Rum & Revolution-live from the Spirit, February 22, San Juan to Ft. Lauderdale

[TLCOhio]

19 hours ago, spinnaker2 said:

Cars!  Is that really a Ford hood ornament? ???

 

Super loving ALL of the wonderful pictures and details from Spins/Candy.  Keep up the great sharing!!  For this above pictured car, is it actually an Oldsmobile?  Their hood element/name was something related to being a "Rocket 88"??  Maybe around a 1955 version??  That's many years back, but this is what my rusty memory bank tells me.  Other reactions, guesses?  Clearly J.P. is too, too young to remember back that far in ancient history.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

SE Asia/Mekong River, Etc.!  Live/blog from early 2018, first adventure through SE Asia, stops in Hong Kong and Bangkok, before exploring all over Vietnam and Cambodia, seven days sailing on the Mekong River. Now at 44,912 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2591474

[jpalbny]

3 hours ago, TLCOhio said:

Clearly J.P. is too, too young to remember back that far in ancient history.  

 

Hey now. I seem to recall reading about this on a stone tablet somewhere...

 

I did think that the hood ornament resembled the SS Enterprise, though.

[TLCOhio]

29 minutes ago, jpalbny said:

Hey now. I seem to recall reading about this on a stone tablet somewhere... I did think that the hood ornament resembled the SS Enterprise, though.

 

J.P. is very young if he remembers these things via stone tablets.  By contrast, I go back to the days of "smoke signals" as the Internet of these older decades.  Did do a Google images search and am pretty sure that pictured car is a 1955 Olds Rocket 88.  As I recall in Cuba, they had a number of 1957 Chevy's.  Those cars had great and stylish rear fins.  Love the "good old days", but am glad to be in the 21st Century!!

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Sydney to NZ/Auckland Adventure, live/blog 2014 sampling for "down under” wonders. Exciting visuals with key highlights.  On page 23, post #571, see a complete index for all of the pictures, postings.  Now at 218,918 views.

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[spinnaker2]

Then we were off to the section of Cienfuegos known as the Punta Gorda. The first photo is of the Palacio de Valle, which was built by an Italian architect, Alfredo Colli in 1917. The architecture is Spanish and Moorish, and stunning. We could only look outside as there wasn't time to go inside, and we were told there is an admission charge.Our tour guide was in a hurry to take us for shopping. If I ever go back to Cienfuegos, I will be sure to visit this building, which now is a hotel and restaurant.

The view of the bay is beautiful, with the vintage car it could have been another era.

The next photos are of the same building, Club Cienfuegos, a disco and restaurant, also on the bay in Punta Gorda. It is green and white, but I couldn't resist making a black and white photo of it.  

Lastly is the Palacio Azul built in 1921. It has been renovated and is a 7 room hotel.

 

Punta Gorda was magnificent.

 

 

[spinnaker2]

Time to leave Cienfuegos.

As we head out to sea, people wave to us from the shore.

 

We also have the opportunity to have another view of the fortress Castillo de Jagua. This is the view the pirates would have seen as they sailed into the harbor.

 

 

 

 

The grey building has a definite tilt.

 

 

 

Another reminder of where we are, the sign to welcome us to socialist Cuba, is in need of some repair. An allegory perhaps, of the journey of the Cuban people.

 

 

 

The sun sets as we leave.

 

 I try and catch the green flash but instead witness the sea swallow up the sun and then a magical POOF! It is gone in a cloud.

 

[spinnaker2]

Good morning Havana!  

[spinnaker2]

and good morning pollution from the refineries...which added the two lines in the photograph

[spinnaker2]

Here is one refinery, I couldnt find the other on on the horizon.

[spinnaker2]

[spinnaker2]

Castillo de la Real Fuerza, a star shaped fort completed in 1577

 

 

Buildings along the Malecon of Havana

 

 a few fishing boats 

 

 

 

And then we see the cruise ship terminal up ahead on the starboard side, it is the Terminal Sierra Maestra San Francisco, built in 1914 as a customs house. We later learn it is to be renovated. 

[spinnaker2]

 And we are offically in Havana 

 

We are waiting in the bottom floor of the terminal for our Yutong to arrive. A small boat is directly in front of the Spirit.

On the port side of the ship, the terminal is uninhabitable.

 

[spinnaker2]

We had signed up for a walking tour but to get to the designated places, we took the bus.Fuente de Neptuno, a fountain imported from Genoa, Italy in 1836, graces the Malecon. On the other side of the harbour you can see El Morro, which we would visit later in the day.

[spinnaker2]

Some of the sights as we walked along the streets.

Papa Hemingway was there too.

 

 

 

 

[spinnaker2]

You have to look up to see some of the most beautiful features of these buildings, like this stained glass window and the lacy filigrees of this balcony fence.

 

[spinnaker2]

Grafitti is not permitted, except here.

 

 

 

This is one of the most famous bars in Havana, La Bodequita del Medio, alleged birthplace of the Mojito. The bar opened in 1942 and was frequented by many celebrities, including Papa. Many of the customers left their mark, literally, there are signatures everywhere, and they have spilled outside to the building walls.

 

 

 

 

Edited March 14, 2019 by spinnaker2

[spinnaker2]

This was quite a car!! AND it is a taxi. Is it a DeSoto? Love the fins. And Kermit would love it too.  Not sure if hats come with, but I would make sure to have a hat. It is very hot and the sun is strong. As you can see there was another cruise ship in port. Its easy to walk into the old town from the cruise port.

 The red car was being worked on by three guys. I think its a chevy too. Check out that two tone interior and the matching red trunk, bullet taillights, wind up windows!

 

 

 

Edited March 14, 2019 by spinnaker2

[spinnaker2]

[WesW]

Delightful photos Candy, did Larry and u enjoy a Mojito or two while in Havana? Our fav site visit was the Hemingway home and his bar/restaurant


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[spinnaker2]

Wes, we did not have a single mojito. I was just glad to have water!  Here is the bar at the Hotel Ambos Mundos, where Papa spent a lot of time in the 1930s. From the sign, lunch was 75 cents and dinner one dollar.

[spinnaker2]

Cathedral of St. Christopher and the square. 

A statue leans against a column in the square.

 Some street vendors but it was still too early to sell their wares.

 

 

[spinnaker2]

In Cuba, school attendance is compulsory from age 6 to 16.  After the revolution, education became a top priority.  All students wear standardized uniforms. The uniform varies by school level, Kindergarten children wear a white top, blue bottom and blue scarf.Primary school children wear a white top, red bottom and red scarf.the uniform for secondary school is a white top, and mustard colored bottom and scarf.

 

[spinnaker2]

Plaza Vieja

 

lovely courtyard

 

 

Fortune teller hard at work

[jpalbny]

Really enjoying the show! Cuba is not high on my list, so I'm glad for the chance to see it through your eyes and photos. Thanks!

[spinnaker2]

Plaza de Armas from the 1600s

Museo de la ciudad a former palace from the 1700s, the cobblestones in front of it are actually wood

The door to the museum is huge, but the keyhole is so close to the ground

The central courtyard is an oasisi from the scorching sun

The dining room

[spinnaker2]

a sign for Dulceria Dona Teresa, a candy store, which apparently is no longer in business

 

entry way to a grand building decorated with a flowery mural