Havana.

We have settled into our casa paticura. It is in a local neighbourhood. A working area I would say. The people seem to live in apartments some very delapidated. Nearby is the Hotel National which in contrast is 5 star at least. We wandered in last night and had a mojito overlooking the sea. Later we sat in a bar and listened to an excellent band playing the local music known as Son.

Today we were real tourists and headed into Old Havana.  Old it certainly is. There are wonderful colonial buildings. A lot are being renovated.  You can see they are gearing up for an influx of tourists.  The hotels are being spruced up. Street life here is fascinating. Everything from a carribean lady offering  to tell  your fortune to mechanics repairing the classic cars. We did follow the Hemingway trail and visited the hotel he was fond of, right in the centre.  Then we negotiated a cut price taxi ride home in a 1950s convertible. .well you have to really.