Tropical Storm

We spent the best part of the day touring Havana on our own.  The only transport we used was shanks mare and a small, motorized three-wheeled vehicle.  It seemed a bit risky, being quite open to the elements.  And, I noticed the driver wore a helmet and we were not offered one – just a grab-bar, to keep from flying out.  But, I recommend this as a great way to see things –a fast, yet unobstructed  view of the streetscape.

After lunch, we returned to the Nacional for a swim and then a tour of the hotel – very historic and just about every celebrity you can name and many folks from the arts have stayed here. The Revolution figures into just about every serious conversation and the Nacional is fiercely Cuban in its identity.

The storm that has hit has to be mentioned.  I have never heard such thunderous thunder nor seen such luminous lightening.  There have been direct lightening strikes on our hotel and the noise is like end-of-the-world stuff.  Sadly, we have since learned that two people in our neighbourhood were killed by lightening strikes.  In 2 and half hours, it rained 15 centimetres.  Even by Havana standards, this is extreme.