Isabella and I were very excited for our early morning excursion at Casa BACARDI. We signed up for the Mixology Class which included a welcome cocktail, trolley ride, knowledge of the history of rum, visit to the Bacardi Family Museum, and learning how to create the perfect mojito and shaken pina colada for $75.00. This was one of the more expensive tours that they offered but I really enjoyed all parts of it, especially for our first time visiting. I would highly recommend attending this tour and from our experience the morning tours were less crowded, we participated in the 10:30 AM tour. My favorite part of this tour was the mixology class itself. I enjoyed measuring and mixing the ingredients to make tasty cocktails. To finish out our tour, we went to the gift shop. The gift shop was small, but I was still able to find several items I liked. From the giftshop, I bought a glass and an ice cube tray in the shape of bats. The tour is what you make of it, and we were fortunate enough to have an amazing guide, Felix, who made our experience that much more enjoyable.
After our rum excursion, Isabella and I went to Old San Juan (the festival ended, and we were able to drive into the city). We went to Senor Frogs to get lunch and I ordered BBQ Pulled Pork (tender pulled BBQ pork topped with fresh crispy onions and a side of freshly made slaw served in a brioche bun accompanied with potato wedges) for $15.00. After we ate, we walked around Old San Juan. We walked to Casa Rosa, the outside of the Coast Guard base, Iglesia de San José, La Fortaleza, Parque de las Palomas, Parque Pasivo Viejo San Juan, and Turquesa. Casa Rosa or Pink House is a historic house built in 1812 as a barrack for the troops assigned to the San Agustin Bastion. Iglesia de San José is one of the first significant works of architecture on the island. The church is one of the earliest surviving examples of 16th-century Spanish Gothic architecture in the Western hemisphere. The church first opened in 1532. Isabella and I sat in this beautiful and historic landmark and chugged bottles of water as we were exhausted from all of the strenuous walking and heat. While we sat on a pew chugging water, there was a wedding rehearsal in progress. We found this to be just another wave we had to ride and laugh about. La Fortaleza, meaning fortress, is the official residence of the governor of Puerto Rico. The street in front of La Fortaleza (Calle de la Fortaleza) is known for its colorful floating umbrellas that hang above the pavement. Outside of La Fortaleza, we got gelato at Anita which had a cute interior and a wide selection of frozen treats. My gelato was delicious, and it gave me the energy and hydration I needed to carry on with my day. Parque de las Palomas or Pigeon Park had beautiful views that I could not enjoy because I was so overwhelmed by the sheer number of birds surrounding me. This could be an enjoyable place to visit but it was not for me. At Parque Pasivo Viejo San Juan we saw lots and lots of stray cats and one very large iguana that got chased up a tree by a cat. Lastly, we did some shopping in Old San Juan. My favorite store was Turquesa which sold crystals, jewelry, and rocks. I might have spent a little bit too much in this store…
Isabella and I spent the rest of our night in Condado. We ate dinner at Serafina, and I ordered the Chicken Salad (grilled organic chicken, romaine, mesclun, sun dried tomatoes, raisins, pine nuts, pesto dressing). My meal was good but kind of pricey. I was feeling like I needed a vegetable-based meal at this point in the trip, so I am glad that I was able to satisfy that need.
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