A place where everyone loves Ron.

[drron]

Sorry but simple pizzas like that do not excite me.Different strokes for different folks.But back to the pottery-
It then started pouring rain which fortunately stopped as we got back to Cienfuegos-

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Their old car wasn't quite in working order-

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And the furnace-

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One thing noticeable in Trinidad was the concentration of artist's on Ernesto with Fidel only appearing in old photos-

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The hospital looked good from the front but side on-

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[drron]

But you can stay in the doctor's house-

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Not much of a range in the grocery store-

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A craft market.Had an interesting conversation here with a local that wanted to talk English.I asked him why the art was all about Ernesto Che and nothing of Fidel.He took me across the road saying loudly I will show you a place that sells pictures of Fidel,then whispering -I can not tell you as people are listening.As agreed his photo does not appear in any of the posted pics.

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Another sort of bus.And you can buy bacon for your trip.

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Now the drive back first along the coast-

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[drron]

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A shrimp farm-

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And a seaside resort-

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Waiting for a foreman-

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[Milboo]

Price for these?

You paid in Peso - the local currency not the CUC and worked out equivalent to about 15 cents from memory.

 

[drron]

The pizzas were advertised as 10 pesos which now is 40 cents US.
But back to the TR.
It then started pouring rain which fortunately stopped as we got back to Cienfuegos-

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Driving through Cienfuegos-

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The hospital with an unfinished new block-

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[drron]

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[drron]

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[drron]

We then had a walk around the town square.Some very nice old buildings-

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[drron]

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Back to the ship-

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[drron]

So that night Marcello the hotel director asked us to dine with him at Hot Rocks.This is what impresses me with SS.Service recovery.Excellent.
Mrsdrron had the Madagascar prawns and I the pork chop-

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Desserts-apple pie and cheesecake-

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You start with corn chips with guacamole or tomato salsa,then a salad.You can though order from the MDR menu of the night if you wish.We do enjoy doing this occasionally.

After our hot rocks dinner it was a couple of nightcaps in the Panorama lounge.As we walk in Alfredo begins playing Rojaan's favourite tunes.Impressive.
The next day was a sea day so slept in.During the day they offered other passengers a tour of the Deck 7 suites.We could hear everything said with several most upset that there were empty suites and they weren't offered an upgrade.
A good lecture on the revolution and that night was the Venetian coughtail party.With a far from full cruise we came in 4th for the number of nights on SS.
Dinner with the Captain followed.Carpaccio and Osso Buco were great.Italian wines for the Venetian dinner.Being on the Captain's table we had a very nice 2004 red.Finished with Limoncello.

 

[drron]

Sunday and an early morning entry to the Port of Santiago de Cuba-

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Fishing from a fort-

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[drron]

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[drron]

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The cruise terminal-

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And a welcome-

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[drron]

Off to the fort-

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At the fort-

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[drron]

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Great views and a natural inhabitant-the curly tailed lizard-

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No wonder the Spanish lost the battle of Santiago harbour in 1898 with the American fleet waiting mainly beyond the fort's guns.

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[drron]

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You could even see the airport from the fort.Not that it would have helped in 1898!

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Then we were taken to the original square of the Old Town and the Cathedral-

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[drron]

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It wouldn't be Cuba without music-

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A different old car-a Willys-

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Sunday mass finishes and we are allowed in the Cathedral-

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[drron]

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Now an ethical dilemma.This local woman is talking to one of the ship's crew.She has an obvious inherited condition.Do you tell her?

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[drron]

But now a walk to another square with some interesting sights-

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There were clubs for jazz and pop music but this was a place for classical music.Some intended to come back here that night-

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The local public library.

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[drron]

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And a local bus with a surprising name-

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In fact US flags were not an uncommon decoration on busses and trucks.
A pharmac_ with very little stock-

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Road works Cuban style-

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