What you didn't want to know about TD...in 10 words or less: The end

All good things must end....

(This blog was written in Miami, but due to fatigue and mojitoes, it was not posted until now)

Endings are pretty bitter sweet.

There were 22 of us on the tour. 16 of us ended up staying at he hotel in Miami overnight when we came back. Almost everybody has a flight out tomorrow.

Funny, I've only known most of these people for a week or so. But I really like them. We got along so well and laughed with each other so much.

Loie...They thought it was Lois, and then Louie....but it is Loie. He is from Minnesota and is a hoot! Is. He is 85 but does not act it. He cracks jokes, flirts with the girls, talks to everyone..... I hope I am like him when I get that age. His wife died last May. I think he is lonely. Me spent three nights on the veranda of the Nacional drinking and talking and he smoking.

Michael and Janet....Lake Tahoe people. Michael reminds me of Rick from church! Same deep voice, laid back approach. Nothing seems to rattle him. Janet once backpacked across Europe (with a guy before Michael) She started in India, went to Pakistan, Afghanistan and all over for 14 months! Great stories.

Linda......she has a special place in my heart. When I first saw her, I thought I saw my cousin Sally. She stands like her, walks like her, laughs like her and from the side, looks like her. It was like having my cousin back again. When I found out she liked birds, I was floored. Sally loved birds. I told Linda she was a doppelganger for my cousin. She lost her husband last year, I think in April

Nancy, who talked to me about cameras, pictures, and explained what I was doing wrong when I could not take any more photos on my I phone.

Larry and Patty, the first people we met. Asians from California, they were quiet but ready to laugh.

Lynn and Jim...... From New Jersey, I think....now I am not sure where they came from. She was funny and a good person to hang around with. Jim had the knack of getting in the way.....but not a bad thing.

Catherine....we think she is about 81 but she told us 75...... Loves music and dance, and asking questions more than me.

Don and Donna....DC area residents living in Maryland. She has horses... Both are retired from NASA but they were not rocket scientists or engineers. He wants to go with me to Holland when I go biking.

David.....teacher of history and expert on Pan American history. He was a fun guy to talk to. I think he lost his wife recently, but I am not sure. I do know he is going to France in the summer and spending a week in a chateau southeast of Paris.

Marleen....south sider from Chicago. Kind of quiet. She has traveled to China, South America. Europe. Good seat mate on the bus and loves Chicago.

David and Didi..... Friends of Loie..... Must be about his age but not half the fun. Good people. He takes care of her. She likes to laugh and have a good time.

Barbara.....never got to really know her. I may have called her Audry the first few days.

Ellie.... A Santa Barbara girl.....aquatics yoga instructor, active in her community, retired nurse.... She was like me.... always asking questions.

Dan..... Of course, one of the best people on the trip be cause he put up with me.

Sarah..... Another Santa Barbara girl, very interested in art and artists....bought several art books and a print.

Peggy.... Probably my soul mate. Her husband doesn't like to travel. She seemed reserved at first, but she really opened up. We had a lot in common and she was always great to visit with.

Today we went on the bus to the airport.....a long trip. We stopped at a wayside for a break and a little band was playing.. Peggy and Loie got out and danced while the rest of us cheered and clapped. Then Loie danced with Gail, our group leader. It was kind of symbolic on how this trip went.

We were delayed a couple of hours at the airport in Havana because they closed the airport so Obama could take off. There were at least 4 planes, including two cargo planes, for the president.

he was supposed to throw out the first pitch but did not. He did sit with Raul for the first three innings or so.

The crowd at the airport all stopped to watch the game, thinking he was tossing out the first pitch. Even the Cubans stood and watched, knowing this was history in the making.

Rosalen said Revolution Square was closed to Cuban people during the president's speech....which explained why no one was there.

Tonight we all kind of ate together at the hotel. The only one missing was Gail, and I understand she had an early flight. She was a tough nut to crack, but at times her personality sparkled.
I was used to paying about $5 for mojitoes in Cuba, so I had a little sticker shock after I had two with supper and discovered they were $12 each........and not as good.
So much for that.