09/04/2019 – Camera Oscura, Havana, Cuba

We had another granny breakfast at 10:00, this time with fresh mango juice! Then we went out to the bank to get some more CUC. The machine refused our Monzo card sadly, so Josh used his Lloyds account. They had to check our passports too. Apparently the exchange rate is slightly better if you use an ATM instead of face to face, but you risk not getting your card back and also receiving fake currency. Then we went to trusty El Dandy for a coffee and headed to the camera oscura. On the way we walk past the lady who had the fit yesterday, she looked ok to us! People try and hustle us, cigars, taxis, someone wants us to buy her wooden box, and another lady approaches us and asks if we have any clothes or presents for her. Unfortunately we don’t have the toothbrushes we brought to give away on us. At the camera oscura we go in the lift up to the rooftop and get a view across Havana, which was absolutely spectacular! Josh got some photos. Then we went into the room with the 360* telescopic periscope lens, and a lady working there gave us a tour of Havana through it, it was so cool, she explained what all the buildings we have been walking past over the last few days are.

Demonstration - Camera Oscura

We came back down, and went to the panederia on our way home, this time getting a healthy 13 bread rolls for 1CUC (instead of 4 for 2CUC on the first day!) Maybe we are getting used to things now! We head home and have last nights aubergine left overs and granny gives us coffee. Josh does some photo editing and I have a little nap. We do some more hand washing on the roof terrace and then as we hang our clothes up the tropical rain arrives again, and doesn’t stop falling from the sky all night! We had planned on heading out for dinner but with the rainfall we stay in and play cards on the bed. Granny makes us dinner instead which is an absolute result – rice, black beans, chicken and plantain and we all sit down at the table together to eat it. I dig out a little chocolate bar that I had brought from England and we all share it for afters. I think it is well received! From what we have experienced it is very difficult to find any snacks in Cuba.

Having our fill!

Josh and I take a stroll in the evening rain, it is fairly warm and there are still lots of people out and about. We sit down in the lounge with the family and have some chats comparing England and Cuba and then head upstairs, start to pack, and go to bed.