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