What if you get caught in a popular fiesta in Puerto Rico?

“There is no better tour guide than the advice of the local...”

San Juan de Puerto Rico is a coastal city from which many cruise ships sail to the Caribbean.

My good fortune allowed me to arrive on the last day of the San Sebastian Street Festival celebration. That Uber driver, anxious to finish his day and join the revelry, spent the entire ride relating how wonderful that evening was going to be.

For a passionate traveler, there is nothing better than receiving the disinterested and erudite advice of a local. So his words echoed and once we checked in on the modern "caravel" that would take us to the Lesser Antilles, we decided to disembark for a few hours to stroll around Viejo San Juan, unaware of the joy that awaited us.

As we walked up the streets from the port, appreciating the colorful colonial architecture and the majestic Castillo de San Cristóbal overhead, music took over every corner.

The historic district is defined by its cobblestone passages with traditional names, as well as by the makeup of its buildings, all painted in bright colors and with flowery balconies.

That Sunday the streets were full of entire families, groups of young and old people, in short, people of all ages, walking from one side to the other and moving to the rhythm of the chords.

The unusual thing is that there are many artists playing at the festival, so that as we went inside we were discovering different symphonies and dances. The plazas -for example- were dominated by a large stage in charge of a group of musicians, led by master entertainers who made everyone jump; in the interiors of the small bars other groups did the same; even in the Burger King on San Francisco Street the windows were shaking because of the vigorous Puerto Rican rumba played by a dozen musicians accompanied by their drums and trumpets.

Upon arriving to the Castillo San Felipe del Morro, it became completely cloudy in no time and a tremendous downpour took over the siesta.

The water, obviously, did not dissuade the celebration, on the contrary, not only the Boricuas were dancing but also their colorful umbrellas. Even, I dare to say, the storm fueled the dancing even more.

So, in the midst of the downpour, we continued getting lost in the historic center until we reached one of the three entrances to La Perla. God... what a marvel! The colorfulness of the neighborhood, for many the most marginal and dangerous of the capital, the reggaeton at full volume, the artists on the corners, the waves of the Atlantic hitting the rocky coast, the fabulous views of the cemetery Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis, the atmosphere so authentic and real, it was undeniable a privilege to experience such a communal celebration. By the time we left the old settlement, where the video of the famous "Despacito" was filmed, the sun was out again. We arrived soaking wet at the esplanade of the Castillo San Felipe del Morro, a 16th century fortress that served as a defense since colonial times. The scene was perfect; the impeccable green grass like a golf green, the flight of the kites decorating the sky to the rhythm of the salsa that could be heard from the city center, the joy of everyone enjoying their festival, so contagious and lively.

The explosion of typical flavors that we enjoyed on that "SanSe" Sunday deserves a separate chapter. On one hand the fried food, at the fried codfish stand where Puerto Ricans waited patiently in a long line - even arepas with cheese, all marinated with the famous Medalla beer, honored in the glorious hit "Calma", or with rum mixed with tequila and orange juice in their version of "Gasolina", and why not with the piña colada from Barrachina, the legendary bar on Calle de la Fortaleza.

As if to crown that experience, as we were walking back to the port and a new downpour was about to take over, we ran head-on into the comparsa de los Cabezudos, a traditional parade in which huge masks recreate typical Puerto Rican characters, as they made their way to the Catedral Metropolitana de San Juan Bautista, located on Calle del Cristo.

Definitely the "SanSe" is the party of the year, and one of the best street festivals, as it recreates the Puerto Rican tradition highlighting its customs, its lively music and tasty flavors.

On the way back to our ship, in the Plaza de Armas, I got a T-shirt from a stand, wet from head to toe, and I gladly put it on, proud to have been part of that event. By then I knew that random day would become an unforgettable one. And although when the cruise ship set sail and the storm came in full force, anticipating a night of horrible seasickness, victory was ours for having honored the advice of that casual driver and ventured out to enjoy the streets of San Juan.