San Juan Part II

One of our favorite days was when we went into Old San Juan to be total tourists. T was peeved that of course I stopped into a Starbucks for my tall soy chai tea latte. It was $4.42 in Puerto Rico. That was my last Puerto Rican Starbucks experience. On the way to the bathroom I saw this room. On the door it said "Starbucks Coffee Support Center." I have never seen one of these before. Perhaps they offer support and counseling for addiction. I might require their services.

We took the ferry over to tour the Bacardi Rum factory. T rocked one of his Bonnaroo tees and lamented his absence from that beloved event. When he whines that he doesn't get to go, I remind him that I spent my 30th birthday on June 13, 2009 being a volunteer beer wench in a tent serving drunk hippies at the Roo so he could see Bruce Springstein. That usually shuts him up.

Now this place was awesome! T and I usually incorporate brewery and winery tours into our trips. Together we have visited:

The Bourbon Trail in Kentucky to see Maker's Mark and several others

George Dickel and Jack Daniels in Tennessee near his old house

Coors in Denver

Coca-Cola in Atlanta.

Does that count?

Here was T with one of the tour guides who had just explained the Cuba Libre, an original drink of Coca-cola and Bacardi rum. Since T is the Cuban Thunder we felt a photo op was necessary.

Did you know that Bacardi originated in Cuba but was relocated to Puerto Rico after Castro took over and ruined everything? That bastard!

It was cold inside, so I had to put on my new slicker that T bought me as an early birthday gift!

The bar/tasting area was such a cool piece of architecture. This felt very Sinatra to me-

I had a Bacardi daquiri which was just rum and fresh lime juice that made my lips purse and feel a filling I got back in '96. It tasted good but was oh so tart! I used my other drink ticket on a modified Cuba Libre. I had Diet Coke and Bacardi. I figured Cuba isn't free and neither are calories.

We then docked back in Old San Juan and commenced our annoying tourist behavior. T led me down the beautiful cobbled streets, even though I was the season San Juan traveler.

Which is why he turned and discovered this.

I'm not following you, fool husband.

I located the tiny man selling that fabulous sorbet out of a cart for $2.

Passionfruit and coconut sorbet that is the nectar of the Gods.

I don't have cankles, I swear. I just wore thin sandals that made my feet flat as a pancake and walking difficult. See? I'm no tourist!

El Morro.

Built in the 1500s to ward off all of those pesky attacks.

It surrounded the city and was truly amazing.

T likes signs as proof that he's been somewhere. This isn't exactly material for the mantel. Of course, we don't have a mantel.

There were tons of feral cats.

I'm a cat lover, but this was a little creepy.

They were everywhere. I counted 15 in like a 200 yard walk. I felt like they were going to steal my breath. Then I longed for Kashmir. She enjoyed a week of fun with Robeghan, I'm sure trying to hoard food from their obese cat, Ziggy.

We finished the day with a trip to El Catedral de San Juan, the second oldest Cathedral in the Western Hemisphere, built in 1521. The oldest is my childhood church, Saint Benedict's in Terre Haute. If I didn't teach elementary I would have totally been a high school history teacher. I know lots of facts, and the ones I'm not sure of, I just make up.