tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16659678.post6120740375334566318..comments2024-03-09T06:00:37.660-08:00Comments on Masha Lloyd's blog: Our woman in Havana, New Year’s Eve in Cuba, a trip to a tobacco plant, Miguel and Claudia’s wedding and stories of our stay in one of the last bastions of communism in the world, Castro’s Cuba.Afternoon Tea and Talk. http://www.blogger.com/profile/17723773799587092765noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16659678.post-16896309695349998312017-01-07T22:13:17.672-08:002017-01-07T22:13:17.672-08:00Of course it would bring back memories of your tim...Of course it would bring back memories of your time there. It's just an amazing place, unique in the world as if time has stood still since Castro took over. Like the name "barbacoas" of the delapitated houses. You must have enjoyed your time there immensely. Thanks for taking the time to read it as it was soooo long but there was so much to tell. Lots of love<br />Afternoon Tea and Talk. https://www.blogger.com/profile/17723773799587092765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16659678.post-55582876908564844922017-01-06T03:48:00.968-08:002017-01-06T03:48:00.968-08:00It was lovely to read your blog. It took me back t...It was lovely to read your blog. It took me back to the days I lived there, 1983-1986. Not much has changed. I went back 12 years ago and stayed at the Hotel National, as I had always wanted to stay there after visiting it many times for my tennis lessons on their courts! <br />The Cubans used to call the old delapitated houses along the Malecón "barbacoas" as they were split up into many levels with temporary floors inserted like racks on a barbecue and different families lived on each rack! <br />The British embassy was in Vedado, with views of the fort and malecón. <br />My old house was 2 doors down from the pizza restaurant you visited in Miramar.<br />When I was there you could only get fruit and veg sporadically although there was plenty growing at that time, there were no refrigerated lorries to transport the produce from field to city. Many communist supporters from abroad used to come to pick the fruit but, sadly it, usually ended up in rotting piles on the side of the road. <br />You should never eat beef in Cuba as it's awful! <br />I had a driver who I paid to upkeep my car, a Vauxhall. I had imported crates of spare parts for it, but they got stolen at the dockside when the car was unloaded. It arrived without tyres or wing mirrors which miraculously disappeared between the ship docking and the car being released to me from customs. He could make it go using the most amazing collection of bits and pieces he scavenged! <br />I visited vinales with Glenn and had my best meal at the parador there. <br />The best things about Cuba and Havana are the people, the music and the general sense of fun that exists despite the conditions that prevail there.<br />Thanks for bringing back so many good memories Masha. XAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08714297175055099982noreply@blogger.com