Finca Vigia: Hemingway's Cuban Home

On our last day in Cuba we visited Hemingway's farm outside of Havana.  It was the only day of our trip that it rained. Because of the moisture, we were unable to go into the house, but we could see the inside pretty well through the windows. And if I held the camera against the window, I could get a reasonable picture. 

Jane taking photos along the side patio.

This was a nice place, but I think his house in Key West is prettier.

Here is the swimming pool where Ava Gardner is reported to have gone swimming in her birthday suit.

I was glad to see his famous boat the Pilar.  It wasn't as big as I had imagined. 

The NC State Wolftrekers.

Finally, we had our group photo made in front of the house. 

Santeria Dance and Music Performance

One morning while in Cuba our group traveled to Guanabacoa and visited the Museum of Santeria Orishas.  Santeria is a religion that combines West African religions with Catholicism and was introduced by the African slaves who were brought to Cuba to work on the sugar plantations. 

There was a Santeria dance and music performance and at the conclusion our group was invited to get up and dance.  We had little choice, the dancers pulled us onto the dance floor.  It was actually kind of fun. 

Me dancing?????

Jane dancing.

Patrick dancing.

Museum of the Revolution in Cuba

This old presidential palace in Cuba, with an interior designed by Tiffany's of New York, was completed in 1920 and served as the palace until 1959.  It now houses the Museum of the Revolution.

Patrick and I resting before climbing to the second floor.

Our Wolftrek group ready to go to the upper floors of the palace.

Bullets in the walls from the revolution are left intact.

On the second floor we saw the president's office with the desk and Batista's gold telephone.

The presidential desk.

Batista's gold telephone.

 I didn't climb to the third floor which according to Patrick was the most interesting part.  Among other things there was the Granma, the boat used by Fidel and his compatriots to return to Cuba from Mexico. 

The Granma in the Museum. (Photo from Wikipedia.)

 I came back down to the ground floor and as I was going around the corner of the first floor to the Ladies Room, I passed the  "Corner of Cretins". 

Cuba's depiction of Reagan and Bush Sr.

                      

Cuban depiction of "W".

Déjà vu: A Ride in a 1950s Convertible

Ready to leave the restaurant for a ride in a 1950s yellow convertible.

In 1956  I rode in a 1950s convertible in the Shelby Christmas Parade.  I don't remember what kind it was but I'm pretty sure it wasn't yellow.  I never realized that 57 years later I would again ride in a 1950s convertible and with two grown sons.  But it happened in Cuba recently.

 Michael, Patrick and I hitched a ride in a beautiful vintage yellow convertible (Chevrolet circa 1950s) from a restaurant in old Havana back to our hotel, the Melia Havana.  It was a beautiful evening, the moon was shining and there was a slight breeze.  Our driver drove slowly so we could enjoy the moment.  Don't ask me why, but as we were riding along the Beatle's song, Yellow Submarine kept going around in my head.

The speedometer didn't work and the odometer showed 0000000.

Notice the gear shift.

Patrick and the taxi driver.

Patrick "driving" the convertible.

  This ride was one of the highlights of my trip.

A Doll Made of Tobacco Leaves

Cuban doll made of tobacco leaves.

What do a doll made of tobacco leaves and a Dominoes Set have in common?  Well, they are both souvenirs that I brought home from Cuba.  It was my intention to bring back a CD of Cuban music and that was it.  No souvenirs.  But then I always see something that is just the right thing for a special friend or family member. 

My roommate on this trip, Jane, came in after checking out a little grocery store across from our hotel, and mentioned that she was going to get some Cuban honey to take home.  It was quite inexpensive, and that gave me the idea that honey would be the perfect gift to take back to my "honey" who uses honey in his hot tea.

Cuban honey.

At the Craft Center there were many different carved wooden items.  I especially liked the little carved cars shaped like the cars of the 50s.  One of these will go into each of my grandson's Memory Boxes. (Boxes I have added things to over the years and which will not be opened until after I'm gone.) 

Wooden car.

The doll made of tobacco leaves will go into granddaughter Grace's Memory Box.

For my cousins who enjoy playing Dominoes, I brought back a handmade Dominoes Set.

Handmade Dominoes Sets from Cuba.

The cat salad spoon and fork is for a good friend who likes anything "feline."

At the Community Center that we visited on our last day, I found these cute little clowns that were handmade by volunteers in the Center.  At only $3 CUCs each a real bargain.  One of those I will keep for myself. 

Handmade clowns.

There were many brightly colored paintings in the market and I settled for two small ones depicting the 50s cars.  These I'll keep.

Cuban paintings.

And finally I did bring back that CD!

My Cuban CD.

Béisbol no, pero sí Dominó

Cuban men playing Dominoes in the shade along the side of a street.

On our recent trip to Cuba, my boys were hoping to take part in the Cuban national sport by going to a baseball game. We weren't able to work that into our itinerary, but I was able to view the second national Cuban sport while there, Dominoes.

As a child I once received a Domino set for Christmas, and I don't remember ever playing the game.  Instead we would line up the dominoes in intricate patterns and tip the first one over so that all the dominoes would fall one after the other.  Then we would build yet another pattern and start all over again.

In the last few years though I have learned to play at least one game of Dominoes, Mexican Train.  I have cousins that enjoy this game, and whenever we visit them we usually have a game or two of Mexican Train.  So it was with great interest that I was able to observe Cubans playing Dominoes.

The game demands few resources and Dominoes pieces can be hand-made. Cuban Dominoes differs from Mexican Train that I have played. Two teams of two players acting as partners play Cuban Dominoes  Cuban Dominoes sets are double nines where regular Dominoes Sets are double sixes.  In Cuba, you frequently will see people  playing Cuban Dominoes in tables set up along the sidewalks, in parks, or in other public areas.

Painting by Jorge Arche

Among the few souvenirs I brought back from Cuba were two handmade Dominoes Sets (one for my cousins and one for Dan and me). Now I'll just have to learn the rules of Cuban Dominoes and find folks who will be willing to play the game. 

My Cuban Dominoes Sets: A Double Six and A Double Nine.

Here's a video from the BBC showing a game being played in Cuba.

Jose Fuster, the "Picasso of Cuba"

Kathy taking photos in front of Fuster's house and studio.

One of our first stops in Cuba was at the house and workshop of artist, painter and ceramicist Jose Fuster often called the "Picasso of Cuba".  Fuster has adorned more than 80 houses with colorful ornate murals in the little fishing village of Jaimanitas.

A pretty table top.

One can see the influence of Picasso in Fuster's work.

One of my favorites.

Two of my fellow travelers, Marge and Helen from Maryland.

Patrick and Michael surveying Fuster's work from the rooftop of his house.

A small villager "riding" a Fuster horse.

He used old sewing machines in several of his sculptures.

Two pretty senoritas out front of the house.

 We had hoped to see Jose, but he wasn't home.  I did find this You Tube video of Fuster singing "Te Odio" to poet Pablo Armando Fernandez in Fuster's home in Jaimanitas.