Day 1

Day 1 ....... in Havana

     (I did this in Havana, but could not post because Wifi is not widely available.)
     We spent 4 hours at the Miami airport because our flight was late.  The lady behind the counter told me there was a "whirlwind" in Havana and the plane could not take off.  Not sure what that meant.  Weather reports showed it clear and calm in Havana....so who knows.

      Havana airport is pretty primitive.  If tourism is going to take off here, they have to improve the infrastructure starting with plumbing and then the airport.....my opinion.

     Our Cuban tour guide is Rosalen.  The is young and attractive.  She was a linguistics major in college.  She said she has to work 3 years in public service to "pay back" the government for her education.  The government placed her as a tour guide.  I don't think she had a voice in the assignment, but she seems to do well.
       (Later I learned that companies like Road Scholar send a "buyer" to Cuba.  That person meets with a government official and asks for a tour with a certain theme.  In our case it was people to people.  The government then sets up the tour.  Government decides where we go, when we go, how long we stay, who we visit.  If a snag develops, the government can change plans in an instant.  In our case, we had a couple of days when Rosalen said we had to be flexible because plans changed.  I suspect the stops we made were people or groups friendly to the government or that had accomplished something worth bragging about.)

     Hotel Nacional is pretty big.  We learned today that we have been booted from the hotel for the President and all the people that travel with him.  So we will be moved to a different hotel after three nights here instead of the five we thought.  Obama may be walking the same halls we did!!!

     The hotel is pretty cool.  We took a short walk before supper and saw some old cars, but not enough to satisfy us!  Hopefully tomorrow we will see more in Old Havana.

     Supper was a buffet and there was all sorts of food.  Lamb, chicken, pork, pizza, turkey, fish, sushi, cold cuts, salads, desserts..... I did not over eat, surprise!
      I am really freaked out about not flushing toilet paper.  The pipes here are not big enough to handle toilet paper, so it gets put into a little garbage can next to the toilet.  

     We went to see a cabaret show, Buena Vista Social Club......have to watch the movie.  Great energy and an hour and a half show.  

     Had my first mojito, it was so good I had a second.

     Our room is nice....AC and no bed bugs, supposedly.

     Dan found a surprise in his luggage.....TSA must have inspected his bag and they put a pair of shoes in his.....and took his out.  Now he has a brand new pair of gym shoes in the wrong size.

     Late night tonight.....

     Sat outside after the show and just enjoyed the summer breeze blowing in from the Atlantic.    Humid, but the breeze made it feel cool.  Saw several cast members and Loie, another tour person, and we clapped when they went past.  Some shook our hands and the grand old girl blew us kisses!
      Good way to end the night.

Front of the National Hotel....or Nacional Hotel

Back side of the hotel

This old bird roamed the grounds

Members of our group getting a serenade on the veranda

Mailbox in the lobby.... ornate!

Lobby of the hotel

Elevator..... this hotel is 85 years old...so is the elevator

Looking out onto the terrace

Some repairs were being done because of the president....ocean just past the palms

Another lobby shot

I loved sitting out here at night, listening to the music, feeling the breeze and nursing a mojito

The Buena Vista Social Club was a movie from a long time ago.  This lady in red was in the movie.  She still performs, at the ripe old age of 94....if our guides are to be believed.

She still wears high heels

And now some random car shots.

I love this picture...... one of three on this hill I took.