El Paseo del Morro, Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

 

“After a day’s walk, everything has twice its usual value.”

G. M. Trevelyan

This lovely recreational trail goes around the outside of the north side of Old San Juan’s city wall and is a lovely way to get to see spectacular views of the fortress, Castillo de San Felipe del Morro also known as El Morro by the locals, and the San Juan Harbor. The picturesque paved trail goes a distance of about 1.5 miles for now but they are considering extending it to the northern side of El Morro and continue to the east of the Puerto Rico territorial capital. This trail was originally a dirt path made so the workman could do repairs to the outer wall.

We started our walk on the road Paseo Gilberto Concepcion de Gracia and walked to the west which is left of where the cruise ships dock. We passed an area where there were many food trucks with such aromatic smells and delectable treats that it was hard to not stop for a snack even with a full belly. Then we came to the gorgeous, tree lined, wide boulevard that is known as Paseao de la Princesa which is a restored 19th century esplanade by the harbor. This beautifully shaded walk was filled with canopies the locals had set up to sell their handicrafts and wares. We also passed an interesting little park that had tall, giant metal spikes reaching toward the sky in an artistic fashion.

Down a little further, we could see the gorgeous Raices Fountain which we had seen the night before beautifully lit up in multiple colors. Today, seeing it with the blue harbor in the background and the warm sun radiating off the statues was a gorgeous site. The fountain is located at the end of the “Paseo de la Princesa”. This seems to be a meeting place for the locals. It was nice seeing families getting out for the day as well as couple strolling arm in arm.

This exquisite fountain is made of bronze and depicts the gods and goddesses of Taino who were people of European, Indian, and African descent. The fountain was built by E. R. del Moral of San Juan and the sculptures were the artistic work of Luis Sanguino from Segovia, Spain. The fountain was completed on May 30, 1992 to honor the 500th anniversary of the discovery of America.

The basin of this statue represents the sea and the pedestal is Puerto Rico. The two dolphins symbolize friendship, kindness, and gentleness. The female figure at portal is the greeter of ships and to her left is a family which symbolizes the center of the Puerto Rican society. To the right is a native, “jiboro” dancing. The middle of the fountain shows an enraged goddess symbolizing freedom. The Puerto Ricans are proud people who are united together because of the love they feel for their island that they call home.

As we continue our walk, Paseo de la Princesa combines with the trail El Paseo del Morro where we start to see beautiful coastal scenery and amazing views of the city walls. We pass the vibrant red San Juan City Gate with its huge, heavy wooden doors. This is the only surviving gate. It was built in 1520 and provided access to the city for the Spanish dignitaries as well as folks coming in by ship. You can walk up and through the gates to get into downtown San Juan but we chose to continue on down the coastal trial.

As we walked along the trail, we saw more than a few feral cats that seemed happy to share their trail with us. San Juan is full of stray cats and along this trail is no exception. Many live in the brush, along the rocks, and in the sea grapes bushes. Some think these cats are descendants from Spanish cats. I have to say, many had a very different look about them than the cats I’ve see in the US. A group on the island called Save a Gato (cat) helps to manage these feral cats like getting them medical care including neutering, vaccinations, as well as other medical needs. They also make sure they have food and water.

You get some of the best views of the wall and Castillo de San Felipe del Morro from the shore line. The walls rise up to up to a height of 140 feet and are 16 feet thick or more. You will see small circular sentry points called garitas which many feel has become the symbol of Puerto Rico. I had read that once you got to the end of the trail, you had to turn back, but there are steps going up the side of El Morro that take you up to the grass fields in front of the impressive fortification.

This is a great place to take a stroll and take in the beauty of Puerto Rico. Take time to watch the boats as they pass by and see the birds swooping down over the rocks. This is a great place to visit and take in nature and see the wall from the sea side. Take your time and enjoy.

Till next time. Bye for now.