Sunday 11th Feb
I arrived to a hot and steamy Havana after two flights from Charlotte. It’s a small airport and pretty damn chaotic. Two luggage carousels for 5 flights and no one likes to stand back. Full on scrum of people bag grabbing. I just waited.
And the crowd at the lost luggage counter was even worse. But happily I got my bag. It was then through immigration with very thorough face to face. “Glasses off your head! Hair behind your ears!” But through I went.
The immigration for was also thorough. “Did I have pornography? List all electronic items you have. Was I leaving anything in Cuba when I left?”
Was then off to the money exchange. There are two kinds of money here in Cuba. CUP – the money the locals use and CUC for the tourists. Cuban Convertible Pesos. And even though the US dollar is 1:1 with the CUC my $400 US turned into 345CUC.
Then off to make my way to the hotel. Taxis were everywhere. Hundreds of them. And the old muscle cars. I expected to see them at tourist spots, but they also run like normal taxis. So many of them and so pretty.
My first impression is on many European cities. Stunning architecture and beautiful. But also looks like it was grand 80 years ago but nothing had been touched since. Everything is falling down. Rotting away. Crumbling.
I knew there was very little internet. There are about five hotspots where you can buy a card and log on. MY HOTEL IS ONE OF THEM! The lobby/bar is always full of people on their phones drinking. Outside the street is lined with people typing away. Funny.
On the other hand there is NO phone service. Weird.
I sat in the lobby, drinking my genuine Mojito – as this is where Mojitos were developed, and planning my tours. So many things I want to do.
My hotel is on the edge of Old Town – so all is crumbing around us. But the hotel is lovely. Basic but lovely. And there is a lift – just the one. Lucky as I’m on the 14th floor! And a great view as you wait for the lift. Which is very lucky as it can be a 10 minute wait.
My room is huge. Two double beds. One for me – one for the suitcase.
The hotel is also on the edge of the harbour/river. There is a ginormous promenade that runs along. Called the El Malecon. The heart and soul of the city. I walked a few ks up it and looked at all the lovely things.
It was a Sunday afternoon so many tourists of course but also many local family groups out for a picnic. And lots of people fishing for dinner.
And heaps of forts. So many. Cuba used to have a terrible Pirate problem. I went into a museum in one of them. Lovely. I the crossed over the huge road and walked more. Many, many monuments. There was a beautiful, huge avenue up between two roads. So pretty Statues, seating, beautiful paving. Many kids were out skateboarding. And falls. All working on flips. Music and laughter. Lots of people were sitting reading. So nice.
I walked back on the opposite side and got a great look at the famous muscle cars. Old US tanks, big fins and postal colours. They all have old horns that play tunes – and are not afraid to use them.
The other cars were some brand I cannot work out. Old – very like and 70’s Corona or Fiat. Some Russian car. Very boxy and not attractive.
Even many of the trucks and buses are vintage.
There was also bike taxis, horse carriages – with the rattiest little ponies ever, and tuk-tuks.
I had dinner at a little place and watched the people, the cars and the sun set. This is the best ever people watching place. So much is always happening.
NOTE – Yes I know! There is a straw in my drink. You have no idea how many ways I tried to tell them not to give me a straw. At every place I went to. If I managed to convey that they always gave me two plastic stirring sticks. So Depressing.
Monday 12th Feb
I booked a city walking tour today. And spent 5 hours wandering the maze of the Old Town.
Very amazing.
We visited Revolution Square. This is where everything happens in Havana. Obama visit. The Pope ran a mass here. New Year etc. A very safe place as there is so much security.
There were gardeners working with “Cuban Whipper Snippers”. Big machetes. And they were so dextrous with them. One guy was gutting grass. Like a lawn mower! Others were working in a line and not chopping each other up.
This is where the giant building images are of Castro and Guevara are. Good to see such well known images!
We then drove to “Old Town” for the walking tour. We past so many interesting things. A really old school electricity plant with a huge tower belching black smoke out.
I don’t envy the street dogs their life. So many of them. And then of course dog poo everywhere. Many with big footsteps in it! Not happy healthy looking dogs at all.
And scrawny ratty cats. One shop had a basket out with a sign “Money for animal food”. Don’t know if the money did got to the animals but the cats sure liked it there. I put money in!
I later saw a cat trying to eat a piece of lettuce on the ground. Must have been hungry for a fussy cat to try it. As it took a bit, one of the pushy busking ladies in national clothing took a swipe at it and chased it away. Cause I guess she wanted the piece of squashed lettuce on the road way.
We visited San Francisco Square. Damn. That St Francis Assisi has been everywhere.
There was a statue to “the gentleman of Paris” who was in fact Spanish but spent some time in Paris. He was accused of a petty crime and went mad while in prison. When he was released he became an eccentric character. People now hold his beard for luck – and have polished it to a golden colour.
There was a creepy statue, pretty well saying “Catholics – molest boys since 1713”.
The architecture is amazing. The area was full of lady buskers, in traditional dress, who try to kiss the men then demand a tip.
Cuba has millions (well many) museums. Museum’s for everything. One we saw was the “Museum of Chocolate”. I asked our guide why there was a huge queue outside the museum. “It is that good” she said.
Cuba is a major grower of Cocoa, and of course sugar. So that would be excellent. I told her I would come back in the afternoon. She thought that would be a good idea. As the place was so good. Must be in people waited 30 minutes to get in!
We stopped for morning tea at a lovely bar. What do you have for morning tea in Habana? Mojito of course. A lady was selling peanuts outside. They sell them wrapped in a roll of paper making a thin, tight cone. She was singing as she walked up the narrow streets. Her voice was gob smackingly good as it reverberated off the stone walls.
You could take your Mojito back to the bar if you wanted more rum in it. For free. I went to get more sugar in mine – as it was strong! So they thought I needed more rum as well. Hahah
Outside was part of the very old aqua-duct system that brought water into the city. Very cool.
I then learnt that it is actually NOT Havana. It is Habana (Ah Bana). How rude it is that names are changed by other countries.
A Cigar place was on the visit list. Very cool. Dark and wooden in the shop. With cigars from about $7 to about $50. All had rolled. What a business. They must have sold well over $1000 worth in the 20 minutes we were in the shop.
When we went outside I put one in my mouth to take a photo. My poor burn lips (from the wind on the boat) didn’t like it. It was like a put chilli on them.
But the cigars are lovely. Such a tactile things. They feel great in your hand so I can understand the fascination they must hold for smokers.
And many people do smoke them. Men and ladies all over the streets. 
More stunning gardens, parks and building. One road was paved with wood. Chunks of wood cut into brick sized pieces and laid like cobbles.
Then past an archaeological dig of the original city gates. They had a collection of old boats. There. Some had the most amazing colours where paint, rust and rubbing had created a mottles amazing surface.
And no tourist visit is complete without a visit to a Cathedral. Especially one with a cat way up the wall. So high up. Maybe it was hunting pigeons.
We popped into a bar to see some of the photos and signatures on the walls. There was a photo of Castro and Hemingway – at a Marlin fishing competitions! Taken not long before Hemingway killed himself. Great music!
We continued our travels. Everywhere you looked was something amazing. Up every alley – in every door way.
Lunch was at a restaurant across the harbour. We went through the French built tunnel 14 metres under the harbour, cutting 30 minutes off the drive. And it was good. A plantain dish (the fake bananas), a vegi dish in pastry shells and local beer, $8.50.
There had been some festival (looked like carnival people packing up their rides and stall) over the weekend and the place looked like a rubbish tip. Seriously like a rubbish tip. Worst littering I have seen. There was not a square metre without a massive amount of rubbish there. So very sad.
And that was the end of the tour. We could get dropped back at hotels, or at any of the places we had visited. I went back to Old Town. I wanted to see the history of Chocolate!
I found the ‘Museum of Chocolate’ – with a bit of help from many people. And joined the line. 30 Minutes later I was in the door. And guess what? It was called ‘Museum of Chocolate’, but was in fact a chocolate shop. After a few purchases I did go into the café part and look at the displays and chocolate making – so all was not lost.
And outside a man was selling a tray of ….. something. Big fat golden balls of delicious looking stuff. Bigger then a bog orange and covered with caramel toffee. I bought one. I didn’t care what they were. They were so pretty and his singsong was so cool.
Dinner turned out to be a huge ball of coconut sponge cake. Soaked in ..something an coated with toffee. You only needed/could only eat a few bites to be full as it was so rich. Yum.. A good $2 worth.
Some of the stray dogs had tags on string like collars. In Spanish so don’t know what it said.
I then visited the Flea market with some amazing things. I could have bought lots.
After my 400 hours of walking I decided to catch a taxi back to the hotel. Lucky as I had no idea which way was which. So many hours of walking in circles in the tall building. I walked up one road for about a k. It was great. It was the main shopping street. So busy. So many people. So many weird shops.
Luckily I did get the taxi as I was in the total opposite direction. And the harbour had moved to the other side.
And my taxi was awesome. Don’t know what kind of car it was. But it was great. Kind of like an imitation Jag / Rolles with a big symbol on the front and backwards opening doors. Big round headlights on the hubs. Very cool.
In the evening I went to see the Buena Vista Social Club – carry over from the original club. Sadly, I was a bit underwhelmed. Bad sound system and not the best voices. But wow, they made up for that with enthusiasm. And now I have been there!
Sleep.
Tuesday 13th Feb
The My taxi home was interesting. One of the old square cars. Quite old. Probably the original model.
The door linings were gone. It may have had headlights but if it did he was saving them for later. The dash board was dark.
But I haven’t seen a crash yet! I was looking out the window at one time watching the cars all take a right had corner. Every one of them went into the next lane. Then I remembered they were driving fiant cars with no power steering.
I have not yet seen a women driver.
The weather is much hotter than The DR. Much more humidity here. Yet not the daily rain that the DR gets. The sun also has a bite that the DR didn’t have Strange as they are not far apart.
And have seen very little sign of the communist things. Everyone seems happy and fed clothed etc. Still lots of busker slash beggars, but I don’t think it’s from necessity as in other parts of the world.
Lots of people on crutches which shows the free health works. School kids in perfect uniforms for their free education.
But then there are long lines outside banks. I haven’t been able to find a supermarket or even any real shops anywhere. Lots of “$2” type shops selling really weird things. Like coulouring in pencils.
I did pop into an electrical store- that took a long time to find. And was so excited to have the correct power adapter (I know! Idiot), that I forgot to look around. But it was very sparse.
But then I have seen lots of people with apple ear buds and beats ear phones. And they all have phones. But not for internet and not for tourists.
I realised today that the few nice modern cars I have seen belong to the hire car companies.
And people are out at all hours.
Even in the middle of the night it is still busy – ‘cause I looked out the window
Everyone is friendly. But them many of them turn out to be after money.
I was walking along a path that was very close to the road at some lights. The guys in the muscle car all said Hello. Well, that’s safe. A big rail between us. “Hello”. “Where are you from. What’s your name?” After 60 seconds the driver looks at my Rayban sunnies. He pulls his shitty $10 glasses off his head and offers to swap. Cause we are now friends. Hahahahha. I declined.
A minute later a guy comes up. “Cool accent. Where are you from?” “Oh wow. Australia. Kangaroos”. They say I’m Joe and put out his hand to shake. It’s kind of an instinct to shake and share names. The maracas in his hand should have been more of a clue. Then he and his mate start this elaborate song about Lovely Raina from Australia. Where the kangaroos live. It was pretty funny and they sang well. So after many minutes of them walking along with me, I decided I would give a tip as they were making me laugh. I gave them $2. They told me $5 and were very insistent. When I put the $2 away and started walking they decided $2 would be fine. Ha!
Speaking of $2. They have $1, $3, $5 etc note. A $3 makes much more sense than a $2. They also have $1 coins.
Today I noticed quite a few people walking with bunches of flowers. Some were huge. I also noticed heaps of pop up restaurants being built along my road.
The. I looked at the date and it was the 13th Feb. Valentine’s Day is huge here. One of their most important days.
I rode the Hop on hop off bus today for many hours. After a sleep in that is. My first since I left home! I went to the ewer section of the town today. Moderns and the business part.
Many of the buildings so reminded me of the Soviet Block building we say in Russia. Utilitarian structures that met the purpose. Certainly not pretty. It was such a stark contrast to old town where everything was stunning.
I saw Revolution Square. Another four times. It has now become my Marble Arch of Cuba. (Think back to Sarah and my day in London of the HOHO bus where we went past the Marble Arch 476 times in one day!)
Also saw the Copacabana. Who knew that the “Copa, Copacabana, (was in fact) the “Hottest spot south of Havana”. Just looks like a dated hotel and bar now as many new beach hotels have built around it.
Saw lots of people going about their lives. Fruit stalls, people chatting. And through the suburbs. Many of which were the houses of the rich, that either lost them, or abandoned them as they went into exile after the Castro took over.
Almost every house had a person sitting in a chair on the front porch, usually smoking, usually an elder. When I looked closer there was a chair at nearly every house. Very few had multiple chairs. It must be a quiet place for alone time.
The school uniforms are pretty elaborate. The young kids in shirts or shorts with braces. White shirts and sash ties. Long white socks always pulled up. Boy and girl uniforms were very similar.
The older kids were amazing. Like what the girls would wear on a night out. Tight white shirt and tie. Teeny tiny short skirt and either lace white stockings or long white socks.
Maids etc were stupid little lacy petticoats and a hair piece. Nurses are straight out of the 50’s with bonnet.
I got off and went walking up a main road. Ate a terrible lunch. Greasy chicken. And walked for about an hour but couldn’t find any shops to snoop at.
I got back and had to queue for 30 minutes to get an internet card. Hahaha. (But at least I can add this). I then went to one of the pop up restaurants and had a terrible dinner. This one was really bad. It was a piece of chicken cooked on a BBQ. How can you mess that up and make it greasy? They must paint everything in oil. They use no spices here. I had read that – but not even seasoning with salt and pepper. Basically the food is pretty shit! Hahah.
A salad is pieces of lettuce with slices of tomato.
White rice usually comes with everything. Lain white rice. Yesterday it came with black bean sauce and was fantastic.
Tonight my chicken came with ‘Frits’ that is usually chips – hot chip. Tonight it was like smith’s chips thrown into the fryer. Cooked till dark brown. My plate was still wet from being washed. So my burnt crisps – were now soggy mushy burnt crisps. Pretty funny. They wouldn’t believe me when I tried to explain. Funny.
So another fun and busy day was had. – Apart from the food.
Wednesday 14th Feb
Today I booked onto a tour to the town on Vinares. Its two and a bit hours to the west and is known as The Green Provence.
Up at stupid o’clock and in the lobby by 7.15 waiting for my pickup. And off we went. The bus was lovely. Very comfortable. They buy them from Canada.
We had more people to pick up so I got to go into the Ernest Hemingway Marina. And it was pretty impressive. They built it in honour of him and it is the home of the famous Blue Marin competition AKA ‘The Old Man and the Sea’. It’s a resort with lovely bungalows and a ginormous pool. There is a row of units a road, another row then a big canal. And repeat. Each anal had multiple multi squillion dollar boats in it. Huge pleasure cruiser and yachts. A hang out for the rich and famous from around the world. Definitely not Cuban nationals.
After all the pickups we headed off along the freeway. Most entertaining freeway I’ve been on. 1950’s muscle cars. 1950’s trucks. 1950’s tractors. Pony carts. Oxen carts. Pushbikes.
People Ploughing with oxen. And masses of people.
There is lots of hitchhiking in Cuba. Traditional kinds as well as lifts for money.
People will approach and ask for a ride with an offer of money. There is also a form of private ‘public transport’. Large trucks – dump trucks or horse trucks. They stop at regular spots, usually under bridges and pick up people. They all climb into the back and off they go. In the dump trucks they stand up. In the horse trucks they have bench seats.
These private ‘buses’ have only appeared in the last 10 years. Since 1959 everything belonged to the government.
We went past a few large water reservoirs. At the beginning of revolution, there were only a few and water was often rationed or just not available. Now there are over 20, and water for all. (Most of the Cubans are extremely happy with the current form of government).
We were told that during Hurricane Irma the water came over the wall opposite my hotel and came into city for 5 blocks. Bad luck for my hotel! Everyone was well looked after by the government. Good evacuation centres were set up with transport to them. A number of people refused to leave so 10 deaths.
She chatted about the history a bit (but I need to look up a few things when I return to the world of internet.) But basically Columbus discovered the island in 1492 and it was downhill from there.
The Spanish arrived and force natives to look for gold. This didn’t go bery well – since there was no gold and the natives were killed off. Totally. They then introduced sugar and therefore became heavily involved in slaving. Many of the stunning town squares I saw yesterday were slave markets.
In the early 1800’s Cuba was the “Best” sugar producer in the world.
They are the greatest sugar consumers today. “That’s why Cubans are so sweet”.
After crushing the sugar out the crushed pulp is used to produce poor quality wood. School tables and such. It’s also used as a manufactured fire fuel.
By the year 2000 the government closed most of the mills as the world price had dropped significantly. And the industry basically closed.
After the collapse of the Sviet block in the 80’s, Cuba also collapsed and fell into ruin.
No electricity. Not much food. No soap.
Tourists allowed in the 90’s as an economic boost. Tourists had special shop and US money was not allowed. If a local was caught with even $1US they went to jail
The US$ is still not allowed and if we bring them here we are penalised. A 10% penalty when converting to the CUC (cook) Convertible Pesos. The locals use their own currency the CUP – Cuban Peso. Wish I knew that a week ago when my first exchange of $400 Us became $345!
80% of the population works for government. People can now have two jobs or a private business – such as a taxi or a restaurant. You still have to look for the private ones. Hey have the good food! Private businesses pay a large percentage to the govt.
The wages are not high – and everyone is on the same wage! Doctors and road sweepers. Not sure where the incentive is there. Funny – they export a lot of doctors – as they have such a superior medical program. She pointed out that tips are important.
If you are out of Cuba for more than 2 years you lose citizenship.
S we were driving along I noticed that bus driver smoking on locals bus. Thanks the gods not on tourist buses.
Land is mostly owned by govt. Some are private but they must sell 90% of their produce to the govt at a fixed price
Health and education are free and good. Education is compulsory till 14yo They have Disability school, Sports schools, Arts school etc. They have 50 universities. They have the highest education level in Latin America and send teachers to lift literacy rates in other countries.
Health very first world. Life expectancy is the same as the rest of the first world – 80 for women, 79 for men.
Like I said. Many of the locals are happy.
We went to a small rum factory. Where everything was done by hand. The bottle washing, the label attaching etc. A machine poured the rum into the bottle but that was it. The lid would screw on then a gut put on a thin plastic top and held in in the revolving heat while the plastic shrank over the cap.
Then a visit to a cigar factory and watched them being made. The factory was a large room with about 10 benches. Each bench had 4 or 5 stations with people working. Music blared and they were really into their cigar making. No one looked board or bitter.
Today was the hand rolling part. They had a big pile of the inside of the cigar – ready in rolls of chopped tobacco.
They’d get a leaf from the pile under a wet cloth, and would cut out the main vein. They then trim the rough edges with an ‘ulu’ type curved knife. They were cut into …strips a bit like large gum leaves – long and tapered. Then the pieces are stretched flat on a large stone block to about twice the size. (one lady came back after a break and was very particular about polishing her block before starting). It was amazing to see this wrinkled bit of leaf turn into what looked like a shiny piece of thin leather.
They then lie a few strips, over lapping and put on the pre-prepared tube of tobacco. And then roll the new leaf around the outside in a spiral motion. The end that you light is cut flat by putting then in a plastic tray with semi-circular cut outs. The smoking end (the part you light) is then cut off with a sharp knife. They then take them out one at a time and trim and roll a twist to the mouth end using a special grease and another piece of tobacco. That is real precision work and it looked like some people were specialists in this. Sad they you cut that bit off to smoke them. Such care went into the twist.
Then back into the tray. Another goes on top and they go into a press.
EVERY cigar is later placed by hand into a little tube. Air is sucked out and the cigar is assessed as to the amount of air it if too much it is rejected. Sold for domestic use or sent for cigarettes.
Spaniards discover tobacco when it was given to them by the locals as a sign of friendship. That is why today smoking a cigar is what you do with friends.
We then went to a small tobacco farm. Amazing. Just a family holding. He must sell 90% of his crop to the government.
The current crop was in flower and so pretty. The old guy told us how the seed (which is like dust and is the second smallest seed in the world) is planted out by the river. This land is only worked with oxen as a tractor would compact the ground too much for the tiny seed. Lucky – since a small farmer will never own a tractor. The best plants are picked out and transplanted to the main paddocks. In perfect rows. When ready the leaves are hand picked. You get multiple picking from each plant.
The leaves are picked then hung in pairs across a pole after being threaded onto wire. The pole is then hung on brackets starting with the highest. Looked like 100,000 fruit bats hanging there.
The drying shed was amazing. I can see a horror movie happening there. All the leaves were in different stages of drying. The ones at the top were shrivelled and brown. The lower ones were green and wrinkled. Very cool to be in this dark shed with rows and rows – about 7 rows high – of tobacco leaves drying.
Then old guy then made a cigar for us, and I was wrong. Cigars are not made of chopped up leaf.
They are just a handful of leaf rolled up. So the guy grabbed a handful of tobacco and rolled it up the. Rolled it like plasticine (sp). He then got the fancy stuff and made the outer layer. After trimming the leaf, he laid it out so I that it spiralled up the cigar. He trimmed the ends, then into the press for 2 hours due to the humidity
He then he pulled out an older one and those who wanted had a go. They look like hard work to light up
“Who else want to try it?” Of course I did. Why would you even ask! I didn’t choke as I remembered to not swallow the smoke. This was a mild one. Not too much taste at all. But it did burn my lips. Only two of us tried it. The guy smoked ¼ of it then took the rest home.
The drying shed was built in the traditional manner using most of the Royal Palm tree. The trunk for supports and the fronds as the thatched roof. The area was so stunning with massive outcrops of stone.
We were now in the Villains Valley (Spelt wrong but NO INTERNET!)
It’s a UNESCO site, made of Karst rock dating to the Jurassic period. The hills house the biggest cave system in Latin America. We were going to visit them later.
Next stop was THE Mural.
I nearly didn’t do this trip as I saw a photo of the mural called the ‘Prehistoric Mural’ and it looked so disgusting. BUT it was not too bad at all. It wasn’t an imitation pre historic painting using house paint on a rock wall– it was a mural showing the stages the area had been through. The really ancient with first life. The dinosaurs. The mammals and the people. The blue showed the level of the inland sea when it was there. (Doesn’t mean much until the photos start to appear.) Fidel had it painted so the people love it.
And even better than the mural was the Pina Colada’s they make there.
All organic. And sensational. They make the mix. Put on cinnamon and hand you your drink and the bottle of rum. Excellent. Lol. It was not wasted. I met two Aussies from
Melbourne. And had a chat. The first Aussies sine leaving home. Love how you can pick an Aussie from three words at 50 paces.
And as we drove off I could tell that the Pina Colada was not at all wasted. All that ‘Vitamin R’ must be good for me, as I feel great.
Lunch was at a lovely undercover place. The ambiance was beautiful. And the food lived up to my impressions. Thank goodness for white rice and black bean sauce. Desert was …… interesting. It looked like a slice of roast port. Even had chunky apple something with it. It was in fact some kind of cake soaked in some sauce with some pineapple something with it. One bite was enough to say I had experienced it. Hahah. Our table all played “try to name that ingredient”.
Next up was a boat ride through an underground river. We walked up many stairs into the jungle like growth and entered an amazing cave system. Some of the cathedrals were 20 meters high and 50 long with amazing patterns and stalactites. Took about 50 minutes as there was more of the old Cuban “line up and wait”. But we eventually made it to the front.
We all crammed into a dingy with a little seagull engine on the back and went to for a drive up then down the river. All while inside this karst limestone cave system. The guy had a laser pointer, and pointed out lots of things while telling us all about them. In Spanish. I guess he was saying that if you twist your head, and scrunch your eyes, this looks like an eagle riding a unicorn while doing something amazing.
The crack in the rock that we came out of was wonderful.
After a quick stop at a lookout we headed home. It was after 5 pm so peak hour on the country roads.
I saw easily 100 pony carts, rushing home. They are tiny ratty little ponies. About 12 or 13 hh and built like yearlings. The harness are all kinds of string. A few had rope bits. But as shabby as they were, none of them seemed to hate their jobs. Racing along at a very brisk trot. Noses out and ears forward.
There were also some oxen teams. Some with wagons pulled high with bright green tobacco leaves. All perfectly stacked in layers.
Also saw dozens of cowboys riding home. On the same kind of ponies with a variety of gear. Saddles to just blankets, again all rushing home for a feed.
Those that weren’t working were out tethered our having a feed. All with neck ropes on long tether. Horses. Cows. Bulls. Goats. Pigs. Only the chickens and the turkeys seemed to be free.
Even stock in paddocks dragged a tether rope.
And lots of push bikes. Really old push bikes. They ride two a breast, chatting, as a car and a bus pass them. They seemed as unworried as the ponies.
The two and a half hour drive remained entertaining then back home to pack.
Not a bad day for $67CUC “cook”. About $100AU. I think. It’s a bit hard to work out.
And here’s a funny thing! When I left The Dominican Republic and flew into Charlotte my bag was searched by customs. Not as it was going thorough to enter the country, but when the bag arrived in the country. Before I even saw it.
Everything was shoved back in – as I had shoved it in the morning before when getting off the boat. (Many of us prided ourselves on being able to pack in 15 minutes.)
There was a card telling me that the bag has been searched and everything was returned. No need to follow up.
It was days later as I was sorting things a bit to come home, that I noticed one of the blocks of “Dulce de Leche” (a caramel treat) had been opened and had a little mouse nibble out of it.
I then realized that this block of dense material – about 100 x 20x 60mm and of a caramel colour (as that is what it is) must have looked awfully like blocks of Cocaine. Hahahaha. They probably thought they had a big bust. The test would have showed 99.99% sugar.
So tomorrow is come home day. Up again at stupid o’clock. See you soon.
Thursday 15th Feb
Get off my island day.
So up very early, last packing and away. There is a taxi place at the front of the hotel. They all seem to be controlled by a ‘controller’. No yellow cabs there waiting (the fancy modern cars) so I was put into an old muscle car. I was going to add earlier what amazing mechanics these guys must be. To keep these 60year old cars running so well.
So off we went in my big muscle car. Trip from the airport took 30 minutes when I arrived. This trip……. not so much. The car broke. Not one but seven times. IT just ran out of power then stopped. Of course in the middle or fast lane. Must be too embarrassing to go in the slow lane – even when your car is broken.
He turned and turn the starter. Sometimes it made that horrid grinding noise. Other times it just churned and churned. Must have had a good battery. Then it would start. And off we would go.
We were on huge roads so I couldn’t jump out and flag down a taxi – and I hadn’t seen any plus many many people tried to flag my car down. I had to grin and bear it.
BUT – we got there. To the wrong airport. He took me to Terminal Two. Not Terminal Three. 15 minutes away. Lucky I kept that last bit of money for breakfast – as you cannot take Cuban money away.
So here I am – waiting to board a flight to Miami – then Los Angeles – then Brisbane – then home. It will be a fun few hours.