October 3, 2016 I normally do not like organized tours, and our Old Havana (Havana Vieja) walking tour reminds me why. While the guide is good, it is largely a standing tour, listening while the guide explains some aspect of … Continue reading Havana Vieja
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)
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
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
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
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
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
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
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