Actually its not that freaky, its more like a natural occurrence …

Earlier this week, I did a spotlight on one of the mysterious residents of the Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzis cemetery in Old San Juan: Reba Stewart. This once amazing artist has become an urban legend to those who stumble upon her beautifully engraved tomb, inspiring the “witch” stories that first drove me to her.
So now in honor of Reba Stewart’s life and mythos, I present you with some of her art work.

Mobile / made from driftwood she collected from behind the cemetery/ 1961-1962
Mobile/ made from driftwood/ 1961-1962
“Tree Forms in …

Friday and Saturday nights on Old San Juan belong to the couples. Sure, you will always see people flying solo, and groups of guys or gals having their “night out”. But even these are on the look out for another soul with which to share the night.
The lining walls of El Morro Fort has become one of the most popular spots for lovers to spend some quiet time in  the OSJ. The wall is lined with small alleys that slope into the beach and cemetery, and serve as chambers for …

You know, for such a small city, Old San Juan does have many ghost stories. Many of these stories deal with those who once roamed these historic ways, like the much rumored visits of Doña Felisa Rincón de Gautier, (San Juan’s first woman mayor), to her old house near San Juan’s cathedral that now serves as a Museum. Or how about the many different sightings of soldiers, prisoners, and slaves that have occurred in El Morro Fort during the guided tours? Maybe you’ve even heard of the spirit that roams …