An Evening in San Juan

February 27, 2012 – An Evening in San Juan

Sometimes the third time IS the charm My first port call to San Juan was on my third day on ship. As such, I really didn’t’ have much of an opportunity to visit the port. My one brief excursion was to walk two blocks to the CVS Pharmacy just off the dock to pick up the few necessities which I had identified I was lacking.  The second time in San Juan I was actually leaving the ship to join Dani and Rosie in Richmond for Ring Dance. Finally, on this cruise I was able to explore this unique American port.

But all good things are worth a wait, and my day in San Juan was no exception. I had two separate training classes to conduct, and by the time I was done at 3pm, Laura and Lavern were both off the ship. So, I bided my time continuing to work in the office with one eye on the clock hoping they would return soon. Fortunately, we had a late departure from Puerto Rico that evening, not scheduled to sail until 10pm. By 5:30pm Laura called to say she was back on ship and I bolted to my stateroom to get changed and go ashore.

It is rare that we are in port when the sun sets, so immediately as I left the ship I realized I was in for a unique experience. The sun was near the horizon as I reached the end of the dock which encouraged me to snap away with my camera as the light of evening began to fade. As soon as you leave the dock you experience the first facet of life in Puerto Rico. Traffic. Cars were literally bumper-to-bumper as they crawled along the boulevard that fronted the harbor. On the one hand that can be intimidating for one trying to cross to the other side. On the other hand the traffic is generally moving so slowly that you can pick your spots to cross ensuring that you are making good eye contact with drivers as you weave between the cars. While I was open to experiencing any surprises that San Juan presented I did have a three-fold mission. Since San Juan is an American port and my cell phone coverage applies I definitely needed to call family. Second, there are always supplies that one looks for at local ports and I was told there was a Walgreens ‘up the hill’ that I should visit. Finally, Allen, our fitness center manager told me there was a nearby Starbucks. A good cup of coffee and free WiFi were certainly beckoning me.

But with no map and no escort this was definitely going to be an exploratory strike. The problem with the streets at the end of the dock is that they radiated in multiple directions. ‘Up the hill’ could lead you to a lot of different choices. However, knowing that the journey is as important as the destination I simply started to walk. Taking random turns and continuing to climb the hill I soon found myself on the ramparts of the Old Fort just as the sun was dipping below the horizon. The views were breathtaking as the harbor unfolded below me. As the natural light faded the lights in the plaza below began to illuminate. Like moths attracted to the flame, people started to stream into the plaza from every side as the street market opened. Moments later, music wafted up to the top of the fort emanating from a band hidden by the trees.

I needed to follow the music so I wound my way down staircases and narrow allies to the town square. In the few minutes it took me to get there the plaza had filled with people. The music played, the street market was in full swing, and many people had set up folding chairs just to sit, converse, and take in the activity. The energy was invigorating. I wandered randomly through the square checking out different booths and contemplating what savory delicacies would entice me from the food vendors. All too quickly, the time had flown by and I realized I needed to forgo my expedition to the Walgreens and settle for the CVS near the ship to meet my needs. Starbucks would have to wait for another time.

It turns out that the hidden Starbucks was only two blocks from the ship along a different radius. But no matter, for I had found what I really needed as I wandered the streets on a Sunday evening in San Juan.

And the adventure continues . . .