Puerto Rico - micePLACES

Puerto RicoPuerto RicoThe capital city of San Juan is divided into an old anda new quarter. The old part was founded in 1521 andis now officially declared a National Historic Zone. Itcontains many 16th and 17th-century buildings, whichhave been fully restored and refurbished in the originalSpanish style. The city also boasts several museumsincluding one devoted to the legendary cellist, PabloCasals. Its famous San Juan Cathedral, originally built inthe 1520s, was completely restored in 1977. San JoseChurch is reputed to be the second-oldest church in theWestern Hemisphere. The modern architecture of NewSan Juan has flourished in recent years. The BotanicalGardens are worth a visit, and a bay cruise is availableoffering views back to the city. The PhosphorescentBay, near La Parguera in the southwest of the island,is a major attraction. Here, marine life lights up whendisturbed by fish, boats or any movement. The islandcuisine includes paella, sancocho (beef stew), jueyes(land crabs) and pan de agua (Puerto Rican bread).Nightlife is abundant, ranging from spectacular showsin large hotels to dancing, jazz recitals, classicalconcerts and discos.General InformationArea: 8,870 sq km (3,459 sq miles)Population: 3.94 million (2007)Capital: San JuanGeography: Puerto Rico is an island east of theDominican Republic and west of the British VirginIslands. Also included are several smaller islands, suchas Culebra, Mona and Vieques. The island iscomparatively small, 8,959 sq km/3,459 sq miles, witha central mountain range reaching an altitude of1338m/4390ft at Cerro de Punta, and surrounded bylow coastal plains. The capital is on the northeast shore.Much of the natural forest has been cleared foragriculture, but the trees in the northeast are protectedas a national park. The other main towns are Aguadilla,Arecibo, Bayamón, Caguas, Carolina, Cayey, Farjardo,Guaynabo, Mayagüez and Ponce.Language: Spanish and English are theofficial languages.Time: GMT -4Electricity: 110 volts AC, 60HzMoneyCurrency: US Dollar (US$)Credit Cards: All international credit cards and manyleading debit cards are accepted.Travelers Checks: Checks in various currencies areaccepted, but US Dollar checks are preferred.Banking Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30AM-3:30PM. Hoursmay vary.Public HolidaysApr 5, 2010 Good FridayApr 21, 2010 José de Diego DayMay 24, 2010 Memorial DayJul 4, 2010 US Independence DayJul 19, 2010 Luis Muñoz Rivera's BirthdayJul 25, 2010 Constitution DayJul 27, 2010 José Celso Barbosa's BirthdaySep 6, 2010 Labor DayOct 11, 2010 Columbus DayNov 11, 2010 Veterans' DayNov 19, 2010 Discovery of Puerto Rico DayNov 25, 2010 Thanksgiving DayDec 25, 2010 Christmas DayJan 1, 2011 New Year’s DayJan 6, 2011 EpiphanyJan 11, 2011 Birthday of Eugenio María de HostosJan 18, 2011 Martin Luther King DayFeb 21, 2011 President’s DayMar 22, 2010 Emancipation of the SlavesInternational TravelAir: There is no national airline but international airlinesserving Puerto Rico include American Airlines, ArgentinaAirlines, Iberia and Mexicana.Approximate Flight TimesMadrid to San Juan is 8 hours 20 minutesChicago to San Juan is 4 hours 30 minutesNew York to San Juan is 3 hours 30 minutesLos Angeles to San Juan is 8 hoursMiami to San Juan is 2 hours 30 minutesAirports: Luis Muñoz Marín (SJU)(www.san-juan-airport.com) is 14 km/9 miles northeastof San Juan. Buses and taxis are available (travel time20-30 minutes.) Airport facilities include restaurants,bars, bank, post office, hotel reservations, duty-freeshops and car hire.Social & Business CustomsFood: Puerto Rico (and especially San Juan) aboundswith good restaurants, catering for all tastes fromSpanish to Chinese, French, Greek and Italian. Theisland cuisine is Spanish-based, with rice and beans asthe staple diet. Paella, chicken dishes, black bean soup,sancocho (beef stew), jueyes (land crabs) and pan deagua (native bread) are all excellent, as is the delicatelyseasoned langosta.Drink: Island rums such as Barrilito and Don Q are notto be missed.Nightlife: Puerto Rico’s nightlife is abundant and varied.The streets are lively in the evening. Many shops areopen late, and the visitor can sit in the squares ofold San Juan and indulge in people-watching. Arecommended walk is down La Princesa Promenade,lined with antique street lamps. Meeting places includea Bogart-style cigar bar and cocktail bars. Hotelsprovide some of the entertainment, but there are alsodifferent types of clubs, both modern and moremainstream. Many Puerto Ricans favor traditional Latindance clubs with large dance floors, which often havelive bands playing salsa and merengue music. PuertoRicans are passionate about their nightlife, and oftendress up. Casinos are also a feature. More intimate andfriendly than the gambling rooms of Nevada and AtlanticCity, they generally open at noon and close at around4AM daily. Hotel casinos are open to guests andnon-guests alike. Dress is generally informal, thoughmen should wear a shirt with a collar in the evening.Shopping: Special purchases are cigars, coffee,hammocks, straw weaving's, sculpture, santos (carvedreligious figures), festival masks and stringed musicalinstruments.Shopping hours: Mon-Wed and Sat 9AM-7PM,Thurs-Fri 9AM-9PM, Sun 11AM-5PM (shopping malls).Some shops open on Sunday if cruise liners are in port.Social: Handshaking is the customary form of greeting.Casual dress is acceptable, but shorts should not beworn in hotel dining rooms or casinos, where formaldress is required after 8PM. Spanish and Americanmanners and conventions exist side by side on theisland. Some hotels require formal dress.Tipping: Generally 15-20% if not included on the bill.Business: A knowledge of Spanish (the officiallanguage) is very useful, although English is widelyspoken; most people in the tourist industry and thegreater metropolitan areas are bilingual. Lightweightsuits are advised for business meetings.Office hours: Mon-Fri 9AM-6PM.ClimateHot tropical climate. The temperature varies littlethroughout the year. Cooler in the upland areas.