Cuba

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we spent the first night in Havana - and this is one view from breakfast - looking towards the opera house and Hotel Inglaterra

Cervantes in a square

Molly adds polish to a statue (sorry, I've forgotten who this is)

another old square - which has had more restoration work done on it since our last visit

Franciscan church - with a fine view from the tower (if only I'd taken the camera up there) and amazing courtyard cloisters

Then we moved to Hotel Moka at Las Terrazas - built on a slope in the rainforest that the Cubans have been restoring since soon after the revolution. We first saw this while on a day trip on our last trip and agreed we'd come back!

the lobby tree (Yggraddsil maybe)

steps to/from the community (including El Romero restaurant)

the corridor and trees outside our room

view from our balcony

view over our bath / shower - straight out into the canopy of teaks and other rainforest trees

(this is also the ideal place from which to hear the "cistern bird" ... well, I thought it was a rainforest bird call until I realised I only heard it after flusing the loo...)

another view from the balcony

rock, tree, and the orisha statues and offerings - near the pool

around one of the lakesides - near a musician's house

one of the San Juan river lakes

Hotel Moka is up there among the trees

spider monkey family on a small island

One day we walked along a small road through the forest

to the San Juan river falls ...

where we watched this egret fishing and preening

and were offered pounds of mangoes for next to nothing

ate lunch at El Bambu

and said hi to this pig

Another day we went (by taxi) to Soroa, passing over this landslide (caused in last hurricane)

to the national orchid collection

this, I think, is the one that smells of chocolate

and this is a spider orchid - with the reforested hills behind

our guide on the visit - wonderful, knowledgeable and enthusiastic

a view over Soroa - some of the hills still unforested after the devastation of the French-owned coffee plantations of slavery times

back near Las Terrazas: Union (originally another coffee / slave plantation): where many of the community's flowers are grown

hibiscus may be common - but still spectacular

couldn't quite get a close up of this butterfly or the dozen others flitting around the puddles

And we re-visited Buena Vista coffee plantation - which we'd seen last time too with Olu and Tina

originally the slave owner's house, now the visitors' reception and restaurant

the mango tree that we sat under last time - where I had my first cup of coffee (locally grown and sweetened with rainforest honey) in twenty years. I had another one this time, but in another cafe in the village

my best photo of one of the many turkey vultures that cruise these hills but cunningly hide when cameras appear

our guide in the forest on a bird watching walk - which turned out to be as much about local plants and the reforestation project as it was about the birds. Another excellent guide.

a hummingbird at rest (in the middle of the picture)

another colourful bird (sorry, forgot the name)

lianas (evidence of natural growth taking over from human management now)

Las Terazzas in its valley and its rain

And then we went back to Havana, to the hotel Acuario at the Marina Hemingway

by the Gulf of Mexico shore (no oil spill visible yet)

and I went back to work. Here's Ofelia Perez Cruz opening the conference

and Francois Houtart giving the opening lecture

one of the panels in another room

me, waiting to contribute to a panel on "new religions"

a poster in support of the five Cubans still imprisoned in the USA for handing over information about terrorists living in Florida

After the conference, we enjoyed the pool - especially on the evening when it rained. nothing like getting wet while swimming!! and the storm was good too

another time, Molly swimming as a swallow dipped into the pool

Sunset over the gulf

I got a little carried away - but these are less than half the sunset pics I took

A final day trip into the old Havana, a bit of shopping (Molly got a broach made from old silverware and recycled glass - lovely)

Bollards from canons

(or is it "bollards to canons"?)

the best hot chocolate in the world (though none of it vegan)

Couldn't resist wondering if this is where the One Ring is now...

and one final amazing thunder storm over the old town (harbour entrance here) - the wonder that is warm rain

		Cuba 2010		click to return home

				click to return to places
		Molly and I returned to Cuba to participate in the 6th International Conference on Socio-Religious Studies in Havana, 5-8 July 2010 Before the conference at the Marina Hemingway we had a few days holiday in Las Terazzas, the UNESCO recognised rainforest restoration project in Pinar del Rio province. (For photos from our previous trip, click here.)

				we spent the first night in Havana - and this is one view from breakfast - looking towards the opera house and Hotel Inglaterra
		Havana rooftops
				Cervantes in a square
		Molly adds polish to a statue (sorry, I've forgotten who this is)
				another old square - which has had more restoration work done on it since our last visit
		Franciscan church - with a fine view from the tower (if only I'd taken the camera up there) and amazing courtyard cloisters
				Then we moved to Hotel Moka at Las Terrazas - built on a slope in the rainforest that the Cubans have been restoring since soon after the revolution. We first saw this while on a day trip on our last trip and agreed we'd come back!
		the lobby tree (Yggraddsil maybe)
				steps to/from the community (including El Romero restaurant)
		the corridor and trees outside our room
				view from our balcony
		view over our bath / shower - straight out into the canopy of teaks and other rainforest trees (this is also the ideal place from which to hear the "cistern bird" ... well, I thought it was a rainforest bird call until I realised I only heard it after flusing the loo...)
				another view from the balcony
		Cuban cars
				the pool
		pool palms
				rock, tree, and the orisha statues and offerings - near the pool
		closer
				the community
		around one of the lakesides - near a musician's house
				more of the village
		one of the San Juan river lakes
				Hotel Moka is up there among the trees
		spider monkey family on a small island
				One day we walked along a small road through the forest
		past the bees
				to the San Juan river falls ...
		where we watched this egret fishing and preening
				and were offered pounds of mangoes for next to nothing
		ate lunch at El Bambu
				and said hi to this pig
		Another day we went (by taxi) to Soroa, passing over this landslide (caused in last hurricane)
				to the national orchid collection

				this, I think, is the one that smells of chocolate
		and this is a spider orchid - with the reforested hills behind
				our guide on the visit - wonderful, knowledgeable and enthusiastic
		a view over Soroa - some of the hills still unforested after the devastation of the French-owned coffee plantations of slavery times
				a nearby waterfall
		home to this snake
				back near Las Terrazas: Union (originally another coffee / slave plantation): where many of the community's flowers are grown
		Union gardens
				hibiscus may be common - but still spectacular
		couldn't quite get a close up of this butterfly or the dozen others flitting around the puddles
				And we re-visited Buena Vista coffee plantation - which we'd seen last time too with Olu and Tina
		originally the slave owner's house, now the visitors' reception and restaurant
				the mango tree that we sat under last time - where I had my first cup of coffee (locally grown and sweetened with rainforest honey) in twenty years. I had another one this time, but in another cafe in the village
		my best photo of one of the many turkey vultures that cruise these hills but cunningly hide when cameras appear
				our guide in the forest on a bird watching walk - which turned out to be as much about local plants and the reforestation project as it was about the birds. Another excellent guide.
		a hummingbird at rest (in the middle of the picture)
				another colourful bird (sorry, forgot the name)
		lizard on tree
				camouflage tree
		lianas (evidence of natural growth taking over from human management now)
				Las Terazzas in its valley and its rain
		And then we went back to Havana, to the hotel Acuario at the Marina Hemingway
				by the Gulf of Mexico shore (no oil spill visible yet)
		and I went back to work. Here's Ofelia Perez Cruz opening the conference
				and Francois Houtart giving the opening lecture
		one of the panels in another room
				me, waiting to contribute to a panel on "new religions"
		a poster in support of the five Cubans still imprisoned in the USA for handing over information about terrorists living in Florida
				After the conference, we enjoyed the pool - especially on the evening when it rained. nothing like getting wet while swimming!! and the storm was good too
		another time, Molly swimming as a swallow dipped into the pool
				Sunset over the gulf
		I got a little carried away - but these are less than half the sunset pics I took


				A final day trip into the old Havana, a bit of shopping (Molly got a broach made from old silverware and recycled glass - lovely)
		Bollards from canons (or is it "bollards to canons"?)
				an old pharmacy
		the best hot chocolate in the world (though none of it vegan)
				Couldn't resist wondering if this is where the One Ring is now...
		and one final amazing thunder storm over the old town (harbour entrance here) - the wonder that is warm rain