Hola /Hi
10/08/10 We had to get our plastic back and needed to get into main stream civilisation again. The cheapest option was Miami, We didn't realise how much we'd miss the card and with limited cash we made our way to the United States, via Nicaragua and El Salvador. We would say we are in America ?, but we are not so sure, 70% of the locals speak Spanish as there first language and the natives are mostly Cuban, a strange multi cultural set up. We had to hang around a few days sorting out the card and rearranging our plans. It is painful work sitting on the beach in searing heat on silicone watch, A marvellous gravity defying plastic version of Baywatch.(It is hard work you know). Miami's famed art deco buildings are a bit tatty and past there sell by date, But people still book the walking tours of the area (Why?) Its not at all suave in Miami beach area unlike TV's Miami vice, There are pockets of bling and fancy cars though in the BCD and coral gables areas, There's a tourist information centre that can't tell you how to get to the next town of Fort Lauderdale (20 miles) without a car, But it was nice to have a choice of shops again, a clothes washing machine, an iron and a Mcflurry ice cream (Such treats)
19/08/10 A 40 minute flight from Ft Lauderdale to New Providence island in the Bahamas. Staying in probably the cheapest hotel on the island, but still bloody expensive for what you get (Nice sea view though) It's a 5 minute walk along the coast into Nassau the islands main town. A beautiful Caribbean town with an old British colonial look and a friendly feel, Everyday the cruise liners spew there cargo into town to be relieved of there cash in the souvenir shops, No wonder the locals are so friendly as the ship passengers and the weekenders from the United States set the inflated prices for rest who stay on this gorgeous island. We visited the pirate museum, Its seems all the famous pirates from Blackbeard to Captain Kidd sailed and plundered these waters and were later hung here. As one drunken Pirate said " A short life, But a merry one". Now that I'm now into fish we sampled conch salad, a fiery little mollusc number the islands delicacy along with peas and rice. The weather is stoking hot, and humid we dove the Lost deep blue hole to cool off, A 60ft wide hole in the ocean floor that sinks to about 300ft deep, It is great to float on your back watching the shark silhouettes circle as they chase smaller fish with the light of the surface behind them. (amazingly they find the dive site every Monday).
25/08/10 Havana, Cuba, Decaying and crumbling, The most grandiose of architecture on our trip so far in ruins, Roads and roads of beautiful buildings just falling down, This must have been one hell of a fine city in the 50's, The few cars on the empty streets are mainly big Buicks, Fords and Ladas also left over from the 1950's and now used as taxi's. The locals queue to get in the few shops as they only let in ½ a dozen at a time, or hand the goods out of the windows (tea leaf problems). Cuba runs 2 currency's the local peso and the tourist CUC. The tourist pay 23 times more than the locals, We can only shop, eat and stay in certain places and not allowed to use the public transport (Only tourist buses), its all very sparse and grey and the blandest of food ever (No salt or pepper even). At night Havana changes and brightens as the Locals promenade, Sultry maidens take smouldering to a fine art as they strut there stuff (others should really buy a mirror or ask a friend before they come out, Oh far too tight) the music rings out in the streets from the bars and its an all colourful place. After 3 days we left Havana and headed east, It seems every few miles there are Police spot checks on all cars, Gangs of men cut the grass verges with sickle's still, (No strimmers or mowers here), The horse is the mode of transport and the oxen work the fields. Cuba's a very green country with loads of factory farms and billboards everywhere that are still saluting the glory's of the revolution, A 4 lane highway with no vehicles, just horse and carts, Local Cubans stand under the flyovers in the shade hoping for a lift in the odd 1950's bus to stop if its not full.. We stayed a couple of nights in the main beach town of Varadero, There the carnival was in full swing, Locals seem to wear skimpy shorts with bras or swim wear, Every afternoon after the daily downpour, the music's cranked up and its Salsa and Samba time, Shaking it all ways in the puddles. ( Again, Bloody marvellous, Such natural rhythm these people). We visited Santa Clara and Che Guevara's tomb, On the south coast we visited Trinidad, a quaint cobbled street town that hasn't moved on with time, Cienfuegosa a really bright and colourful town and not in keeping with the rest of Cuba. And then back to Varadero. After sitting out the side effects of hurricane Earl (Flooding) we did some good wreck diving although the sea was still really rough, A Russian patrol boat still with guns, a Tug boat surrounded by tanks and armoured cars, which was a bit surreal but good.
Would we go back, Nassau is very nice, But there are equally as nice places in the Caribbean that are more reasonably priced. As for Cuba, We wouldn't be sorry if we didn't, The grey face of socialism prevails, Everybody has attitude, No willingness to work as they get there rations anyhow and no one goes hungry, They just stand around talking, looking down there noses at the supposed uber rich tourists, chambermaids run the black market with left over toiletries and as for the food???

Adios Chaffers