Thanks all.
Rosa - you're too complimentary. My Cuban Spanish isn't flawless by any means, but must be convincing enough for people not to realise I'm not a Cuban for a while. They take me for Cuban on sight as well, so that helps the masquerade.
For anyone interested - the 2 year saga/cleaning of decayed corpses John and I refer to is precisely that. After 2 years, family of the deceased are called and have to remove all remaining ...material... from the bones, clean the bones which then get put into a box and re entombed with others.
Yanqui - good to know about the speed guns... wonder what the fine would have been? 60 in a 40 is significantly over.
CW - the pisicorre price is 5CUP - what were your comrades paying?
I was there for May 1 last year, but definitely saw more police this time round. If you go down to the dock on boat day, there are a lot along Alameda.
Too funny about your experience at the Imperial. We were welcomed into the lobby by the doorman who was happy to impart any info on the hotel we asked about. Anyone can go to the rooftop bar (excl. hobos, maybe :-)) - you pay for the privilege. Before 7pm it was 3CUC pp, after, I think it was 5CUC.
Where you there for the Feria del Tivoli? That was good - despite the rain. We bought some bed frames and cane patio furniture at extremely reasonable prices..
Fantastic report as always, yinkx. Thanks for taking the time to write it.
Who's ass did you kick so hard that you broke your leg though?!?!
Cheers,
Terry
Hi Yinkx, not sure but I think he was saying something like $40 or $50 CUC, the rules as they were explained to me is that if you head east of both rotundas on Quinta Avenida the section where there are signs posted that say minimum 40kmh max 60 kmh bicycles are restricted west of those 2 rotundas bicycles are permitted and max speed is 40 kmh,if any of that makes sense,no speeding where you don't see the signs posted with the speed limit.Wow, love the bone cleaning story,Muslims bathe a body after death,like Jews bury in 24 hours no embalming fluid, body wrapped in clean sheets,body waked for a few hours during the day and then put in the cheapest and simplest of pine boxes into the ground.
#11 thanks, Terry - I'll have to fess up about my leg... having been visiting Cuba since 2001 when the roads and pavements were much worse, I finally did what I've always been wary of doing - didn't see a deep hole in the pavement, tripped into it, lost my footing and fell.
Mitigating factors - it was at night and it was raining and there was a fajason round the corner, that we were attempting to move away from quickly.
#12 I suppose that's not too bad a fine - still wouldn't be pleased about it... We'll have to look out for speed guns next time, but we don't really overdo it.
Yup, I hear you. I'm kinda amazed I haven't (yet) made the same stumble myself.
Wishing you a speedy recovery.
Cheers,
Terry
Yes the pisicorre price is supposed to be 5CUP but they try charging 10 to Cubans if they can get away with it.
No did not experience Feria del Tivoli. I didn't do much new this time but did visit the Santa Ifigenia Cemetery for the first time in about 12 years. There was a big party in Plaza de Marte my last Saturday night. Tried restaurante St. Pauli for the first time. We hung out at the train station one night to meet someone after their 20 something hour train ride form Havana. Went for a dip at the Ocio club. Ate a bunch of Churros.
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