San Juan de Ulua, is a fort that was started in the time of Cortes (late 1500's) as a protection of the new port of Veracruz. Over time and various leaders it grew in size till is basically finished in the 1800's. This fort, even though it was to guard the port from enemies of Mexico, it has been occupied by the Spanish, French and the Americans at one time or another in it's history. It started out as a wall, and now it is quite large. Also, the Mexican government used it as a prison in the late 1800's, since it was such a nasty prison the government closed it in the early 1900's.
When Paul and I came here in 1985 it was surround by weeds and I don't remember anyone visiting it but us. It certainly wasn't a big tourist attraction that it is now. Now it has a museum and most of the 2nd level is closed to the public. I remember walking the outer edges of it and now they seem to be falling apart and closed to the public as well.
It was a trip to see so much development around it, completely surrounded by ship yards, container yards and a navy base. At the entrance is souvenir carts, a entrance fee and lots of taxis and tour buses, and lots of tourists.
Veracruz looks completely different now than when we were there but it still has the same relaxing coastal atmosphere that I remember. It doesn't have the nice white beaches of Acapulco but it isn't as touristy nor as hectic. Next time I need a beach fix, I am going back to Veracruz.
click on flickr for more photos
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