Travel San Juan, Puerto Rico: Riding tourist trolley through town

I started the morning off early with a walk through the extensive grounds of the Embassy Suites / Golden Sands resort in Dorado, and around mid-day we made our way into the Puerto Rican capital -- San Juan. Old San Juan is a beautifully restored colonial city and was founded in 1521. We parked our vehicle close to the Puerto Rican Capitol and started walking west towards Old San Juan past Plaza Colon which features a statue of Christopher Columbus. After my initial explorations of the popular shopping street Calle Fortaleza I discovered the Governor's Mansion (la Fortaleza) where two local policemen enlightened me about the significance of this building. Then I came across the Parque de las Palomas where hundreds of pigeons swarm the tourists who feed them. Walking north I explored the Atlantic waterfront, the Old San Juan Cemetery and one of San Juan's most imposing fortifications: Fort San Felipe del Morro, begun in 1539, which today is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I even hopped on the free open-air tourist trolley to get a more comprehensive view of Old San Juan and caught a nice sunset, looking south over the Bay of San Juan.

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[travelandtransitions]

My pleasure. Enjoy, it's a beautiful city.

[SuPeRcAr250]

Puerto Rico is the best! I have so much pride that im from such a beutiful island. P.S. i was just in downtown San Juan yesterday at the beach with family and friends. It was great!

[baltimorecity1]

THANK YOU FOR A GREAT VIDEO

[ICEGHOST22]

puerto rico would be better if fortuno was replaced by someone better

[princecharmonpoirtoi]

Ahora mismo Puerto Rico esta muerto. Si, mataron al gobernador a Ricky Martin, a medio mundo unos delincuentes escapados de prision para servir de sicarios al gobierno de Japon, solo que Japon no los quizo, y ahora andan sueltos . La doctora Banucci, Roy Brown hasta la misma Cristina Aguilera que en visita la decapitaron... Son drogadictos de heroina y ni la mafia colombiana quiere ya negocios con ellos.. No veran masa Daddy Yankie tampoco vivo.

[Jehosh27]

*Sigh*... Missing home all over again. (P.S. Go to a place in the San Juan plaza called Cafe Cultura. Best coffee and eggs of all time!)

[jmrodz80]

@brunettechocha yes but remember that both miami and rio are at least twice the size of san juan. for not being a large city it still offers far more than many larger cities through the US and latin america.

[dgarcia7158]

@brunettechocha you shouldn't have to compare San Juan to any other city in the Caribbean or S. America, it stands on its own and its beauty, from what I've seen in the videos, is evident. I would love to visit there, and by the way I'm Cuban. You are right about my beloved Havana, some day it may overcome what is happening there, but there is beauty there as well.

[beowulven]

It's excellent!

[brunettechocha]

You know where it falls short though, all that area of central Puerta de Tierra having no walking value. With the years that area should have been seamlessly integrated and reconstructed a la Old San Juan but in a wider manner. Also, El Condado has nothing to do. Indeed, after Havana was destroyed by communist, San Juan is today superior to the rest of the Caribbean but when compared to Miami or Rio it has no chance. SJuan has the potential but has suffered from lack of vision and planning.

[moshadey]

luv this island......all day every day!!!! this is demo from new york.

[RDWestAK]

Riding the trolley in Old San Juan is something I'm looking most forward to. Great Job! Roberto

[kev619]

memories :(