Last morning in Old San Juan

[urbpan]

We had to walk by this view on our way from our room in the convent to the elevator.



This painting was in the first floor hallway. The cardinal's band sucks!!


We headed right out to El Morro, and El Cementerio de San Juan.


Up on one of the walls I saw the carib grackles flying about, and saw a flash of green.


I went over to investigate and found a group of monk parakeets!


I have seen feral monk parakeet flocks and lone escaped pets, but this was the closest I've seen this species.


The El Morro lighthouse.


Out on the green some student athletes were having a track meet.


While a nearby flasher entertains a group of tourists. OH WAIT sorry, it's just a tour guide wearing a long rain coat.


Some truly heroic purslane. I know some farmers and foragers that would have liked to find this!


Then we left the castle area and into another part of the Old San Juan neighborhood.








We were just up above the neighborhood of La Perla. Apparently, "La Perla has always been known for its high rate of illegal drug trafficking and crime." Huh. Looks nice enough.


La Perla has a nice basketball court, too.


Back up the main part of Old San Juan, the streets are paved with blue adoquinas, cobblestones which were actually slag bricks used for ballast in the old Spanish ships.
"The Spaniards took all the gold in trade for adoquines."


I don't know who this is supposed to be. I thought maybe Bush at first, but now I think it must be a local politician or something.


I love these sidewalk weeds--it's purslane and some tropical plant.


At the end of the block we found Parque de las Palomas. I thought, "Ha ha! The park of the palomas is full of palomas! What are the chances?"


Then I saw the columbarium.


Nice pigeonholes.


Here's dad sitting with the statue of some guy and I can't figure out who it is. I think the placard said he was an influential musician.


I've never seen a xmas tree with a classical naked lady motif before. Viva San Juan!

Comments

[bosoxmom.livejournal.com]

I love the pictures. So interesting!! The parrots are so cute. I would love to see a flock of them!!

What do you use purslane for???

Your "flasher" picture reminded me of a picture one of our former mayors did for art. He pretended to "flash" a statue of something in downtown Portland Oregon and he had on the traditional raincoat.

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the kind words! Purslane is edible.

[squire-jons.livejournal.com]

I believe I'll need some more photos of the track students. Thanks.

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

Ah, well. One photo seemed justified, while a prolonged session seemed a bit impolite.

[captainsblog.livejournal.com]

Any flying nuns?

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

It was a remarkably nun-free convent. Kind of disappointing, in retrospect.

[elainetyger.livejournal.com]

There are some delightful scenes in this set. I really enjoyed this post.

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

Thanks Elaine! I think I've got one more big vacation post to go: the botanical garden (!)

[barbmg.livejournal.com]

Lovely stuff! Puerto Rico is the only place out of all of your travels that I've also been too. Ponce reminded me of a Wild Wild West set. (which we've been rewatching btw. SO fun.)

Any photos of the fountain in old San Juan?

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

Thanks Barb! Didn't realize you'd been there.

There was one fountain down the stairs from the totem pole that my dad was interested in. It had no structure above the bricks, so it looked like water shooting out of the plaza. My dad kept trying to get a picture of it and kept getting there just as it would shut off for a couple minutes.

I think I got one shot of that fountain on the first day, but it didn't make the cut.

Why do you ask?

[barbmg.livejournal.com]

No big reason. I just remember my family snapping lots of photos around it and liked the idea of you guys doing the same, plus I'm sure yours would be lovely.

[urbpan.livejournal.com]