Let's go to San Juan by Market Friday

over 2 years ago (Edited)

Plaza de Armas was designed and built as the main town square in Spanish Colonial Times. Welcome to Old San Juan, Puerto Rico! Looking at the above photograph, the town hall center is on left-handhand side of the plaza and the Department of State is on the right side. There are plenty of benches to sit, coffee to be had and pigeons to be fed.

Plaza de Armas (Arms Square) is one of the main squares and is enjoyed by the locals as a gathering place to see and be seen, have coffee, and cover the day's events, or life. Sometimes it was a market, sometimes a place to have military exercises. The four statues on the fountain were placed there from the four corners of the square and represent the four seasons.

The Casablanca Hotel had nice accommodations. It had antique furniture and it looked like floors that were refinished, but, probably the original deal. Nice The location was convenient and the people there were nice and helpful. The service is exceptional and a 24-hour concierge, because, well, San Juan! The price was $145.00 for three people. You might be able to get it cheaper, but, I didn't actually shop around because it was only two nights and it was right where I needed it. The address is 316 C. de la Fortaleza, San Juan.
Phone: (844) 468-3577

Today is #MarketFriday initiated by @dswigle (Denise, that's me!!) Join me as we share our markets across the globe. I always look forward to seeing what you send me! It is amazing to see the different markets and cultures of our friends here on Hive.

Old San Juan is the oldest city established in Puerto Rico. It is easy to believe as all you have to do is spin in a circle and see the architecture. I was amazed at the beauty and how distinctly different the sections were. However, I should say that the building reflects the architecture from four different centuries. In case you didn't read it, I was lamenting living in one of those apartments with a balcony, looking down at the people, surrounding myself with all that is green. And blooming. You know. #alwaysaflower Who could resist?

There are free trolleys at the Covadongag bus station and makes their way around all of the popular tourist attractions. Need to get back? Go to a bus stop, but make sure that it has the trolley sign, otherwi,se you will be getting on tpaid-or the us. That can be fun too. (insert sarcasm here) The bus fare is $0.75 and the light rail is $1.50, but you have to purchase a transit pass at any Tren Urbano station.The bus stops at the station between towns and stops to pick up people who are walking. So, don't be in a rush, just relax! They normally will stop in the town squares, so check your destination. If that doesn't work, take a taxi, but, negotiate your price and pay before you agree. This way, there is no misunderstanding or language barrier and nobody feels cheated.

I must say that there is no lack of shopping here. I could walk up and down cobblestone streets and shop all day, or perhaps I wanted to say that shopping is available, but, I am not sure I could do it all day. I am sure it would be a challenge for any woman. Normally, buildings like these are commerce on the botton and apartments with blaconies on the top. We had those same kind of buildings back home in Connecticut in our downtown, but, the buildings were not as showstopping as these and the balcony was in the back. These here are stunning.

Each building is a work of art, individual, it stands out on its own. Puerto Rico has museums that are world-renown, along with its street art. Just walk around and see the murals painted in the most unusual places. Is it just me being wowed by the lines, the materials used, the architectural lines that touch a place in my soul? I look at these structures and have to wonder how they could build this kind of beauty centuries ago, so far from their Spanish homeland, yet, they persevered and made it beautiful. I stand in awe.

It was in the 1950s that the city leaders of San Juan wanted to tear down the tragically crumbling structures and intermingle some modern architecture to the city. The idea was flatly turned down and the renovation project began, keeping the Spanish flavor well intact. As I walk around when I am here, I can not see this city any other way than the Colonial beauty that she is.

There are so many unique and artsy stores here, mixed in with bookstores. This little relic, the poet's passage is one of my favorities stops every single time. I bought a fun little house for one of my sisters. She has always admired my little houses my friend made for me, so I thought I might get her one of her own. I know she will love it.

Mofongo is one of many dishes popular in Puerto Rico that people can enjoy from restaurants and food trucks. ... A predecessor of mofongo came from West and Central Africa, and was brought to Puerto Rico with the slave trade, according to Gozamos. The main ingredient is green plantain.

Mofongo is a Puerto Rican dish with fried plantains as its main ingredient. Plantains are picked green and fried, then mashed with salt, garlic, broth, and olive oil in a wooden pilón (mortar and pestle).Th e goal is to produce a tight ball of mashed plantains that will absorb the attending condiments and have either pork cracklings (chicharrón) or bits of bacon inside. It is traditionally served with fried meat and chicken broth soup. Particular flavors result from variations that include vegetables, chicken, shrimp, beef, or octopus packed inside or around the plantain orb. see here

It looks like moving day!!

The streets are getting busy and the cars will be stacking up soon, and yet, the shopping will continue for the rest of the day. I will go find a nice shady spot to sit or a good book or even enjoy the sights, anything but shopping!

The narrow cobblestoned streets are not unusual, but, the blue color of them is. The cobblestones reflect the color, especially in the rain and the night lights...and of course, they have a story that goes with it.

The cobblestone (Adoquines) streets of Old San Juan are blue stone cast from furnace. slag which were brought over on Spanish ships as ballasts. The characteristic blue color comes from age and moisture. Becuase of their age, the Adoquines you will see around Old San Juan are cracked, faded and worn down due to high automobile traffic, these streets are part of a long Puerto Rican Heritage and they should be preserved by the closure of streets to automobile traffic.source

They never seem to tire of shopping, where their dollars go far and the merchandise is plenty. The tourist and the locals feel the streets, looking for that special something that will go home with them. You can walk forever and a day, the atmosphere is happy, I can hear singing in the back of me and in front of me. I am in the middle of a song.

There are literally dozens and dozens opop-up restaurants, which I love! You don't see them during the day and the streets become pedestrian zones and the tables roll out to fee patrons. The streets are so narrow here, it is not uncommon at all. It is a little unnerving in the zones where they still drive and they cars get precariously close to the table.

I have made it to the Riverwalk, wher you are free to walk along the promenade down there. During the evening, it is a romantic stroll along the water, the moom hanging out,

This tree has fascinated me for years. It was listing for years andnow it sits on a step made especially for it, so the limmb doesn't drop to the ground. top-heavy now and sags from the weight. I forget how old it is, but, sadly, they won't let nature take its course and let it rest in peace. I am not sure how I feel about that.

It's not uncommon anywere to see the menu posted outside to check it out, but, I will say that I love it, being able to see if it will be wasting my time and theirs by taking a seat and looking at the menu. Don't you arrpeciate that?

Welcome! You have come to the right place! He was so hard to resist, plus the aroma wafting on to the streets from there was heavenly. The menu is from the restaurant next door. The chef made something for us that he said we would never forget. I won't ever. I also will never remember what it was called or what was in it. As a woman who write everything down or puts it in her phone, I was a complete and utter failure. I'll just have to get punished and go back again.

Oh, the allure of the beautiful city, San Juan. The cobblestones under my feet have made history and I have stepped on it. So much warmth within this city center. The people, the food... the feeling of being in a foreign, yet, it is my own. It has been lovely. I can hear her calling to come back soon. ❤️

Please leave the link to your post here so it can easily be found by others. It helps you and me to have them in one place. Where else can you take such a quick trip around the globe? Thank you so much for joining us!! ❤

And just like that, this post is done. I hope you had a good time and learned a little something new. As always, thank you for stopping by and this concludes out little walkabout in San Juan. Perhaps we'll come back another day, becuase, who can resist the charm? I know I cannot! #MarketFriday loves you! Thank you for supporting the challenge! Cheers!!

As always, there must be flowers to color my world. #alwaysaflower

20200312_091441 Denise.jpg

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Fridays are all about the #MarketFriday Challenge! Looking to take part in it? Here is how:

Rules of the Road to Join #MarketFriday!

Go to the market, or anywhere that you pay money for a service.
Take pictures! Be creative!
Tell us a little bit about the market or the event. What brought you there? What did you buy? How much did it cost? Was it expensive? Did it go up or down? I need something other than 50 pictures of the market.
Post the pictures. Of course, you should tell a little bit about the ones you post, it is too difficult to guess on some
Use the MarketFriday Community Platform to post (#hive-196308) This is not required but appreciated.
PLEASE Drop the link into the MarketFriday comment section so I can find it!!
Following me and reblogging the post would be appreciated, but not a rule, more vision for more views on the #MarketFriday posts!
You must put #MarketFriday by @dswigle somewhere on your post.