CRLess Posted February 6, 2019 #326 Share Posted February 6, 2019 4 hours ago, Bimmer09 said: "They're selling postcards of the hanging They're painting the passports brown The beauty parlor's filled with sailors The Circus is in town..." Bob Dylan....Desolation Row. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted February 6, 2019 Author #327 Share Posted February 6, 2019 We have looped around and are back at the cemetery I should mention that we have each had someone else sitting next to us for the past hour. A couple got on along the way. The husband sat next to Carol and they struck up a continuing conversation. I was busy as I now had the 3 cameras resting on my knees with his wife next to me. We are approaching Revolution Square where they plan to hop off. and back to the Malecon the car transporter leaves port At this point the bus turned away from the sea and headed down the Prado. That was fine by us as our next stop would be Hotel Inglaterra so I could refresh myself with a glass of rum. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BullyLvr Posted February 6, 2019 #328 Share Posted February 6, 2019 I’m loving this review. Had no inclination whatsoever to visit Cuba but that might be changing......thanks for taking the time to share with us! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted February 7, 2019 Author #329 Share Posted February 7, 2019 13 minutes ago, BullyLvr said: I’m loving this review. Had no inclination whatsoever to visit Cuba but that might be changing......thanks for taking the time to share with us! Welcome and thank you! Most kind. Lots more Cuba way up ahead. Two more fine ports await. Norris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted February 7, 2019 Author #330 Share Posted February 7, 2019 Norris. Thanks for watching! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted February 7, 2019 Author #331 Share Posted February 7, 2019 We stopped in Parque Central opposite Hotel Inglaterra. And took a seat on a bench under the shade of a coolabar tree (for my Aussie readers). Smoke break for me and Carol got chatting to a gentleman who had been "bringing Americans to Cuba for decades". I had heard someone talk about the baseball fans who come to the park to discuss the previous night's televised baseball game... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted February 7, 2019 Author #332 Share Posted February 7, 2019 Welcome, to the Hotel Inglaterra a 5 piece band had been playing on the terrace when we arrived (photo taken later) Reception desk Lobby seating a cafe a section of the dining room a beautiful place to relax We are here to visit the rooftop bar. There are two small elevators but one is marked out of order, however men are working on it on the top floor. We take it up and I wonder how many famous people might have taken it over the past 143 years? We'll see you up there for some mighty fine vistas! Norris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LC1950 Posted February 7, 2019 #333 Share Posted February 7, 2019 1 hour ago, Bimmer09 said: We stopped in Parque Central opposite Hotel Inglaterra. And took a seat on a bench under the shade of a coolabar tree (for my Aussie readers). Smoke break for me and Carol got chatting to a gentleman who had been "bringing Americans to Cuba for decades". I had heard someone talk about the baseball fans who come to the park to discuss the previous night's televised baseball game... Waltzing Matilda, Australia's unofficial national anthem. Norris, I'm thoroughly enjoying this chapter of your Gentleman's Seafaring Journal. Think it's your best yet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasperdo Posted February 7, 2019 #334 Share Posted February 7, 2019 Your photos and videos from the HoHo bus were exceptional. You really outdid yourself with them. I felt like I was sitting alongside of you taking in the sights. I'm a big road trip nerd, and I thoroughly enjoyed "driving" the streets of Havana with you. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted February 7, 2019 Author #335 Share Posted February 7, 2019 11 hours ago, LC1950 said: Waltzing Matilda, Australia's unofficial national anthem. Norris, I'm thoroughly enjoying this chapter of your Gentleman's Seafaring Journal. Think it's your best yet! LC thanks for the kind words re the GSJ. It always pleases me that with each review I have some Australian and New Zealand friends tuning in. Faraway places I can't get to until I retire. Carol has a huge posse of relatives in Perth. My thanks to CC for making it possible to share with you and everyone else scattered across the planet. The only thing lacking right now is pictures from the ship but I have gone ahead a few days and have pooled all the ship interior pics together so that I can begin showing her to you. First though as we are still in Havana there is the rooftop view from the Inglaterra, then a quick tour of the Opera house next door before rejoining the ship. Sailaway, a fine dinner then a sea day where the ship will be featured. Cheers! Norris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted February 7, 2019 Author #336 Share Posted February 7, 2019 10 hours ago, Jasperdo said: Your photos and videos from the HoHo bus were exceptional. You really outdid yourself with them. I felt like I was sitting alongside of you taking in the sights. I'm a big road trip nerd, and I thoroughly enjoyed "driving" the streets of Havana with you. Thank you! I recall you liking our drive in from Venice airport to the water-taxi video for the same reason. Every mile driving through Havana held surprises; the wide leafy streets, smooth roads, many better-kept homes vs dingy apartment buildings downtown, new hotels, beaches and the crowds waiting for buses- I saw more of those than I videoed. So many people in the streets on a Thursday. You can see in the photo of the Inglaterra sign a security camera and in the wicker bar area a flatscreen tv so they may not be getting the technology from the USA but they are moving forward. They will likely never give up on the colorful 50s cars now that the tourists have seen them and expect them. They really do make Cuba unique, especially to older Americans on holiday. The streets are so clean and swept manually. All those stray dogs and yet no mess to step in. I picked up all my cigarette stubs and carried them in a box as they would have stood out. No one begging. Everyone we met had a smile and a warm welcome and a sense of humor. Interesting that I never saw one 18 wheel semi-truck in my time on Cuba. They probably don't have enough goods to transport to fill one. I still have Cienfuegos and Santiago de Cuba memories swirling through the windmills of my mind and I can't (but of course will) wait to show you those two cities. The Hop On Hop Off bus was Carol's great idea. Norris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicedream Posted February 7, 2019 #337 Share Posted February 7, 2019 8 minutes ago, Bimmer09 said: Interesting that I never saw one 18 wheel semi-truck in my time on Cuba. They probably don't have enough goods to transport to fill one. I know that Cuba used to have a slightly different style of trucks that were used as buses. Search for Cuban Camel Bus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare deladane Posted February 7, 2019 #338 Share Posted February 7, 2019 Norris! I haven't been on the Celebrity forum in a while because I've spent all my time reading Carnival posts for our cruise next month. Not sure what made me look in the Celebrity forum, but I'm so glad I did because I just found your review!! As always, your photos are wonderful. Cuba is fascinating, so thank you for taking the time to share your experiences with us! Can't wait to read the rest!! ~Dana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted February 7, 2019 Author #339 Share Posted February 7, 2019 1 hour ago, nicedream said: I know that Cuba used to have a slightly different style of trucks that were used as buses. Search for Cuban Camel Bus. Wow! Thank you for this. It's huge and I can see people are standing inside. Must have 100 people or so on board. Thanks for reading this! Norris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted February 7, 2019 Author #340 Share Posted February 7, 2019 12 minutes ago, deladane said: Norris! I haven't been on the Celebrity forum in a while because I've spent all my time reading Carnival posts for our cruise next month. Not sure what made me look in the Celebrity forum, but I'm so glad I did because I just found your review!! As always, your photos are wonderful. Cuba is fascinating, so thank you for taking the time to share your experiences with us! Can't wait to read the rest!! ~Dana Dana! Welcome. So glad you found this. I need to get us up onto the rooftop of the Inglaterra and keep this story rolling. Which Carnival cruise are you and the hubby sailing? Norris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicedream Posted February 7, 2019 #341 Share Posted February 7, 2019 5 minutes ago, Bimmer09 said: Wow! Thank you for this. It's huge and I can see people are standing inside. Must have 100 people or so on board. Thanks for reading this! Norris Thanks for posting....I'm sailing on the same cruise leaving Feb 11, so I'm following along closely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted February 7, 2019 Author #342 Share Posted February 7, 2019 We're living it up at the Hotel Inglaterra.... The walk from the elevator we sit in a quiet area off to one side smiling waiter, drinks ordered. My Cuba libra was 3 CUC. We are here to relax with a drink and check out the view from the rooftop. Parque Central where we just sat will be below us. Food is served and others are partaking but we are thinking The Patio onboard Journey for that. To my left the street is the Prado. The Hotel Parque Central and the other white hotel both have rooftop bars. Reminds me of Barcelona. Straight ahead looking towards the Cruise Terminal far away and to the right where the HoHo bus stops. The large low building is a movie theater. I can see Majesty of the Seas way out there see her? right down below (Carol holding me by the ankles for this shot) More... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted February 7, 2019 Author #343 Share Posted February 7, 2019 a magnificent square don't you think? the Prado leads to the Malecon Turret is from the Opera House next door. Capitol dome behind. Under renovation The tiny man working on the tower across the street isn't attached to the building by a harness Living dangerously On the wall in front of me.. roof of the OperaHouse I enjoyed my 2 Cuba Libres and was now refreshed for our visit to see the Opera House just next door... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hockeyguru32 Posted February 7, 2019 #344 Share Posted February 7, 2019 20 hours ago, Bimmer09 said: We have looped around and are back at the cemetery People are dying to get in there 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare hcat Posted February 7, 2019 #345 Share Posted February 7, 2019 On 1/26/2019 at 5:27 PM, Freestyle Cruiser said: Bimmer9 Best cat tree ever! Our LeLu is not as fortunate, but she has every chair, couch, rug and bed! LOL😻😻 Love all the cat posts... lots of room for more cats on that Cat Tree...they will find you! Following this great review! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted February 7, 2019 Author #346 Share Posted February 7, 2019 There's just a narrow street separating Inglaterra from the Opera House but the front of the Opera house is wide. Carol strides on ahead List of programming, mainly ballet. Looking at the pricing 1st and 2nd balcony are 1 CUC or $1 Cheapest tickets are 40 cents U.S There is a tour starting soon. Carol goes in with her Spanish to buy tickets Streetsweeper # 8 comes along that movie theater Carol comes out to tell me our tour is about to start.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted February 7, 2019 Author #347 Share Posted February 7, 2019 Alicia Alonso Opera House https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alicia_Alonso A famous dancer who was partially blind She created the National Ballet of Cuba We wait for our guide who has two other tourists joining us-Spanish speakers Looking through into the restaurant next door and back out to the street Our tour guide, Michael in red tee shirt leads the way into the auditorium some dancers are rehearsing Swan Lake before the orchestra arrives orchestra members begin to arrive and set up More... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted February 7, 2019 Author #348 Share Posted February 7, 2019 (edited) We've seen the auditorium and Michael, speaking to us in English and the others in Spanish wants to show us more of the Opera house. The auditorium holds 1497 ticket holders so is small by U.S house standards and more like a European one. The actual building though is vast with tons of room to roam during intermissions with a glass of champagne/mohito in hand which isn't so much the case in the USA. Like so... above the marble staircase, such beauty next, Micheal shows us a great art exhibition in one of the rooms... Edited February 7, 2019 by Bimmer09 formatting 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DLSHS_Mom Posted February 8, 2019 #349 Share Posted February 8, 2019 Bimmer, Thank you posting the link on the Princess board. The Russian embassy reminded me of the Disney World Hollywood Tower of Terror. .....yyikkes. I am a longtime follower...and enjoy all your travels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare deladane Posted February 8, 2019 #350 Share Posted February 8, 2019 7 hours ago, Bimmer09 said: Dana! Welcome. So glad you found this. I need to get us up onto the rooftop of the Inglaterra and keep this story rolling. Which Carnival cruise are you and the hubby sailing? Norris I am so intrigued by your posts about Havana! Such a fascinating place that I'd love to visit someday, but until that happens, I'll just have to live vicariously through your review hehe We are sailing on the Carnival Dream out of New Orleans, going to Costa Maya, Roatan, Belize, and Cozumel. We've never been to NOLA together (although we've both been with our families when we were younger), so looking forward to exploring a new city together. 3 of the 4 cruise ports will be new for us, plus we've never sailed on the Dream, so lots of new things to explore! I've heard wonderful things about the snorkeling in Roatan and Belize, and we're trying Discover Scuba Diving for the first time in Cozumel, so I'm super excited! Check back on the Carnival board in late March if you want to read my review! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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