Havana

15/12/11

 Our driver and guide Rogney sharing a cuban style beer- it is 3 litres in a personal keg with ice down the inner tube

Beautifully restored MGA

Plaza de San Francisco

We have had 2 great trips into Havana- a fascinating city. Old Havana has narrow, cobbled stoned streets leading to grand plazas- which are surrounded by very old buildings whose Spanish/baroque architecture is beautiful. There is lots of crumbling decay, however recently , there has been a lot of restoration, funded from outside the country, to try and get it back to its grandeur. Everywhere are cafes & bars with Cuban music played by local musicians. We had some beers at one where the band could have stepped out of Buena Vista Social Club. We earlier had coffee and pastries ( a local delight) in a café where some of the patrons were serious older distinguished gentlemen in heated discussions and at other tables were several beautiful Cuban women dressed in very stylish ,if very  tight clothes, stilettos etc. We sat at an outside table and watched the passing procession of vintage cars- some weathered  old bombs but lots beautifully restored and for hire as taxis..  I could have sat there for hours… probably will over the next week.