El Google

Now, I thought the US (for reasons best known to itself) has all sorts of restrictions on trade with Cuba.

Now, I thought Google was an American enterprise.

Now, ... is Google bigger than the US?

(In any sense of the word bigger you want to use.)

...

Camera

Someone asked what camera I use - it is a Canon S5IS.

Santiago de Cuba - Miscellaneous stuff

Sign on a lift - 'don't use in fires' I understand. Don't smoke, I understand.

But what's the middle prohibition? Women must not stand to the left of men in lifts?

A fort protecting the port of Santiago de Cuba.

A memorial to a general who freed his slaves and gave them machetes to fight the Spanish.

Locals

Protecting a cake from the rain. (Actually in Camagüey.)

Jose Mardi

.

Quite simple elegance to the tomb of Jose Mardi, national hero.

But why do some countries insist on making their soldiers march in such an uncomfortable manner?

...
.

Discrete and Understated.

Russian Embassy - Havana.

Carnival time in Camagüey

.
One of a multitude of floats in the Saint John Festival - note the guys with forked sticks whose job it is to lift up power lines. The floats tow diesel generators for power.

The crowds get their power from draught beer (BYO container) and popcorn.

...

Camagüey

The heavens open.

The prettiest urinal in the Caribbean.

Tough gig for a chameleon.

Trinidad the town, not the island. #1

Look out Simon!

trinidad the town, not the island. #2

Trinidad the town, not the island. #3

Cienfuegos

Fifi-lottery. Fifi chose 11.

Baseball stadium

Vinares

Ironically, this sign was on a tobacco drying shed.

Havana - Miscellania #2

Skyline

Hotel National - rented out by the Mafia for a convention in the 1950s(?).

Pirate protection - or it was in the 1500s.

No meal is complete(ly ruined) by an itinerant band of overly loud musicians who expect a tip and have a CD to sell.

Locals.
Street entertainment.

One of our favourite street cafes, from a height. (From the roof of Hotel Ambros Mondos, Earnest Hemmingway's Havana base, on and off.)

Cuban heroes

Che, if you hadn't guessed.

José Marti, who is everywhere in Cuba. Streets, plazas, statues, schools. I had never heard of him before I came. There is no mention of Fidel anywhere; he is not a personality cult fan apparently.

THIS is Cuba?

Our second hotel in Cuba has pools and tennis tournaments and all sorts of stuff I hadn't expected.

Our first hotel was a converted Spanish villa with lots of character.