No Longer A Secret

“Seeking out the poorer quarters, where all the ragged people go.
Looking for the places only they would know….” Paul Simon, The Boxer

Whenever we visit San Juan, Puerto Rico, I have a place I love to go back to. I have it marked on my Google Map as “Tom’s Favorite Street” so I can remember where it is. It’s actually a block of three streets surrounding the Museo de San Juan with row upon row of colorful buildings. It used to be a bit of secret, but no more. Several years ago, someone (see below) painted a Puerto Rican flag on a garage door on the street. With the coming of the Instagram phenomenon it was eventually “discovered” and is now a destination for selfie-seeking tourists and cruise ship passengers. Of course I don’t think many people notice the buildings – just take the selfie and move on!

On our most recent visit, I was fortunate to catch a quick view of the latest addition before anyone else arrived – a mural of singer Bad Bunny and Puerto Rican artist and political activist Elizam Escobar, painted by the local artist who also painted the door: Joabel Ortiz Aponte (@el_joa_lion). Bad Bunny is obviously recognizable, but I can’t help but wonder how many people bother to find out who the artist and “the other guy” is. Although it isn’t hard to do since the artist includes all his social media links on both paintings!

I addition to the colors, another of the many things I love about Old San Juan is the permanence of the place. Many of the buildings have been around for decades and longer. Some are in better repair than others. Some well maintained over time, some in the process of renovation and some waiting for their turn. The cobblestone streets add a sense of the years, and can only imagine the stories they could tell. Other than the murals and the people, the area hasn’t changed much since I first discovered this place in 2004. The paint colors have changed a bit and much of it has faded, but it is still an interesting place to visit. Other than the corner where the murals are, it’s pretty easy to wander around without too many people getting in my way. I don’t mind sharing “my street,” as I don’t get there often. But when I do I can usually count on what I’ll find, sometimes with a surprise or two.