3.10 - UN PASEO EN DEL PRADO

Now the non Latinos became itchy

And the Urge to escape made them twitchy

From the roof top they'll go

With Ramon to the Prado

Before one of them becomes bitchy

Ok, Ok... we already knew he’s no Wordsworth... and Brutha Earl is working diligently on the Nantucket issue so just deal with it and read on.

  

After post lunch clean up and café all around, the eventual "bringing out the antiques and old pictures" portion of the visit commences as “Expedition Montalvo” breaks up into small groups -
let the oooooing, aaahhhing and squealing begin.   

Along with the arrival of more of the Montalvo clan, picture groups and more tiny chat groups break out, as the cacophony of Spanish and squealing grows faster and louder… By now the non-Latino contingent is starting to feel a tad out-numbered but... help is on the way in the form of Dr.Ramon Collazo, prescient devil that he is...who along with feeling a bit outnumbered himself suggests the Gringo's head out to The Prado for a little leg stretch and escape from all the reunion celebration they couldn't participate in.
SOLD...as they literally bolt for the rickety stairs and breathing room as they head for a Stroll on the Prado.

Paseo del Prado, also known as Paseo Martí, can best be defined in the following links: 

Paseo del Prado, Havana

One Street At a Time, 

Paseo del Prado

CentroHabana and Prado

which are far more in depth than we can describe - Plus it saves space here for more important stuff, like where the cold beer is, how to find Cigars cheap, What time dinner is…

Once on the Prado, we find a mini-arts and crafts show stretching the length of the Paseo, with some really fine paintings and creative offerings, including 

a toaster converted to a CD Player resembling an old 

Gramaphone [kids ask your grandfather what that is] an old French-Phone converted to a 45 rpm Player…[ask him about that too] with sheet music for both as megaphones - but in fact are just whimsical and humorous creations for arts sake.  

And of course, the usual panhandlers, beggers but not thieves… the cops with the dogs make sure that isn’t happening.  As we stroll along, Ramon points out various landmarks and points of interest until we reach Parque Central where there appears to be a very boisterous Political Rally of sorts… Wrong… it is a large group of Baseball aficionados who spend their day, standing in a group arguing, quite belligerently about their favorite team, player, manager, play of the day… Whatever, pretty much like what you might find in an Irish bar near Fenway Park in Chicago… only twice as loud but not as drunk.

Obviously it has been a picture fest on the stroll with Chucky snapping anything and everything as usual, including every car that is older than 1959, which most of them are since time stopped in Cuba on New Years 1959. [more on that later]

Soooo…. Ramon directs the sortie to the roof of the Hotel Inglaterra for more pics from above, with a straight shot down the Prado to the Moro Castle across the bay.  Of course, the spare battery for the Big camera is back in the car and the camera dies at just the wrong time… not to worry… he has the trusty mini digital that he took on the Hutong Ride in Beijing and manages to get some key shots from the roof, and on the way back… it too dies.  Oh wellll [many pics are already on the Picassa Web Album site, with more to follow]

Time to head back, as Prima calls on Chuck’s spare phone that he had unlocked before leaving home and in which he now has Ramon’s SIM card that they loaded up at the airport for such an emergency… which this must be as the girls are in a panic… they never saw us leave.

We hustle back to find even MORE Montalvo’s on the roof now comprising 5 generations.  More hugs, squeals, loud chatter when the announcement is made “Tia wants to Walk the Prado”.  Well, walk is a bit erroneous since she will be in a wheelchair but… you get it.

Now the Long and Painful descent from the roof on the rickety metal stairs, One…Step…At…A…Time with the crew chanting.  “One…Two…Three…Unhh…Cha Cha Cha.” - All…The…Way…Down. 

Only 20 minutes this time for the last ones, Chucky and the boys, to make the street. 

And the trek to the Prado begins once again which now resembles more of a cavalry charge than a stroll as “Expedition Montalvo” heads toward Parque Central and the entrance to Havana Vieja with young and old in tow… which will be the subject of the next post.

Yes, Any, we’re gonna stop at La Floridita for a Daiquiri and Pic with Hemingway….

Stay tuned for the Havana Vieja Tour in the Dark.

Now who brought those cold Bucaneros….

HASTA LUEGO,

Uncle Chuck & The Huffin’ and Puffin’, Pushin’ the Chair

Cuban Lady

Headin' for Tangy Daiquiris, Toasted Yuca Chips & Fine Aged Rum