Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Sunday October 19 Back in Havana
We are on our way home now, leaving Havana airport tomorrow morning for the long flights home. This computer is extremely slow, and we cannot publish photos. So will leave the remaining text until we are back in Australia. We have some very interesting information and observations. Cuba has been a fascinating country which in some ways reminds us of Burma. People are incredibly happy and friendly and welcoming to tourists.
Thanks to all of you who have left messages, because it is really good to hear from home when so far away.
Thanks to all of you who have left messages, because it is really good to hear from home when so far away.
Thursday October 16 Havana
Drove to Unesco site at Pinar del Rio., and went inside an underground limestone cave on foot and then in a small boat. Beautiful formations.
The old cars are quite intriguing, some so old that the make is almost unidentifiable. The number plate system is interesting, with red and blue colour being Government cars, yellow being privately owned, and a large letter T for tourist or hire car vehicles.
The old cars are quite intriguing, some so old that the make is almost unidentifiable. The number plate system is interesting, with red and blue colour being Government cars, yellow being privately owned, and a large letter T for tourist or hire car vehicles.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Wednesday October 15 Havana
Visit to cigar factory, where we were taken on a conducted tour to view the processes. There are 600 employed in this one factory, receiving about $US60 per week. They can smoke as many as they like during the day, and are allowed to take 3 home each day for themselves (or to sell on the black market, one presumes)
Next was the Rum Museum. Had a tour of the museum and a taste of Havana Club rum, and a lesson on how to make a rum cocktail.
Vegetables are in very short supply. According to the guide this is due to the recent hurricane, but I have my doubts! All we have seen so far are tiny servings of raw cabbage, tinned beans, shaved carrots, and some diced onions.
We have been served excellent fish, crayfish, and prawns, plus good chicken. Breakfast is a bit difficult - canned fruit juice, tea, poor quality bread, and sliced cake. The vegemite is a great addition, and the jam is ok. A fried egg adds nutrition.
Next was the Rum Museum. Had a tour of the museum and a taste of Havana Club rum, and a lesson on how to make a rum cocktail.
Vegetables are in very short supply. According to the guide this is due to the recent hurricane, but I have my doubts! All we have seen so far are tiny servings of raw cabbage, tinned beans, shaved carrots, and some diced onions.
We have been served excellent fish, crayfish, and prawns, plus good chicken. Breakfast is a bit difficult - canned fruit juice, tea, poor quality bread, and sliced cake. The vegemite is a great addition, and the jam is ok. A fried egg adds nutrition.
Tuesday October 14 (more)
Visited Ernest Hemingway's bar. Also a natural products pharmacist, where a skeleton was hanging behind a glass-fronted cabinet in full view. The story is that the wife died 25 years ago, and she was hanging there to keep an eye on her flirtatious husband to ensure he stayed true!
A horse and cart drive around Old Havana was very interesting, the guide pointing out many buildings of interest. The buildings which have been renovated have been paid for by other countries as part of Cuba's UNESCO rating.
After dinner, we travelled to the La Cabana Fortress to visit the weapons museum and enjoy the cannon firing ceremony at 9.00 pm precisely in the old-fashioned way. View over Hanava was very beautiful.
A horse and cart drive around Old Havana was very interesting, the guide pointing out many buildings of interest. The buildings which have been renovated have been paid for by other countries as part of Cuba's UNESCO rating.
After dinner, we travelled to the La Cabana Fortress to visit the weapons museum and enjoy the cannon firing ceremony at 9.00 pm precisely in the old-fashioned way. View over Hanava was very beautiful.
Tuesday October 14 again
Don't trust this computer access - seems to have limited capacity, so will break up the text into blocks.
The streets are littered with broken down cars, and others still very very old but mobile (unbelievably). A common sight is one of these old cars on the side of the road with the bonnet raised and two heads deep inside and perhaps a jack underneath. There are a few new cars, but these are hire cars imported from China.
Cubans are very excited at the prospect of receiving their new train in about 2 years, which is being built for them in China.
The streets are littered with broken down cars, and others still very very old but mobile (unbelievably). A common sight is one of these old cars on the side of the road with the bonnet raised and two heads deep inside and perhaps a jack underneath. There are a few new cars, but these are hire cars imported from China.
Cubans are very excited at the prospect of receiving their new train in about 2 years, which is being built for them in China.
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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)