Puerto Rico!

Knowing we would have a little time after leaving California before Kevin would need to start work we decided we wanted to take a vacation. Initially we wanted to head back to Hawai'i to check out a different island but unfortunately the plane tickets were incredibly expensive. We thought about Jamaica but finally decided on Puerto Rico. The foreign country feel without the hassle of a passport and currency exchange.

We arrived in San Juan late on our first night so we didn't really do much. Kevin was just getting over what we think was the flu and I had a terrible cold as we left Kansas City. Feeling crummy called for a very low key day. We headed out for a late breakfast to try some Mofongo at a place not too far from our hotel. Mofongo is a Puerto Rican plantain based dished often cooked with pork and in our opinion...not very good. Had to try it though. Afterwards we just walked along the beach heading back to our hotel.

Walking along Isla Verde Beach

We couldn't resist trying out the hammocks located just outside our hotel on the beach. The people we'd seen there earlier looked so comfortable. Didn't stay long...for some reason...we weren't actually that comfortable.

The view was pretty amazing though.

At this point I needed a nap (remember I said I was still not feeling 100%...I'm not that lazy). Eventually I felt like getting out of the room so we walked to this place really close to our hotel for dinner. Don Jose's was great! 

By the second day we were ready to really get out and explore Old San Juan. We rented bikes that were dropped off to us at our hotel. 

It was a little bit of a trek from our hotel to get to our destination. (Our hotel was the furthest away from Old San Juan). We couldn't ride along the beach the entire way but there were a few good spots where we could stop and take pictures.

Having me pose like different statues is one of Kevin's favorite things to have me do. I'm always slightly afraid I'm going to offend somebody but I usually get talked into it anyway.

By the time we made it to Old San Juan we were pretty hungry so we stopped at Cafe Mallorca for breakfast. The bike rental guy told us this was the oldest restaurant in Old San Juan still open. I haven't found this fun fact anywhere else yet (granted I didn't look too hard) so we'll just have to take his word for it. Kevin ordered the Mallorca (a sweet roll with egg, ham, and dusted in powdered sugar). It was delicious.

After breakfast we were ready to check out the Spanish forts. We started out at Castillo de San Cristobal and spent quite a bit of time wandering around. This is the newer of the two castles and was completed in 1783 to help protect San Juan from land based attacks.

The views from this fort were incredible. In one direction you can look and see the city of Old San Juan and from another direction you have the ocean.

Devil's Guerite

Kevin attempting to climb the wall

We took this picture from one of the sentry boxes.

Another view from Castillo de San Cristobal looking out towards Old San Juan and Castillo San Felipe del Morro.

Kevin tried picking up a canon ball but it was not that easy. Not sure how those short little Spaniards did it. (probably not politically correct to say this but I don't care)

We stopped about halfway to the second castle to check out the scenery and the old cemetery built right along the coast. 

The cemetery was incredible. It wasn't very well maintained which was a shame. Some of the tombs were smashed and destroyed. 

Next we stopped to check out Castillo San Felipe del Morro. Construction on this castle began in 1539 by King Charles V of Spain to protect Old San Juan. Crazy to think that they could have built something so massive in the 16th century.

It was definitely worth spending the day exploring. The history and beauty of it all was amazing.

Kevin on the look out.

By this point we were ready to cool off so we grabbed a late lunch at Old Harbor Brewery. 

Kevin's turn to pose

We started our bike back to Isla Verde (making one quick stop at Casa de Espana which was recommended to us by a local we met on the street...a very beautiful building). It started raining so we stopped for shelter. When we realized it wasn't going to let up we decided to just bike in the rain. Completely drenched by the time we made it back and ready to be off of the bikes. It was a mostly flat route but our seats were a little sore from being on the bikes all day on bumpy roads. A wonderful day though!