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Story and photos by Reb StevensonOLD SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO - Carlos Sanchez brags that he can “conquer” me with salsa.
The 21-year-old has all the sex appeal of a kid brother. But there he stands outside Nuyorican Café, smoking a cigarette and eyeing me up with smug confidence.
“If you really want a girl, if you dance salsa, you can get her,” he insists.
“Ok. Show me,” I prompt, doubtful.
Sanchez doesn’t hesitate. He steps forward in the nondescript alleyway, grabs me, starts swaying those bony hips and…by golly, I’m smitten.
My affection isn’t for Sanchez himself – rather, the spontaneous moment confirms what I’ve suspected since I set foot in the seven square blocks that constitute Old San Juan: this city will make you go gaga.
Old San Juan is a standalone masterpiece. Within the confines of the 3 mile-long old city wall, there are enough attractions, restaurants, hotels and nightspots to make you forget that Puerto Rico is primarily a beach destination (the closest swimming area is one mile away).
And the visual appeal: think architecture on Prozac. San Juan draws from a palette normally reserved for birthday cake icing. Strict bylaws enforce the use of historically accurate pastel paints, and it is forbidden to use the same colour on neighbouring houses.
Chunky blue brick cobblestones (a Spanish touch) add an extra layer of whimsy.
But things weren’t always so rosy. In fact, midway through last century Old San Juan was downright sleazy.
“It was a marines town. There were a lot of strip joints, whorehouses and bars,” says Christobal Perez Del Pulgar, bartender at one of Old San Juan’s oldest pubs, El Batey.
Luckily, the government pulled up its socks and offered incentives for restoration. Additionally, Old San Juan and its three Spanish forts were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.
Now locals are vehemently proud of the city, and you will find Puerto Ricans and tourists side-by-side, chowing down on Mofongo Churrasco al Chimichurri (smashed plantain with marinated skirt steak, served in a mortar) at traditional restaurants like Raices.
Locals love to unwind. In 1963 they invented the party cocktail that’s synonymous with getting tipsy under a palm tree: the Pina Colada.
Want to raise a glass with Puerto Ricans? Stay uphill on San Sebastian street, away from American tourists who converge in the area called Fortaleza.
El Batey, with its graffiti-covered walls and gritty floors, seems like the kind of place you might be served punch. As in a punch in the face. It’s open from 11am to 7am. But despite its tough exterior El Batey turns out to be rebellious but friendly.
“Is there smoking allowed in here?” I ask.
“No. No, there’s not,” says the bartender, drawing on a lit cigarette.
Well, you might argue that resistance is in their blood: after all, San Juan was a military stronghold for centuries.
You can visit the old Spanish fortifications. The best is six-tiered El Morro, which guards the North Western tip of Old San Juan.
But perhaps more interesting is what the Puerto Ricans have done with its front yard.
On weekends, hundreds of kites hitch a ride on the sea breeze.
The Puerto Ricans I approach are congenial, sincere, and satisfied with their U.S. ties.
“We always say we have the best of both worlds. We have a very stable government in Puerto Rico and a common currency. But we can hold our Latino culture like music and salsa,” says Jose Morales, a tour guide.
Old San Juan has its fair share of American excess: the strip of designer stores along San Fransico Street (Guess, Ralph Lauren and co.) caters to the 1.2 million cruise shippers who disembark annually. But as you venture uphill and away from the port, San Juan’s bohemian side emerges.
The must-have souvenir is a piece of hand-painted art: wooden santos, or saints. As Three Kings Day is ardently celebrated on Jan. 6, the most authentic memento you can buy is a carving of the three wise men.
And speaking of smarts, only a fool visits San Juan without popping into Nuyorican Café. Wooed by Sanchez and his impromptu dance lesson, I enter the popular club. A six-piece salsa band is crammed on stage and a handful of couples attacks the checkered dance floor with light-hearted fervour.
As it turns out, sinewy Sanchez is something of a wise man himself.
“They’re true, honest souls who want to have a good time,” he reflects.
Reb Stevenson is a Toronto-based writer. She can be reached through her website at www.rebstevenson.com. Her trip was subsidized by the Puerto Rico Tourism Company.
FLIGHTS
From Dec through April, Air Canada has direct flights to Puerto Rico, departing from Toronto (two per week) and Montreal (one per week).
American Airlines, Jet Blue, Spirit, American Trans Air, US Airways, Continental, United, Delta and Northwest also service Puerto Rico.
INFO
Puerto Rico Tourism Company: www.gotopuertorico.com
1-800-866-7827
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