Flynn’s Travelog

Well, I’ve made it to Havana!  Coming to you live from the Hotel Inglaterra.  It’s interesting and very exciting to be back; this place is still a country of contradictions.  Internet access is hard to come by, but at least the system seems standardized.  You buy these cards for 6 CUC (about $6.50) for an hour of internet use that you have to use within 30 days, but at your leisure.  Let’s see, as to where we’re staying, it’s at the Convento de Santa Clara de Asis in Habana Vieja (old Havana), which was a former convent, but now a quasi-hostel/academic-dormatory.  It’s a simple, but nice place.  The paint is chipping from the wall, the electricity turns off in the middle of the night, and there’s no toilet seat or shower head (or hot water for that matter), but I like it.  It’s unassuming and disconnects us from the other tourists.

The food is as expected.  Nothing fancy; black beans and rice, or cristianos y moros (Christians and Moors) as they’re called here, are a staple.  The fruit juice/smoothies are awesome.  If there is meat, pork and chicken are most prevelent.

Also as expected, everything’s a borderline ripoff.  It only makes me more and more excited to get out of the city in hopes of escaping the hordes of tourists (mostly European and Canadian) and the high prices that they attract.

Believe it or not, I haven’t bought a cigar, or puro, yet.  Granted, I’ve taken the charity of a few puffs, but I’ve been too guarded with my budget to buy one.  I may have to change that situation tonight.

Before I run out of time on my tarjeta (a generous English guy gave me the balance on his card), I think I’ll check my email and do a little light Facebookin’.

Hasta.

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