Putting Puerto Rico’s Pieces Back Together

When Hurricane Hugo’s 110-m.p.h winds raked this island in September, century-old ficus trees were uprooted, a grand piano was blasted through a hotel window into the angry Atlantic and the island’s beloved coqui tree frog was temporarily silenced from barking his pistol-shot call.

But once the first big blow in 57 years was over, tree surgeons flew in to set old trees back in place; broken windows were repaired; a new hotel piano was installed, and the fingernail-size coquis began their awesome racket anew.

Tourist offices often adopt a cavalier attitude when disasters strike, determined to convince potential visitors that nothing was really disturbed.

The fact is, San Juan was hit hard. But much of the island is essentially back to normal, and it takes a keen eye to spot the problems caused by Hugo’s rampage.

Getting here: American and Delta will fly you here without changes, other airlines with connections.

How long/how much? You can do San Juan in a day or two, but stretch it to a week with beach time and visits to other scenic parts of this 110-mile-long island. Accommodation costs for the summer season are reasonable, winters not all that bad. It’s possible to dine very well at moderate prices.

A few fast facts: The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is in permanent union with the United States, so you won’t need a passport. Currency is American dollars. Mid-December to Easter is high season. Weather is in the balmy 70s and 80s all year, with short rains most prevalent in summer and fall.

Getting settled in: The Gallery Inn (Blvd. del Valle 204; $50 double all year, suites $85) is an enchanting little enclave of colonial buildings in Old San Juan’s historic section overlooking the sea.

Several galleries and studios with artists and sculptors in residence are part of the inn, while the owner and his painter-sculptor wife have been pioneers in Old San Juan’s restoration.

The inn is a honeycomb of lush patios and gardens, trickling fountains and rambling stairways within, yet there are few rooms and nothing outside to indicate that the 17th-Century buildings are an inn. So be sure to call ahead to (809) 722-1808 or 725-6515, or write well in advance for reservations.

El Canario Inn (1317 Ashford Ave.; $52 double B&B;, low season, $75 high) has a distinct Mediterranean feel in its pink building, enclosed patio and furnishings. Spacious bedrooms are modest in decor, but the baths are sparkling and modern.

Hugo put a crack in the El Canario’s pool, which is being fixed, but Condado Lagoon beach is only a block away. The atmosphere at the inn is informal, the price certainly right.

El Convento (100 Cristo St.; $150 to $175 double, high season, $95-$125 low) is a 17th-Century Carmelite convent in the heart of Old San Juan. It’s built around a long central courtyard to which a pool and restaurant have been added. Yet El Convento has lost a good measure of its charm since our last visit.

Regional food and drink: Puerto Rican food is a heady blend of Spanish, African and Creole-Indian cooking, the last a holdover from the island’s first inhabitants. Lunch and dinner usually begin with hot appetizers such as bacalaitos (cod fritters) or empanadillas (Spanish turnovers) filled with crab, conch or beef, perhaps yautia (taro) fritters. Then comes a thick asopao of rice with shellfish or chicken, more like a gumbo than soup and usually a main course.

Other main courses could be roast suckling pig, bacalao (salted cod) or a Creole chicken dish. Plantains are served with almost everything, often as pastelon , a lasagna-like dish of green bananas layered with ground beef and spices. Bean-rice combinations are an island staple.

Ron del Barrilito is considered the cognac of island rums, while Medalla is the local beer of choice.

Dining well: Cafe-Restaurant Amadeus (San Sebastian 106) doesn’t sound very Puerto Rican, but it’s an Old San Juan hangout popular with those who want to dine inexpensively and well in a small, 200-year-old renovated building. The hors d’oeuvres are magnificent: tostones (deep-fried plantains) with caviar, ceviche and Brie in puff pastry with guava sauce or yautias .

Main courses lean on inventive treatment of Italian dishes, but you may dine very well indeed by sticking to the hors d’oeuvres.

Amanda’s (opposite Ft. San Cristobel in Old San Juan) is probably the town’s most romantic spot for watching sunsets while sipping a pitcher of sangria or rum-fruit frappe. THe interior is bright, colorful and informal, and there also are tables outside for dining or relaxing. The menu is a simple mix of seafood, steaks and chops, plus an assortment of Mexican dishes.

Leonardo’s (Sands Hotel, Isla Verde Beach) is considered by some to be the best restaurant in Puerto Rico. Try the fresh-shucked clams or oysters with smoked salmon and a cracked-pepper garnish, then move on to one of a dozen lovely pastas. The red snapper sauteed with olives and served over spinach with a lemon sauce is for the gods. There are also eight classic veal treatments.

Going first-class: El San Juan (Avenida Isla Verde; $210 to $300 double, winter, $125-$245 summer) strikes one as being almost totally non-Caribbean, an extravagant mixture of carved-mahogany ceilings, pink marble and gigantic chandeliers. Stir in a little Andalusian-Mexican-Moorish and you wonder how it all works.

Bedrooms have every conceivable amenity. There are several restaurants, including the Don Juan with marvelous Puerto Rican food. There is a good beach and a lively casino.

The Normandie (Munoz Rivera Avenida; $180-$240 double, winter, $115-$160 summer) rounds out its first half-century as the Caribbean’s monument to Art Deco, a structure very reminiscent of the French luxury liner by the same name. You’ll find everything first-cabin here, from gorgeous bedrooms to superb dining to a glass of Champagne on check-in. The Normandie exudes glamour and style from entry to roof.

On your own: First order of business is a leisurely stroll through Old San Juan, the only remaining walled city under the American flag. Enjoy the view from El Morro fortress (1540). It was from there that the sea entrance to the town was defended. Ft. San Cristobel (1771) covers 27 acres.

La Fortaleza was begun in 1540, and a tour of its gardens and interior is highly recommended, mainly for the 19th-Century restorations within the still-official residence of the island’s governor.

Many visitors take a ferry from the San Juan terminal across to the Bacardi rum distillery for a tour, history of the island’s most famous product and a bit of free sipping. Others motor 22 miles west to Dorado and two Hyatt hotels boasting four 18-hole Robert Trent Jones golf courses. The beaches there are beautiful.

For more information: Call the Puerto Rican Tourism Co. at (213) 874-5991, or write (3575 W. Cahuenga Blvd., Suite 248, Los Angeles 90068) for a booklet on San Juan or another on island sports.