Sunday, April 16, 2023

 The maiden voyage of the truck camper I built


After 9 months of laboring away on my post-retirement camper building project, I finally got it completed at the end of March, 2023. For its maiden voyage, I met up with friends in Pahrump, NV, Tecopa, CA and Goldfield, NV.  I also took a solo side trip for a couple of days through Death Valley National Park.

My rig performed flawlessly and I could not have been happier.


Beatty, NV


For the first night out in the new rig, I stayed at Bombo's Pond, which is a free camp area
just a few miles south of Beatty, NV.


Pahrump, NV


Sander's Winery in Pahrump is a cool little place with great indoor/outdoor seating and a nice,
fun vibe.  The wine's great too.

They allow free camping on the winery grounds.  There are no RV hookups, but it's hard to argue with free.




This outdoor space would fill up later that night with a live comedy show.




If the wine doesn't help your back, maybe this will.  Curt travels with this contraption.


Tecopa, CA

Death Valley Brewing Co.



I fit into the first and last category on this sign...


Death Valley Brewing's very modest brewery.  I'm guessing a 1 barrel system.



Death Valley Brewing's small fermenters.  The brewer told me that this table was salvaged from an old Chinese restaurant.  It was the wok station.


Right outside of Tecopa is the China Ranch date farm.  It was a really cool place and a beautiful littledrive into the valley where it's located.  Of course, we had to buy dates AND get one of theirfamous date milkshakes.




Out in the desert, near our campsite, we came across this cool art installation.  It really was beautiful.




Delight's Hot Spring Resort. Out of respect to all of the soakers here, I didn't take any photos ofthe people enjoying the hot tubs here, but Delight's is said to be the nicest hot spring in Tecopa andthis is an area with a lot of hot springs.

It was a nice place to soak after a really hard Sierra winter and after the last couple of days ofgale force winds that knowcked us around pretty good.  I for one, didn't wasmt to get out.



Steaks and Beer is a nice little restaurant and one of only three places to eat while in Tecopa.It has a reputation for having huge ribeye steaks.  We opted for something smaller and the Salisbury steaks were a great way to end the day.



This is Steaks and Beer's date bread with ice cream and date sauce.  It was deadly.


A campfire in the desert is always nice, but tonight we had a full moon to boot ANDthe wind had finally died down enough to enjoy sitting outside.  It was still cold because, after all, it April in the desert.




Death Valley National Park

After Tecopa, I wanted to do a couple of solo nights in Death Valley.  I have always wanted to go to the Racetrack (where the stones slide along a dried up lake bed), but it's in a very remote section of the park, so I've always put it off.  Not today.

I entered the park through its south entrance and meandered north, stopping at Furnace Creek to check out what was new at the visitor's center and to grab something to eat.

As one can expect in a national park, everything's overpriced.  After eating a $23 hamburger and topping off the tank with $7.19/gallon diesel, I made my way north.

It's 56 miles on a nice paved road from Furnace Creek to the Ubehebe Crater and then another 27 from there to the Racetrack.  That doesn't sound too bad right?  WRONG!

The road is really rough and made even rougher by all of the nasty weather the

park received this winter.  It took me over 3 hours to drive that 27 miles. 

The Ubehebe Crater (volcanic).  This is where the pavement ended and the rough road began.


Teakettle Junction is a well known landmark for obvious reasons. 

When you see that you're only 6 miles from the Racetrack, your spirits get lifted a bit until you realize that you've only been averaging about 6 mph, so you're still an hour away.



Once you get to the Racetrack, you'll see a sign that restricts camping to a certain area and that area is ANOTHER 6 miles away.  I finally made it to camp in the dark and I just tucked in for the night.


When I looked out my window the next morning, I saw this really cool overlanding rig.  Judging by the large Swiss flag on it's hood, I assumed that it was probably a Swiss rig that had been shipped overto the U.S.  I've seen a lot of similar rigs during my past visits to the park.




I'm finally here and seeing it for myself!


It takes years and even decades for these rocks to move this far.


Not all of the rocks move in straight lines.

The Racetrack's lakebed with the rock formation known as "The Grandstand" in the background.


After getting my fill of the Racetrack, I now had to make the long arduous journey back to the pavement.  It took me just as long to get out as it did for me to get in, but me and my camper made it in one piece.

If my camper was going to fail or break, it would have done so on the Racetrack road, but it held together like a champ.

Back in the park proper, I had a roadside lunch and checked out Stovepipe Wells.  Not much to see here but yet another overpriced gift shop and gas station.

I wanted to check out the little mining town of Skidoo, not just because it has a cool name, but also because it's the only place in the park where they hanged an outlaw AND they hung him twice.

Hootch Simpson was a barkeeper who was convicted of killing a man and was then sentenced to hang for the crime.  A few hours after he was hung, the town re-staged the hanging to appease the newspaper men who had wanted to cover the hanging.

Skidoo was originally named 23 Skidoo as it was a common saying at the time that meant "get out fast" or "scram."  The town dropped the 23 in the name after the post office refused to recognize the town beginning with a number.




After making another 1 1/2 drive along yet another really rough road, I finally came to the town of Skidoo.  Can you imagine how disappointed I was to see nothing left of the town but this field?

Anyway, the sun was sinking lower in the sky and it was time to find a place to camp for the night.


This a little stuffed porcupine I found on the side of the road years ago and when I can remember to do so, I take him along on my road trips.  Did you notice him earlier amongst all of the tea kettles at Teakettle Junction?

Death Valley used to have a lot more open dispersed camping areas, but the park service keeps restricting more and more of the park, so tonight I had to camp just outside of the park boundary and with rock throwing distance of the NV/CA state line.

Within 10 mins. of pulling off of the road, I had shaken my first margarita of the night.
Life's rough.


I awoke to an incredible sunrise.



Goldfield, NV
                                      
I met up with Curt, Jeff and Kathy and shortly after setting up camp, we took Curt's side by side out in search of something quaff.


The first little saloon we came across was closed.
Businesses in these little remote towns have very weird hours and it seems like they only open when they wan to.


We were actually glad the other bar was closed because the Santa Fe Club was one of the best little out of the way bars I've ever been into.  Established in 1905.


Having an ice cold beer on an original Brunswick bar that dated back to the early 
1900's is really, really cool.



Notice the ashtrays?  Almost everyone was smoking.  I don't care for cigarettes myself, but I love living
in a state where you can smoke if you want to.  The Santa Fe Club also had slot machines and allowed
dogs.  Take that Calilfornia! 





I've come to realize that every old "middle of nowhere" bar has at least one mannequin.  The
Santa Fe Club had three, but I only took a picture of this one because she's the most beautiful
mannequin I've ever seen...


 As we left the bar, we were approached by this old eccentric nut, who wanted to ramble on.  As
soon as I got the chance, I snuck away leaving Curt there to die alone.  Sorry buddy...



Goldfield had kind of a ghost town feel to it.




We explored Goldfield in Curt's side by side and stumbled on this art installation.


















It was time to leave Goldfield behind and start making my way back to Reno.



Tonopah, NV


We all stopped off at Tonopah Brewing Co. in, you guessed it, Tonopah, NV.



This is a very cool little brewery with a lot of beers on tap and some really good BBQ.


After a beer and some eats, I headed back to Reno and Curt, Jeff and Kathy went back to Goldfield for one more night.

My drive back was uneventful except for the high winds that buffeted me all the way back home.

This was a really fun trip and a successful maiden voyage for my new camper.  May there be many more destinations to come.



 

Tuesday, February 7, 2023

CUBA 2023

 CUBA   CUBA   CUBA   CUBA

2023



After wanting to go to Cuba ever since I saw a National Geographic article on the country while in college, I finally made it there.

As it turned out, my friends Curt, Dave and Joe also had a hankering to visit this beautiful country, so we made it happen.  This was my first international trip, so traveling with these three well-traveled guys made it a lot easier.

In spite of what most people think, Americans CAN travel to Cuba and it's actually quite easy.  It's as easy as gathering up your passport, booking your flight (we flew American Airlines), obtaining a Cuban Tourist Visa (buy this online for $85), obtaining travel insurance that's valid in Cuba and completing a Health Declaration Form (also online).

"U.S. Tourism" is not allowed in Cuba, but if you declare your reason for going there is "In Support of the Cuban People," you're ushered right in.

Another misconception about Cuba is that it's a dangerous place to visit...NOT TRUE.  We never felt the least bit threatened or uncomfortable during our entire trip.  We saw no homeless people sleeping on the streets and absolutely no evidence of drug use, AT ALL.

The Cuban people, despite being extremely poor and living under a communist/socialist regime, are some of the nicest, friendliest, happiest and warmest people that I've ever had the privilege of meeting.

Of course, you will have people approaching you to sell you souvenirs and offering you taxi rides and to exchange money, but they don't keep pestering you after you decline their offers.

The issue of money can be a little tricky, but it's easy once you get the hang of it.  In Cuba, they accept Cuban Pesos, U.S. Dollars and Euros.  The official exchange rate at banks and hotels is 24 Pesos to one Dollar, however, your guide or Airbnb host can get you rates of 130:1.  We found that that it wasn't really necessary to change money as Cubans prefer the U.S. Dollar.

Americans aren't allowed to stay in hotels or purchase items in government run "real stores" because our credit cards don't work in Cuba, but you can book an Airbnb online in advance and pay with your credit card.  Airbnbs and Casas Particulares (renting rooms in Cuban homes) are preferred anyways because you get to meet charming people and the service and accommodations you get are far superior to that of government run hotels.

Anyway, here is our trip:

These are the outlaws I traveled with from left to right: your humble storyteller, Curt (a retired engineer/surveyor), Joe (a retired geologist) and Dave (a still employed cardiologist).


DAY ONE

We all met up at the Miami airport for our evening flight into Havana.


The Jose' Marti airport in Havana is a lot different than American airports.  It definitely had it's own feel and smell to it.

I was pulled aside by a Cuban customs official and grilled about why I was visiting the country, the addresses of the places I was staying and who I was planning to meet with while I was there.

Dave was pulled aside and questioned extensively about one of the suitcases full of gifts that we brought to share with the Cuban people.

We made it through however, got a taxi ride to our first Airbnb in Havana.



Some much needed rounds of beer after checking in.


Our first night's dinner was some really good grilled fish with garlic, rice and black beans, tostones (smashed and double fried plantains).  It was all fantastic and our hosts were so nice and accommodating.


This gas station looks as if it were photographed in the 1950's.



After dinner we walked to the Hotel Nacional for some cocktails and music.

Everyone who is/was "anyone" in Cuba, has been hosted at this magnificent hotel.


Cuba is known for its lively music and the Hotel Nacional didn't disappoint.




DAY TWO

We had breakfast at our Casa Particular and then went out to explore Havana.


Our first Cuban breakfast and yes, that IS a hot dog.
Cuba is not a food destination and as tourists, we have to remember that we're probably eating much better that most of the Cuban people.  




Our first "Old Car" ride was in this beautiful old Buick.




Joe, our first guide, had never been out of the country, but dreamed of visiting the U.S.A.  As soon as we all got settled in his car, he said "there are only two good things that come from the U.S.  The cars and everything else."


An outdoor military museum

These are the remains of U.S.A.F. Major Rudolph Anderson's U-2 spy plane that was shot down over Cuba in 1962.  Some say this incident may have prevented the missile crisis from turning into nuclear war.





This is one of the Soviet "Sons a Bitches" that caused the Cuban missile crisis.  They don't look too terribly threatening, but when you realize that each one packed the nuclear punch of 60 Hiroshima bombs AND that they were only 90 miles off the U.S. mainland, it becomes a different story.




The tip of a Soviet MiG 21 fighter jet.




"Christ of Havana" overlooks the Bay of Havana and was sculpted by Jilma Madera, who is the most prominent female sculptor in Cuba.  The locals joke, saying that the statue is supposed to be holding a Mojito in one hand and a cigar in the other.




Che Guevarra's home overlooks the Bay of Havana.






Castillo De Los Tres Reyes Del Morro

The fortress guarding the entrance to the Havana harbor.


This beautiful medieval-looking fortress was ringed with rusty cannons, light beacons, soldier's quarters and even a dungeon of sorts.  Unfortunately, it was also littered with trash, but beautiful just same.



I had no idea what this guy was doing.  Maybe he was an archeologist or a historian, but he was picking at the side of the wall and he was alone while doing so.


View of Havana from the fort.





Miscellaneous Havana

Little carts and stands like this are all over Cuba.  They sell water, sodas, beer, fruit juice and some even sell pressed sugar cane juice.  The good thing about these little tiendas is that they take U.S. dollars.



Revolutionary Square.  This is where Fidel would make speeches and have large parades.


A government building with the image of Che on it.



This is a tomb honoring the lives of 25 firefighters that perished in a large fire in 1890.  It's located in the Colon Cemetery, which is said to have 56,000 tombs in it.



We happened upon a wedding in one of Havana's many parks and I had to take a picture of this beautiful Cuban couple.



Our tour ended in Old Havana (Habana Vieja).





Just walking around Havana


With Havana appearing to be in a constant state of decay, it's rare to find new paint being applied anywhere.






Lunch at El Cafe with Mojitos and a Rum Collins.








Sharing some American gifts with our servers.






















A Cuban speakeasy.  It even had a sliding bookcase entrance.

















Policia!
Some officers were armed with pistolas, but many weren't.
The police never approached us during our entire trip.




"Hey Amigo, want to change the money?"


 

Cuba, especially Havana, has some amazing murals.







One of the cleaner, nicer streets in Havana.



This guy was shouting what I believed to be Bible verses to a lonely sidewalk.





Along the Malecon
The Malecon is a five mile long road and seawall that goes
from Vedado to Old Havana.

The locals say it's the longest couch in the world.

It's a very calm, romantic place to relax and enjoy the quiet after being
in the noisy, exhaust filled streets of Havana.

















2+2=5 is a very prolific street artist that does incredible murals all over the city.



































Dinner time...


















DAY THREE

Day trip to Viñales
Our trip to Viñales was about a three hour drive, each way, but it was worth it.

Viñales is a beautiful little town and is at the heart of Cuba's tobacco growing region.  The landscape and the village are beautiful and the people were nice.  I think we all wanted to stay here longer than just a day.

The rest areas in Cuba were incredible!
Rest areas sold food, drinks, cocktails, cerveza and souvenirs.  They all had super clean restrooms and they were a good place to "people watch."









This cool guy here really hammed it up for me.  As soon as my camera came out,
his Machetes went up...





This guy said I played the Maracas like a professional.
Do you think he was just saying that for his tip?



They said this entire valley used to be planted fields of tobacco and crops.




To the tobacco farm...

Just needs some front wheels



It's not often that you willingly follow a man carrying a sharp machete to a
dark little thatched barn, but apparently we were willing to do anything
for a cigar.



A traditional tobacco drying barn.
Many of these were destroyed in a recent hurricane, but this one either survived or was rebuilt/



These are tobacco seeds.
They're each about this size of a grain of salt.
I snatched a pinch full of these and brought them home, so we'll see if they like Reno's
climate.  I'm not holding my breath.



Tobacco leaves drying.



This guy rolled a beautiful cigar, using nothing but this board and a knife.



He gave each a free cigar to smoke during our time at his farm.



It may just be the hype, but this was one fine cigar and I think it looks
good underneath the hat I bought in Havana.



Curt and I out in the tobacco field.



These guys will be ready for harvest by late summer.



In an effort to retain it's historical beauty, farmers in Viñales aren't allowed to use modern
farm machinery.  The fields are worked by hand with the help of oxen.



Our guide explained that this large mortar and pestle is used to
grind Cuban coffee.




Complimentary Cuban coffee, which was very strong, but very good.






This is the farm where we bought cigars to take home.
Americans can't buy cigars in the government shops, but you can if you go directly to the farms.
The government buys most of the farmers crops, but does allow
them to keep some of their crop to sell directly.



A typical Cuban kitchen.  This one was at the tobacco farm.



A boat ride through a cave
Cueva Del Indio is a beautiful limestone cave with water filled passages
throughout.  We took a short boat tour through the cave.

Performers outside the cave.







Pressing sugar cane and adding a little rum to the mixture for the guests.




Lunch time

Nenitas in Viñales was a beautiful Airbnb with a really good restaurant.
The cafe was super clean and everyone was very friendly.
I think we all agreed that this would be where we would want to stay
if we ever made it to Viñales again.  It even had a very inviting looking swimming pool.




Joe getting his workout in on this very sketchy homemade rebar weight bench.





Nenita herself.



This is the Mural de la Prehistoria.
It depicts the evolution of man from snails and swamp organisms all the way to modern day.

After Viñales, we made to long, bumpy ride back to Havana, arriving well after dark.
It was an incredible day.



DAY FOUR
A day in Havana...


Bread delivery, Havana Style.



The guide book said that LGBTQ is mildly tolerated in Cuba and this was the only rainbow flag we saw during our entire time in Cuba.



The Hotel Inglaterra had some of the best outdoor music in Havana.



Old cars are everywhere.  Here, near the tourist center, they're all restored, but in the rest of the country, they're held together by bailing wire and spit.



The Cuban Capitolo was modeled after the U.S. Capitol and it was a beautiful building.  Unfortunately, it was closed and we weren't able to see the inside.




Joe needed a haircut...









Cocktails at Club El Dandy







More work by 2+2=5











Live music and mojitos.



Here, a Cuban couple grabbed a couple of tourists and started dancing with them.
We saw this a lot in Cuba.







We needed to find an outdoor bar to enjoy a few cocktails and smoke some of our cigars.
We kind of tied one on here and it was a blast.











This is one of my favorite photos I took while in Cuba.
Although the dimly lit alley and ominous figure approaching looks spooky,
it wasn't at all.  Cuba might look gritty, but we always felt safe and 
the people were all so nice.







A mural in a restaurant's restroom.



This is one way to make a urinal...



Live music at virtually every restaurant and bar we visited.



Zipping around through the streets of Havana in a little three-wheeled
thing called a "coconut."







Dave and Joe in a coconut.  Curt and I were alongside racing them.  They won.


We had a difficult time getting back to the Airbnb this evening due to some kind of
celebration taking place along the Malecon.

Our coconut driver had some words with the police and they let us through.




DAY FIVE
Today, we headed out to Trinidad for a couple of nights.

Our taxi was a small Peugeot hatchback that all four of us plus the driver had to cram into.
We had a four hour drive ahead of us and we knew it wasn't going to be a comfortable ride, but we made the best of it...UNTIL.

Halfway to Trinidad, our driver informed us that another car would be taking us the rest of the way and as it turned out, this was an even smaller car with no A/C and the passenger compartment was thoughtfully designed in such a way as to capture all of the gas fumes and exhaust and hold them there.  I'll never complain about having to smog my vehicles ever again.





Here's the little "fume mobile" and our very friendly driver.



Sharing gifts with our waitstaff in a Trinidad cafe.
They were all so grateful and shared the treasure with all of their coworkers.




Life in Trinidad...











Casa de la Trova is a Cuban institution and is widely known for it's incredible live music.
We found it to be a crowded, loud, echoing place with horrible mojitos (all the bar offered).
It was a one drink and done place for us despite paying a .30 cent cover charge.





This place had horrible service, so we walked out.  Most Cuban restaurants were so happy
to get the business, but for some reason, this place wasn't one of them.



Since Cuban restaurants are often out of a lot of things, most just write what they have
on a chalkboard.
At 130 pesos to 1 dollar, you can see that eating and drinking in Cuba is pretty affordable.





DAY SIX 
Today, we hired a guide to take us to the sites of Trinidad and I'm so glad we did.  Juan
was a wealth of information and his English was quite good.


Our driver for the day.  Most of the old American cars you see in Cuba have Japanese
or Russian diesel motors in them, as does this one.  Diesel is easier to come by and the motors not only
last longer, but parts are somewhat more available.



Our guide, Juan, was a retired professor of philosophy who lectured at the University of Havana.
His mother was an architect and his father an attorney.  Juan told us that his monthly retirement
pension from the state was $10.00/month.  He said that an average Cuban needs about $50.00/month
to live a decent life, so he works as a guide to augment his pension.  He made $120.00 from us that day, so he was a happy man.



This is another one of my favorite photographs.
The rearview mirror captures the fun we were all having as we chugged along Trinidad's countryside.



A distillery museum.
A very eye opening historical site that was worked with over 300 slaves.
The slaves worked 14 hour days, 7 days a week in 90° heat and 80% humidity.



A sugar can truck.



This sugar cane plantation was very reminiscent of a southern cotton plantation
in the Deep South of the U.S.



Juan arranged for a local family to serve us a very nice lunch (I thought it was one
of the best meals I had on the whole trip).  There was pork, yuca (cassava root), plantains, salad, bananas, black beans, rice and pineapple.  It was a feast.



This man is embroidering a tablecloth and as it turned out, we were in an area of Trinidad
that was known for their handmade tablecloths.  They were all hanging on wires that looked
as if they were drying on a clothesline.




Joe and Dave are operating a large sugarcane press, something slaves would have done in the past.
Of course, we got to drink the juice and for a few extra cents, they'd add a shot of rum to the glass.





More Trinidad life...














Why is this color so popular in third world countries?



Fine art in Trinidad.




Another night of good food, live music and great company.




When we walked past this place, these two women (white shirt and black and pink shirt) were on the ground fighting.  It was a good old fashioned "cat fight" complete with hair pulling, punches that
weren't landing and a lot of trash talk.
By the time I got my camera out, the men had them separated, but they were still pissed at one another.





DAY SEVEN

Today, we enjoyed a 3 1/2 hour drive to the gorgeous beach town of Veradero.
Veradero is a peninsula that juts out to the northeast from the center part of Cuba and into the Atlantic Ocean.  It's known for its beautiful sandy beaches its warm waters and a lot of 
all-inclusive resorts that cater mainly to Russians and Canadians.

Veradero is a great place to go if all you want to do is enjoy the warm weather and nice beaches.  It's not a good place to go if you're looking for the true Cuban experience."  I'm glad we added it to out itinerary, but I'm also glad it wasn't our only destination on the island.




The prices were higher here as you'd expect from a touristy place.






We had to do a recon of the beach as we planned to spend the entire day here tomorrow.



DAY EIGHT




Breakfast on beach day.



This is how we spent the day.
88° and warm tropical water was just what we needed after dealing with a ton of snowfall this winter back home.



And this is what someone who doesn't know how to lay out in the sun looks like after 
a day at the beach.  The UV rays are so powerful at Cuba's low latitude that it doesn't
take long to really fry yourself.


DAY NINE
After a couple of days in Veradero, we rode in a very nice (but still small) taxi back to Havana for our last two nights on the island.

It was a beautiful drive with ocean off of our right side for most of the ride.

Due its proximity to the coast, this part of the island also has a lot of natural gas plants, 
crude oil refineries and power plants, which we learned were diesel powered.

This is a view from one of the rest areas along the road.





Back in Havana for our last two nights before heading home.  We didn't really have an agenda, so we just meandered and explored more of the city on foot.

We were all ready to start inching our way back home by now.

HAVANA


































These two kids were so sweet and were the embodiment of the Cuban people.







An old car ride to the Nacional Hotel one last time.
































And Joe said he doesn't dance...






Now this guy had some STYLE!





















A quintessential snapshot of Cuba: a Russian Moscovich car, an old American car, the Malecon with the Cuban flag in the foreground.







The story behind this photograph is that a big peacock took a shit right in the doorway of the Nacional Hotel's back courtyard and we all patiently waited to see who would step in it.  The guy in the yellow shirt was the lucky contestant.  He immediately knew he stepped in it too, said some Spanish cuss words and walked off.
I guess we never really grow up all the way...






The Club Floridita, where Hemmingway hung out during his time in Cuba.



The three collaborators: Curt, Hemmingway and Castro.












The Micheledas (beer and tomato juice cocktails) were all very tasty, but they were different at every bar.  In fact one time, when every place was out of tomato juice, they offered to make us a Micheleda using marinara sauce!







This was supposed to be a caricature of Curt.



This was a barber shop that was open late at night.
Hmm, a little sketchy, even by Cuban standards.



DAY TEN
Our last full day in Cuba and we spent it just roaming around Havana.


This is a Cuban butcher's shop.
If you're lucky enough to be able to afford meat, this is the kind of place where you buy it.

One of our guides told us that since most Cubans can't afford meat on a regular basis, they call
butcher shops "meat museums" because you can only look at it.












A few minutes before this pic was taken, we heard a commotion down the street and this guy took off running with the police in a hot foot pursuit.  The crowd was all pointing and yelling "bandito" as he ran around the corner.  10-15 minutes later, the policia had their man in cuffs and was taking him off to jail.  Crime is definitely not tolerated in Cuba.
































One last breakfast at the El Dandy.



Joe had been wanting a shave and got one on the last day from the same barber
who cut his hair a few days earlier.



Pedal taxis





DAY ELEVEN
Our last day was fairly uneventful.  We checked out of our room and got a taxi ride to the airport in one of the most beautiful old cars that I had seen during my entire trip.

We made it through Cuban customs (all but Dave's rum) and we had a few very strong beers at the airport while waiting for that big beautiful plane that would take us back to the land of the free.

This old classic car even had air conditioning!



This was out very cute Airbnb host in Havana.



Last ride...




The Airbnbs we Stayed at in Cuba

I figured that it might be a good for you all to get an idea of the different accommodations that are available in Cuba.

Although the casas were all very different, they were all very clean and comfortable.  They all had A/C units, TVs and most had WiFi, although it rarely worked.

The casas always felt safe and secure and we never worried about leaving our luggage in the rooms while out exploring.  All of our hosts were the best.  They helped us with directions, set us up with fantastic guides, made recommendations, provided optional meals, organized taxis for us and even exchanged our money.

I slept so well in Cuba.  I don't know why, but whatever it was it was much needed.


Our first casa in Havana


It wasn't much to look at from the outside (or the inside for that matter) but the hospitality was fantastic and it was very nice by Cuban standards.





Our casa in Trinidad

This was our favorite casa of the trip and it's easy to see why.  It wasn't only nice by Cuban standards, it was beautiful by anyone's standards.



Don't let the outside fool you...



A pano shot











We each had our own little cabana.



My room



My bathroom


This guy was amazing!  He cooked us the nicest breakfasts, spoke fairly good English and told us all about his life.  He was an ambitious guy too.  He told us of his family and how he raises pigs, barters for eggs and other necessities and his dreams for the future.

We gave him a ton of gifts (candy, clothing, soccer and baseballs and toiletries) and I've never seen anyone more grateful and appreciative of getting things that we all take for granted.




Our casa in Veradero


This was a nice, air conditioned place to relax after getting a nice sunburn at the beach.



Our last casa in Havana



The view from our rooms







If you get the chance, go to Cuba and support the people as they are struggling more than you can imagine.

We had such a nice trip and I can see returning to this beautiful, friendly place in the future.




My rum and cigars made it with me back home and cracking this bottle open was the first thing I did when I walked through my door.  Rum will forever taste different to me now.

One last thanks to Curt, Joe and Dave for making this such a memorable trip.  You were all excellent travel partners and I learned so much from each of you.