Tour of Havana with fellow cruisers courtesy of rally.

Saturday we loaded up for the tour of Havana with the other members of the rally.  It was a good little trip, our tour guide lost the four of us.  (We still don't know how one minute she was standing right by us and the next she and 20 crazy oldsters gave us the slip). We finally met up with each other in time for lunch. 

We asked a lot of questions and a few times she covertly pointed up at the many video cameras that are on the corner of the streets. Ahhhhh-Uncle Raul is watching you!

However, what we noticed on the official government run tourism agency tour was a lot different than our private tour in January.  We only were shown the shiny, pretty parts of Havana.  I prefer the more realistic tour that we got from our private tour guide.

While we were gone we had arranged for one of the marina guys to give Elysium a wash down.  Yes, we could do it ourselves, but the 30CUC he can make from us for an hour's work is more than he can make in a month.  

Our tour guide was an attorney at one point, but as is the way in Cuba, she can make more money as a tour guide (tourists tip in CUC) than being an attorney.

More cars.

Entrance to the Castillo Real Fuerza

This lady is actually an official guard.  Check out the uniform and lace stockings.
This is quite common at the airport and other places where there are guards.
The ladies uniforms are form fitting and usually worn with fishnet/lace stockings.

Castillo Real Fuerza

Statue of Carlos Manuel Cespedes.  Considered the original father of Cuban independence.
He first started his bid for independence in 1868.

Our guide Carla describing the lore behind this guy. (Homeless and crazy in the 1700s)
Evidently if you hold his hand/beard and step on his foot, he's good luck.

Here's Tim not buying the whole story.

Some of the bells brought from the country from the old sugar plantations.
They were rung to signify lunch times and end of work days.

Entrance to a hostel that used to be a monastery

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Interior of the Hostel.

More of the sculptures of monks.

Street parade going on even though is started pouring.

Have music? Habaneros will dance.

Lunch at the Acunando El Paladar

View from the rooftop seating of the paladar.

Always live music playing.