Crusin’ the Malecon
We got back to the ship, showered and went out into the cool of the evening. Our p2p obligations discharged for the day, we were ready to strike out on our own. I found a 1955 Chevy Bel Air convertible, … Continue reading Crusin’ the Malecon
Cuban Eye Candy (Classic Cars)
I’ll take a break here and just sit back and enjoy the eye candy of old cars cruising through Cuba. After the revolution the state allowed people who owned cars before the revolution to keep them and even sell them. … Continue reading Cuban Eye Candy (Classic Cars)
Havana Night
We stopped back at the ship for a quick run to the buffet before heading out for the 9:30 show at the Café Taberna. The Café serves dinner but Lonely Planet warned us off the food there. But the mojitos … Continue reading Havana Night
Sustainable Propaganda (But Nice Pictures)
October 4, 2016 Much of our trip to Cuba is defined by conditions set by the late Senator Jesse Helms in the Helms-Burton act. The act limits the conditions under which Americans can travel to Cuba. We are here on … Continue reading Sustainable Propaganda (But Nice Pictures)
Sailing into a Havana Sunset.
Our bus tour took us through different neighborhoods of Havana, through the Miramar and Vedado neighborhoods and we arrived at the pier in time to do a little shopping. At each place we stopped the seller said “See you Saturday.” … Continue reading Sailing into a Havana Sunset.
First Sea Interlude
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 … Continue reading First Sea Interlude
Cooperative Farm, Cowboys and Cheese
October 6 In many ways Cuba is not the type of Communist country I am used to. I have traveled in the Soviet Union before the collapse and have visited various parts of the old Soviet empire both before and … Continue reading Cooperative Farm, Cowboys and Cheese
Waiting for Lunch in Cienfuegos, Communist Problem Solving
After the cooperative farm we are supposed to have lunch at a restaurant between the farm and town, about 20 km out of town. When we get there two other buses from our ship are at the restaurant. There is … Continue reading Waiting for Lunch in Cienfuegos, Communist Problem Solving
Cienfuegos Art Nouveau
We had about 15 minutes in the Cienfuegos main square, time for a peak into the Thomas Terry Theatre lobby and a walk around Jose Marti Square. I had a good view of the Art Nouveau skyline from the deck … Continue reading Cienfuegos Art Nouveau
Cienfuegos Sail Out
The sail out took us past a number of villages and past the old Spanish fortifications guarding the harbor. Normally the ship sails out of the harbor just after noon. Today it was at supper time and people in the … Continue reading Cienfuegos Sail Out
The Second Sea Interlude — Revolutionary Graphics
October 7 This is our second sea day, but I have more time to write and process today, there will be three Sea Interludes today. So all told we will have 4 Sea Interludes, just like Peter Grimes. Today’s first, … Continue reading The Second Sea Interlude — Revolutionary Graphics
Our Third and Fourth Sea Interludes
My third Sea Interlude is about music. There is live music wherever we go in Cuba. There is Cuban music on the ship, at every restaurant where we ate, on the streets, in cafes and music to welcome us to … Continue reading Our Third and Fourth Sea Interludes
We Flee the Ghost of Jesse Helms, in a Studebaker
On Saturday, our final day in Cuba the “Impact” team had organized another p2p event for our extra day but Suzi and I both decided that after Cienfuegos we had enough of buses, even very nice air-conditioned Chinese buses, so … Continue reading We Flee the Ghost of Jesse Helms, in a Studebaker
Artists and Locomotives
After the castle Luan dropped us off at the Artisan’s market, which has a display of old steam locomotives sitting outside the artisans hall. Inside the arts and crafts vary in quality and style. There is the normal tourist art, … Continue reading Artists and Locomotives
A Final Walk Through Havana
From there we walked through Havana Vieja. We stopped at a small square and bought some fried bread from a vendor. The man sitting on the bench across from us is a drummer at the Tropicana. He loves his job … Continue reading A Final Walk Through Havana
Cuban Coda
Finally it’s time to go. The Captain comes on the speakers before we sail out telling us that it will be a rough ride into Miami because of the tag end of Hurricane Matthew but for us it seems like … Continue reading Cuban Coda
Miami Beach Deco
My parents were stationed in Miami Beach before Pop was shipped to India during WW II. He was a lifeguard, PT instructor and made training films on the beach. My parents always had a thing about Miami and wanted to … Continue reading Miami Beach Deco
The Milk Run
Alaska Airlines has several ilk runs, flights that hop from airport to airport. They often are numbered in the 60s and 70s. Flight 62 starts in. Fairbanks at 6 AM and arrives in Seattle at around 4:30 PM stopping at … Continue reading The Milk Run
Skagway
We arrived in Skagway in time for its evacuation. Skagway has a year around population on 850 but in the summer the population is on the north side of 2000. Sometimes 10,000 visitors, tourists and crew, come off of up … Continue reading Skagway
White Pass & Yukon Route, STEAM !!!
The White Pass and Yukon Route (WP & YR) is billed as the Scenic Railway of the World. It’s a narrow gauge (3’) railroad that was built to carry gold stampeders from tidewater at Skagway to, first the White Pass … Continue reading White Pass & Yukon Route, STEAM !!!
WP & YR Scenic Railway of the World.
The White Pass is billed as Scenic Railway of the World. I can imagine with the play of clouds as we climb the almost 3000 feet to the summit of White Pass each trip is different. With steam power the … Continue reading WP & YR Scenic Railway of the World.
Beyond the White Pass Summit.
The White Pass and Yukon Route used to run from Skagway, Alaska at tidewater to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, 110 miles. Today it goes only as far as Carcross, YT. Most tourists only ride the train to the White Pass Summit. … Continue reading Beyond the White Pass Summit.
Elderly Ferries
If you really want to understand Southeast Alaska you should travel on the ferry. The trip to from Sitka to Juneau is a 20 minute flight, by ferry it takes 9 hours. It gives you a sense of the country. … Continue reading Elderly Ferries
Lynn Canal
Lynn Canal is the deepest fjord in North America. It runs 90 miles from Juneau to Skagway and is from 3 to 12 miles wide. George Vancouver named it after his birthplace, King’s Lynn in England. It’s an extension of … Continue reading Lynn Canal