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San Juan
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Salty Dog
Sailing Master
Posts: 10060



191991 Gold -

PostPosted: Sun Jan 29, 2017 12:51 am    Post subject: San Juan Reply with quote

Here is some good info I have on San Juan. It is perhaps the most historic of all the cities in the Caribbean. San Juan was founded by Spanish colonists in 1521, who called it Ciudad de Puerto Rico ("Rich Port City"). Puerto Rico's capital is the second oldest European-established capital city in the Americas, after Santo Domingo, in the Dominican Republic.

The city was witness to attacks from the English led by Sir Francis Drake in 1595 (in what is known as the Battle of Puerto Rico) and by George Clifford, Earl of Cumberland, in 1598. Artillery from San Juan's fort, El Morro, repelled Drake; however, Clifford managed to land troops and lay siege to the city.[14] After a few months of English occupation, Clifford was forced to abandon the siege when his troops began to suffer from exhaustion and sickness.

This was small potatoes compared with the Dutch Invasion and attacks in 1625. Here is a simple map of San Juan for reference:



Notice the location of Old San Juan. This is where all the action is. The city only occupied an area of 7 blocks by 7 blocks and had a normal wall around it. Here is a more detailed map of the Old San Juan area:



Now, notice the huge fortress of San Cristobal in the upper right hand corner of the map. Back in 1625, this fortress was only a tiny fraction of what it is shown on the map and the Dutch were able to blow right by the weak defenses and go right into town. The main defenses of the town were El Morro in the upper left hand corner and La Fortaleza, the original Fortress and Governor's mansion in the bottom left of the map. Here is the big battle with the Dutch in 1625:

In 1625 the city was sacked by Dutch forces led by Captain Balduino Enrico (also known as Boudewijn Hendricksz/Bowdoin Henrick), but El Morro withstood the assault and was not taken. The Dutch were counterattacked by Captain Juan de Amezquita and 50 members of the civilian militia on land and by the cannons of the Spanish troops in El Morro Castle. The land battle left 60 Dutch soldiers dead and Enrico with a sword wound to his neck which he received from the hands of Amezquita.[15][unreliable source?] The Dutch ships at sea were boarded by Puerto Ricans who defeated those aboard. After a long battle, the Spanish soldiers and volunteers of the city's militia were able to defend the city from the attack and save the island from an invasion. On October 21, Enrico set La Fortaleza and the city ablaze. Captains Amezquita and Andre Botello decided to put a stop to the destruction and led 200 men in an attack against the enemy's front and rear guard. They drove Enrico and his men from their trenches and into the ocean in their haste to reach their ships.

I will show you La Fortaleza in the next post. It is still to this day the home of the Governor of Puerto Rico and, of course, San Juan. This is where the Governor would receive any pirate in good enough graces to be granted an audience with the Governor.
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Salty Dog
Sailing Master
Posts: 10060



191991 Gold -

PostPosted: Sun Jan 29, 2017 1:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

This is La Fortaleza , the original fortress protecting San Juan and still the residence of the Governor. It used to have cannons in front and on the roof of the building and was armed to the teeth.



Here is the main entrance to the La Fortaleza, it is surrounded by high fences and armed police:



This is a room in La Fortaleza where us Captains would be greeted by The Governor:

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Salty Dog
Sailing Master
Posts: 10060



191991 Gold -

PostPosted: Sun Jan 29, 2017 1:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

This is the imposing El Morro Castle guarding the sea entrance to San Juan. It was brimming with cannons back in the day"



This picture shows you the flat area between the old town and El Morro Fort. This is where the Dutch tried to attack El Morro and were repulsed with a pretty high loss of life:




And this is the Fortress San Cristobal, which guards the land-side of Old San Juan. This place was expanded a LOT after the Dutch attack of 1625 and is the largest fortress in the Caribbean. It is simply HUGE! I visited this fortress recently and only saw part of it since it is so BIG !!!

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Salty Dog
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191991 Gold -

PostPosted: Tue Jan 31, 2017 12:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow, I thought people would really like this post. I put a bit into it and it shows San Juan at its' best!
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fleetp
Boatswain
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 31, 2017 1:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Salty, please be assured that I, for one, appreciate the pictures and information about San Juan.
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Pirate
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 31, 2017 1:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I found it interesting. I didn't say anything but maybe I should've. Anyway that must have been an exciting journey. About all I get done is work anymore.
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Captain Teague
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 31, 2017 5:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am the same as Pirate, I found it fascinating but did not feel that I had anything to add. Keep SPAM down, aye?

They are nice pictures, though.

Sailor
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Rusty Edge
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 31, 2017 10:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've been to San Juan twice, and visited San Christobal both times. It was still in use in WWII.

But I haven't seen El Morro from those angles, or the Governor's mansion from the sea side.

I live in Wisconsin, and while I don't mind the cold, the winters are rather sun deficient and gloomy, and because of that we visit Florida about 3 times/ year and sometimes take a cruise from there.

When you talk about where you've been, you remind me of when I was there, or have me thinking about going to a new island.

When you post your pictures, you give me a sunny day! Thanks Salty!
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Salty Dog
Sailing Master
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191991 Gold -

PostPosted: Sun Mar 26, 2017 3:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

This is a view of La Fortaleza from the walkway below. Governors have lived here longer than any other residence in the Americas. Very historic and beautiful building, it was heavily fortified back in the 1500's and 1600's.

[img][/img]
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Rusty Edge
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 27, 2017 3:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hmm. While I agree that most of the action is in Old San Juan, There's some action in the hospitality area at the Bacardi Rum factory, too!
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Salty Dog
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191991 Gold -

PostPosted: Mon Mar 27, 2017 5:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You should know! You are almost always part of the major action in the Salty Dog Tavern!!
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Rusty Edge
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 28, 2017 12:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Salty Dog wrote:
You should know! You are almost always part of the major action in the Salty Dog Tavern!!



Laughing Arr!
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Rusty Edge
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 28, 2017 12:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Speaking of "You should know", Salty-

Where do you find the locals to be the friendliest/happiest in the Caribbean?
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Salty Dog
Sailing Master
Posts: 10060



191991 Gold -

PostPosted: Tue Mar 28, 2017 6:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Barbados, Tortuga, St. Thomas and CUTLASS ISLE !!!! We have a lot of money and goods here since the Captains bring us the good stuff they have "Liberated" off those Trade ships!!! Hahahahaha!! Smile
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