Mexico; Playa del Carmen

Not all the beaches we visit here are beautiful white sand empty spots as in Cuba. We are now on the Cancun peninsula at Playa del Carmen - a winter get away for hoardes of Americans on package holidays. There is an adjoining avenue packed full of souvenir shops with very cheap alcohol so one can imagine the late night scenes here. Still it is warm , we have a hotel with a swimming pool and we are moving on tomorrow.

We left Cuba yesterday after 2 weeks that just kept getting better and better and by the end we were loving the music, bustle and good nature of the cubans. Here so far we are getting the mexican mariachi tortures and there are altogether too many white people wearing too little. The children are fabulous with both arguing over who gets to ask for the bill in spanish and loving the warm swimming weather everywhere. Romany can be seen in her new skirt above and Ciaran bought a sharks tooth necklace today.

However we are off to some mayan ruins tomorrow and very keen on that then heading south to Belize. Hasta Luego

Playa Ancon, Trinidad

Sometimes travelling is so hard, and even the families of Oncologists are allowed to get a tan.

Cuban images

The Capitolio and the Gran teatro where the ballet was held, Havana. Cuba

Cuba

Last day in Cuba today before an early morning flight to Mexico. And it has certainly grown on us. Initially we were somewhat overwhelmed by the noise, dirt, chaos and general difficulty of doing anything here, but after a couple of weeks all that seems much less important. Now we can see the absolutely stunning architecture, have been wooed by the music and have actually found edible food.
Staying in Casa Particulares in people´s homes has suited us very well as a family. Romany is clucked over by the Senoras and we are given sumptuous breakfasts and sometimes dinners. Highlights for the kids have been finding a disco in a cave in Trinidad, bumper cars in Cienfuegos and the Cigar Factory tour here in Havana. Actually the Cigar Factory tour would have to be a highlight for all of us, very cool and well presented.
We have been to the Cuban Ballet, travelled on a steam train to a sugar plantation and spent several days swimming and working on our tans. Cuba feels very safe, although I am not sure we will feel the same about our next few destinations. We have finally found a computer that may let us post a picture so we´ll try that next. Don´t count on it not blowing up the Cuban Internet connection though.