Puerto Rico

By: Judy Natal

Historical Sites:

The past and the present coexist gracefully in Old San Juan. With few exceptions, carefully restored historical sites are in daily use as government offices, cultural centers, schools and residences. The following are historical sites in Puerto Rico.

Alcaldía de San Juan (City Hall)
San Juan City Hall has been located at its current address since 1605, although the original building was heavily remodeled in the 1840's, providing its present day façade modeled after the Alcaldía in Madrid.

Capilla del Cristo
This quaint little chapel at the southern end of Cristo Street dates back to 1753. Conflicting stories account for its construction. Some say it commemorates a miracle, others say it was built to prevent further tragedy. At the time, young men raced horses down the hill as part of the San Juan Bautista festivities. Legend has it that a young man and his horse went over the city wall and plunged into the bay during a race. A witness cried out to Christ to save the man and miraculously he survived. In another version, he perished. In any case, the faithful began to visit the chapel in the hope that their prayers would also be answered. As offerings, they left articles made of gold and silver. These were later molded into an elaborate altar, picture frame and other religious objects now on display.

Convento de los Dominicos
One of the oldest buildings in Old San Juan, this historic building served as a shelter during Caribe Indian attacks and a learning center for members of the religious community and distinguished citizens. The former convent now houses the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture’s music and bookstore.

Biblioteca Carnegie
A recently restored 1916 structure built with funds donated by Andrew Carnegie houses a library that also hosts interesting exhibits.

Paseo La Princesa
An ideal point of departure for your tour of the historical district, Paseo La Princesa is a beautifully restored 19th century esplanade, where Spanish Colonial gentry once strolled and took in the balmy Caribbean air. The Paseo sweeps from the piers that welcome cruise ships past La Princesa—a restored former 19th-century prison housing the Puerto Rico Tourism Company — around the Old City walls to the entrance of the imposing El Morro Fortress.

El Capitolio
Seat of Puerto Rico’s Legislature since its construction in 1925, the capitol building was elegantly decorated in the late 1950's with Venetian mosaics and friezes depicting some of the most important events in the island’s history. The Puerto Rico coat of arms and its constitution, ratified in 1952, are on display in the rotunda at the main entrance.
La Casita
Conveniently located adjacent to the San Juan Piers, La Casita houses a Puerto Rico Tourism Company information center where you can pick up brochures, walking tour maps or any other information you may need. The building was originally constructed for the Department of Agriculture and Commerce in 1937. A permanent craft market is held on weekends at La Plaza Dársenas, the square that surrounds La Casita.

La Fortaleza/Palacio de Santa Catalina
Since the 17th century, La Fortaleza has been the residence of the Governor of Puerto Rico. Initially a fort, construction of the mansion began in 1533 with a circular Homage Tower on top of which oaths of courage and fidelity were sworn. Reconstruction and expansions continued throughout the centuries. In 1846, it was remodeled and a neoclassical façade replaced its plain exterior, taking on the palatial splendor it boasts today.

Puerto Rico State Department
Formerly the "Diputación Provincial" and the "Intendencia", these two historical buildings are exquisite examples of 19th century neoclassical architecture.

Castillo de San Felipe del Morro (El Morro Fortress)
Just west of Fort San Cristóbal, the strategic area of El Morro, or headland, was initially fortified in 1539 with a small fortress used to defend the San Juan Bay. Many restorations and expansions contributed to the imposing structure it is today. In 1992, the fortress was restored to its historical form in honor of the 500th anniversary of the discovery of Puerto Rico by Christopher Columbus. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and National Historic Site in the U.S. National Park Service of the Department of the Interior.

Castillo de San Cristóbal (Fort San Cristobal)
Venture into the tunnels and dungeons of this masterpiece of 18th-century military engineering and one of the largest fortresses built by the Spanish in the New World. Built in 1635 to ward off inland attacks, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and National Historic Site in the U.S. National Park Service of the Department of the Interior.

Cuartel de Ballajá (Ballajá Quarters)
The Ballajá Quarters were the last buildings built by the Spaniards in Puerto Rico. Originally conceived as a solution to the lodging needs of military personnel stationed in San Juan, the building could accommodate up to 1,000 soldiers and their relatives. Facilities included officer quarters, warehouses, kitchens, dining rooms, prison cells and stables. After the Spanish American War, the U.S. Army used Ballajá to house its Infantry division. In the 1950’s, it was converted into a military medical facility. Carefully restored and beautifully enhanced by the adjoining Plaza del Quinto Centenario (Quincentennial Plaza) in honor of the 500th anniversary of the Discovery of Puerto Rico, Ballajá now houses the Museum of the Americas.

Puerta de San Juan
As a fortified city, San Juan had six massive doors at different points in the surrounding walls, which were closed at sundown to protect its inhabitants. The only remaining door is located on the western side of the wall and allows you to re-enter the city when using the Paseo La Princesa promenade which borders the San Juan Bay.

Language: Spanish and English are the official languages.
English is spoken for about 1/4 of the population-with limited capabilities. English is required in all federal matters. English is spoken in all major tourist areas (%80 Spanish, %20 other).

Language has been a central issue in Puerto Rican education and culture since 1898. Until 1930 U.S. authorities insisted upon making English the language of instruction in the schools, the intent being to produce English-speaking persons of American culture in the same way this is done in the United States public schools. But strong resistance to the policy finally brought a change to the use of Spanish as the basic school language, English becoming a second language studied by all. In 1991 the Puerto Rican legislature, following the lead of the pro-commonwealth Popular Democratic Party and the governor, Rafael Hernández Colon, endorsed a bill that made Spanish the island's official language, thus reversing a 1902 law that gave both Spanish and English official recognition. In 1993 the pro-statehood governor, Pedro J. Rossello, signed legislation restoring equal status to Spanish and English.

Typical Food:

Appetizers/Fritters

Alcapurrias – made from grated taro root and green bananas, and stuffed with seasoned ground meat.

Bacalaítos – crispy salt cod fritters made with flour and seasoned with pepper, garlic and cilantro.

Empanadillas – large deep-fried flour turnovers usually filled with cheese or seasoned ground meat. They are also available with "pizza" filling, a combination of tomato and cheese.

Ensalada de Carrucho – Conch in a marinade style sauce.

Morcillas – blood sausage. A black sausage made from cooked rice and fresh pork blood, seasoned with onions, salt and pepper. Some varieties are also seasoned with chile peppers and can be mildly hot.

Pastelillo – small deep-fried turnover with a flaky flour dough, filled with chicken (pollo), cheese (queso) or fish (chapín).

Rellenos de papa – batter fried balls of mashed potato with seasoned ground meat filling.

Sorullitos de maíz – this delicate version of the corn fritter is very different from the Southern hush puppy. A favorite hors d’oeuvre, this small finger-shaped fritter is often served nowadays with a sauce made of mayonnaise and ketchup.

Tostones rellenos – double-fried green plantain pockets stuffed with lobster, conch or other types of seafood. Sometimes the plantain is shaped into a small bowl before it is fried the second time so that it will be easier to fill.

Main Dishes

Arroz con Pollo – This annatto-flavored rice cooked with chicken and seasonings makes for a filling meal. It is typically accompanied by a couple of wedges of avocado and a few crispy tostones.

Asopao – Hearty, gumbo-like soup that is most commonly made with chicken (asopao de pollo), but can also feature shrimp (asopao de camarones), lobster (asopao de langosta) or pigeon peas and pork (asopao de gandules).

Carne Frita- Fried pork cubes, generally served with mofongo.

Chuletas can-can – Pork chops which have been cut in such a way that their edges curl resembling a ruffled skirt.

Lechón a la varita – Slowly roasting a suckling pig on a rotating spit over coal has been elevated to an art and a science in Puerto Rico. There are roadside stands and restaurants specializing in this typical dish. The roast pork is served in chunks accompanied by other Puerto Rican specialties, such as rice with pigeon peas, roasted root vegetables and plantain or boiled green bananas.

Mofongo – fried green plantains mashed with salt, crispy pork rinds and generous amounts of garlic. When served the traditional way it is rolled into a ball and served with beef or chicken broth and is generally accompanied with carne frita, deep fried cubed pork meat. Today’s chefs reinvented mofongo into bite-size hors d’oeuvres, and hardy dishes in which the mofongo is served in a traditional wood mortar and filled with seafood Creole.

Pastelón- Casserole type dishes made from mashed plantain or root vegetables and stuffed with seasoned ground meat or chicken fricassee.

Piñón – Puerto Rico’s delicious version of lasagna combines the slightly sweet taste of fried strips of ripe plantain with savory ground meat.

Piononos – Pinwheels of sliced ripe plantain wrapped around ground meat and batter fried.

Pollo a la varita or a la rotisserie – Spit roasted chicken heavily seasoned with garlic and the traditional Puerto Rican marinade called adobo. This generally consists of salt, pepper, olive oil, vinegar and oregano.

Salmorejo de jueyes – Great land crab sautéed with onions, green peppers, chili peppers and tomato.

Serenata de bacalao – Salt codfish in a vinaigrette sauce served with boiled root vegetables.

Side Dishes

Amarillos – Ripe plantain. Amarillos fritos are fried slices and amarillos asados are baked or roasted whole.

Arañitas – Crunchy, grated green plantain fritter.

Arroz blanco – White rice boiled in water and oil is an ever-present side dish.

Arroz con gandules – A stewed rice dish made with pigeon peas and pork meat.

Arroz mamposteao – Cooked rice stewed with beans

Habichuelas – Beans are a staple in the Puerto Rican diet. The most common are pink or red beans stewed in tomato sauce and sofrito, a purée of onions, peppers, fresh coriander, garlic and salt pork.

Platanutres – Plantain chips.

Tostones – Fried plantains are as ubiquitous on Puerto Rican menus as French fries in the United States. They come in many sizes depending on how many pieces are cut from the plantain. The large pieces are fried once, then smashed into a round disc and refried until they are crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside. Tostones can also be made from breadfruit.

Desserts

Arroz con dulce – Rice pudding prepared with condensed coconut milk, ginger and raisins.

Dulce de papaya – Green papaya compote, usually served with local cheese.

Flan – Oven-baked caramel custard is the single most popular dessert on the Island and chefs have devised many variations, from a humble condensed milk and cream cheese concoction to more exotic interpretations flavored with coconut, guava, pineapple, pumpkin and breadfruit.

Budín – Generally refers to bread pudding, unless accompanied by another word such as calabaza (pumpkin) or batata (sweet potato).

Tembleque – Gelatin-like coconut milk custard often sprinkled with cinnamon.

Religion:
The Constitution guarantees freedom for all faiths. The major religions are: Catholic (85%), Protestants (8%), non religious (2.3%), and others (3%).
Churches of many denominations can be found throughout the island.
Some islanders ascribe to spiritualism (espiritismo), and others practice Santeria, an Afro-Caribbean belief system brought to Puerto Rico from Cuba. There is also a small Jewish community.

Traditional Festivals and Celebrations:
Every year, each town celebrates patron saint festivals (fiestas patronales) in honor of the town's patron saint. The festivities include religious processions since they were originated as a Catholic tradition. However, they have adopted other elements of African and local origin. Usually held in the town square, these festivals are colorful displays of pride and joy, featuring parades, games, rides, regional food, and live entertainment.

Following is a list, ordered by date, of the festivals that are celebrated in each town. The festivities last ten days, including the date listed, and activities are held evenings on weekdays and all day on weekends.

Christmas is the most festive time of the year. The Catholic tradition , still followed in some areas, includes Misas de Aguinaldo. These are Catholic services held daily, for nine days before Christmas eve, at 6:00 A.M. or earlier. A midnight church service, called Misa del Gallo, is held on Christmas Eve. Celebrations go on to include New Year’s Day, in much the same manner as those celebrations in the United States of America and throughout most of the world . Three King’s Day, on January 6th, is a Full Holiday in Puerto Rico and generally marks the end of the "Christmas season". Octavitas are minor parties held during the next few days as a reluctant farewell to Christmas. Traditions inland provide for door-to-door Christmas caroling called aguinaldos or parrandas. Special Christmas foods include pasteles, arroz con gandures, and lechón asado. A special eggnog-type drink called coquito is usually offered to all visitors.

Easter Sunday (Domingo de Pascua) is celebrated. Parties pop up everywhere on the eve (Sábado de Gloria) as an end to a Holy Week which is still observed with religious fervor in many homes. The Catholic tradition of abstinence from meat in Good Friday (Viernes Santo) is still prevalent. Many restaurants offer a varied seafood menu all throughout Holy Week.

A number of regional festivities known as festivales have sprung up, many in recent years. They are usually week-long festivities featuring some special food item or a special characteristic of each region. Most festivales feature artistic shows, coney island type entertainment machines and gambling kiosks that feature horse-race type roulettes and similar entertainment. Typical food items of the region are generally available. Some of the festivales also feature artisan shows that attract artisans from all over the island to present and offer their creations for sale.

One festivity worth special note is Festival de las Flores, a flower festival held annually around the last week in June in Aibonito. Aibonito is a small town high in the mountains of the center of the island, about one hour’s drive from San Juan. It is sometimes referred to as la nevera de Puerto Rico or Puerto Rico’s icebox because temperatures there are usually lower than at most other places. Temperatures may drop to 55 degrees Faremheit late in a winter evening. Festival de las Flores usually attracts many people from all over the island, who come to admire the flowers and flower arrangements and to enjoy artistic shows, buy some potted plants, and enjoy a day of leisure in a cool and pleasant environment.

Concept Application Question:

An employer with substantial federal contracts holds negative attitudes toward members of a particular group and doesn't wish to hire them. In fear of losing these contracts, the employer gives all applicants fair consideration. In Robert Merton's typology of the relationship between prejudice and discrimination, this employer would be a/an _________.

(Prejudiced nondiscriminator)