Hotel Puerto Principe Camaguey

14-12-2008: omstreeks 16:00 pm aangekomen in Camaquey waar dezelfde taxi-chauffeur me stiond op te wachten als de vorige keer en tesamen met twee spaanse dames richting centrum gereden. Eert de dames afgezet en toen werd ik afgezet bij een andere casa waar ik heen wilde. Dit scheen de casa van haar broer te zijn ende kamer waar ik oorspronkleijk heen zou gaan zou al bezet zijn door twee ...

... en dankt zijn naam " de legendarische" evenzeer aan een traditie van heldendom en patriottisme als aan zijn architectuur. Camaguey heeft een groot historisch centrum in koloniale stijl en het onregelmatige stratenplan had een defensieve functie. Hier tref je o.a. het Plaza de Juan de Dios en de Iglesia de Carmen aan.

... stadium. Then we just played cards all afternoon in a random street cafe. Just what the doctor ordered after such a hectic few days since arriving in Cuba. In the evening we hung out with some husslers, and they kept trying to bring girls over to us. We were our usual charming selves, being polite but not misleading. Ben and I then went to Club Copacana, which wasn't that great so we headed home when we seemed tired!

... figures and events. These were very pleasant too. One of the highlights for me was watching an impromptu baseball game take place around one of the biggest statues. The outfield included garden plots the kids had to be careful to avoid when chasing fly balls. For NZers we would start an impromptu game of touch on a piece of lawn but here were these guys playing baseball. Fantastic. Around the corner there was a 3 on 3 footie game where the park benches on the opposite sides ...

... is how we spent our day there...just wondering around. By night, we went to the Casa de la Trova (a venue where live bands play traditional music) to dance and sip mojitos. Scattered about the place, we could see some graying foreign men with young pretty Cuban girls eagerly drinking their rum. Tourist Resorts in Cuba We decided to venture to the coast for a day, and ended up going to Playa Santa Lucia, a stereotypical Cuban tourist resort. We flagged a ...

... streets, designed to help resist pirates attacks. The city was moved and rebuilt several times after many a successful looting. So there we were, not too sure about where to go, and we were going to ask for directions. Not to anyone, of course, as that could have incurred the 5usd invisible fee. So, very naturally, we asked at another casa, where our recommended casa was. Actually that was the start of it: instead of asking where casa something was, I just asked for a casa ...

... not fit in the rules. It's bloody complicated and unbelievably machiavelic, but that's the way it works. Still, it seems strange that such educated people would be so rude, show such a lack of respect in foreigners. Because of that, it took me time to accept it: most of the Cubans around the tourists are exagerately cynical about what they are doing. Again, I am not judging, and understand that this situation emerges out of necessity. But still, it is quite ...

... some foreigners in order to arrange something in common to visit the surroundings. There was a group full of girls, which did not seem a good option for finding travel buddies at first, but then a couple of the guys with them looked good to me, so I went and chatted them up, and I ended up knowing and seeing people from that group over the rest of my stay, as they were all brilliant! Funny how I was not sure I wanted to get to know them, especially in that ...

... good luck sterilizing bottles on the road!) - the baby is old enough to have established sleeping patterns - you're going to a place with good medical care For my money, this means two months to six months old. I know people who've gone with newborns, but with each of my kids I found the first six weeks so demanding that I can't imagine doing more than dealing with the sleep deprivation. At the ...

We left for Camaguey city at 8am in a small bus with about 10 other 'gringos' and our guide, George (pronounced "*****-Hey" in spanish!) Camaguey city had been planned to foil pirates attempts to find their way about. The streets weren't at right ...