Tag Archives: Puerto Rico

8 Jan 2017:
San Juan, Puerto Rico:
Together and Apart

By Corey Sandler, Destination Consultant Silversea Cruises

From our ship, the city of San Juan is at our feet.

But Puerto Rico, the Rich Port, is so much more than just that handsome Old Spanish city.

Puerto Rico is one of the gems of the Caribbean, a green and mountainous island with handsome beaches and a tropical rainforest, a now-cosmopolitan capital city with one of the most impressive fortresses of the new world, several other significant cities each with its own allure, and a vibrant culture of music, literature, and food.

BLOG San Juan Puerto Rico 20Feb2015-0367

BLOG San Juan Puerto Rico 20Feb2015-0366

Puerto Ricans sometimes call the island Borinquen, a version of Borikén, its indigenous Taíno name, which means “Land of the Valiant Lord”.

And if you want to venture into the realm of hyperbole and tourism, the island is also popularly known in Spanish as la isla del encanto, meaning “the island of enchantment.”

Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands. The island is about 110 miles or 180 kilometers in length, and at its widest 40 miles or 65 kilometers in breadth.

The most dominant structure in San Juan is Morro Castle, El Castillo San Felipe del Morro. This citadel was begun in 1539 on orders of King Charles V of Spain.

BLOG San Juan Puerto Rico 20Feb2015-0353

The first part of its name comes, Felipe, comes from King Philip II of Spain. The second half, el Morro, means the “nose”, or in this context, ‘the promontory.’

The fort was designed to guard the entrance to the San Juan Bay, and defend the colonial port city of San Juan from seaborne enemies.

Flagpoles on El Morro today customarily fly the United States flag, the Puerto Rican flag and las Aspas de Borgoña, the Cross of Burgundy Flag, a standard which was widely used by Spanish armies around the world from 1506 to 1785.

The residents are American citizens, following federal laws and paying federal income tax.

And although Puerto Ricans can vote in Presidential primaries of American political parties, they do not have the right to vote for candidates in the presidential election itself.

They do not have full representation in the U.S. Congress: they elect a delegate who can participate in committees but does not have a vote on the floor of the House of Representatives. All of this is very much on the minds of Puerto Ricans today as they face serious economic issues without the full ability to deal with them by themselves.

Text and images copyright 2017 by Corey Sandler. All rights reserved. If you would like to purchase a high-resolution image, please contact me.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PURCHASE AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF ONE OF MY BOOKS, PLEASE CONTACT ME.

SEE THE “How to Order a Photo or Autographed Book” TAB ON THIS PAGE FOR INSTRUCTIONS

————-

Now available, the revised Second Edition of “Henry Hudson Dreams and Obsession” by Corey Sandler, for the Amazon Kindle. You can read the book on a Kindle device, or in a Kindle App on your computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone.

Hudson Book Cover

If you would like to purchase an autographed copy, please see the tab on this page, “HOW TO ORDER A PHOTO OR AUTOGRAPHED BOOK”

Here’s where to order an electronic copy for immediate delivery:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IA9QTBM

19 February 2016
San Juan, Puerto Rico: Hasta Luego.

By Corey Sandler, Destination Consultant Silversea Cruises

Hasta Luego.

That’s Spanish for (in rough terms), Arrivederci.

Until we meet again.

In my case I’m heading home for just a bit, and then joining Silver Cloud for voyages from Barcelona in the Mediterranean and then up to transcendent Venice and concluding with a passage through the spectacular Corinth Canal to reach the port of Athens at Piraeus.

I hope you’ll join me here, or there.

BLOG Key West Florida 27Jan2016_DSC3853

Text and images copyright 2016 by Corey Sandler. All rights reserved. If you would like to purchase a high-resolution image, please contact me.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PURCHASE AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF ONE OF MY BOOKS, PLEASE CONTACT ME.

SEE THE “How to Order a Photo or Autographed Book” TAB ON THIS PAGE FOR INSTRUCTIONS

————-

Now available, the revised Second Edition of “Henry Hudson Dreams and Obsession” by Corey Sandler, for the Amazon Kindle. You can read the book on a Kindle device, or in a Kindle App on your computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone.

If you would like to purchase an autographed copy, please see the tab on this page, “HOW TO ORDER A PHOTO OR AUTOGRAPHED BOOK”

Here’s where to order an electronic copy for immediate delivery:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IA9QTBM

Hudson Book Cover

Henry Hudson Dreams and Obsession: The Tragic Legacy of the New World’s Least Understood Explorer (Kindle Edition)

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PURCHASE AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF ONE OF MY BOOKS,  PLEASE CONTACT ME.

SEE THE “How to Order a Photo or Autographed Book” TAB ON THIS PAGE FOR INSTRUCTIONS

12 February 2016
San Juan, Puerto Rico

By Corey Sandler, Destination Consultant Silversea Cruises

Welcome aboard.

We’re sailing out of bustling San Juan tonight down the length of the Leeward Islands of the West Indies, and a bit below.

The Leeward Islands (pronounced LEW-word by most mariners, and LEE-word by landlubbers) are the northern islands of the Lesser Antilles chain. The group starts east of Puerto Rico and reach south to Dominica, and also mark the arbitrary line where the northeastern Caribbean Sea meets the western Atlantic Ocean.

BLOG San Juan Puerto Rico 20Feb2015-0367 BLOG San Juan Puerto Rico 20Feb2015-0353 BLOG San Juan Puerto Rico 20Feb2015-0356

 

Below Dominica, the Lesser Antilles continue into the Windward Islands. We will dip below Dominica to call at two of these islands, St. Lucia and Antigua, before returning to San Juan.

In the West Indies, the prevailing winds–known as the trade winds–blow from the northeast to the southwest. The windward islands were those closer to the direction of the winds.

Our ship, the appropriately named Silver Wind, sets out first for Gustavia on the French island of Saint Bart’s and after then to Roseau in Dominica (not to be confused with the much-larger Dominican Republic on the island of Hispaniola.)

After then to former British colonies of St. Lucia, Antigua, and Tortola.

I’ll be posting from each of our ports of call. Here’s our plan:

v2604 Map

Text and images copyright 2016 by Corey Sandler. All rights reserved. If you would like to purchase a high-resolution image, please contact me.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PURCHASE AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF ONE OF MY BOOKS, PLEASE CONTACT ME.

SEE THE “How to Order a Photo or Autographed Book” TAB ON THIS PAGE FOR INSTRUCTIONS

5 February 2016
San Juan, Puerto Rico: Heading South

By Corey Sandler, Destination Consultant Silversea Cruises

Welcome aboard to guests joining us here in Puerto Rico. And arrivederci to those heading home.

BLOG San Juan Puerto Rico 20Feb2015-0367BLOG San Juan Puerto Rico 20Feb2015-0355 BLOG San Juan Puerto Rico 20Feb2015-0366

We head out of bustling San Juan tonight for a week-long loop down to Barbados and back, down the length of the Leeward Islands of the West Indies.

The Leeward Islands (pronounced LEW-word by most mariners, and LEE-word by landlubbers) are the northern islands of the Lesser Antilles chain. The group starts east of Puerto Rico and reach south to Dominica, and also mark the arbitrary line where the northeastern Caribbean Sea meets the western Atlantic Ocean.

Below Dominica, the Lesser Antilles continue into the Windward Islands. We will dip below Dominica to call at two of these islands, St. Lucia and Antigua, before returning to San Juan.

In the West Indies, the prevailing winds–known as the trade winds–blow from the northeast to the southwest. The windward islands were those closer to the direction of the winds.

Our ship, the appropriately named Silver Wind, sets out first for Gustavia on the French island of Saint Bart’s and after then to Roseau in Dominica (not to be confused with the much-larger Dominican Republic on the island of Hispaniola.)

After then to former British colonies of St. Lucia, Antigua, and Tortola.

I’ll be posting from each of our ports of call. Here’s our plan:

v2604 Map

Text and images copyright 2016 by Corey Sandler. All rights reserved. If you would like to purchase a high-resolution image, please contact me.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PURCHASE AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF ONE OF MY BOOKS, PLEASE CONTACT ME.

SEE THE “How to Order a Photo or Autographed Book” TAB ON THIS PAGE FOR INSTRUCTIONS

27 February 2015
 San Juan, Puerto Rico: Heading Home

By Corey Sandler,  Destination Consultant Silversea Cruises 

As our guests’ vacations comes to an end,  mine begins.  We head home from steamy San Juan to frosty New England,  carrying warm memories of the Caribbean and an extended tour up and back on the amazing Amazon River.

BLOG San Juan Puerto Rico 20Feb2015-0355

BLOG San Juan Puerto Rico 20Feb2015-0366

BLOG San Juan Puerto Rico 20Feb2015-0367

Silver Cloud peeks around the corner from her dock at the base of the old city of San Juan

We bid adieu to new friends and old,  and look forward to seeing them again somewhere else in this wondrous world.

Next time around: Silver Shadow in April from Fort Lauderdale to Savannah, Charleston,  Norfolk,  Bermuda,  and then through the Panama Canal to San Francisco. See you then.

All photos copyright 2015 by Corey Sandler, all rights reserved. If you would like to purchase a high-resolution image, please contact me.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PURCHASE AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF ONE OF MY BOOKS,  PLEASE CONTACT ME.

SEE THE “How to Order a Photo or Autographed Book” TAB ON THIS PAGE FOR INSTRUCTIONS

20 February 2015
 San Juan, Puerto Rico: Away We Go

By Corey Sandler, Destination Consultant Silversea Cruises

Our journey from Barbados to the A-B-C islands above Venezuela and then on to Dominica, St. Maarten, and St. Barts has come to an end.

I wish safe travels to friends who have sailed with us to San Juan, Puerto Rico.

BLOG San Juan Puerto Rico 20Feb2015-0353

BLOG San Juan Puerto Rico 20Feb2015-0356

BLOG San Juan Puerto Rico 20Feb2015-0359

Ashore in beautiful San Juan on a near-perfect day

And welcome aboard to new friends joining us here.

Here’s our plan:

v1506 SJU-SJU

I’ll be publishing stories and photos from each of our ports of call. Hope you’ll see me here.

All photos copyright by Corey Sandler, all rights reserved. If you would like to purchase a high-resolution image, please contact me 

20 January 2015
 San Juan, Puerto Rico: South Side Story

By Corey Sandler, Destination Consultant Silversea Cruises

The flagpoles at the massive El Morro castle in San Juan customarily fly three flags: the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the Cross of Burgundy.

The last one, Las Aspas de Borgoña, was the standard widely used by Spanish armies around the world from 1506 to 1785.

Blog-PR-20Jan_DSC9420

That makes sense for this handsome part of the United States, a place where English is the second language, and the population are Americans with most of the rights of other citizens except for voting representatives in Congress.

Puerto Rico is one of the gems of the Caribbean, a green and mountainous island with handsome beaches and a tropical rainforest, a now-cosmopolitan capital city with one of the most impressive fortresses of the new world, several other significant cities each with its own allure, and a vibrant culture of music, literature, and food.

Puerto Ricans sometimes call the island Borinquen, a version of Borikén, its indigenous Taíno name, which means “Land of the Valiant Lord”.

PR1   PR2

The island, of course, was noted by Christopher Columbus, the Forrest Gump of the Caribbean. Columbus named the island San Juan Bautista, in honor of the Catholic Saint John the Baptist,

And the eventual capital city was named Ciudad de Puerto Rico (the City of the Rich Port.)

Over time, the names reversed. The entire island became known as Puerto Rico, while the city took the name San Juan.

Puerto Rico remained Spanish territory despite attempts to capture the island by the French, Dutch, and the British.Like Cuba, Puerto Rico remained a Spanish colony until 1898 when the Americans took over.

And then came the Americans.

Puerto Rico had been on the to-do list of the Americans for some time, although the big prize was seen as the huge island of Cuba.

_DSC9422

_DSC9424

The dominos fell in the short but decisive Spanish American War of 1898, essentially an American choice to intervene in the Cuban War of Independence.

American attacks on Spain’s possessions spread from the Caribbean to the Pacific, and American involvement in the Philippine Revolution and ultimately the Philippine–American War.

The most dominant structure in San Juan is El Castillo San Felipe del Morro, or Morro Castle. This citadel was begun in 1539 on orders of King Charles V of Spain.

PR4-Morro

PR5-Morro

PR3 Morro

The fort was designed to guard the entrance to the San Juan Bay, and defend the Spanish colonial port city of San Juan from seaborne enemies including the English, Dutch, and Pirates.

Its last, brief and unsuccessful battle, came when the Americans landed in 1898.

And they’re still there: the citizens who live there now and millions of tourists who come by cruise ship and jet to La Isla del Encanto, the enchanted isle.

All photos by Corey Sandler, all rights reserved. If you would like to purchase a high-resolution image, please contact me.