The soldiers of Colonial Spain garrisoned in Old City erected three-story convent, designed by an army engineer. The walls (sun-baked clay brick) were three feet thick to withstand Indians, European enemies, hurricanes and tropical heat. Doors and grilles over slottred windows were mahogany and ausubo (ironwood), a dark wood from West Indies that increases in strength with age.

The building's characteristic Spanish features were an enormous, open interior courtyard framed by tiered balconies and arched corridors. Nuns' cells were tiny rooms with single beds and straw mattresses. The spacious chapel had a domed ceiling.

In July 1651, Monastery our Lady Carmen of San Jose was inaugurated, better known as Carmelite Convent. Doña Ana was first to enter cloister and became mother superior. With her were her sister Antonia and four protégés.

The Convent on Cristo Street, was and still is adjacent to Plaza of Nuns, city's second oldest park. Across street is San Juan Cathedral built in 1521. The one-story structure with a thatched roof was destroyed by a hurricane and rebuilt starting in1540. The Western Hemisphere's oldest cathedral, it is one of few examples of medieval architecture remaining in New World.

The first Carmelite Convent in Americas housed nuns for over two and a half centuries, (252 years). On December 9, 1903, Archbishop of San Juan decided further repairs were too costly and nine remaining nuns and two novices moved a few days before Christmas.

Vacant for a decade or more, church purchased abandoned building from Carmelite nuns in 1913 for $151. They rented it first as a retail store then a dance hall. Then, for next forty years, it served as a flophouse without running water, sanitary facilities or elecltricity, just as in 1600's. In 1953, ruin was a parking lot for garbage trucks.

It was slated in 1957 for bulldozing to build a badly needed downtown parking garage just as an urban renewal program began taking roots in Old San Juan.

In 1959, with Operation Bootstrap, Ricardo Alegria from Institute of Puerto Rican Culture persuaded Woolworth store heir, Robert Frederick Woolworth, a resident of State of Maine, to purchase convent property from Archdiocese of San Juan for $250,000 and transform it into a deluxe hotel named El Convento. It sparked development of business, tourism and employment in Old San Juan.

Three years of hard work converted decayed structure into hotel. Two floors were added to original convent's three stories, creating 100 rooms, including ten suites at that time.

The interior designer, accompanied by a photographer and Mr.Woolworth, journeyed throughout Spain to find furniture for hotel. When he couldn't get authentic pieces from Spain's Golden Age, he commissioned reproductions of enormous chandeliers, wrought-iron fixtures and decorative tiles. All wood objects, furniture, louvered doors and overhead beams were handcrafted of walnut or mahogany. Lampshades were goatskins. while bedspreads and rugs were woven in Granada by gypsies.

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Edwin Ali, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent – Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com To book travel visit Jetstreams.com at www.jetstreams.com and for Beach Resorts visit Beach Booker at www.beachbooker.com

Third place went to "Kiss of Sun" worn by Cheryl Roach. Glittered coconut sticks, dried leaves, coconut and palm branches are used to create a flaming sun above shoulders of masquerader. Wire, cane, fiberglass, and aluminium rods are used to create frame of costume.

In King's competition, "Masquerade", worn by Tyrone Augustine, was a crowd favorite and won first.place. The costume represents splendor of National Crop Over Festival as it climaxes into a sea of color with final parade of bands. The Masquerador is 100 percent Bajan, with colors of national flag, blue and gold and black.

"Worms in Big Apple", worn by Jeffery Browne, placed second (opening photo). A magnificent creation of color and structure, it stands 15 feet high and has a span of eight feet. The body of costume is fabricated from steel, aluminium, wire, cane, fiberglass rods, and covered in foam. The main structure is a big red apple, cut to reveal its core and infested by a big worm and a few of his friends."Worms In Big Apple" eating it at core, is a satirical look of how evil in one of its manifestations can neat core of society.

This was followed by "The Flight of Flying Fish" from Cable and Wireless and worn by George Collymore, who placed third. The design paid homage to most spectacular of flying creatures...the Bajan flying fish. The massive creature stands 25 feet tall and has a span of 23 feet, a combination of aluminium and fiberglass rods, creating frames for fins and wings.

Silver mesh highlights main wings of creature. The Masquerador portrays body of fish, wearing a full-body suit including skullcap in characteristic blue and silver hues. The message was clear..."get message"...the Flight of Flying Fish...here to stay.

But undoubtedly night belonged to Rupee as he wowed estimated 16,000 fans. He started on a sensuous note with 'Tempted to Touch', before launching into 'Frenemy' and frenzy-inspiring tune, 'This is Carnival'. He increased temperature of crowd with a burst of energy, spurred by haunting horn strains of his 'Road March' contender: 'Festival'. Rupee went all out in his performance of that song as well as 'Frenemy' and 'Tempted to Touch', scrambling down from stage and onto a cameraman's platform to be close to crowd. While crowd reacted with enthusiasm, cameraman expressed his displeasure and walked off platform only returning when asked to do so by his supervisor. Renee, who was 2000 Road March winner, told crowd: "They can't keep me down."

The curtain came down with Ricky "Li'l Rick" Reid taking a second crown as his 'Hypa Daw' won "Tune of Crop." Band leader Gwyneth Squires conceded "The Large Band Of The Year" title for first time in six years, to designer Chris Williams and bandleader Chesterfield Haynes, with their production, "Cable and Wireless Contact". Contact not only won prestigious Large Band Of The Year category but also came away with top prizes in Historical, Fantasy, Traditional, Topical, and Most Colorful Band categories.

Squires won for second time, annual Robert Weekes Award for Best Festival Designer, a category which was created last year. She also won first prize in Advertising, Best Individual Male, Best Individual Female, Best Flag Person, Best Presentation, and Best Band On The Road.

Also in winners' row were Brian Corbin for Small Band of Year; Rosanne Lewis, who took top spot in Community Costume Band category; and Betty West for Best Environmental Band.

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Edwin Ali, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent – Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com To book travel visit Jetstreams.com at www.jetstreams.com and for Beach Resorts visit Beach Booker at www.beachbooker.com