9 posts tagged “south american sojourn 2008”
Back from a week in Cuba. I was unable to blog from Havana because internet is only available in the hotels and only intermittently. Also the cost was very expensive - $5 for 15 minutes. And oh yea forget the Blackberry and the cell phone as there are US cell company agreements in Cuba.
It was a step back in time and out of touch for one week.
Photos and more details to follow. But before I go, I will leave you with this. In Havana it is obvious that there was much wealth at one time. Right now the builds are sad and tired. But the people are beautiful and happy. It occurred to me that in USA, it is the opposite - the buildings are beautiful and the people are sad and tired.
From your man in Havana,
Hasta pronto
Stan Krome
On the way to Havana Cuba. A few hoops to jump thru of course, but so far all is going smoothly.
But what about Cancun? The Mayan people are beautiful. The gringos out in the Hotel Zone are not so beautiful.
I've been reading about Cuba and the more I read the more I am intrigued.
More later.
Stan Krome
Jetblue experience from Orlando to Cancun. Always good to hear Spanish as the primary language. Why is Ed Harris on my Screen in freeze frame? Wow someone real smells like alcohol..
1.5 hours to Mexico.
Hasta Pronto
Stan Krome
Seems so easy this time. Relaxed. Andrea covering the business, Joanna more relaxed although her back is hurting but all in all we are melting into the sojourn.
Next stop Orlando.
Stan Krome
This is how they all start...with a blog entry, no with an
idea...tomorrow we leave for Vero Beach then Mexico and Cuba.
More to follow!
Wonderful Nancy took yet another day to show us Santiago. Today we hung out in Bella Vista the Bohemian section of Santiago. The treat was to tour the house of Pablo Neruda - La Chascona.
Beyond the interest of Chiles most famous poet, diplomat and political figure was the ensuing discussion with a retired school teacher about the overthrow of the Allende government, engineered by Kissinger, Nixon and Bush 1. Pinochet was the unfortunate result of the US backed coup.
Neruda was a threat to the dictatorship and died shortly thereafter maybe of a broken heart. His houses were ransacked and his library torched.
How is it that the USA, role model for opportunity and freedom can live with itself and the continuing legacy of armed conflict, strong arm politics at the expense of so many countries including Chile, and now Iraq? With countless others in between?
The people will live their lives and continue on into history as governments come and go. I am so glad that most of the world is smart enough not to judge a people by their government.
Santiago remembers Pablo Neruda.
Stan Krome
Fun with the Blackberry...handheld direct to Blog. Pretty cool!
Sittin in San Jose Costa
Rica listening to Allison Krause and Robert Plant. Great album by th way!! Anyway we are totaled. I don't think we will do that red eye thing again. No food, no sleep, too tired to read. Rough night. Best part was the Crack of Dawn at 35,000 feet. Whatta welcome site.
No wifi/blackberry network in this airport so this message probably won't post till Lima.
I must say that the locals and South Americans are indeed a handsome lot. They all have Ipods, digital cameras and laptops. Who doesn't?
Stan Krome
Standing in the ticket line for an hour was okay. In fact talking to Gene from Orange County helped the time go by. I weighed our bags before we left 10 times and I swear they were both under 50 lbs. Why is it that Joanna's weighed 56? She thinks its a scam to get another $50 out of each passenger.
But the best part was standing in the next line, the one where they check passports and tickets BEFORE the security check. Joanna had this brilliant idea of putting 2 (not one but 2) Airbornes into her little bottle of water. Great idea ... But after she tightened down the cap and shook it up, we had forgotten about the effervescence. It wasn't until she opened it for a drink and we heard the explosion and got a little shower that we remembered. Wet clean up on aisle 3 please.
Anyway to add insult to injury, flying the red eye means everything is closed. No food. Were tired hungry and cranky. Were on the plane heading for the runway so I must close.
See you in Costa Rica.
Stan Krome
