Tuesday October 14 Havana

Collected by our guide at 9.00 am, for a walking tour around the old town. Too many interesting buildings to describe, but the plazas and the buildings are very old and interesting. The ones which have been renovated are beautiful, but there are many more for which renovation will need to be undertaken.
The feature to date is undoubtedly the local people, who are always ready with a smile and are very proud of their country. The skin colour varies enormously because of their history, from pale honey like a suntan to extremely black. All ethnic groups mix together very well, according to the guide. We were surprised at the number who have Chinese and Russian origins, and the Russian influence is quite obvious in the form of vehicles, statues, buildings, churches, and tourists.
150,000 Americans visit Cuba each year, through Canada or Mexico (not direct). Special permits are available for students. Cuba receives about 2 million tourists each year, added to a population of about 12 million. If Obama is elected, the number of tourists is expected to increase dramatically if the US embargo is lifted.
Medicines and machinery are imported from Europe, and cars from China, Japan and Korea. Some car parts are made locally, but those for US vehicles must be made in Cuba. Barrels for Rum are made of timber imported from the US, but it must first go to Canada before being sent to Cuba.