Old San Juan

After we docked at the Port of San Juan (Puerto Rico), we joined one of several lines of tourists from our ship waiting to depart on excursions throughout the city and the local countryside. We probably stood in line 15-20 minutes before I eavesdropped on a couple from Florida behind us who were complaining about the wait and the lines. "You would never see this in Orlando", one quipped. He added, "We know how to get tourists in and out efficiently". I restrained myself from pointing out that mainlanders probably would have torn up the gnarly, narrow streets of historic San Juan a long time ago to allow multi-lane automobile traffic and demolished inveterate architecture--some hundreds of years old--just so fast-food-oriented, plastic-coated tourists would not have to wait in line past the point that they are convinced they are entitled to move.

I was content to stand in line to see a rarity in our disposable era, a venerable, old city: