October 5,
This is my first Sea Interlude, a sea day between Havana and Cienfuegos. I like to use Sea Interludes to process what I’ve seen but that isn’t happening today. There’s too much going on. The Cuban band is playing at midday and in the evening. We have lectures on Cienfuegos and Cuban history. Those who want dancing or Spanish lessons can have them.
This is the time to say something about the ship. She is beautiful. The reviews complained about the lack of entertainment, the lack of a casino and the food. We found the entertainment, if you include lectures and a great Cuban band, fine. We don’t miss a casino and the food is fine. The company around the dinner table is made up of interesting and engaged people. Our cabin is large enough and the service is very good. We had a busy sea day.
It is also a busy day for the “Impact” staff. They are planning expanded tours of Cienfuegos to fill out the day and meet the requirements of the p2p program. Remember we are not on vacation, we are not tourists, we are here to interact with the Cuban people and somehow plant the seeds of democracy.
The medical staff is also busy. The Captain made an announcement that they are looking for anyone with O type blood and a universal donor card for a person who is seriously ill.
Later in the evening the Captain announces that he has all the engines running and we are running at full speed. We will arrive in Cienfuegos at 2 AM rather than 7 AM because the person who needed the blood needs a hospital.
