La Havana - Cuba: Food

More than often I have read that the quality and variation of food is of a lower standard than most deserving travellers are accustomed too but here on the Avenues del Puerta a number of small free standing cafes on the cornice have set up just where the tourist buses disgorge their occupants…

La Havana - Cuba: People

Wherever in Havana – you are never far from the music. Well that is in the Vieja, the old original part now with Unesco heritage status. Early in the morning the mood is lighter and faster and by four in the afternoon, post siesta it is warming up. People, music, the tastes in the air take off from 4pm. The guide books recommend sauntering through the streets when it is close to dusk. I concur.

La Havana – Cuba: Architecture

The first impression of the hotel is of a huge twenty storey concrete block imposing itself high above the district. This concrete edifice to the fifties warms with the large two storey mural across the imposing entrance looking like it was completed by the local college on a community help scheme.

La Havana – Cuba: Cars

I had assumed it was still a myth that the old Chevvies, Pontiacs and Buicks of the 50’s would be around still but I was pleasantly surprised to see them in evidence albeit most were taxis and some in better condition than others. Now my recognition of car types from the 50’s is relatively limited purely as I wasn’t around, not to appreciate them at my age anyway, Dad never owned one of them and lastly I am not really interested in cars of this era.

Danilov Monastery - Moscow

The day was predominantly spent at Danilov Monastery with Tonya, a 6 year old girl and her mother. It’s an incredibly sad story that somehow when you know the facts you realise that what ever our problems we have they pail in to insignificance.

So we met them at their apartment lying south west of the red metro line and after a short bus journey.

Beirut - Epilogue

It’s only fitting that I capture the events and points that came out of the last few days in Beirut and the flight into Syria.

Cessation of activities during the one-day strike did not cease and as such the commotion that built up on Wednesday evening continued into Thursday.