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Friday, August 15: We had noted the times that English tours are given at La Fortaleza, but when we drop off our rental car and take a taxi into Old San Juan this morning to take the 8:50 tour, we’re told La Fortaleza is closed today for official business. We’ll fly back home tomorrow morning, so this is our last chance to see it. Sometimes the best laid plans simply don’t work out.
La Fortaleza – off-limits today
Church next to La Fortaleza
Instead, we enjoy coffee again at Cafe Cuatro Sombras, where we had coffee our first day in San Juan. We walk around SoFo and take advantage of photo ops while the streets are nearly deserted and the light is good. We walk around and about the charming and colorful streets of the colonial town.
Cafe Cuatro Sombras
Cool lights in Cafe Cuatro Sombras
Estacionamiento Doña Fela
SoFo
Raices, where we ate our first night and where we’ll eat again tonight
Lupi’s ~ home of Omi
Sidewalk cafes in SoFo
balconies galore
We pop into the Museo de San Juan, which in 1857 was a bustling marketplace. Today we see an exhibit of characters made from flip flops and shoe soles found washed up on the shores of the island.
People made from shoe soles and beach debris
shoe sole people
We take a taxi back to the art district of Santurce because I want to capture some of the interesting street art.
statue in Santurce
sculpture in Santurce
pineapple anyone?
street art in Santurce
funny skeleton
bursts of color
Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico
Christian Science Church
yet another colorful building 🙂
We walk back to our hotel from here, where we spend the afternoon relaxing at the beach. 🙂
notes from north america 
So much color! Those streets just beg for you to click, click, click! Thank you for sharing.
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You’re so right, Carol. I just loved all the color and character of Old San Juan. It’s a photographer’s paradise. I think you’d love it! 🙂
Why is it that countries often with the lowest GDP (even though it is an unincorporated US territory you can see it is not a rich nation) see the value of using public funds for the arts? Amazing to walk around and see so much life and vibrancy and self-expression available to all! Reclaimed beach trash makes spectacular art, I have seen this before and it is amazing! I am going to revisit this whole trip again. Would love to visit this part of the world. I am really enjoying your China blog, too!!!!
Mona Lisa, I was really impressed with the art museums that I saw in San Juan, as well as the street art. And I loved all the colorful buildings. It’s such a charming and cheery place. I’m glad you’re enjoying my China blog too. I hope to do more once I get settled in and into a better routine. We begin our teacher orientation tomorrow (3 days). I hope the expectations will be reasonable. 🙂
Just wonderful Cathy ! I want to go back!
Thanks, Kathryn. It would be fun to go back, but I’m sure you’d rather be in Netherlands. 🙂
Yes I think I would..I am gradually coming around….