Viva Cuba!

Now comes the pretty part of our tour in Old Town Habana.

Very pretty

Colorful buildings

Lots to see

Including outdoor shops

Strolling

Monica walking with Manolo - our driver and guide.

There they are.

Very nice

Old Town square

View of the Spanish fort - built 1577

Looking around

The fort

This is the lucky tree. You make a wish as you walk around the tree 3 times. I wished for world peace, but forgot to walk around the damn tree!

Another view of the fort. We will go over there later.

The park

Truckin' along with my peeps.

Lots of work to be done

One is a statue and one is a mannequin.

The church.

Simon Bolivar - great Cuban patriot, born in Venzuela.

San Francisco train station

Former presidents train car - weighs 40 tons.

The Plaza Vieja is undergoing a complete renovation. It was in complete disrepair back in the 1970's.

Plaza Vieja is looking much better

Restored building.

An example of before and after

Another view

And more work to be done.

Ahh, what have we here? A local pub.

This will work.

The band is playing.

We look a little dry here - we could use some help. The tide has run out I see.

Great band

Oh yeah, Captain Jimbo

Monica y Miguel

Strolling into Old Town

Let's see. Which way are we going?

Cubano Cafe

Can't see the mural, but it's nice.

Good ole Simon

Another cafe

Pretty streets

And parks

We go to the fortress for closing ceremonies.

Beginning in 1577, Habana was completely enclosed within the fortress walls. A cannon is fired every night at 9 PM to signal closing of the fortress doors and the closing in of the city.

We approach the outside walls and the cannon.

Lighting of the cannon. I wasn't quite ready for the report of the cannon - ouch! The fortress and city walls are now gone, so access is granted after 9 PM.

Our driver takes us to this fantastic restaurant under the stars.

Mike and Monica are smiling because we are sitting at Beyoncés table. She was here recently. Turns out it is the restaurant of the stars. Much like us.

We like the musicians playing behind us. Tonight it's goat on the menu. Opah!

We go back to our apartment and decide to checkout a nightclub nearby. They were playing very cool Cuban Salsa - arriba! This fine lady was at a table near us. The waiter came to her and gave her the microphone. She sang all the way to the stage - kinda like a funky Ella Fitzgerald.

It took her a while, but the ole gal could rock! Great time, great night - more to come from Cuba. Next up is the home of Ernest Hemmingway, just as he left it when he left Cuba in 1959 before the revolution. Adios amigos.