December 26- Havana

Will, Christopher, Kathryn and Ella in their car

We had about the roughest night on a cruise ship we have ever had. At dinner the Captain announced that we were sailing into very rough seas with 12-14 foot waves and swells. There was the standard warning about using the handrails and  moving carefully. We had noticed that all the furniture in the reception area- what little there was- had been removed and the Christmas trees were all down. The Pearl Mist is small with just 225 passengers and basically a River Boat with a fairly flat bottom so I think it doesn't much like these big swells and rolls.

We ate a very festive dinner. Some of us went to the Christmas Show with Kenny and Kat and others gathered in our cabin to reflect on the day. We were all excited about Havana where we were to arrive at 10:00AM.

About 2:00 AM the seas hit with pitching, rolling, and shuttering sounds. The curtain in our cabin kept sliding back and forth. Getting up to go the bathroom was an act of bravery only attempted by absolute necessity. In the night I heard several things fall in the cabin. One we discovered in the morning was a wine glass that shattered all over the floor at the foot of the bed. Thank goodness it fell after Jim had been up or he would have stepped on glass without a doubt.

As soon as we were both up and dressed, we put the Make Up Our Room sign on the door and Mel came almost immediately. She carefully vacuumed the floor, shook out the bed clothes and changed everything. The seas continued to roll and toss everyday possible. We called Reception and got some coffee and English Muffins. Neither of us felt safe to go downstairs for breakfast.

The Captain announced we would not get into Havana until 2:00 and all schedules would be adjusted.  Once we sailed into the harbor the seas calmed down. Sailing in was interesting because of the big buildings that obviously had at one time been spectacular but were now as our. British friends say, "A Bit Gone Over." It is also a blend of very old and utilitarian style Soviet architecture.

 Cuba really suffered when the Soviet Union came apart and Communism fell. They had been receiving lots of money and resources from the USSR and all that suddenly ended. The people struggled....but people we saw seemed proud and happy for the most part.

The government now tightly controls the tourist industry. Guides appear to answer questions very candidly but you can tell there is great care taken in the words used. The Chinese influence is now really seen. For instance all the tour buses were very modern except with a first step up that was way too high for people with short legs....and they were all Chinese made. The people who appear to have done well financially are those connected to the tourist industry. We learned that doctors, teachers and other professions make a limited salary, have housing provided but are not nearly as well off as the guides, hotel operators, and restaurant people. Being able to accept tips gives them a great advantage.

These two houses side-by-side seemed to say it all about the overall-all look of Havana. One house was brightly painted yellow with blue trim around the windows and door and the other looked almost like a bombed out ruin....or a neglected structure for sure. Jim said it reminded him of Berlin in the mid 1960's when much of WWII ruins could still be seen.

The day ended with dinner with all of us. Then Kathryn, Will and Christopher went off to the Tropicana Nightclub Show and Ella came for a visit along with Natalie and Ardis. At dinner the Captain made the same announcement that the night would be rough so be careful. AND HE WAS TELLING THE TRUTH!