Puerto Rico Although this island has been part of the United States since 1898, and has been a semiautonomous commonwealth within the U.S. since 1952, it retains a great deal of its Spanish colonial heritage. That is especially true in the music of the island, the ubiquitous salsa, with its jazzy blend of African and Latin sounds. The island has its share of high rise beachfront resorts, but away from the cities there are large sprawling luxury resorts, as well as more modest accommodations. Puerto Rico also has a large selection of golf courses. Official languages: Spanish and English, although Spanish is more widespread. San Juan The city dates to 1521, and more than 400 of its 16th- and 17-century buildings have been restored in Old San Juan. Some of the narrow streets of this older part of the city are paved with the ballast stones that came to the New World in Spanish ships. The walls of Old San Juan were started in 1633. There are two forts for visitors to explore. The huge Fuerte San Cristobal was the city's guardian from land attacks. Fuerte San Felipe del Morro (El Morro) protected the city from enemies attacking by sea. The six-level building has dungeons, towers, and tunnels, as well as a small museum. Additionally, La Forteleza, the official residence of Puerto Rico's governor, was also once used as a fortress. The building is the oldest executive mansion in continuous use in the New World. Ponce de Leon is buried in a tomb at the impressive Catedral de San Juan. In the newer part of the city, tourists are afforded spectacular views from the observation plaza of El Capitolito, the home of Puerto Rico's legislature. The Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico has a large collection of art, including material from Puerto Rican artists dating back to the 17th century. Just outside the city, tours are available at the Bacardi Rum Plant, which can produce 100,000 gallons of rum in a day. Caribbean National Forest This 28,000-acre park in the Luquillo mountain range is popularly-known as El Yunque. This impressive rain forest is home to nearly 250 different kinds of trees, large tree frogs, green parrots, and nearly 70 species of birds. The park has a number of hiking trails for a variety of skill levels. Ponce Puerto Rico's second-largest city has a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere. To get more of a feel for the heritage of the area, one can visit the Ponce History Museum in its lovely early 20th century buildings. The area's agricultural heritage will shine at Castillo Serralles, once the home to the owners of a Rum distillery. The house, furnished with antiques, also has exhibits explaining the sugar and rum industries. Near the city is Hacienda Buena Vista, a restored 19th-century coffee plantation. Near Ponce is the 9,200-acre Guanica State Forest, a tropical dry coastal forest with more than 700 species of plants and 100 kinds of birds. |
