Friday, March 02, 2007

Cuba

When we first arrived, the sky was overcast and the waves were choppy but we swam anyway... only to get scolded by the lifeguard afterwards.


The second day was much better but we still couldn't swim, so we just lay around and looked longingly at the sea.


In the afternoon we went horse-riding. Eri's horse kept stopping to eat. David's horse kept stopping to shit. My horse's name was either Pipu or Ipu.


Day 3 it RAINED, so we shared a cab to go downtown. The crafts market was lovely.


I got braids. The woman actually brought me to her house to do it.


And then we went to Havana. AMAZING city. That was when I fell in love with Cuba I think.

Old Havana



Stroke his beard and shake his hand for good luck!


This is where the locals collect their rations for the month. Additional supplies can be bought from the free market but paid in convertible pesos only (which is a much more expensive currency than the regular pesos with which Cuban wages are paid).


Girls dressed in their colonial costumes. Take a picture with them and receive a kiss from them for 1 peso.


The cigar store.


Ernest Hemingway lived in this hotel for 2 years and wrote about the mojitos here.


La Plaza de la Revolucion


La Capitolio


On the 5th day the weather was finally perfect. We swam and tanned and spent the whole day on the beach.


The next day we borrowed 2 bikes and cycled out to the sea.


And we saw a giant cactus.


Our last day there was more sun and sea. We took a sailboat out.


We loved our chambermaid Eluira...


The 3 buffets a day and 4 restaurant dinners...



The open bar...


The handsome Cuban painter Bangaros in the lobby gallery...


The nightly shows...


The clubs (when the sleazy old men aren't around)...


And especially the music (although Eri screamed out in fear after hearing Guantanamera for the 57th time).


So much so that we didn't want to leave!


More pictures here.

-- tee @ 2:55 am |