The aromas of tostones (fried plantains) and asopao (a traditional chicken-and-rice soup) drift out of local eateries. Tourists, relishing the tropical heat, pause in front of colorful storefront displays, and a sea of pedestrians and cars moves past. Narrow cobblestone streets beckon in each direction I turn, while the sounds of salsa resonate from a nearby plaza, enticing me to move a little closer.

My longtime friend, Lori, and I are on the first port of call on a weeklong Caribbean cruise. It’s a crystal-clear Sunday afternoon in the old town district of San Juan, Puerto Rico, with the tranquil, sapphire-blue of the ocean meeting the lighter blue of the sky at the horizon.

La Capilla De Cristo, the Chapel of Christ, was built as a memorial to a much-celebrated miracle.

The city of San Juan is made up of three distinct areas: Old San Juan, the beach and resort area, and outlying communities. Old San Juan, founded in 1508, is the second-oldest city in the Americas.

An infectious energy fills the air as the sounds of the park rotunda’s steel drums intensify. Children play nearby as adults gather to visit. Passing tourists stop to listen, snap a few photos and dance for a while.

Music is almost as vital to Puerto Ricans as the air they breathe. Folk music here possesses a passionate language all its own. Décima, seis, danza, plena, bomba, son, bolero, mambo, merengue and salsa are all popular in Puerto Rico. The country’s music and dance have been heavily influenced by Cuba and the Dominican Republic, as well as the United States.

Still dancing to the exhilarating beat, Lori and I meander through the narrow cobblestone corridors. We soon reach Calle Cristo, a popular shopping street. The stores here are filled with clothing and jewelry bargains, tourist trinkets and local art.

At the end of one quiet corridor, a small, faded church with a decorative bell tower is guarded by tall iron gates. La Capilla de Cristo, the Chapel of Christ, was built as a memorial to a much-celebrated miracle. In 1753, a young boy participating in a festival horserace lost control of his horse and plunged over a precipice.

This landmark, with its Campeche paintings and ornate gold-and-silver altar, was erected in celebration of his miraculous survival. José Campeche (1701-1809) was the founder of Puerto Rican national painting.

Heading back toward the frenzied street activity one block up, I begin following the tantalizing aromas wafting from the area’s kitchens. Adobo and sofrito — blends of herbs and spices — offer many of the native foods a distinctive taste and color.

Adobo, a combination of peppercorns, oregano, garlic, salt, olive oil and lime juice or vinegar, is rubbed into meats before they are roasted. Sofrito, a mixture of onions, garlic, coriander and peppers browned in either olive oil or lard, is colored with achiote (seeds of the annatto tree), which gives a signature bright-yellow color to the island’s rice, soups and stews.