Amongst the many annoying habits that I have on holiday is that I talk to complete strangers.  Of course, they usually want money.  In Havana you are approached constantly, usually to take a taxi or buy cigars.  Everyone has a deal.  These Jineteros hassle you but are very friendly so why not chat and it’s how they get by so what’s the problem in giving them a few pesos?

Yesterday we walked down the Paseo del Prado, an old Spanish promenade that isn’t really functional as half the trees are missing, then along the seafront along the Malecon until we got to the Hotel Nacional where we had a drink and contemplated it’s mafia past and channelled the spirits of Frank and Ava.

On the way we met

And these guys who asked if we were from Liverpool.  We said no, but they played the Beatles anyway.  I got them to play Besa Me, a song that you hear everywhere here, while I pretended to shake my maracas.  Tim quite understandably kept his distance. He didn’t want to shake his maracas so early in the morning.

The Nacional

There’s lots more to write about yesterday but we are off now to Trinidad.  Wifi is bad here.  Only 5% of Cuba has it and in theory it’s free in the hotel but it’s difficult to sign in and it cuts out all the time.

More later, but in the meantime, Hasta Luego Habana