Monday, January 18, 2016

Cuba Cruise - Day 5 - Havana, Cuba

Tuesday, January 12, 2016 started with a walk around Havana on our own to explore some new areas that we didn't have time to look at yesterday and also to do a little souvenir shopping.

The Hotel Raquel
Beautiful wooden doors
A typical Havana side street
We did a brief tour of the Castillo de la Real Fuerza which is Havana's oldest fortress from 1577.

What is a fortress without a moat?
Those are ceramic pieces that look like turtle shells.
The inside staircase
Some of the armaments
After lunch on the ship, we boarded a bus for an afternoon tour to see more of Havana.

The Capital of Cuba building
Sloppy Joe's Bar
Our first stop was at Museum of the Revolution housed in the former Presidential Palace.


A tank is on display
The three leaders of the revolution: Fidel Castro, Camilo Cienfuegos and Che Guevara
Batista's and Castro's Presidential office
The Gold Phone given to Batista by AT&T

Jose Marti
Simon Bolivar
The museum's interior courtyard
The interior of the museum's dome
The last room before exiting the museum had this "interesting" bit of art about the Ring of Cretins:

Batista: Thank you, cretin, for helping us to MAKE the revolution.
Ronald Reagan: Thank you, cretin, for helping us to STRENGTHEN the revolution.
George Bush Sr.: Thanks, cretin, because you helped us to CONSOLIDATE our revolution.
G.W. Bush: Thank you, cretin, for helping us to MAKE SOCIALISM IRREVOCABLE.
A large (about 6 feet tall) pencil sketch of present day Fidel Castro

Outside of the museum was a small glass building which housed the Granma, the vessel in which Fidel Castro sailed from Mexico back to Cuba with his guerrilla army in 1959.





About 5;00, we departed Havana and enjoyed the scenic Havana Bay and the El Morro Castle and lighthouse, completed in 1774. This is the largest fortress in the Americas.

Goodbye Havana
Ferryboat landing with a colorful park
A large row of cannons
More cannons
The lighthouse
A view of modern Havana





No comments: