In page 406 of our Guide book it mentioned that Casa Del Estudiante, Santiago,  offer various private lessons in Spanish, music and dancing. I was particularly interested in Maracas as a percussion instrument. Not having much rhythm sense, I felt that perhaps Cuba was the place to acquire some. We found Casa Del Estudiante, but a complete restoration program was in operation. ‘Could we come back in 8 weeks?’ Slightly deflated but not defeated we walked into Casa Trova, and enquired if any musicians would be prepared to give us an hour of their time. We had such fun with Israel, a 70 yrs old musician and lead singer, who happily obliged. I was able to buy his maracas and African Claves. I still am practicing hard.

Israel in full flow                                              Chris testing the African Clave

We managed to spend some of our local Pesos in the Vegetables market and meandered around the town looking at beautiful old buildings and tasting delicious street food.

We returned home in a 1952 Plymouth, one of the many old American car used as private taxis. In one of the back streets the driver suddenly stopped by and called a man who was carrying a 5ltr. bottle under his coat. It transpired not to be water but petrol, which he put under the bonnet and connected a hose. We arrived at the Marina in spite of the exhaust filling the interior with fumes.

We visited Castello del Morro, the fort built by the Spanish in 1633 to guard the entrance of Santiago bay. It was mid afternoon. We had missed the bus to get there. We decided to walk the 11 km in the hope we might pick up a private taxi or hitch a lift. After taking a wrong turn we ended in a dead end. Some young lads offered to take us across the water to the other side where we would have only 3 km to walk. The transport turned out to be an old Laser! It worked fine but with two aboard water gushed up through the centre board hole and was up to the gunwales by the time the opposite side was reached. A landlubber would not have been happy!

 We could be taken across only one at the

Time!

They stopped short from landing us on the beach, where the army were exercising. Cubans are not meant to fraternise with Foreigners. The boys in Green looked at us as if we were from Mars and appeared suspicious but we brazenly said ‘ Buenos tardes’  and walked on.

The Castle was a real gem and in a fantastic position.

The firing of the Canon at Sunset is taken very seriously, pity after such preparation it only turn out such a little puff.....  but the theatre was worth watching!

We thumbed a lift in a 1952 Willys jeep.