Saved on Sifnos - a travel story out of the Aegean Sea that includes little harbours, sleeping villages, several tavernas, a ferry onward, a Greek cultures festival and a room with a view, travelogue, trip, travel, Greece, Cyclades, Sifnos, Kythnos, ferry, island-hopping

 
 
 

 







Snapshots of the Caribbean
Part 7:
In Case of Siege


Sunday is the day we have earmarked to explore Old San Juan. Unfortunately the weather seems to be conspiring against us, as a steady drizzle seems to have settled over the city. Over breakfast we decide that a bit of rain is not going to put us off (after all, being British, we're used to it!) and I tuck an umbrella into my bag along with the sunblock.

Walking to Old San Juan is much easier in comfortable shoes, and, despite the rain, we decide to walk along the old city walls. Puerto Rico was fought over by the British, Spanish and Dutch, and as a result, many defences were built, including several forts. The largest fort, known as El Morro, overlooks the entrance to the harbour, and is very impressive, even on a rather damp and miserable day. Inside the fort, there are several cannons and stacked cannonballs, with displays of period military uniforms and informative displays about how to fire cannons and how drinking water was stored underneath the fort in case of siege. One of the symbols of San Juan is the sentry box, a small, round, room in which a soldier would stand, watching out for attackers.

As usual in these places, I am glad that I am not a 17th-Century soldier. The fort is well maintained and litter-free. In the gift shop, the only drinks on sale are bottles of 'San Juan forts' branded mineral water. I hope they have improved their water collection and storage techniques since the days of sieges.


Part 8
: A turn for the worse


this travelogue is part of the subside travelzine
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