The Spiritual Side of San Juan.

Puerto Rico, an island inhabited for over 3000 years, millions have lived and died on this tiny island in the Caribbean. So it would stand to reason that it has its fair share of things that go bump in the night. On my recent trip to San Juan I marveled at the history and culture and lush forests of this beautifully bright city but what goes on at night in these fabulous old structures and moonlits paths . While we stare at the thousands of years of history. What stares back?

   Our first tale is of an animal that has its roots firmly on the island. While stories and sightings of this creature have spread all over the world the Chupacabra can call Puerto Rico home. An animal that is said to be the size of a small bear that walks on two legs with scaly skin and sharp teeth and claws. It’s thought to suck all the blood from its victims. While this story has been around for many years it resurfaced in 1995 after Hurricane Hugo. The island was ravaged by the storm, crops of bananas and coffee all but decimated. During the clean up the people kept finding their livestock completely drained of blood. 150 animals in all. There was even a citing of the creature. Madelyne Tolentino stated she saw the creature from a window in her home. She also stated that she had heard from a reputable source that during the hurricane test animals from the nearby Yunque National Forest had escaped and were never found. She believes they still roam the island preying on animals and occasionally people. So while a midnight stroll through the forest or on the beach might sound romantic things could change in an instant with the Chupacabra decides to join.

  Number two on our scary island adventure is the story of the Executioner’s daughter. The story takes place in the 1700s and involves the beautiful Maria Dolores, the only daughter of the cities executioner. She had the unfortunate luck to fall in love with a thief and scoundrel named Betancourt. He was eventually caught and hung by Maria’s father. In those days the body was left hanging from the gallows for 24 hours atop a hill outside the cities walls. When the executioner went to cut down the thief he found his daughter hanging there too. The ghosts of Maria and Betancourt are still haunting the city. They’ve been sighted walking the streets hand in hand with the nooses still around their neck and dragging the rope behind them.

   Number three on this historical haunt tour takes us to Castillo San Felipe del Morro. This haunted spot has not one but many celestial residents. This structure from the 1500s has seen many deaths some natural some not. The Dungeon is said to hold the souls of many and they’ve been seen and heard by visitors for centuries. One apparition, in particular, is of a small Chinese man. Its said the man was starved to death in the dungeon and has haunted the grounds ever since. After the prisoner’s death, the soldiers responsible began to disappear mysteriously. They have been thought to have been taken by the Chinese ghost and forced to walk the grounds of the fort for all eternity. There have been many sightings over the years and it’s even been featured on several television shows.

   The other ghost of the Castillo San Felipe is a woman. She is dressed and a long flowing white gown and walks the ramparts at night crying for the lost soldiers of past wars. It’s said that if you try and talk to her you will feel an overwhelming sadness. She is also sometimes spotted in the chapel praying and crying for those she lost.

    Number four in this fun trip into the supernatural is El Convento Hotel. In 1646 a grief-struck Dona Ana de Lazos y Menéndez de Valdés gave up all her worldly possessions to start a Convent. She had lost her husband and lived on a war-torn island. The church was her only solace so she and four other ladies of faith started the first Carmelite Convent in Puerto Rico. She was the first and some say the only mother superior of the convent. Though she died it’s thought that her spirit never left the Convent. As Mother Superior, it was her job to watch the inhabitants of the convent and some say she still does to this day. Strange sighting of nuns in the hallway and the sound of robes gliding on the floor are only a couple of the unexplainable things that guests have reported at the hotel. Some say they’ve had dreams of nuns and others say they feel like someone is always watching them. While a night at this luxury hotel will set you back quite a bit you should remember you may have to share it with an uninvited guest.

     Number five and final paranormal sighting is at the beautiful Teatro Tapia. The Teatro is the premier venue for performing arts in San Juan, but the actors are not the only ones putting on a show. While some of the activities are more of a poltergeist type, doors opening on their own, strange sounds., there is also sightings of a woman who will appear on stage or behind the patrons in the many boxes along the theatres’ walls. She is thought to be the ghost of a young actress that plummeted to her death in the theatre. She never speaks just watches the show till it seems to bore her then she disappears without a trace.

        I by no means want to scare you into not visiting these fabulous places. They are all parts of what makes San Juan the wonderfully historical place that it is. And if a bit of that history pops up in the form of a ghost make sure you say hi.