MSC WORLD AMERICA: Cruise from Miami to Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico

     American-owned Puerto Rico is the largest and most populated of an archipelago of several islands. It is a rectangular shaped island with fertile coasts and a rugged, fairly mountainous interior with lush rainforest. The island is one of the most densely populated areas of land in the world, with more than a third of the three million-plus inhabitants living in the busy capital, San Juan.
     Numerous American companies operate on the island, while tourism remains one of the main industries. Christopher Columbus first landed on Puerto Rico in 1493. Fifteen years later Spanish conquistadors arrived and fought off the objecting native Taino Indians, killing a large number of them. The first governor was Ponce de Leon, who had previously travelled with Columbus and who thought the island might be the location of the Fountain of Youth. When this proved not to be the case, he left the island to continue his quest elsewhere.
     Spain continued to develop the island, exploiting its crops of sugar and cotton and expanding its maritime activities. The Spanish hung on to the island in the face of rivalry from the English, French and Dutch, before losing out to the US in the 1898 Spanish-American war. The status of the island was consolidated by legal statute in 1917, when the population was given US citizenship, but not the US vote.
     The capital of San Juan is divided into two distinct areas. One, the walled old town, is reflected in delightful Spanish colonial buildings, cobbled streets and ancient churches, the other in modern hotels, restaurants and casinos. The cultural mix of the population is also distinctive, a combination of Taino Indians, Spanish and other Europeans, Africans, Americans and, more recently, Cubans. As one of Puerto Rico's best known citizens, Ricky Martin, once said of his country: "It is not one thing, it is one thousand things together and even if I could list them all, it would be better to simply say Puerto Rico; maybe this is why I find it so easy to sing in Spanglish, the language spoken in the quarter where I was born."

     With a population of around 360,000, but almost 5 million in the entire urban area, Miami is Florida's most heavily populated city. It began to expand in 1896 when railway reached the city and Miami became a municipality. The pleasant climate and idyllic landscapes with numerous kilometres of beach propelled the city towards its first economic boom in the 1930s, although even greater development was to take place in the '50s.
     Thanks to the mild climate, particularly in the winter when the majority of major cities on the East Coast of the US are at freezing point, Miami quickly carved out a role for itself in the tourism industry.
      The city is also strategically located opposite the Caribbean and just 145km from Cuba: heavy Cuban immigration has consequently helped shape the identity of Miami in terms of culture and language. Indeed half of the city's population is now of Hispanic origin.
     The city is divided into distinct neighbourhoods, some of which have separate and independent local governments, such as Miami Beach. Biscayne Boulevard is the main attraction in the area around the port and is flanked by large parks such as Bayfront Park and the Bicentennial Park; to the south of the port lies the financial district.
     In downtown Miami, Flager Street is where to head to do a bit of shopping in the department stores and clothes, electronics, sports and jewellery shops. In the Metro Dade Center you can visit the Museum of Southern Florida, the city's main library, and the Museum of Fine Arts, which holds temporary modern art exhibitions. Coconut Grove is Miami's oldest district and has become, over time, an exclusive and refined residential area. Here you will find the local government offices, City Hall's home is an ex-1930s hangar. Other places of note in the neighbourhood include Peacock Park and the Dinner Key, Miami's tourist port.
     Little Havana is the Cuban district characterised by an almost Caribbean atmosphere where Spanish is spoken more readily than English. The main road Calle Ocho runs through the district, which is lined with shops and cafés, whilst other places of interest include the Museum of the Cuban Arts and Culture, the Museum of Science and the Máximo Gómez Park.
     Six kilometres to the east of Miami is Miami Beach, an island comprising a long, thin strip of sand connected to the mainland by a system of bridges. The southern end of Miami Beach is called South Beach and it is here that the city's recent rebirth began.
     Miami's image had been tarnished in the '80s by heavy crime, racial violence, and the drugs and gambling culture that has been synonymous with the city since the 1930s when it was one of the few places in the States untouched by Prohibition.
     The Art Deco Historic District, built up in the 1920s and noted for its pastel, rose, lavender and turquoise colour houses, has recently been restored and represents an excellent example of the urban restoration of modern architecture, attracting thousands of tourists each year. But Miami Beach also means the seafront and the famous Ocean Drive that separates the beach from the infinite numbers of bars and restaurants. An never-ending parade of bizarre cars, roller-skaters, skateboarders, and super-accessorised Harley Davidsons ensure that visitors remain amused.
     As with the rest of the culture in Florida, food and drink in Miami has a heavy Cuban and Caribbean influence: the fish and seafood caught in the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico form the base of the most popular dishes.
     Florida is also known for its large-scale production of fruit and vegetables, and is one of the biggest producers in the States.