DESTINATION: PUERTO RICO

A gay old time in sultry San Juan: Part One

The Puerto Rico press trip had gone splendidly well. Four nights and three days filled with world class hotels, gourmet dinners, sun-drenched beaches and warm tropical waters. Narrow cobblestone streets, luxurious spa treatments and raucous nightclubs. But all good things must come to an end. Raul, a well-groomed darkly handsome chauffeur who looked a lot like Dwayne Johnson, delivered me safely to the airport, shook my hand and drove away. I obtained my boarding pass and checked my suitcase. That’s the moment I realized the book bag containing my laptop and camera had been left in the back seat of the shiny black long gone Escalade. That’s the moment my stomach sank and the panic set in.

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“Welcome to the Hotel El Convento,” she said, extending her hand in greeting. Her cinnamon eyes and crimson smile radiated warmth and vivacity. I swear half the hotel staff was there to greet me and two other journalists who had flown in from the West Coast. Every greeter offered authentic heartfelt salutations. I’ve never before felt as welcome as I did standing in the El Convento lobby.

I was exhausted after spending a day in the air flying from San Diego to New York to San Juan. The tropical night was balmy and humid. Perspiration trickled down the small of my back. All I wanted was a cold shower and a fluffy bed. Hommie wheeled my suitcase upstairs and showed me to my room. High ceiling, buttery yellow walls, plush drapes and cool terra cotta tile floors. An inviting comfortable queen sized bed. In addition to chocolates on the pillow, I found a hand written note of welcome and a complimentary bath robe embroidered with my name and the hashtag Love Wins. I thanked Hommie for his assistance and he discreetly retreated. A shower was calling my name. Once refreshed, I crawled under the sheets and quickly fell into a deep restful slumber.

I awoke revived and ready to explore the environs. According to the itinerary, I had nothing to do until a meet and greet by the pool at 5:30. The day was mine to explore the historic hotel and the surrounding Old San Juan neighborhood.

As the name implies, the hotel was once a convent dedicated in 1651. The building’s characteristic Spanish features include an enormous open interior courtyard ringed by broad shady walkways, arched corridors and tiered balconies. A leafy 300-year old sapodilla tree (Manilkara zapota) towers over the courtyard. Think intimate and romantic.

The hotel’s long history is one of ruin and reincarnation. Completely renovated and restored to regal splendor in 1997, Hotel El Convento is a member of the Historic Hotels of America and is one of the best places to stay according to readers of Travel & Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler. Architectural Digest has featured the sumptuous hotel’s “celestial spirit”. I would have been content to spend the day inside the thick walls viewing paintings, tapestries, sculptures and antiques, but the city beckoned.

My first stop, the Cathedral of San Juan Bautista, was across the street; no need to overexert myself. The existing church, constructed in 1540, is the oldest cathedral in the Western Hemisphere and one of the few examples of medieval architecture remaining in the New World (the original structure of mud and thatch was destroyed by a hurricane). Stepping through the heavy wooden doors is to be transported to another time. Frescoed domed ceilings soar overhead. Niches are filled with statuary, flickering votives and reliquary. Here is where you’ll find the tomb of the explorer and Puerto Rico’s founder – the man who famously sought the “Fountain of Youth” – Juan Ponce de León. Here is where I ran into a married gay couple from Charleston, South Carolina, who had arrived on a Carnival cruise. The taller of the two bears was an interior decorator looking for inspiration. “My client’s home has coved ceilings and I’m adding an ornate crown,” he said. If you’re looking for ornate, I thought, you’ve come to the right place.

I left the tranquil hallowed site and strode into the shimmering sunlight. I meandered down lanes paved with grey-blue cobbles past homes and shops painted in a range of vibrant colors: tangerine orange and watermelon pink, seafoam green and cornflower blue. There was no shortage of piazzas and public art, broad tree lined boulevards and splashing fountains. I skirted the roiled bay along a wide well-maintained path in the shadow of the city’s 17th and 18th century fortifications; 40 foot tall walls of local sandstone complete with sentry towers and gates. Flags snapped in the stiff breeze. My next destination was less than a mile away.

Castillo San Felipe del Morro, or Morro Castle, is a 16th century citadel protecting the entrance to San Juan bay. Construction of the imposing fortress began in 1539 on orders of King Charles V of Spain and took another 250 years to complete. The iconic fort and city walls, declared a National Park in 1961 and a World Heritage site in 1983, attract more than 2 million visitors every year. Gazing through the embrasures, one can almost hear the echo of battles that raged long ago; cannons repelling Sir Francis Drake’s attack in 1595, the Dutch attack in 1625, the second English attack in 1797 … through it all, the mighty citadel never fell.

The meet and greet was my first opportunity to mingle with other columnists as the purpose of the trip was to highlight Puerto Rico as the Caribbean’s friendliest LGBT destination. I met reporters from New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Portland and San Francisco. We drank mojitos, noshed on appetizers and gazed over the city from the rooftop pool.

We were then escorted to a private dining room for a swoon-worthy specially prepared gourmet dinner. Chef Rafael Alamo introduced each of the six courses: a salad of pumpkin and grains with goat cheese crumbles; a tuna crudo with passion fruit escabeche; a cream of celery soup with rice and oxtail; gnocchi pasta with pork belly, wild mushrooms, quail egg and caviar; an entrée of Wagyu beef cheeks with roasted carrots and whipped potatoes; and a chocolate pudding served with praline ice cream for dessert. There were wine pairings throughout. The service was impeccable (Mateo, a waiter who reminded me of a young Channing Tatum, was particularly attentive) and two hours later, we pushed away from the table, sated.

But our evening had just begun.

We were on our way to La Factoria, a nearby very popular rabbit warren of rooms each with a different theme; a DJ booth and dance floor, a craft cocktail lounge, a wine bar accessed via a secret entrance. There’s something about a Latin rhythm and an uncontrollable urge to samba from the waist down. We drank and caroused and didn’t leave until three o’clock in the morning.

After returning to the El Convento, we said our goodnights and see you in the mornings, then retired to our rooms. I climbed the stairs and thought about the look Chicago gave me when he said “Pleasant dreams”; a look that said I want to get to know you better.

I opened the door to my cozy quarters and stepped inside. The sheets had been turned down and a gorgeous personal cake was waiting on the desk. Blue and red fondant topped by an edible gold medallion, concealed red velvet cake with a layer of tangy cream cheese filling. Are you kidding me? I could become accustomed to this lifestyle.

I drifted into slumber eager to discover the adventures awaiting in the coming days.

“Welcome to the Presidential Suite,” our LGBT ambassador said, proffering a cocktail which I gladly accepted. The ultramodern white-on-white suite atop the La Concha Hotel provided sweeping views of the endless ocean and San Juan’s trendy hi-rise Condado neighborhood. A stark contrast to the Old World charm of El Convento.

My fellow newshawks and I checked out of the El Convento after long farewells and bittersweet goodbyes to the accommodating staff. I really enjoyed my stay at the hospitable hotel and was sad the visit was drawing to a close. I asked the manager about their LGBT outreach, and she admitted our group was the first such effort. She said they’ve hosted same-sex weddings and relished the experience. They hoped to witness many more joyous unions. I had to admit El Convento would be an amazing place for LGBT couples to exchange vows, or honeymoon.

To be continued…