Lexington Herald-Leader | 09/17/2006 | No passport required

Lexington Herald-Leader | 09/17/2006 | No passport required: "RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico - Columbus stumbled upon the island in 1493 and claimed it for Spain. Ponce de Leon followed in 1508 and gave the island its name, 'rich port.' The Spanish brought with them diseases for which the Taino had no immunities, and the natives' numbers dwindled.
Because of Puerto Rico's strategic position as the 'gateway to the Caribbean,' the Spanish built huge stone forts to protect their prize. The English and the Dutch tested them, but the Spanish held strong until 1898, when the United States landed troops. An armistice was signed and Puerto Rico became a U.S. commonwealth, ending Spain's military dominance but leaving its traditions and heritage intact.
Today, the great forts still loom over Old San Juan, the historic area that is Puerto Rico's version of the French Quarter, without the seamy side of Bourbon Street. Tourists scamper over the walls and courtyards of the forts and walk the cobblestone streets of the old town, with its boldly painted houses bedecked with wrought-iron balconies dripping with ferns and flowers.
Visitors from the United States need no passport, wait in no customs lines, spend U.S. currency and are greeted by residents who usually speak English and Spanish."