Traveling with the Ancient.
We are inFidels in Cuba. We spent today exploring. There was an hour looking for my Mom’s fish earrings that were never packed, another hour exploring the cabin for my Mom’s watch, not to mention the panicked return back to customs searching for my Mom’s sunglasses; which were found when she explored the space under her hat on her head. For future travelers, I wouldn’t suggest the Havana Lost and Found Tour. It takes me back to our family cruise to Bermuda, where my parents were convinced that the tiny Filipino room steward was stealing my Dad’s sans-a-belt shorts, only to find them at home upon their return.
As for our real sightseeing, my Mom has held up better from the 1950s then has Havana. The sidewalks and streets have the broken pavement that is known in poor communist countries as Leningrade. We hailed a 1952 Chevy; which had leprosy, as its doorknobs kept falling off. The cabdriver kept having to reach into the front seat to let us out of the cab; a move he dubbed Cuba Libre. We were lucky to not toss our rice and beans.
After dropping my Mom back on the ship, I ventured out to some of Hemingway’s old haunts along the Plaza Vieja. The shopping is far more Che than Chic and certainly not going to start a rebellion. Also more Guevara shirts than Guayberra shirts. For a bunch of communists, they will still barter, so you can usually get a Marx down. I asked this lady if I could take her picture, after agreeing, she and her friend tried to shake me down for some pesos. I tried to convince her that I was taking this shot for the people. She was a total Cohibitch!
Rubber Chicken 