Wandering the streets, I see elderly folks standing behind iron framed windows looking out at the world. They seemed to be doing nothing in particular, just checking out the scene this hot day and spotting wild-eyed tourists as one would exotic bird species. It’s a charming cultural practice not found back home where people prefer to squirrel away inside their homes. I smile and say ‘hola’ or ‘buenos dias’, if residents happen to look my way.
I’ve been to several historic zones in various cities, but those towns were mainly tourist attractions with shops and restaurants. In this particular place, Ciudad Colonial, folk still live and work here as if time has come to a standstill. It's such an unassuming place that one could almost forget about its astounding historical significance. This was the first planned city in the new world, founded and governed by Columbus himself along with many historical figures of those early days. It was home to the first cathedral. The first hospital, fort, institution of higher learning, and much more. What a turn of events that I would end up here. I was not looking for the beginnings of the grand cultural experiment called America, I was just looking for a passage to the beach and a good time. I could hardly believe it, as I stood there looking down the first paved street in the American continent, I had no idea that I had arrived in a world of firsts.
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