Cuba Cruise - Day 4 - Havana, Cuba

Monday, January 11, 2016 began with interesting talk about the history of Havana before we went ashore. Our first of two tours was a walking tour of Havana. We started in the St. Francis of Assisi Square where we met up with our tour group guide and prepared for our 2.5 mile walk.

There were many statues of famous Cuban people and I got a picture of Susan with somebody famous.

Along the way, we passed by the Museo Del Chocolate where my wonderful chocoholic sister, Pat, was admiring the sign.

We wandered down many narrow streets with old cannons placed to prevent auto traffic.

There were many small squares scattered throughout the city decorated with art and/or statuary.

Our group was then seated in a local bar/restaurant where we were served the Cuban national drink, a Mojito, made with the local Havana Club rum, lime juice and sugar with a sprig of mint leaves in it. Delicious - even Susan drank one!

We saw a wide variety of vehicles as we wandered around. From antique taxis to horse-drawn carriages to CoCos. A fun place...

A taxi and a carriage

Note the different colors? Parts from other cars to complete the body.

A CoCo

There were some interesting art pieces too. Here is my favorite:

Etienne "La Conversacion"

After some lunch on board the ship, we headed out for our second tour - on a bus this time. Our first stop was at the Plaza de la Revolucion. Huge political rallies are held in this plaza. Next to the bus was a street lined with a variety of antique cars now used as taxis.

A visage of Fidel Castro and Che Guevara adorn the facade of government buildings around the plaza.





The highlight of the plaza is the monument of the Revolucion.

We then saw everything from "normal" homes to the extravagance of the Hotel Nacional de Cuba.

We even passed by Ernest Hemingway's favorite bar in Havana - the Floridita.

Our last stop of the day was at the local marketplace where I saw some cute wooden bass art (that I didn't buy).

Back to the ship to prepare for another day in Havana.

Cuba Cruise - Day 3 - At Sea

Sunday, January 10, 2016 was a day at sea with a variety of lectures, music and demonstrations. The first one we attended, at 11:00 am, was Unusual Traditional Cuban Musical Instruments where they played instruments like bongos, claves and tres (a 3 stringed guitar).

Then there was Documentary About Cuba at 2:30, Cuban Culture "El Ajico" at 4:00, Rum Tasting and History at 4:45 (yum!) and Let's Learn Cuban at 6:00. Finally, we listened to the Ramapo College Chorale from New Jersey at 5:45 singing a program of music from around the world. They were on the cruise so they could perform several concerts in Cuba that week and they were great.

Cuba Cruise - Day 2 - Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

Saturday, January 9, 2016 begins with our entry into Santiago de Cuba which is on the Eastern end of Cuba not far from Guantanamo Bay.

Our tour began with a stop at the Moncada Barracks where Fidel and Raul Castro commenced their 1953 assault on the Bastita regime. This building still has the multitude of bullet holes from the assault.

Across the street was this unusual looking tree.

Our next stop was at San Juan Hill where Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders helped defeat the Spanish in 1898.

Me and Pat on San Juan Hill

Memorial of the U.S. soldiers killed here

Trenches made by Americans

Lookout tower

San Juan Hill plaque

Our next stop was at the African Cultural Center for a historical presentation and dance performances by some very talented Afro-Cuban singers and dancers.

Singing Cuban songs

Corky, Shirley, Darlene and Pat

Tom, Carole, Ken and Joanne

Fancy dancers

One of several costumed dancers

Our next stop was at an art museum with some interesting revolution style art.

U.S. Flag

Cuban flag

Bullet art

On our way to back to the ship, we enjoyed the local sights.

Local transportation

Typical neighborhoods - rundown but clean

Some views as we left Santiago de Cuba

Santiago de Cuba

Guarding the bay is the 17th century El Morro castle

Back on board the Celesyal Crystal, we attended an afternoon presentation on Cuban history: The Birth of a Nation 1492-1898. It was very interesting but, after a day of touring, our attention span was a little short...

And so ends day 2...

Cuba Cruise - Day 1 - Montego Bay, Jamaica

On Friday, January 8, 2016, we flew with our friends Ken & Joanne to Montego Bay, Jamaica to pick up our ship, the Celestyal Crystal. We then met up with our friends from Raleigh, Tom & Carole, my sister, Pat, and her friends Corky, Darlene and Shirley, all from California. Together we began our People to People adventure to visit Cuba and learn about their culture and history. Each day we would attend lectures to learn about the history, landscapes and culture of the real Cuba and then take tours of four ports in different parts of Cuba. Let the adventure begin!

My sister Pat and I share a selfie as we meet

The Celestyal Crystal; ready to take all 810 of us passengers around Cuba

Victoria, BC

Our last port of call was Saturday evening at Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Susan and I took two completely different tours. Mine was the Victoria Ale & Brewery tour where we were taken to three different micro-breweries in Victoria. At each place, we were sampled many of their various beers. I didn't have the camera, so there is no proof of my wanderings that night. ;-)

Susan's tour was to the famous Butchart Gardens, a National Historic Site of Canada. Among the beautiful areas she viewed were the Sunken Garden and the Show Greenhouse. On her way back to the ship, she passed by the British Columbia Parliament Building lit up in all its glory.

Ketchikan, AK

Friday morning finds us in Ketchikan, Alaska. Today's tour took us to the Saxman Native Village where we learned a lot about Alaskan history.

We first entered their ornate Beaver Clan House and were entertained by Alaskan Indians performing their traditional dances.

Our next stop was to see the various totem poles on display in the courtyard area. Traditionally, the lowest creature on the totem would be the tribal chief or whomever the pole was dedicated to.

We then entered the carving center where totem poles are created. There were two totems being worked on when we were there. The first was in the rough-cut stage which will depict a father and his five sons. The other totem was a more traditional pole and we watched the craftsman carefully carve the top section.

We then returned back to Ketchikan where we explored one of the more unique places with a very interesting history...Creek Street. Around 1902, several buildings were erected along the creek that became a notorious red light district during the Yukon gold rush and remained so until it was shut down in the mid-1950's. According to one sign, it housed "bootlegged booze, loose women, hot music and rowdy customers." Today, of course, it houses a collection of tourist stores. While I didn't buy one, I just had to take a picture of the Four Seasons of Alaska t-shirt.