Blogs from Central America Caribbean - page 2140

Last morning in Cuba, and the casa particular owner dishes up a fruit platter for breakfast ... papaya, mango, guayaba?, watermellon, and pineapple ... mmmmmmmm Flight to Mexico was meant to be at about 3pm, so spent the morning on one last walk along the Malecon. Was walking on the side opposite the sea, when a police officer or soldier directed me to walk on the other side of the road. When I crossed over I realised why. The police officer/soldier and several of his colleagues were standing outside the US Interests Building, effectively the US Embassy in Cuba. I guess they were making sure no one was able to climb over the fence to defect to the US. Or perhaps stopping people from the US defecting to Cuba... Directly opposite the US Interests Building were ... read more

Greetings again, this time from Antigua, Guatemala! Actually right now I'm in Guatemala City, somewhere which def wasn't on my itinerary. Am trying to sort out flights and the sheer incompetence of a particular Spanish airline has driven me to desperation, hence having to hang around in one of the world's most dangerous cities while they eat their lunch and prob take a little nap... ggrrrr!!! Anyway, onto nicer things... Since my last post have been doing some serious relaxing. If the Galapagos was Paradise on Earth, then Vilcabamba in the South of Ecuador must surely be the garden of Eden! Mountains, cloud forest, lush green valleys, hummingbirds, more butterflies than you could shake a net at and stunning, stunning views. Spent much of my time admiring it all from the comfort of my own personal ... read more

Breakfast in the casa. Fresh squeezed papaya juice, and really good coffee. Not really a fan of papaya juice or coffee, but these were so good I could probably drink them everyday. (Better than the juice and coffee in the hotel.) Feeling good, so decided to walk from Vedado along the Malecon to old Havana. Not really that much happening on the Malecon, no one launching a boat bound for Florida, only a few people fishing. From old Havana walked up to the Museum of the Revolution, which was a Presidential Palace up until 1965. Displays and information on various revolutions since colonial times, heaps on the 1959 revolution and its triumphs - health, education, Cuban astronaut... Display on Che, his last letter to Fidel. Out the back of the museum is Granma, bigger than expected, ... read more

Decided to take an early morning walk around old Havana. Basically walked down one street from my hotel to old Havana. Lots of people on way to work, walking or waiting for crowded buses. People waiting outside workplaces. In old Havana people walking on the streets because the footpaths too narrow or too broken up. One armed man sold me yesterday´s copy of Granma. People pushing trolleys with their stalls to tourist art market or to the old bookstalls at the Plaza de Armas. Walked back to hotel in time to check out. 10 minute taxi ride to the Casa Particular (a bit like an English B&B) in Vedado. The casa was on the 3 floor of a 3 floor apartment building. Double bed, ensuite bathroom, mini bar! better than the hotel room, and about a ... read more

I think the last thing I wrote was a whirlwind update of a week's worth of adventures in Costa Rica.... Now we're in the homestretch - Panama - the last country and final few days of the trip. I can´t believe how quickly it's gone! I'm sad that's it coming to an end, but also feel so lucky, and excited about so many things back home. It´s funny how traveling does that, makes you appreciate the mundane or little things and of course, the people close to you back home. Anyways... back to Panama! After missing a 6:40 am bus and waiting in the rain for two hours for the next one, we finally made our way across the Costa Rican and Panamanian borders. This was definitely the easiest border crossing yet, but also one of ... read more