D’Museo will take place on the last Sunday of the month from July 26 - October 25, 2009. On each of these Free Admission Sundays the museum will host small plays, local artisans, bomba and plena shows, arts and craft workshops, story telling, guided walks through the museum, musical performance and various other activities.

D’Museo 2009 will see some 40 local artists and artisans displaying their work and holding workshops. Last years event saw more than 10,000 people visit the Puerto Rico Museum of Art during the free admission event.

If you have always wanted to visit the Puerto Rico Museum of Art but have yet to make it, then this is a great opportunity.

Please note that the free admission applies only to the last Sunday of the month between July and October, 2009.

What: D’Museo - Free Admission Sundays
Where: Puerto Rico Museum of Art
When: Last Sunday of the Month: July 26, August 30, September 30 and October 25, 2009
Cost: FREE
Location: Avenida De Diego 299, Santurce,
Tel: 787-977-6277
Website: Puerto Rico Museum of Art http://www.mapr.org/inicio.aspx
Map It

Resource: Caribbean Business PR

Why not also check out:
21 Ideas for the San Juan Metro Area
San Juan Forts Free Admission Weekends in 2009
10 Signs you are in Puerto Rico

The National Artisan Fair of Barranquitas dates back to 1959 when the first artisan fair took place to mark the centenary of the birth of local barranquiteño hero Don Luis Muñoz Rivera. At that time there was only a single kiosks where local craftsman displayed their creations. The following years fair saw even more artisans taking part and in 1961 the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture announced the first National Fair of Handicrafts in Barranquitas. Since then the fair has grown in popularity, not only with local artisans, but in the variety of cultural activities that occur during the event.

As usual here in Puerto Rico along with the local crafts, there will be music and food available each day.

The current schedule of events is:

Friday 17 July
7:00 pm - Presentation of the book ‘Artes Populares de la comunidad’ de Ramón López
7:15 pm - Music from Huellas de Luis Daniel – Niños Trovadorese
8:15 pm - Violin Orchestra

Saturday 18 July
9:00 am - Artisan Fair Opens
12:30 pm - Children’s activities including Mario Donate and his puppets
2:00 pm - Cantoral duo
4:00 pm - Dedication
4:30 pm - Trío Los Sentimentales
6:00 pm - Music from ATABAL
8:00 pm - Music from Fernando Sanabria

Sunday 19 July
9:00 am - Artisan Fair Opens
10:00 am - Certamen de Tallas (woodcarving)
12:00 pm - Concurso de Trovadores (Folk Singing Contest)
2:00 pm - Clown REMI from the Central Cultural Theater
4:30 pm - Municipal Band of Barranquitas
6:00 pm - music from the Sexteto Borinquén de Mario Hernández
8:00 pm - Andy Montañez y his orchestra

Monday 20 July
8:00 am - Artisan Fair Opens
9:00 am - Mass at San Antonio de Padua
10:00 am - Official evenst to mark the birtday of Don Luis Muñoz Rivera
12:00 pm - Puerto Rico State band
2:00 pm - Tambores del Sarao (drums)
3:00 pm - Grupo Folkl?rico Cuerda J?bara ? Prof. Pedro Ortiz
5:00 pm - Music from Esencia
6:30 pm - Music from K’Pa Prieto

Barranquitas is located in the central region of Puerto Rico, south of San Juan and west of Caguas. Google maps indicates that it should take around 1hr and 10mins to get to Barranquitas from San Juan. I would allow extra time due to traffic and driving part way on smaller non highway roads.

What: National Artisan Fair of Barranquitas
When: Friday July 17 - Monday July 20, 2009
Where: Barranquitas
Map It

Resource: www.feriadeartesanias.org

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Paseo de la Preincesa is located on the south side of Old San Juan near Plaza de Hostos and Plaza Darcenas and just along from where the cruise ships dock (as a port of call). If you are driving into Old San Juan, head for either the multi-storey car parks on Calle Recinto Sur or the open air car park that is adjacent to Paseo La Princesa (this is the car park I tend to use).

Paseo de La Princesa was originally built in 1853 and over the past couple of years has been faithfully restored to become a great place to walk or people watch. The tree lined promenade provides plenty of shade and you will usually find local street vendors and artisan stalls as you walk along the promenade. Towering above you to your right are the impressive fortification walls of Old San Juan and to your left is San Juan Bay.

As well as food vendors and artisans there is a small open air café; Café La Princesa that is set against the walls of the city. On certain nights of the week the café offers live music.
Thursday evening: Blues and Fink
Friday evening: Jazz
Saturday evening: Jazz
Sunday afternoon: Salsa
Sunday evening: Local trio performs

A little further along you will pass the headquarters of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company. This building dates back to 1837, when it was used as a prison and was known simply as La Princesa. Today as well as housing the Puerto Rico Tourism Company, you can also see exhibits of Puerto Rican art.

At the end of the main Paseo de la Princesa promenade you will find the magnificent Raices Fountain. This fountain was designed by Spanish artist Luis Sanguino and depicts the rich cultural diversity and heritage of Puerto Rico through the images of Amerindian, African, and Spanish people.

From the fountain you can look back along Paseo de la Princesa, across the San Juan Bay and also across to Isla de Cabras at the entrance to San Juan Bay.

From Raices Fountain continue along the much narrower path that continues to follow the walls of the city and the San Juan Bay. This path takes you to the San Juan Gate, where you can head into Old San Juan.

Note: If you are feeling energetic you can make a slight detour at this point and continue along the path that borders the bay and the city walls. This part of the path is known as Paseo El Morro and will take you along the bay towards El Morro Fort. It also provides you with great views of La Fortaleza (the Governors Mansion) as well as Isla de Cabras. Unfortunately at the moment, this path leads to a dead end and so you will have to return to the San Juan Gate in order to enter the city.

Once through the large and impressive gate, just head up the street where you will find the San Juan Cathedral and the Hotel El Convento.

Paseo de La Princesa is a great place to take photographs and also enjoy some local Puerto Rican foods from the street vendors. To quench your thirst try a ‘piragua’, a shaved-ice topped with your choice of flavoring, or a virgin Pina Colada. If you are feeling hungry then try alcapurria, Bacalito or Empanadilla’s.

Do you have a favorite place in Old San Juan? Why not share it in the comments section below

Where: Paseo de La Princesa
When: any time
Highlights: Tree lined promenade, Raices Fountain, San Juan Gate, Great Views
Map It: Paseo de La Princesa

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The layout of La Bombonera is old style diner, with counter seats and tables. The restaurant can be rather busy, but it’s well worth the wait. The restaurant has been featured on television, several times, and was recently seen in Andrew Zimmern’s Bizarre Foods episode on Puerto Rico.

From Sandwiches, soups to typical Puerto Rican main course dishes, the prices at La Bombonera are very reasonable. On a recent quick visit, a glass of fresh orange juice, coffee and a quesito came to $6.

What: La Bombonera Restautrant
Where: 259 Calle San Francisco, Old San Juan
Map It: La Bombonera

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If yes to both, then why not check out the second annual Cattlemen’s Caribbean BBQ Competition and Outdoor Festival that will take place at the Puerto Rico Convention Center, San Juan on June 27-28, 2009. Teams and professional chefs will be competing over the two days in various types of BBQ, including Puerto Rico’s very own Lechon. There is even a competition for kids teams.

Saturday June 27, the three main events will be:
Lechon Asado competition
BBQ Chef challenge
Children’s Hamburger Challenge.

Sunday June 28, will see all other competitions taking place such as: Sauces, Pork, Beef, Poultry, Open, Desserts. There will also be a 1 hour cooking demonstration by local chefs

During both days there will be live music, outdoor exhibitions and games / events for children.

To get a feel for the Caribbean BBQ Competition check out this video of last years event.

Full details are available at Cattlemenspr

What: Cattleman’s Caribbean BBQ Competition 2009
When: June 27-28, 2009
Where: Puerto Rico Convention Center, San Juan
Map It: Puerto Rico Convention Center

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Perfect timing for Fathers Day…

The National Parks service is offering three summer weekends with zero cost entrance fees. In Old San Juan, this means that you can visit El Morro Fort and San Cristobel Fort for $0 (normal entrance fee is $3 per fort or $5 for a ticket to both El Morro and San Cristobel).

During the summer the Fee Free Weekends will be:
June 20-21, 2009
July 18-19, 2009
August 15-16, 2009

In addition the entrance fees to the 2 forts will also be waived on National Public Lands Day, September 26 and Veterans Day, November 11, 2009. So add these dates to your diary.

Weekend Activities at San Cristobel Fort include:
Tunnel Tour at 10:30 am with a maximum number of 15 people, lasts about 1 hour
Outworks Walk at 2:30 pm with a maximum number of 30 people, last about 1 hour
Short informational talks that last about 20 minutes are also available every hour on the hour

Weekend Activities at El Morro Fort include:
Short informational talks that last about 20 minutes are available every hour on the hour

Don’t forget:
The grounds in front of El Morro Fort are a great place to have a picnic and to fly a kite. Also on Tuesday evenings you can see the Le Lo Lai festival at the San Cristobel Fort. This festival highlights Puerto Rico’s culture through music and dance.

In addition the National Parks service is now offering an ‘Evening Sunset’ orientation talk which takes place at the San Cristobel Fort outside plaza (ramp entrance on Norzagaray Street) on Mondays at 6:15pm. The talk highlights the areas to visit around Old San Juan when the forts are closed and the sun is setting; San Juan Gate, grounds of El Morro, City Walls and Paseo del Morro

Finally if you are not here in Puerto Rico during the National Parks Fee Free Weekends, the National Parks service has produced a list of parks taking part in the Fee Free Weekends.

What: Fee Free Weekends at El Morro and San Cristobel Forts
When: June 20-21, 2009, July 18-19, 2009,August 15-16, 2009 also September 26 and November 11, 2009
Cost: FREE

More information: 787-729-6777

Resource: National Parks Service
Photo: Flickr CC

More ideas here:
Walking Tour of Old San Juan
Flying Kites at El Morro
Map of Old San Juan Attractions

Old San Juan offers something for everyone: Awesome views, beautiful architecture and sculptures, historical sites, museums, plazas (great for people watching), restaurants for all tastes, bars and nightclubs to dance the night away. Kids can even fly a kite on the grounds in front of El Morro. You certainly won’t be stuck for things to do.

Getting to Old San Juan:
If you are not staying in Old San Juan the easiest way to get there from Condado / Isla Verde is by taxi. If you decide to drive, there are a couple of multi-storey car parks and an open air car park near the cruise ship piers, as well as an underground car park close to El Morro Fort. This map of Old San Juan details the locations of the car parks, along with the major sights to see.

What’s the best way to see the city?
A walking tour of Old San Juan is by far the best way to see the city. You will find it relatively easy to walk around the narrow cobbled streets, though being built on a hill and in the tropics it can get quite hot, so make sure you take plenty of fluids during your tour.

If you don’t feel like walking all around Old San Juan, then let the free trolley service take the weight of your feet. You can take the trolley up to both forts (just make sure you take the trolley marked El Morro). If you are feeling a little bit more adventurous, but still do not want to walk every where; then take a segway tour of Old San Juan

How long should I spend in Old San Juan?
How long do you have… You can easily spend a couple of days exploring all that Old San Juan has to offer, but even with just a few hours you can get a taste of this beautiful city.

What are the highlights of Old San Juan?
Must sees include:
The 2 forts El Morro and San Cristobel (if you are short on time then pick one. El Morro is my personal favorite)
San Juan Cathedral
Paseo La Princesa promenade (which leads to the San Juan Gate)
Cristo Street
South Forlazela Street

The list goes on and on. Here you will find are more extensive list of attractions in Old San Juan

Coqui Tip:
On weekends and when cruise ships are in dock Old San Juan is busy and you will find lots of local artisans selling their products as well as local musicians playing their music.

Photo resource: Customs House and El Morro

Related Articles
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A couple of months ago the Travel Channel’s Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern visited the island of Puerto Rico to film an episode for the current series.

On June 9, 2009 at 10pm EST you can see Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern in Puerto Rico on the Travel Channel.

On his tour of Puerto Rico Andrew, discovers the flavors and history of the island; ‘from the deep-fried treats brought in by Africans to the roasted pork made popular by the Spanish’.

So where did Andrew go on his culinary tour of Puerto Rico?

Old San Juan
Here he visited one of the oldest bakeries on the island and one that is popular with locals and a MUST for any one visiting Old San Juan; La Bombanera. Here he tried a local favorite Mallorcas (a Spanish pastry) and Cocas which are similar to pizza, with vegetables and sardines.

While in Old San Juan, Andrew is joined by his friend and chef Wilo Benet. They tour Old San Juan on Segways annd enjoy a Tripleta. A sandwich made with ham, chicken and beef with mayo, ketchup, fries and lettuce and tomato

Rio Piedras
At Plaza del Mercado de Rio Piedras he meets chef Maira Isabel and checks out the local market where he tries: Mavi , a drink made from sugar and tree bark, Corazon, a fibrous fruit with a creamy flavor and Caimitos (star apple)

Guavate Area
Bizzare Foods with Andrew Zimmern would not be complete without tasting some Pork and Puerto Rico did not disappoint. In the Guavate area (home of the lechon) the show stopped off at El Rancho Original, where Andrew tried some of the local favorites: Roasted Pork, Roasted Pig Ears, Roasted Pig Tail, Roasted Pig Leg, Roasted Pig Nose.

San Lorenzo
Here they stop at a food stand and sample some Rabbit, more Roasted Pork and some White Rice with Salt Pork

Arecibo
At El Nuevo Guayabo he samples some Ceti Empanadas, which are tiny fish mixed with corn, plantains and pumpkin

Lares
The small town of Lares is known locally for it’s Ice Cream shop. As well as regular flavors the shop also sells some strange flavors. In Lares Andrew tries several including Sesame Seed Ice Cream, Cod Fish Ice Cream, Garlic Ice Cream, Corn Ice Cream and Sea Grape Ice Cream

Pinones
Pinones is located just east of San Juan and here Andrew samples some Mofongo from one of the roadside Kiosks

Toro Negro National Forest
After hiking in the rainforest the show stops at a local families house where Andrew samples a home cooked meal that includes: Gandinga (a stew made with pig heart, liver, kidneys and lungs), some Guinea Fowl, some Deep-Fried Pork and some Morcilla (blood sausage)

Pikayo Restaurant
At Pikayo Chef Wilo Benet serves up his own take on Puerto Rican cusine with dishes such as Pigs Feet Stew and Alcapurria with Land Crab

So don’t forget to set your DVR for 10pm EST on the Travel Channel. Here’s a quick clip

Resources: Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern

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The event was originally to be held in Mexico, but the organizers decided that a new venue was needed for this years competition.

The FIBA Americas Championship is an important competition in International basketball as it is a qualifier for the 2010 FIBA World Championship, that will take place in Turkey.

This years event will be held at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum, San Juan between August 26 to September 6, 2009, with the top 4 teams advancing to next years World Championship

Teams that will be taking part in the 2009 FIBA Americas Championship include:

South American Sub-Zone (ABASU)
Argentina
Brazil
Uruguay
Venezuela

North America
Canada

Central American and Caribbean Zone (CONCENCABA)
Cuba
US Virgin Islands
Mexico
Dominican Republic
Puerto Rico

Note:
There will be no USA team, as they have already qualified for the 2010 FIBA World Championship after winning the 2008 Olympics in Beijing

What: 2009 FIBA Americas Championship
Where: Roberto Clemente Coliseum, San Juan
When: August 26 to September 6, 2009

Tickets should be available from the usual ticket agencies here in Puerto Rico, so keep checking:
Ticketpop
Ticket Center Puerto Rico

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Jun 11-14, SoFo Food Festival, Old San Juan

If you love food and music then you will LOVE the SoFo Food Festival. SoFo is short for South Fortaleza Street in Old San Juan and during the festival the south end of Fortaleza Street is closed to traffic and transformed in to an out door street party with great food and great music. Many of the restaurants in the SoFo area take part in the festival.

What: SoFo Food Festival
Where: South Fortaleza Street
When: June 11 - 14, 2009
More Info: 787-723-7080

June 19 - 20, Inflalandia Adventure Park

Looking for something to keep the kids happy? Then head to the Puerto Rico Convention Center for the Puerto Rico’s largest inflatable adventure park. Inflalandia is suitable for all the family and a great option if the weather decides to be uncooperative.

What: Inflalandia Adventure Park
When: June 19 - 20, 2009
Where: Puerto Rico Convention Center, San Juan
More Info: Ticket Center

Jun 23, Saint John the Baptist Eve

Local Patron Saint Festival here in Puerto Rico. It is said that if you walk backwards into the sea at midnight, you will have good luck for the rest of the year. In San Juan you will find people celebrate at Condado Beach, Isla Verde Beach and Ocean Park Beach. For the rest of the island, just hit the nearest body of water.

What: Saint John the Baptist Eve
When: Midnight June 23 (celebrations start early evening on the 23rd)
Where: Condado Beach, Isla Verde Beach and Ocean Park Beach in San Juan and all around the island

Jun 26 - Jul 5, Aibonito Flower Festival

This is the annual flower festival where you will find displays and sales of local flowers and tropical plants. As usual with festivals here in Puerto Rico there will also be great food, great music and local artisans.

What: Aibonito Flower Festival
Where: Aibonito (Route 722)
When: June 26 - July 5, 2009
More Info: 787-735-4070

Photo Resource: flickr cc

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