Cuba Day 1 - Friday August 31, 2012 - You say Havana, I say Habana!

This was our first day in Cuba.  From the time we began our decent into the island I was excited.  You can see the lush landscape.

We arrived in the afternoon and we went to the Museo de la Revolucion.  The Revolucion museum of Museum of the Revolution.  It was also famously decorated by Tiffany & Co of NYC. The architecture was beautiful.

Prior to the revolution, it was the Presidential palace up until Batista's regime and ousting by Castro in 1959.  

Are we there yet?

The approach...

Our 2nd home in Cuba.  Chinese air conditioning goodness at its best.

Che - has to be the most revered man in their history.  Not a Cuban by birth, but you'd never know it.
His image is EVERYWHERE!

You immediately saw the classic cars.  They, like the architecture are in various states of repair and run on any number of creations from mechanics.

This is "El Salon Dorado or the Gold Room decorated in marble and gold leaf and with a beautiful mural in the domed ceiling.

State of Alert!

This is the Cretins Corner which poked fun at Batista, Reagan and the 2 Bush's.
Just saying....

Interestingly enough one of few pics of Castro - he doesn't allow monuments in his honor.
I can imagine this will change when he passes away.

Room with a view....
this was the upside!

View of the capital from my room.  20X optical zoom!

Our first meal - I love, love, love seafood... so I was excited.
This is after all Mr Crabs... and it was much more Bikini Bottom than I expected.
Government run restaurants where bad, just bad!

The setting was nice... food, not so much!

Live music almost every day.  Then they somewhat aggressively sell their tunes.

Cristal - the beer of choice on the island.