Botanical Garden and Old Havana

We spent Thursday morning at the national botanical garden. Two major impressions -- the architecture of the plant houses was beautiful and the great lunch. The plants and birds were good too.

Old Havana was noisy and much in disrepair.

Revolution Square, where Fidel's long speeches and Pope Francis' recent Mass were staged, is a massive paved area surrounded by hulking white concert buildings sporting faves of revolutionary heroes. I was much more impressed by its unattractive naked hugeness than I expected to be!

 

We spent some time in Founders Square, went to a cigar shop and a Rum Museum, and then to a massive souvenir market. I was happy to escape back to the resort. 

One in our group wandered over to take a photo of three women sitting together on a bench. One held a basket of flowers and another a tall hat with a large flower   Being nice, she offered them some money and asked permission to take a photo. 

The one in the center jumped up, took Cindy's camera, indicated she should sit, plopped the basket in her lap and stuck a cigar in her mouth -- a used cigar!

She took a great photo with Cindy's camera and asked for 5 CUCs. Eager to get her camera back , Cindy rummaged for the money. The other two women stuck out their hands and each demanded 5 CUCs too. 

It is the most expensive photo from the trip, and one of the best stories.