Versalles Santiago de Cuba

... it all for granted. <br>The next day we took in the sites including the cemetery of Santiago. There you will find the resting place of Jose Marti. The impressive mausoleum is guarded by the national service 24hrs a day whom conduct a ceremony every half hour for the changing of the guard. It is rumored that the cleared area beside this mausoleum is being prepared for Fidel. But don't tell anyone we said that. 

... de top. Vanaf hier moet er nog een trap van 459 treden worden beklommen maar dat mag, ondanks de hitte, de pret niet drukken. Op de top hebben we inderdaad een prachtig uitzicht ondanks het feit dat het niet helemaal helder is. We ruiken en zien Jamaica dan ook jammer genoeg niet. De terugweg verloopt een stuk soepeler ondanks het feit dat de remmen oververhit kunnen raken en de remmen daardoor niet meer werken ...

Le pire trajet en bus de ma vie: 9h et malade comme un chien... un mec monte je ne sais plus dans quelle ville et s´assoit à côté de moi, peux pas lui parler, enfin si je lui parle mais pas très bien! il s´appelle Christian. 2 jours à Santiago ou j´ai un peu planée mais bien quand même. je recroise Christian dans la rue. Départ pour Baracoa à 7h lundi 18 matin, je recroise Christian à la oficina Viazul, décidemment Viazul...!!!

Virginia's Casa is a little twee, but with a patio shaded by a huge grapevine (and I reckon over a hundred bunches of grapes) on which to drink coffee and read, I'm almost in heaven. Klaas and Annelies have arranged a taxi for the day to take us to the sights around Santiago: The cemetery that's home to the most revered revolutionary, Jose Marti, other famous revolutionaries from the second (Castro's) revolution and Compay Segundo of Buenavista Social Club fame El Cobre, a ...

... days and make the most of the 2 terraces (the top one with a sun-lounger and 2-seater garden swing) with amazing views over the city. Once I've moved in I jump into a taxi and make my way to the local beach on the peninsular - Playa Ancon. I sit 50 meters away from anyway and read my book. Cubans can't help themselves and a series of locals who pretend they're walking along the beach, stop just past me and ask "where you from". I need to learn a quick retort but in the ...

... to have a bit of brekkie, and then get kicke out of the hotel because they w**e full that night. We w**e going to leave anyway! The hotel manag** then rang some old woman up and got h** to the hotel to p**suade us to stay at h** casa particulaire near** town. We decided to go for it, and it ended up a pretty good move as it meant we got to meet these 3 girls from Oxford Uni who w**e staying next door. They w**e intrigued ...

... a restaurant nearby. She said that she would cook for us, which was fantastic! She made blackbean soup and rice, and fried plantains and then chicken and potatoes. (I'd decided not to tell her that I didn't eat meat since she was cooking for us at 10pm.) Unfortunately, Ross started to feel REALLY bad at this point and had to go lie down. We barely touched the food, so I had to explain to her that we weren't feeling very well. It was delicious though!

... the next day and they all patiently explained to me what I wanted to know about the music, the dances, the history - of course with the assistance of ... a bottle of rum ! Ramon and I met up again in the evening and chatted until about 2 am about all kinds of things and life and creative experiences - my Cuban Spanish had hugely improved!! I was really lucky to have met him and to have had those experiences in Santiago - it kind of redeemed Cuba for me I think.

... picked up again as we took a tour of the rich area. For countless blocks there were large magnificent homes and mansions that were once owned by rich European settlers back at the beginning of the century. When the settlers saw that the government was beginning to corrupt, they returned to Europe and the government took possession of their land and houses. One of the houses we saw was the Bacardi family mansion - yes, Bacardi as in Bacardi Rum. Our next stop was El Castillo Del Morro ...

Another long bus ride thru Cuba's country side to Santiago de Cuba. Also met by phone ahead arrangement. This time by a young man late twenties, speaking American English. Stayed with his family, mother, wife, baby for three nights. Very enjoyable stay in Santiago but must edit it some for TP.