Rissask Report - Guardalavaca, Cuba! - Page 6

Nerak936 · 02-23-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rissask

and here is our tour guide....can you guess what we called him when he wasn't in earshot? Remind anyone of anyone famous?

Yeah... I can see it!! He's a dead ringer for Hillary!

Tommygurl · 02-23-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rissask

quit reading now! no more!

hot damn....TG is here...I am in for it now....

If you are talking dolphins....no worries...I have swam with them twice....No judgement from me.

mastequilapf · 02-23-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nerak936

"Cuber". (And no, we Bostonians do NOT pronounce it that way!!

)

yeah..it's coobaaah!

Great pics! I just finished catching up on your report! What an amazing account of a place where i'd never think to vacation!

Rissask · 02-23-2008

Hi Josef, and Karen- you are welcome, thanks a lot!
"a dead ringer for Hillary." SPEW!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tommygurl

If you are talking dolphins....no worries...I have swam with them twice....No judgement from me.

whew

...but remember, we always clashed on that.

Tommygurl · 02-23-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rissask

Hi Josef, and Karen- you are welcome, thanks a lot!
"a dead ringer for Hillary." SPEW!!

whew

...but remember, we always clashed on that.

It is all good Maggie...you just secured your place in hell beside me.
So.....how was the swim?

mastequilapf · 02-23-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rissask

Hi Josef, and Karen- you are welcome, thanks a lot!
"a dead ringer for Hillary." SPEW!!

whew

...but remember, we always clashed on that.

Hey!

I was going to say the devil, but I guess I was wrong.

Rissask · 02-23-2008

Our guide was amazing. He had two degrees and spoke 4 languages, Spanish, French, English and some German.
It's very common to see people like this in the tourism industry as they are by far the most lucrative jobs in the country.
He did a wonderful job, I loved him! (and yes, we called him Barack.

)

This was the memorial of the very first president of a free Cuba.

The military memorial:

One thing which was different, well to me....each family has a crypt like these:

After two years they open it and take the bones and grind them to dust, then mix that with concrete and make it into a block which is incorporated into the wall around the cemetary, which you can see in this picture.

It was very beautiful there.

Then we went to Revolution Square (Plaza de la Revolución). Every city in Cuba has one.

There is a HUGE bronze statue of Jose Marti on horseback, beckoning the slave to join him in the fight for freedom.

and across from him, these machete looking spikes, which are supposed to represent, well, machetes

...held by the sugar cane cutters.

Notice how teeny Don is! That is the scale of them.

much better picture HERE

Rissask · 02-23-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tommygurl

It is all good Maggie...you just secured your place in hell beside me.
So.....how was the swim?

it was good.

Page 2 or 3 I think.

Rissask · 02-23-2008

it was SUPER hot in Santiago too. Far hotter than it was in Holguin.

From there we went to lunch, which was plain, but good. Then we went to a fancier neighborhood to look around.

On the way there, I noticed this little girl, maybe about 4 years old, dancing across the street and waving. She was the MOST incredibly good dancer! Salsa or rhumba or something.

cha cha cha

Her Dad was sitting on the front step and there was music playing.

Tommygurl · 02-23-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rissask

Yes, Melissa has done it- it's just that she and I have long disagreed on the practice...don't tell her!

This is how it happened...in my defense.

We arranged with our friends to do one tour together, or try to. With four in each family, they only wanted to do one....the dolphin/ catamaran/ snorkel cruise tour. So....I got my arm twisted a bit, but I agreed. I was originally going to sit the aquarium part out, but Don was rolling his eyes at me so I went.
It WAS in the middle of a salt bay/inlet, and the pens WERE large. It looked like a good operation. One of the reasons I was always against it was seeing the pitifully small tank in Ixtapa, terrible conditions.

One of the trainers told us that at high tide they can jump over the fences and escape- and one did once. He was gone for a month and then came back. Free food and all.

I saw the first picture...just didn't see all of the rest...until now! BURN IN HELL you dolphin swimmer.....redemption is at hand!

Rissask · 02-23-2008

That was actually right across the street from a REALLY significant place...the very military barracks were Raul and Fidel attempted their first coup in 1953 (several of them died and then they were imprisoned for 2 years, then Batista (stupidly, in retrospect) released them.
Fidel went to Mexico, met Che Guevara, came back, gathered moroe rebels and re-armed, hiding in the neaby Sierra Maestre mountains. In 1959 they tried again and succeeded.

The barracks (wild orange colour, I assume, not original

.)

note the bullet holes.

Rissask · 02-23-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tommygurl

I saw the first picture...just didn't see all of the rest...until now! BURN IN HELL you dolphin swimmer.....redemption is at hand!

I am prepared!

Rissask · 02-23-2008

some houses in the area...notice the pine tree in this one!
(and the Lada!

)

some of the Bacardi family used to live here ... now it is a primary school.

and the kiddies play on this Mig fighter jet, apparently....

Jacko · 02-23-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by SunKneeMarie

ya goober, you're not crosseyed, you're looking to your right with both eyes...

She IS a goober...but a cute goober anyway.

Rissask · 02-23-2008

From there we went to the town square, where we had a couple hours of free time to stroll around and check everything out. Barack

told us it was very safe, there is no drugs or guns, just a purse snatching once in a while.
Lovely old Spanish colonial church.

There were these side streets with some shops, very narrow sidewalks!

I am not explaining the feel of the city too well, I am more of a question-answerer than a good storyteller.

Plus I am trying to finish this up so I can get home soon.

people can post any questions and I will answer as best I can, though...but not until Monday when I get to a computer again.
I bought a copy of 'Granma' from a paper peddlar (gave him a whole 1 CUC, he was happy

). Granma was the name of Fidel's boat when they came ashore at Santiago de Cuba. It is the national communist propaganda paper, basically.
On the front page was, in Fidel's own words, his resignation letter. I should put it on e-bay!
I was so proud I got one until one of the other people on the tour told me he bought 5.

Don and I went up to the Grande hotel for a mojito and to people-watch until it was time to go. (Note the paper on the table!)

There was a couple of friendly Cuban women sitting next to us and we chatted a bit.
We bought Barack (sorry for calling him that but I actually forgot his name

) a Cristal beer and he and Don sat chatting.
Don looks pretty serious.

They weren't fighting, though!

Then it was time to head back. We went to airport and got back on the helicopter and flew 'home'.

our shadow was kinda neat

Sad to be saying good-bye, he was so informative!

right after we noticed all these people lining up to get on the 'copter...

Apparently that is the skydiving 'plane'. Cool.

So that is about it....I have one last story but I am too tired to type it out now. I will do it on Monday.

02-23-2008	#90 (permalink)
Rissask Canada Dry Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Saskatchewan, Canada Posts: 49,560	From there we went to the town square, where we had a couple hours of free time to stroll around and check everything out. Barack told us it was very safe, there is no drugs or guns, just a purse snatching once in a while. Lovely old Spanish colonial church. There were these side streets with some shops, very narrow sidewalks! I am not explaining the feel of the city too well, I am more of a question-answerer than a good storyteller. Plus I am trying to finish this up so I can get home soon. people can post any questions and I will answer as best I can, though...but not until Monday when I get to a computer again. I bought a copy of 'Granma' from a paper peddlar (gave him a whole 1 CUC, he was happy ). Granma was the name of Fidel's boat when they came ashore at Santiago de Cuba. It is the national communist propaganda paper, basically. On the front page was, in Fidel's own words, his resignation letter. I should put it on e-bay! I was so proud I got one until one of the other people on the tour told me he bought 5. Don and I went up to the Grande hotel for a mojito and to people-watch until it was time to go. (Note the paper on the table!) There was a couple of friendly Cuban women sitting next to us and we chatted a bit. We bought Barack (sorry for calling him that but I actually forgot his name ) a Cristal beer and he and Don sat chatting. Don looks pretty serious. They weren't fighting, though! Then it was time to head back. We went to airport and got back on the helicopter and flew 'home'. our shadow was kinda neat Sad to be saying good-bye, he was so informative! right after we noticed all these people lining up to get on the 'copter... Apparently that is the skydiving 'plane'. Cool. So that is about it....I have one last story but I am too tired to type it out now. I will do it on Monday. __________________ *The man who is a pessimist before 48 knows too much; if he is an optimist after it, he knows too little. Mark Twain*

02-23-2008	#82 (permalink)
Rissask Canada Dry Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Saskatchewan, Canada Posts: 49,560	Our guide was amazing. He had two degrees and spoke 4 languages, Spanish, French, English and some German. It's very common to see people like this in the tourism industry as they are by far the most lucrative jobs in the country. He did a wonderful job, I loved him! (and yes, we called him Barack. ) This was the memorial of the very first president of a free Cuba. The military memorial: One thing which was different, well to me....each family has a crypt like these: After two years they open it and take the bones and grind them to dust, then mix that with concrete and make it into a block which is incorporated into the wall around the cemetary, which you can see in this picture. It was very beautiful there. Then we went to Revolution Square (Plaza de la Revolución). Every city in Cuba has one. There is a HUGE bronze statue of Jose Marti on horseback, beckoning the slave to join him in the fight for freedom. and across from him, these machete looking spikes, which are supposed to represent, well, machetes ...held by the sugar cane cutters. Notice how teeny Don is! That is the scale of them. much better picture HERE

02-23-2008	#84 (permalink)
Rissask Canada Dry Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Saskatchewan, Canada Posts: 49,560	it was SUPER hot in Santiago too. Far hotter than it was in Holguin. From there we went to lunch, which was plain, but good. Then we went to a fancier neighborhood to look around. On the way there, I noticed this little girl, maybe about 4 years old, dancing across the street and waving. She was the MOST incredibly good dancer! Salsa or rhumba or something. cha cha cha Her Dad was sitting on the front step and there was music playing.

02-23-2008	#86 (permalink)
Rissask Canada Dry Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Saskatchewan, Canada Posts: 49,560	That was actually right across the street from a REALLY significant place...the very military barracks were Raul and Fidel attempted their first coup in 1953 (several of them died and then they were imprisoned for 2 years, then Batista (stupidly, in retrospect) released them. Fidel went to Mexico, met Che Guevara, came back, gathered moroe rebels and re-armed, hiding in the neaby Sierra Maestre mountains. In 1959 they tried again and succeeded. The barracks (wild orange colour, I assume, not original .) note the bullet holes.

02-23-2008	#88 (permalink)
Rissask Canada Dry Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Saskatchewan, Canada Posts: 49,560	some houses in the area...notice the pine tree in this one! (and the Lada! ) some of the Bacardi family used to live here ... now it is a primary school. and the kiddies play on this Mig fighter jet, apparently....

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