Tropicana

Saturday 9th Picked up at 9am by guide Yami (41 yo 1 child with second husband who collects exhibits and sells posters.)
She took us on a walking tour of old Havana the squares etc, restoration very slow by the look, Our favourite square was the social square. He was having one (posters featuring stars) last night in the ... square which I caught on my way back from the etsecsa shop for wifi card..abortive trip I might add! Whole wifi thing a dogs breakfast. Went to the Tropicana show . Picked up at 9.30pm for 10pm show. Quite an extravaganza Las Vegas type show...an experience. Deal is a quarter bottleof rum per person and coke to make cuba libre, a glass of sparkling wine and some nibbles. Of course we had to stash our rum to go. V V V popular tourist show created back in the day.

Day 2

Friday 8/1 Tour Operator came to hotel to give us all the vouchers for activities, accomodation, tours etc... phew. Looks like hard work... luckily Pat has charge of said vouchers. By the time she had got through all the guff, today's tour guide had turned up and off we went for our motoring Havana city tour ...... in a two toned pink 1956 convertible Ford Fairlane. (Pink for girls) Unfortunately he had to put the hood up as it was raining and not much going on in the way of demisting. Guide very knowledgable about all things Cuban/Havana...historical, cultural etc. Fidel in his 90's is thought to live on an estate somewhere west outskirts of the city. Had a drink at the Hotel Nacional on the seafront. Built in the 30'sby the yanks for yanks...back when the plan was for Cuba to be another state of the US. Surfice to say v v grand. Hotel has photographic exhibition of all the "names" who have come to Havana..including the pope . One corner showed the mafia figures who have visited. Tour wemt through new areas, embassy district, university area, hospital etc. On the subject of university.. All tertiary totally free..fees..accomodation..books..all free. Some info about religions..mostly Catholic of course as most Cubans are descended from Spanish. Forget about original inhabitants..Spanish wiped them out..totally. They were similar to South American indians but not quite as advanced. Cigars big business here .. we went to cigar rolling demo..have been offered cheap cigars on the street etc.

Finally .. some wifi

Thursday 7th Virgin flight from Gatwick was on a jumbo....yikes! Pat recalled aloud taking a flight on a jumbo in 1987. Thanks Pat. Anyway 9.5 hour flight, plane full, food and service better than Emirates....who would have thought? Two hours to clear Havana airport so did not see much on trip into town as dark at 6.30 pm. First impressions.. no speed limit, heaps of traffic and petrol fumes, taxi driver with "audi blue dark" - his description "clapped out" my description, was grumpy and morose....perhaps he had to wait for us...as we waited damned long time for the cases..we were standing at the carosel for over an hour. Finally got to Hotel Raquel in Old Havana and checked in. The place certainly has the Olde Worlde charm, magnificent 4 story central atrium topped by what looks like a glass roof...all marble floors etc on ground floor reception etc. Rooms are large high ceilings...general maintenence a bit dicey. We changed a bit of money only in hotel as rate not good..just enough for a bit of tea. Found a cafe one block down the road and chose it for the music....food was not that flash tho. Local cristal beer was ok. We paid 38 cucs for two fish meals two beers and two sparkling waters... seemed overpriced to me...cheapskate that I am.