Havanna city

Driving around Havanna ones sees how nothing has been spent on building maitenance in many years. The only buildings that look neat are the ones related tourism.

Notice the lady in white in the one photo, she is converting to the Santerini belief. Its a mixture of mostly African and voodoo. She has to wear all white for one year.

When Russia stoped supporting Cuba in the 1980's the country went into a very bad time. For years there was no electricity, no fuel, little food, crops that were havested with machinery now reverted to oxen. Our tour guide was a child at the time and remembers it well.

Market, Varedero

This is the local market, with each stall owner selling what he has grown, under special licence.

Another old beauty, the interiors are well kept too. To run one of these you need to know or be a home mechanic. Some of them are Taxis but they are not alowed to pick up tourists, only Cubans. We used new cars as taxis.

Varedero town

We caught a horse buggy into town, there are lots of these. Fuel is expensive and on the basic wage of $15 per month, paid by the state, the locals cant afford it. Some earn a little more but not much. On top of this there is a food package which differs from one region to another. Its just basics of rice, eggs and sugar.
The lady with Goltz and Santi is Debbie who helped us alot. She took us to where the locals buy food in their currency which was very cheap for us. I paid $1 for 10 eggs. She had to buy the eggs and potatoes for us on the black market as there were none to be had in the shops. There is no selection in the shops and very little of anything. Clothing is also very limited, nothing fancy at all.

Rob is chatting to the owner of the 1958 Chev. All the old cars have Lada or other diesel engines as there are no parts for the American ones, and Diesel is cheaper.

Varedero, Cuba

Searenity and Sea Wolff sitting in Darsena Marina in Varedero, Cuba. This marina is on the north coast and is the closest point to USA. We had 3 sets of officials board us for paperwork. The doctor, the customs and then immigration. All were very friendly in their broken english and 2 hours later we had our papers done. They sealed our droe wors (yes still from SA) in the fridge and made us boil our eggs then and there. There are concerns of diseases being imported to Cuba.

The Rob and Goltz got out all our excess bottles that had been so usefull in storing our Diesel accros the ocean. We gave them to Debbie, a Canadian yachtie who stays here for 6 months a year. She distributed them to the coast guard and other yachties.

Fish transfer

This transfer of Tuna to 'Searenity' took place in the Atlantic, 2 days sail from anywhere. The two brave captains brought the boats together and Krazni threw the 'present' to them. Quite a thrill. At this stage they had landed no fish, just lost lures. Hope the video loads ok.

San Juan city

We had lunch at this wonderful old restuarant dated from 1948. The staff were very chatty and our waiter had been there for 25 yrs!

The city has a huge old fort at the harbour entrance, this with stood many attacks in the past. The old city wall is still partially visable and it is a very interesting area. Could have spent more time here.

Puerto Rico

San Juan was a great place, here we are in the harbour with our big buddies!!



The sea was like a mill pond on the way to Cuba, Rob eventually took the rubber duck and went to have tea with Searenity.