El Morro

I participated in a digital marketing summit this past week organized by Yodle, a prominent local internet marketing company. Not especially worthy of note. But they chose to hold it in San Juan, Puerto Rico. That meant a chance to tack on some time after the sessions were over and get out to shoot some pictures. First stop: the 16th-century Spanish citadel known as Castillo San Felipe del Morro.

I can only assume that the fortress had more formidable guards at its entrance during its heyday.  This fellow didn't seem particularly interested in stopping anyone.

The sentry boxes around the walls are the most visually recognizable features of the structure.  Known as garitas, they've become a cultural symbol of Puerto Rico itself.  I'm usually an adherent to the rule of thirds, but the perspective straight down the path leading to the box called for a centered shot.

I don't know what this fortified post inside the fortress was for.  I just found its weathered appearance and tiny battlements interesting.

El Morro protected San Juan Bay and by extension Spain's interests in the New World for nearly 400 years.

Really, it was difficult to take a shot that didn't have a sentry box in it.

The nautilus-like underside of a spiral staircase placed to give soldiers quick access between levels of the fortress.

I don't mind how blown out the doorway to the outside ended up in this shot from the inside of the second level tower.  It lends an almost supernatural mystery to what awaits at the bottom of the stairs.

In a fairly short time, I got to see garitas from just about every imaginable angle.

And another centered shot from a guy who almost never tries this sort of perspective.  I like the light and shade of these archways.

I'm no military expert.  But I'm pretty sure that metal grill would not help the effectiveness of that cannon one bit.  Then again, not much would probably help that cannon any more.

Spent a wonderful couple of hours wandering around this impressive fortress, and gained a firsthand appreciation of Spain's military prowess during the colonization of the New World.