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1. Last edited by Simon Bolivar; 28-03-2011 at 02:33 PM. My Cuba Trip March 2011: Part 5 ffice
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So yesterday had been the apogee of my holiday, you can be assured it was all downhill from there. After midnight & at regular intervals afterwards, I was making like an American Quarter horse i.e. trotting all the time. Not to worry, of course I had brought plenty of Imodium the traveler?s friend. It had always got me out of trouble previously.
Well it might have slowed things down a bit but it wasn't the usual 'two capsules maybe all you need.'
Before we left Marilyn, we gave her some gifts we had brought over for them. The embargo means that even if you have the money, something?s in very short supply. We chose bars of soap, adult & children's toothbrushes & toothpaste. We said our farewells & caught the 0830 bus back to Havana. No problems this time, despite feeling rather nervous we made it safely back to our hotel. We unpacked & stayed in as by now the wife had the same problem.
By the evening we were both feeling better, having taken only fluids & instant concrete all day, I was rather peckish so we put on our glad rags & headed out for the Hotel Nacional to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. I had planned to come here on the first night so I could check the contents of their Habanos, before buying cigars in Havana. We arrived early & wandering around we found a tiny bar & cafe downstairs but they didn't look much for a 5* hotel. I found the Habanos & found to my dismay they had the very cigars I had been looking for but now couldn't buy as I was almost at my limit, ugh!
CUBA PAT 037.jpg
We went back upstairs & found the main restaurant but were told it was closed to diners for a while due to filming; couldn't blame J.S. this time. We waited in the History bar, with some lime Daiquiris; not being a cocktail man I would just describe them a slush puppies for adults. This bar was more in keeping with the well noted faded grandeur, displaying the history & previous clientele of the hotel in its heyday. CUBA PAT 038.jpg
Our meal was genuinely excellent & I couldn't fault it. You won't see many good remarks about the Nacional cuisine, the general advice is don't eat there but when I put this to the Matri'd he said that many people only visited the cafe downstairs & then reported the hotel food as rubbish. He openly admitted it was below standard downstairs but I guess people at the top haven't appreciated the damage this has done to their reputation. I had the leg of lamb served off the bone; just the right shade of pink, the wife had steak. For desert we had crepe suzettes, always adds to the theatrics of the evening.
CUBA PAT 041.jpgCUBA PAT 042.jpg
Whilst dinning we were entertained by a classically trained pianist. After playing a request for us, she came over & introduced herself as Ariadna. I asked if she had another job, as many Cubans do & it turns out her day job, is professor of music at Havana Uni. She had played the piano in the hotel for many yrs & no doubt seen many changes.
A pleasant end, after a dodgy start to the day.
Last edited by Simon Bolivar; 29-03-2011 at 10:12 PM.
ffice" />So yesterday had been the apogee of my holiday, you can be assured it was all downhill from there. After midnight & at regular intervals afterwards, I was making like an American Quarter horse i.e. trotting all the time. Not to worry, of course I had brought plenty of Imodium the traveler?s friend. It had always got me out of trouble previously.
Well it might have slowed things down a bit but it wasn't the usual 'two capsules maybe all you need.'
Before we left Marilyn, we gave her some gifts we had brought over for them. The embargo means that even if you have the money, something?s in very short supply. We chose bars of soap, adult & children's toothbrushes & toothpaste. We said our farewells & caught the 0830 bus back to Havana. No problems this time, despite feeling rather nervous we made it safely back to our hotel. We unpacked & stayed in as by now the wife had the same problem.
By the evening we were both feeling better, having taken only fluids & instant concrete all day, I was rather peckish so we put on our glad rags & headed out for the Hotel Nacional to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. I had planned to come here on the first night so I could check the contents of their Habanos, before buying cigars in Havana. We arrived early & wandering around we found a tiny bar & cafe downstairs but they didn't look much for a 5* hotel. I found the Habanos & found to my dismay they had the very cigars I had been looking for but now couldn't buy as I was almost at my limit, ugh!
CUBA PAT 037.jpg
We went back upstairs & found the main restaurant but were told it was closed to diners for a while due to filming; couldn't blame J.S. this time. We waited in the History bar, with some lime Daiquiris; not being a cocktail man I would just describe them a slush puppies for adults. This bar was more in keeping with the well noted faded grandeur, displaying the history & previous clientele of the hotel in its heyday.
Our meal was genuinely excellent & I couldn't fault it. You won't see many good remarks about the Nacional cuisine, the general advice is don't eat there but when I put this to the Matri'd he said that many people only visited the cafe downstairs & then reported the hotel food as rubbish. He openly admitted it was below standard downstairs but I guess people at the top haven't appreciated the damage this has done to their reputation. I had the leg of lamb served off the bone; just the right shade of pink, the wife had steak. For desert we had crepe suzettes, always adds to the theatrics of the evening.
CUBA PAT 041.jpgCUBA PAT 042.jpg
Whilst dinning we were entertained by a classically trained pianist. After playing a request for us, she came over & introduced herself as Ariadna. I asked if she had another job, as many Cubans do & it turns out her day job, is professor of music at Havana Uni. She had played the piano in the hotel for many yrs & no doubt seen many changes.
A pleasant end, after a dodgy start to the day.
Last edited by Simon Bolivar; 29-03-2011 at 10:12 PM.
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