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Post by Patrick on Feb 25, 2010 11:23:24 GMT
Friend of mine has just spent three or four weeks in Cuba. He's been texting of the 30 o heat, the great music and the lively atmosphere. ......and he sent this this morning. Attachments:
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Post by riotgrrl on Feb 25, 2010 14:23:24 GMT
Take it he has no moral objections to supporting a nasty Commie regime?
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Post by Patrick on Feb 25, 2010 14:29:11 GMT
I think he'd call it a 'fact finding mission' (despite the texts I had concerning beers and hammocks). In the past couple of years he's been to India two or three times, Thailand, Timbuktu and Singapore.
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Post by swl on Feb 25, 2010 19:40:41 GMT
He does know the only way out is by pedalo through shark-infested waters avoiding machine-gun toting Pedros?
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Post by philippa on Feb 25, 2010 21:45:48 GMT
Friend of mine has just spent three or four weeks in Cuba. He's been texting of the 30 o heat, the great music and the lively atmosphere. ......and he sent this this morning. i've always wanted to go to cuba. great music, a 1950's buick and a lively atmosphere - sounds good to me. i always admired castro's valliant stand against domination by the usa. a friend of mine who was in the anc did her military training there. |
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Post by Patrick on Feb 25, 2010 22:48:05 GMT
I'm looking forward to hearing the full details, because "friend" usually goes away with a particular tour company that makes sure the money goes into the local economy, and makes use - where it can - of local services, rather than big named hotels, etc. So aside from all the beer and hammock swinging I hope to hear some bits and pieces about the real Cuba. Another friend went there - and absolutely adored the place - until she fell in love with a Cuban - and it all turned sour - now she won't talk about it.
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Post by Patrick on Feb 25, 2010 22:51:46 GMT
I like this one he sent - not bad for an iphone! Quite atmospheric - though I had to point out (being the proverbial anorak) that the Beetle is probably quite new - Cuba presumably trade with Mexico and of course they still made them there up until 2003. Attachments:
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Post by philippa on Feb 26, 2010 14:42:19 GMT
ahh, maybe best stay away from Cuban lovers, no matter how irresistable.
that's a sweet little beetle. i didn't know that Mexico still produced it as recently as that. i suppose a bit like India that was making (maybe still does?) old classic Brisish motorcycles long after the industry died here.
i saw Celia Cruz once in Brighton many years ago. and thankfully, Ry Cooder who got special dispensation from the Bill Clinton to visit Cuba , brought us a revival of the music with Buena Vista. did you ever see the Wim Wenders film?
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Post by philippa on Feb 26, 2010 15:33:41 GMT
.. usually goes away with a particular tour company that makes sure the money goes into the local economy, and makes use - where it can - of local services, rather than big named hotels, etc. so an ethical holiday to boot.... good for him. |
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Post by Weyland on Feb 26, 2010 15:43:43 GMT
that's a sweet little beetle. i didn't know that Mexico still produced it as recently as that. i suppose a bit like India that was making (maybe still does?) old classic Brisish motorcycles long after the industry died here. Yes, they do still make Royal Enfields. My son (the famous blue-check dancer) is seriously considering buying one. They also made Morris Oxfords long after Morris died. Maybe still do. Most of the taxis in Bollywood films do seem to be Oxfords. |
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Post by Patrick on Feb 26, 2010 16:03:33 GMT
www.hmambassador.com/showroom.aspThey also made our old mid seventies Vauxhall Victor as the "Countessa" right up until 2002. .......and of course the Austin Maestro and Montego are still available in China! Where the Morris Marina was still produced until a short time ago. The Rover SD1 too - but they put a rather rubbish Indian Diesel engine in that which didn't endear itself to anyone.
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Post by Patrick on Feb 26, 2010 16:27:05 GMT
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Post by Weyland on Feb 26, 2010 16:27:25 GMT
.......and of course the Austin Maestro and Montego are still available in China! Where the Morris Marina was still produced until a short time ago. And a couple of VW Passat models. Including this model, which was the best car I ever had. (Not that I like cars much -- prefer vans and motorbikes.) |
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Post by Patrick on Feb 26, 2010 16:32:35 GMT
My brother had the 2.0 five door of that - the 5 cylinder - he loved it The fastest he'd ever got from Tunbridge Wells to Cardiff in that one! (Visiting a girlfriend at weekends) Stonking. It was about six years old but still rock solid.
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Post by Weyland on Feb 26, 2010 17:09:13 GMT
My brother had the 2.0 five door of that - the 5 cylinder - he loved it The fastest he'd ever got from Tunbridge Wells to Cardiff in that one! (Visiting a girlfriend at weekends) Stonking. It was about six years old but still rock solid. I had mine 11 years, and it was two years old when I bought it (it had been a company car -- Yamaha, in Holland). The only problem I ever had with it was a puncture. Couldn't sell it, and tried to give it to a friend of my wife's at the time. But she couldn't afford the insurance. Ended up getting ƒ25 for it from a scrap-yard. The tow-hook alone was worth much more than that, but I was past caring by that time, for various reasons.  |
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Post by housesparrow on Feb 26, 2010 22:13:44 GMT
My deputy manager is off to Madeira tomorrow. Now that will make interesting photos!
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Post by Patrick on Feb 26, 2010 22:27:21 GMT
I had mine 11 years, and it was two years old when I bought it (it had been a company car -- Yamaha, in Holland). The only problem I ever had with it was a puncture. Couldn't sell it, and tried to give it to a friend of my wife's at the time. But she couldn't afford the insurance. Ended up getting ƒ25 for it from a scrap-yard. The tow-hook alone was worth much more than that, but I was past caring by that time, for various reasons. Brother had to sell his 'cos of the petrol it guzzled! Talking of 'things they still make' I have a (don't laugh) fondness for the Jawa 350, Dad had 3 of them, and two CZ's before - despite being 'unsexy' for the mileage he did - Kent to Heathrow and Brentford daily before the M25 for some of it, they were pretty good low revving commuter bikes. The 350 is still made (even through the financial woes of the company and takeover) 'over there' (can't remember which end) but now falls foul of emission regulations to be sold anywhere else. Bit of even more boring trivia - When Ford designed the first "Ka" they intended putting a new, low cost, lightweight 2 stroke engine in it - then the new regs came in and the old Fiesta "Kent" engine got a new lease of life. (I'll shut up now). |
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Post by Patrick on Feb 26, 2010 22:28:17 GMT
My deputy manager is off to Madeira tomorrow. Now that will make interesting photos! Hope s/he takes their wellies! |
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Post by philippa on Feb 26, 2010 23:38:25 GMT
Yes, they do still make Royal Enfields. My son (the famous blue-check dancer) is seriously considering buying one. sigh!!! green green green green green green, green. will he ride it back to the UK? - what a journey that would be. |
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Post by Weyland on Feb 27, 2010 9:22:06 GMT
sigh!!! green green green green green green, green. will he ride it back to the UK? - what a journey that would be. Steady on, Pippa. He only lives across the water, in Noord Holland. You can buy them there, or here. My local caravan dealer sells them as a sideline (anecdote coming up). So that'll be your next birthday present settled, then. Dunno if they make a green green model though. |
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