"Eyes of a Tourist"

"La garita"

When we take a trip to another country we feel different. Whether it is the language, the people and atmosphere we feel different and as a consequence we see things different. How could that be? Yes. Once in the destination, usually, one gets to experience the tourist part of the country that was created with the intention of making you fall in love. Rarely, not always do we get to experience the real living atmosphere of the country being visited.  Yet if we do experience it we might see it with “eyes of tourist” which means to constantly search for the beauty and exquisiteness of it. Visiting we tend to ask questions, enter places without knowing their reputation, probably are nicer, happier people and acknowledge every single detail or at least detail that locals wouldn’t acknowledge.

On the contrary, as locals one stay in track with the routine. Acknowledging things that stand out and ignoring the little things that probably complete the whole. As part of the routine, nothing will call your attention, unless for a very short moment you turn on your eyes of tourist.

So how about acting as a tourist in your own country?

View of the "Isla de Cabra"

As a destination I chose San Juan. I went last week to “el Viejo San Juan” with my sister and spend a wonderful day.  We’ve gone thousands of times, but to do the same things, see artisans, eat a cup of “helado de coco” and that’s about it. This time we changed our plans. We got to “el Viejo San Juan” with no plans at all. First the journey to find a parking. Yet we were excited and trying to look at everything with the “eyes of a tourist”. As we walked all the way to the top of “el Viejo San Juan” we entered many gift shops and bought little souvenirs. Once in the top we entered el Morro, and took the agenda of seeing every single room and space of it. From over there we saw the magnificent Atlantic Ocean, the little rooms where the used to keep prisoners and also use as storage. To the other side one could see the beautiful “el Viejo San Juan”. The wind was incredibly strong and for some minutes we stayed focusing on the vast ocean, letting the wind hit our hair and do with it whatever it wanted to.  After that we went to the lower part of “El Morro” and where intrigued by a cat that was walking through the rocks at the shore. He seemed lost. 

"Ballajá"

Afterwards we decided to enter “Ballajá” that were the Spanish barracks from 1854-1864.  Little did we know that there was a museum on the second floor.  So our next thing to do was to see the museum. The museum had around different exhibitions; one was about different tribes and there distinction, another was about Puerto Rican and Caribbenan influence (in) music, specially salsa, movement in the United States, another was of the arts the students from the “Escuela de Artes Plásticas” had done, another of different tradition in fashion and design between countries, another of the history of PR and another of “El Barrio Obrero”. All very interesting.

There were mix feelings. With the attitude we had adopted people seemed to notice us more that usually, but at the same time the felt relax about it and didn't care that much. From our part we didn't care at all of anything, specially not on the way the were looking at us.

On our way to eat we got talking to some people and asked them about PR. They said that Puerto Rico was a beautiful place, place that they love but that it was going through a rough time. It was interesting because through that small talk one can see that there is hope for the country and that people still wish for the best for PR. That no matter what happens there is always going to be Puerto Ricans that will want to “echar pa’ lante” the country. So there is only one thing to do next, fight for the wellness of OUR PUERTO RICO.

My sister

My sister and I

View from el Morro down