Day 9: Outside Havana and Havana Nights

Day 9 Outside Havana and Havana Nights

Take bus back to Havana from Veradero.
Sinai's boyfriend Riacardo drives us around to see some of Havana and the outskirts, which we had arranged before we left for Vinales. This is very good for us, because we get to see the sights from Ricardo and Sinai's eyes and have their insights.
We see the following:

1. Cemetary de Colon: (Necropolis Cristobal Colon) the grave of La Milagrosa, a turn-of-the-century woman who died in childbirth, was mourned by a heartbroken husband and is revered by Cubans as their unofficial saint. The infant, who also died, was buried in the same coffin as his mother, lying at her feet. According to the legend, Amelia was exhumed some years after her burial and her body was discovered to be uncorrupted, a sign Roman Catholics have traditionally interpreted as evidence of sanctity. Moreover, the baby that had been laid at her feet was nestled in her arms.
2. Hemingway's house (south of Havana)
3. Cojimar, a small fishing village is the background for Hemingway's most poetic work, The Old Man and the Sea. In fact Santiago, the Old Man in the title, was drawn from Cojímar resident Gregorio Fuentes
4. Guanabacoa Museo of Santeria,
5. The Cristo statue.

Cojimar, fishing village, musicians

Grave of La Milagrosa, mother who died in childbirth. Very famous myth.

Che Memorial

Hemingway's house's studio wherehe wrote "The Man and the Sea"

Hemingway's bathroom

Wide cab after a night out.

And night, our friend Jorge, who turns out to know the gay scene (serendipity?), has made reservations for us to see a drag show at a private club in a private house. I am pleased as for me, a visit to any country is not complete without the requisit visit to a drag show. The house is Bar de las Estellas, Lawton, Havana, where the owner has turned the roof into the club. It is $20 for four including a bottle of rum and a bottle of coke. We pay $5 more for a better bottle of rum. Jorge's friend Sergio joins us. Ronni and I pay, as once again, there is no way they could afford this.
The show is great and definitely hits well known songs to the Spanish speakers in the audience and many sing along. The costumes look like someone has a direct connect to Miami and I'm glad that at least the drag queens can find what they need. 

See Quicktime video: Cuba drag show (18 megs: 25 minutes download on a 56k modem) 

We ride a HUGE cab home. I am reminded of a Buick, though I know that's not what it is. We stop at a café for a drink and Ronni orders some pero (pear juice) but she rolls the "r", so it sounds like she is asking for female dog (bitch) juice, which everyone at the café is laughing about, and to the backdrop of the waves coming over the Malecon wall, and the sound of the Barry White's greatest hits, we conclude our night

.

Ronni explaining Pero juice

Bar de las Estellas, Drag show.