Good news. The itinerary has been set with an extra day added.
What I learned while corresponding with our tour operator was that he’s a diver. He has been diving at the site where we will be diving and he told me we should enjoy the reef and water.
We also spoke about the scuba gear in Cuba and if it was safe enough to use. He did confirm it was safe to use and we wouldn’t have to lug our gear to the island just for a couple of dives. We’ll be able to travel light. Me with a wetsuit, fins, masks and shorts and her with her wetsuit, fins, mask, bathing suits and a myriad of shoes/sandals.
Just a few daytime pictures of one of the fortresses in Havana.
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
^No one believes you and I don’t care. Why do you continue to respond to me or post on a thread I have started when you have constantly stated you don’t read my posts?
Don’t answer that.
Anyway, I hope the Canadian tourists (snowbirds) that you say you know that have visited Cuba have been welcomed more by the Cubans than we used to welcome them in Miami/South Florida during the cooler seasons.
Not all Canadians. Just the cheap ones.
One more thing. Growing up in South Florida we didn’t speak French, nor did we have computers to look up French phrases……..
But we understood the meaning of “Je me souviens”.
I can’t drive
Oh, where on this forum have I said that? It was you on another forum that continually called me 'fat' and a host of other names. It is me who is being nice and replying to your threads after the rudeness you were to me.
^Trust me it isn't snowbirds that go to Cuba (they go to Florida), it is younger people because it is so cheap for us and quite close to fly.
^Yes, Quebecers are known for their terrible driving.... I drive amongst them most days as most live in Quebec in work here in Ontario.
Where things stand with the tour operator. The check was sent but before I sent the check I did a little background check after receiving the address (I know the neighborhood well). They have been in business for at least 5 years and no complaints. The fairly young woman who owns the address graduated from the University of Havana.
I felt comfortable enough sending them the check.
A few random shots around Havana.
Coche Mambi was the Presidential Car.
Grand Theatre of Havana Alicia Alonso
Last edited by S Landreth; 21-08-2022 at 07:13 PM.
November and will be visiting Cuba during that time, if things go as planned.
I am going to write to the tour operator this week about the check I sent to him and he acknowledged receiving. He told me he was going to deposit the check (the next day) but as of today he hasn’t deposited it.
Some pictures in the Old Havana area
Zanja Real (royal ditch) – Havana’s first aqueduct
^
Bugger all that shite we can see on the internet.
Make the thread interesting and get a few pics up of the Thai gf
Good news. The tour operator is doing well and told me he was going to deposit the check tomorrow. He also gave me the address and telephone numbers of their office in Cuba.
You’re kind of new here. Did you know you don’t have to open threads?
And by the way. I have posted pictures of the girlfriend here at teakdoor, numerous times. Most of those pictures show her in flight. She’s an angel.
Now, go fvck off.
Soneva Kiri, Koh Kood, (Soneva Kiri, Koh Kood, Thailand with the Thai girlfriend)
While traveling around Havana I was able to get a few pictures of people (statues, depictions and a monument) who helped shape Cuba.
Statue of Jose Marti
Monument to Jose Marti
Carlos Manuel de Cespedes
Christopher Columbus
The last two are depictions of Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos on buildings which are in the Plaza of the Revolucion area.
Che Guevara on the building of the Ministry of Interior
Comandante Camilo Cienfuegos on Ministry of Informatics and Communications building - Vas bien, Fidel (“You’re doing fine, Fidel”)
That was the first trip. I’ll post about the second trip to Cuba in December, but until then I’m going to start another thread next week. “Following Cherry Blossoms in Japan”
Extra
- Cubans flee in largest numbers since Mariel boatlift: https://www.axios.com/local/miami/20...boatlift-miami
The link above might not open if you’re using a Thai IP address
Our 2nd trip. But, first things first. There will be a 3rd trip to Santiago (most of it diving) Spring/Summer of 2024.
We stayed at the newly constructed Grand Aston which employed a helpful staff and was located along the waterfront.
Addressing a lazy putz who will not look up rates
As I have stated before; on other travel threads, I don’t post the cost of the rooms/suites we stay in for a couple reasons. These travel threads stay up on Teakdoor for years and prices change due to time and season. I don’t want to quote a price we paid years ago and some visitor run across the thread and get bad information (price years ago vs today’s price).
Moving on.
The last evening we were in Havana we ate dinner at La Guarida (The Den). One of, if not the best restaurant in Havana.
What we learned about the restaurant. The owners (Enrique and Odeisys Nuñez) do not own the entire building, although they have tried to purchase all the rooms in the building.
Cuba had enacted strange policy after the revolution. If you lived in the building (different rooms) that became your place. More about this when I post about our bike ride. The owner purchased some of the rooms over time to make up what the restaurant is today. The rooms that are not part of the restaurant are still occupied by the original owners (after the revolution) and/or their family.
Anyway. Nice ambiance (we ate dinner out on the balcony), great service and good food.
Hers - roasted chicken
Mine – chicken and curry
Last edited by S Landreth; 05-12-2022 at 08:30 AM.
First full day. One of two parts.
We did our second walking tour in the old Havana area, but this time/trip it was more informative.
Sure, we went to see some of the places we had seen before, but from different views.
The Havana harbor from the statue of Jesus. The lightning rod behind Jesus was erected after the statue was taking lighting bolts hits which was causing some damage to the statue.
One of the hotels we visited was the Hotel Ambos Mundos where Ernest Hemingway would stay while in Havana. The room he stayed in was one of the corner rooms below (maybe the 3rd floor). The hotel closed during Covid and hasn’t reopened. https://ambosmundoslahabanahotel.com-website.com/
Hemingway made the La Bodeguita del Medio bar famous by telling people it was the best place to get a mojito in Havana. Looks like it stays busy.
Last edited by S Landreth; 12-12-2022 at 02:15 PM.
2nd part. Continuation of the walking tour in Old Havana
El Templete. Built to celebrate where the first mass took place in 1519. There’s a ritual every year where locals will walk around the tree three times to get a wish granted. Inside the temple you’ll find oil paintings by Jean-Baptiste Vermay along with his ashes.
about the paintings.......
Went to an art museum (Casa de Carmen Montilla) where they promote Cuban artists. The tiled wall was created by Alfredo Sosabravo.
Also visited a few buildings to see how the architecture progressed over the years due to cultural changes. All three storeys below were built during different periods.
The first tattoo parlor I went into was on South Beach when Miami Ink was showing on TV. Just curious and was there for just a second.
The second tattoo parlor I went into was in Cuba. We spent some time inLa Marca where the artists showed us their shop, their work and the up-to-date equipment they use. Nice shop and artists. They bring other artists from around the world together and also promote other artists. Not necessarily tattoo artists. http://lamarcabodyart.com/
Extra
While in the streets I noticed a picture of the king. First Royal to visit the island where the king had his hair cut while visiting, years ago.
Last edited by S Landreth; 20-12-2022 at 08:17 PM.
Great stuff SL, well enjoying this thread. Cheers.
^ & ^^ Thank you both. It was a much better trip than our last visit and why we’ll be returning again with the same guide who is a free diver. We plan to dive on the south side of the island.
Willy, you’ll have to wait. I’m trying to post related to our daytime itinerary. The dive took place during our last full day on the island. But I will tell you,......it was a healthy reef.
I was told there’s a safe way to eat that fish above.
Today,........a nice bike ride, ice-cream traffickers and a tiled neighborhood.
Started the day in the Vedado district of Havana for a bike ride. Beautiful upper-class neighborhood (for the most part) with small parks throughout the district.
Bike riding on Paseo Avenue to and from Plaza de la Revolución Square. Most of these homes are still well cared for. There are also a number of embassies along the road.
John Lennon Park in Vedado.
A little of what we learned while in the neighborhood related to the first group of Cubans who left Cuba for S. Florida. Most of the homes were owned by these Cubans and cared for by the help who were being paid by the refugees who fled the country shortly after Castro’s revolution. These Cubans believed the revolution would last no more than two years and they could return home afterwards.
Castro had a different plan. Two years after the revolution these homes were given to those care workers and/or anyone who was living in the home at the time.
The problem. Some of these homes employed a variety of help (maids, ground keepers, etc.) and each had their own room. They owned that room. When there was work needed on the property there wasn’t a collective agreement on how to repair or who would pay for the repairs. So, some properties fell to disrepair. An example below. The massive white home on the corner is shared by a few Cuban families and is in awful shape.
About those Ice-cream trafficker. There are several Coppelia ice-cream parlors in Havana which was Castor’s idea yet developed by Celia Sanchez where Cubans could gather and purchase inexpensive ice-cream. It is good ice-cream.
Always crowded (especially on weekends) and you purchase by the scoop. Bring your own container.
Long lines getting into these parlors, but you don’t have to wait, if you’re willing to pay a little more.
We were told and saw people who would carry in their own containers and either sell the ice-cream (by the scoop) to people outside waiting or have it delivered to you. There are groups of ice-cream traffickers who will send people inside to purchase large amounts of ice-cream and resell the ice-cream to restaurants
There are also small parlors where you can purchase ice-cream and where we saw a young woman who walked away with a large plastic cup filled with ice-cream and was at least four scoops higher than the cup.
After the bike ride, we went to see Fusterlandia. It’s a neighborhood where most buildings are covered with tile, inspired by
Jose Fuster.
The piece of art we brought back with us and is now on the wall.
Last edited by S Landreth; 27-12-2022 at 07:41 PM.
Very nice SL!
Thank you Topper
Hemmingway and his home in Cuba. Finca Vigía
It seems he had a nice life except for the last two years. Cuba confiscated the home shortly after the revolution.
The Cubans do a pretty good job maintaining it, but it could use more care.
Cojimar Tower/Cojímar river is the port Hemmingway used to travel in and out of.
His home in Cuba. He also had a home in Key West that we’ve visited.
Small portion of the grounds
And his view
Few rooms in the home
In the bathroom, where he would watch his weight
Outside. His pool and boat.
About the boat. Hemmingway would travel from Havana to the Keys and on occasions he would carry dynamite to blow up German submarines if he spotted one off the coast of Florida.
Last edited by S Landreth; 02-01-2023 at 07:36 PM.
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