Havana continued
December 15, 2005
Hola everyone!
You most certainly got the highest highlight of the trip last night, but it was such a great day.
It started off at 9:30 when we met Ernesto, our guide, and boarded the bus to Havana. He was a great guide and shared lots of great info about Cuba with us. I now understand why it's so important to share what we can with the residents of Cuba. Although the government provides everyone with the minimum of what they need to survive, the extra basics are extremely expensive. Everyone only gets one bar of soap each month, for example!
And we saw the power plant that is built by Canadians. It was on the road right after the Russian plant, and looks so much nicer, but of course it is much newer. He told us that the Russian plant employs 120 people, where as the Canadian one only 4. And it produces as much if not more power. I'm not sure this is a great thing, because that means 116 fewer people have work.
Anyway, we arrived in Cuba and toured a Havana Club rum factory right away. I quickly realised that I didn't really care how rum was made, but stuck with it anyways. We got a free taste of the rum at the end. I don't like rum on it's own, especially at 10:30 in the morning. But it was nice of them to offer.
Then we did a walking tour, saw many sad, sick, skinny mangy dogs. If I had known, I would
have brought dog food, not pencils with me.
We arrived at a town square where there was a school, and the kids were out running around. I asked Ernesto if it would be ok to hand out stuff to them (my bag was packed with pens & pencils, toys, soap, toothpaste & toothbrushes). He said I could give it to them directly or to the teacher. I chose the teacher. Poor woman was looked very hassled when I shoved the pens, pencils and toys into her hands. The kids were all swarming around and crying out for the presents. Then when we were done (Jenny handed out stuff too) the teacher got them all together and they all cried Gracias to us. That was cool.
By this point, we were waaaaaaayyyyyyy behind the tour. Jenny and I were definitely the rowdy delinquents of the tour. I didn't hear anything after the first stop, which was the hotel where Ernest Hemingway stayed, and they don't rent out his regular room to anyone but him. He's dead people, get over it! Anyways, we had a blast taking photos of the locals and the architecture.
There was one very cool moment when I came around the corner, and there, sitting in the doorway, was a woman who I had seen before! I've had an e-mail sent to me several times with a photo of a very old and wrinkly woman wearing George Burns style glasses, with a huge stogey doing something bizarre like the splits or something. This was that woman! I paid a peso to have my photo taken with her. I'm excited to see that one!
Then we were off to a famous restaurant (I can't remember the name of it, shame on me) for lunch. It's known as the place where the Mojito was invented though! It was a very good meal of chicken deep fried with some yummy sauce on it, rice and beans - yum, yum!, french fries (?!) and cucumbers, tomatoes and cabbage. Not keen on the cabbage, and it's everywhere here. Anyway the chicken was amazing, and I realised at dinner that night while is was have more delicious chicken that the reason is because it's real chicken! It's seen the light of day, it's roamed the earth and eaten good things with no antibiotics. I am now converted to free-range organic chicken only. Or maybe I'll just get some of my own. The yard is big enough!
After lunch we had free time at the market. First, Ernesto took me to a camera shop because my camera wasn't working, so I had to get it looked at. The guy there rewound the film in the dark for me, and it seems ok now. I'm going to have to start shopping for a new one though I think. Anyway after that I headed to the market, where I determined not to buy anything because it was just a tourist trap. That went out the window immediately when I saw the coolest sandals. They're on my feet right now, and I love them!
After the market, we took a driving tour of the Malecon and some other parts of Cuba. I was starting to get overloaded at this point, and didn't even get off the bus at the place where all the gov't offices are and where Castro makes his endless speeches. They were just boring buildings, whatever.
From here, we went to our 4 star hotel - 4 star means something very different in Havana than it does in Canada. We were separated into groups, and we each went to courtesy rooms to rest, shower and change for the show. We had plenty of time to wander around, so I went and bought some rum and cigars and another CD. I now have 3 new cd's. Then changed and headed to the dinner buffet, pronounced by Ernesto as boo-fete. Cute.
From there we loaded on to the bus again and drove to the Tropicana. It's outside! I didn't know that and was concerned about being cold. Didn't need to worry. I didn't really even think about how I felt, I just spent the whole time being awed by the show. Very cool experience, thank you so much Mom & Dad for sending me on it.
Afterwards back in the bus and back to the resort. But we had to make a bathroom stop in the countryside for me. Too many rum and cokes, and I really had to pee and the road was really bouncy, it was brutal. And what an experience a countryside restaurant bathroom is. Thankfully one of the people on the bus had toilet paper that she shared with me. Anyway, that's probably enough detail, isn't it?
Today, I managed to sleep in til 10am, and then headed straight for the beach. It's a beautiful clear, sunny day here today, and finally the ocean is swimable. It's very very salty! More salty than Vancouver's ocean.
I'm taking (obviously) an indoor break now, but will spend the afternoon back on the beach. I have lots of sunscreen on and just re-applied, don't worry!
I think I'll take a dance lesson at 4, and then I have a dinner reservation at the Italian restaurant for tonight.
They are predicting rain for tomorrow, and although I know you are all getting snow and cold, please think positive weather thoughts for me. I'm going to be bored out of my mind here on my own if it rains all day!
Ok, gotta go, the beach is calling.
I hope you are all well, and the winter isn't more than you can handle.
Hola everyone!
You most certainly got the highest highlight of the trip last night, but it was such a great day.
It started off at 9:30 when we met Ernesto, our guide, and boarded the bus to Havana. He was a great guide and shared lots of great info about Cuba with us. I now understand why it's so important to share what we can with the residents of Cuba. Although the government provides everyone with the minimum of what they need to survive, the extra basics are extremely expensive. Everyone only gets one bar of soap each month, for example!
And we saw the power plant that is built by Canadians. It was on the road right after the Russian plant, and looks so much nicer, but of course it is much newer. He told us that the Russian plant employs 120 people, where as the Canadian one only 4. And it produces as much if not more power. I'm not sure this is a great thing, because that means 116 fewer people have work.
Anyway, we arrived in Cuba and toured a Havana Club rum factory right away. I quickly realised that I didn't really care how rum was made, but stuck with it anyways. We got a free taste of the rum at the end. I don't like rum on it's own, especially at 10:30 in the morning. But it was nice of them to offer.
Then we did a walking tour, saw many sad, sick, skinny mangy dogs. If I had known, I would
have brought dog food, not pencils with me.We arrived at a town square where there was a school, and the kids were out running around. I asked Ernesto if it would be ok to hand out stuff to them (my bag was packed with pens & pencils, toys, soap, toothpaste & toothbrushes). He said I could give it to them directly or to the teacher. I chose the teacher. Poor woman was looked very hassled when I shoved the pens, pencils and toys into her hands. The kids were all swarming around and crying out for the presents. Then when we were done (Jenny handed out stuff too) the teacher got them all together and they all cried Gracias to us. That was cool.
By this point, we were waaaaaaayyyyyyy behind the tour. Jenny and I were definitely the rowdy delinquents of the tour. I didn't hear anything after the first stop, which was the hotel where Ernest Hemingway stayed, and they don't rent out his regular room to anyone but him. He's dead people, get over it! Anyways, we had a blast taking photos of the locals and the architecture.
There was one very cool moment when I came around the corner, and there, sitting in the doorway, was a woman who I had seen before! I've had an e-mail sent to me several times with a photo of a very old and wrinkly woman wearing George Burns style glasses, with a huge stogey doing something bizarre like the splits or something. This was that woman! I paid a peso to have my photo taken with her. I'm excited to see that one!
Then we were off to a famous restaurant (I can't remember the name of it, shame on me) for lunch. It's known as the place where the Mojito was invented though! It was a very good meal of chicken deep fried with some yummy sauce on it, rice and beans - yum, yum!, french fries (?!) and cucumbers, tomatoes and cabbage. Not keen on the cabbage, and it's everywhere here. Anyway the chicken was amazing, and I realised at dinner that night while is was have more delicious chicken that the reason is because it's real chicken! It's seen the light of day, it's roamed the earth and eaten good things with no antibiotics. I am now converted to free-range organic chicken only. Or maybe I'll just get some of my own. The yard is big enough!
After lunch we had free time at the market. First, Ernesto took me to a camera shop because my camera wasn't working, so I had to get it looked at. The guy there rewound the film in the dark for me, and it seems ok now. I'm going to have to start shopping for a new one though I think. Anyway after that I headed to the market, where I determined not to buy anything because it was just a tourist trap. That went out the window immediately when I saw the coolest sandals. They're on my feet right now, and I love them!
After the market, we took a driving tour of the Malecon and some other parts of Cuba. I was starting to get overloaded at this point, and didn't even get off the bus at the place where all the gov't offices are and where Castro makes his endless speeches. They were just boring buildings, whatever.
From here, we went to our 4 star hotel - 4 star means something very different in Havana than it does in Canada. We were separated into groups, and we each went to courtesy rooms to rest, shower and change for the show. We had plenty of time to wander around, so I went and bought some rum and cigars and another CD. I now have 3 new cd's. Then changed and headed to the dinner buffet, pronounced by Ernesto as boo-fete. Cute.
From there we loaded on to the bus again and drove to the Tropicana. It's outside! I didn't know that and was concerned about being cold. Didn't need to worry. I didn't really even think about how I felt, I just spent the whole time being awed by the show. Very cool experience, thank you so much Mom & Dad for sending me on it.
Afterwards back in the bus and back to the resort. But we had to make a bathroom stop in the countryside for me. Too many rum and cokes, and I really had to pee and the road was really bouncy, it was brutal. And what an experience a countryside restaurant bathroom is. Thankfully one of the people on the bus had toilet paper that she shared with me. Anyway, that's probably enough detail, isn't it?
Today, I managed to sleep in til 10am, and then headed straight for the beach. It's a beautiful clear, sunny day here today, and finally the ocean is swimable. It's very very salty! More salty than Vancouver's ocean.
I'm taking (obviously) an indoor break now, but will spend the afternoon back on the beach. I have lots of sunscreen on and just re-applied, don't worry!
I think I'll take a dance lesson at 4, and then I have a dinner reservation at the Italian restaurant for tonight.
They are predicting rain for tomorrow, and although I know you are all getting snow and cold, please think positive weather thoughts for me. I'm going to be bored out of my mind here on my own if it rains all day!
Ok, gotta go, the beach is calling.
I hope you are all well, and the winter isn't more than you can handle.
posted by Grace | 12:20 a.m.
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