Empress of the Seas 2018 Review (Cuba & More)

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8 hours ago, voyager70 said:

Thanks for the info on formal night.  It had always been my understanding as well that Empress had no formal nights.  I would have dressed casual, like you said no one really cares!  BTW those nachos at Sloppy Joe's looked soo good.  I've been there many times but have never ordered any food.  Too busy drinking!

 

 

We were sure glad no one cared!  And yes, the nachos are amazing.  They go great with all the drinks there!

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After our Cuban breakfast we started walking.  Ana told us we could ask her anything.  She also asked us to please pass along to everyone that when you take ship tours you are taking "state" tours.  You are not supporting the people.  The only state run place we went into with her was a shop to buy cigars.  She said that is the one thing you should buy from the state.  

 

Ana explained how there is no credit in Cuba.  Everything is cash only.  You want to buy a house?  You save up thousands in cash.  That's why most people live with their families in homes that they had paid cash for.  When you get married you move in with either your parents or your spouses.  There is no real "personal space" anywhere.  We saw this up close later in the tour in a small market, when an elderly woman got close to all of us.  

 

On this tour we stopped at four different squares.  As we were walking through the first one, a Gal in our group fell on the uneven cobblestones.  Fortunately she was okay, but do be careful walking around Old Havana...it can really get you!  Another reason to keep an eye out is you don't want to step in anything unpleasant.

 

Next stop was this Churros stand.  Ana told us how these folks had saved up for their stand.  She said that they had to pick carefully where they wanted their stand to be, because once it was selected, that's where they would be forever on.  I couldn't imagine standing in that heat every day wearing long sleeves around hot oil.  Not sure how they do it, but they were delicious!

 

 

 

 

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Pretty building

 

 

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How to tell if a business is not government owned in Cuba?  Ana says to look for "Paladar"

 

 

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Next stop was a market where they buy their food.  Very small market.  Note you won't find a can of anything.  They eat what they grow.  A lot of what farms grow goes to the State, but some ends up in this market.  Garlic looked very different than we're used to.  Much smaller and darker.  Everything is organically grown.

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I will say I was a bit concerned about the meat that was just laying out. 

 

 

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Favorite part of the market was this Gentleman with his coconuts.  He opened a coconut for us.  Ana had brought small paper cups and we each got a cupful of the most refreshing fresh coconut water.  Just what we all needed on this hot day.  He also proudly demonstrated the neat device he created to grate coconut.  He had a drill through a bucket.  Very clever!

 

 

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Note prices at this market were CUP's  not CUC's.  The currency that they use, not what we tourists use.  I believe the difference is 25-1, if I remember correctly.

 

 

 

 

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We kept walking after the market.  The streets have a lot of work going on.  She said next year is a big anniversary for Cuba...there is a lot of preparation going on for that, and encouraged us all to come next year.  It was a Saturday so there were a lot of folks out.  Adults and children, and animals.  Like these little kitties.

 

 

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This was a building we could not go in.  She said it is where they go to get their monthly rations.  They get milk, rice, beans, and a few other things. The most interesting one to me was hearing that each person gets 3 pounds of sugar a month!  I swear I don't use 3 pounds of sugar in a year, I can't imagine.  Eggs though are only around 12 per person.  And maybe 1 chicken.  

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A dance class was going on in here. 

 

 

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Onward through the streets we went 

 

 

 

[Coralc]

Great review Lori! I had never heard of Robert the doll in Key West before. What a creepy thing!  I do like to learn about new things though. And your Cuba photos and insights are really interesting. 

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Our next stop was Genesis.  A lovely little restaurant.  Especially nice for the fan blowing on us and the most refreshing mojito!  Note the mint used in it is not the kind we are used to in the US.  The Cuban version is less minty.  (sorry I know that's not a very useful description).  I can tell you it's really really good!

 

 

 

 

[tweetylori]

6 minutes ago, Coralc said:

Great review Lori! I had never heard of Robert the doll in Key West before. What a creepy thing!  I do like to learn about new things though. And your Cuba photos and insights are really interesting. 

 

Thank you!  Whatever you do, don't let Robert hear you call him creepy.  

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And this, my friends, is Cuban lobster.  Definitely tastes different from a Maine lobster.  More fish-like, and less lobster-like.  But soooo good!  I loved this!

 

 

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Our lovely little meal came complete with this charming Entertainer.  He didn't speak a lick of English, so we did our best to understand him.  His enthusiasm was very contagious, especially at tip time.  

 

 

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Refreshed from good food and a good drink, excellent conversation and rousing entertainment, we wandered on to our next square where a gal was having her quinceanera pics taken.

 

 

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Lots of history in these squares!

 

 

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We kept walking.  This wall was especially interesting!

 

 

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Of course it wouldn't be a Cuba review without classic car photos

 

 

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No classic car ride for us on this trip.  Three days before we left for the cruise we got rear-ended at a stoplight by an 86-year-old who didn't see all of us stopped for the light, and our car was totaled.  Both of us were still very jumpy about cars at this point, so we were glad to be on a walking tour.  So walk we did!  By the way, our guide was very good at finding shade everywhere.  Plus she carried water for us if we needed it.

 

 

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Next we stopped at a regulated store for those of us who wanted to buy Cigars, Coffee or Booze.  I don't know why I was nervous about taking pics inside, but I was, so I only got one and it doesn't show the main area (which was behind where this pic is) that sold the cigars.  They were very expensive!  Ana explained they were having a "sale".  5 cigars (a variety) for $40 CUC.  So we went with that.  She said if you buy boxes of them, be careful to make sure they are all the real thing, not just the top layer.  And don't be fooled by folks on the street who try to entice you with cheap prices and no-telling-what product.

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Our next stop was a restaurant/bar called Nao.  This was the downstairs of it.  The menus were outside.  We went upstairs.