Trying to remember the ride in Cuba while rolling through Northern Mexico is an exercise designed to confuse and mess up an otherwise plain old blog...It is bad enough that I need to keep reminding myself that I am still in Mexico: the cars and trucks are all brand new, and I passed a Nissan factory yesterday which must have covered 100 acres. Outside of Hermossilo is a huge Ford factory. Sears, Walmart, and all the rest of them are here in droves: I am a character in one of Robert Heinleins' novels: a stranger in a strange land.., although I had today what was probably the most fun riding since Ecuador or Colombia. There were approximately 350 kilometers between Parall and Hermosillo, and the road is set in the high country, with pines creating a forest on each side of the winding and twisty road. Small towns and communities every so often seem to be doing well in the forestry business as well as mining. The nice thing about the ride, in spite of the 38 degree temperature, was that there were more twisties and turnabouts than I have seen for months. I did not have to worry about flatting out my new tires: I think I got Blondy over enough to shave the chicken strips...enough of today: back to Cuba
It was my birthday, so to celebrate, I bought myself some ice-cream,something I hardly ever do...
So I headed off to Austrailia...
these aren't alligators!!
I always wondered how they made charchol: now you know too..
There's a gator...
A bigger one...
The big Mother..
Remember the HU calendar contest, folks... I was heading towards a museum where the Cubans have documented the Bay of Pigs invasion, and their defeat of the counterrevolutionaries trained by the US....
I remember when the Bay of Pigs happened, but I did not realize the size and scope of the invasion force. The Cubans captured over 1100 counterrevolutionaries and held public trials. Their documentation of the invasion, and the tracking of the aircraft out of Nicaragua..
I also found it interesting that the regimental badges of the invasion force had a cross behind the flag of Cuba...
From what I could tell, the Bay of Pigs invasion was a Godsend for the Revolution and for Fidel Castro in particular, as it demonstrated that the enemies of Cuba were real, and the quick action by the home-based militia groups and Fidels' troops reaffirmed the need for vigilance and Solidarity.
This fellow is raking rice, which is laid out on the asphalt for a few kilometers, in order to sun dry..
It seems that these trains were in use in the Sugar Cane industry not so long ago...
It is time to guess the make of the old truck....
Remember the charcol-making pics? Here is the real thing....
On my way to Trinidad...
A nice little farmhouse, with a wonderful garden...
Cuban Kids....
Note the fish on the bike...
This guy was the owner of the fish and the bike. Note his T-shirt: Viva Vancouver Motorcycle Club. Cool dud who ran a dive business. He gave me some good tour tips....
Checked out the beaches near Trinidad...
These are the mountains behind Trinidad, where some counter revolutionaries hid out for a few years....
Stahlratte out in the harbour...
Mothers' Day in Cuba was a holiday, and many people visited the local cemetary and placed flowers on the different graves..
My Mom loved Sunflowers, or at least she put up with getting them every year from her kids...
Memorial to the Cubans killed at the Bay of Pigs invasion...
Entryway to the cemetary at Cienfuegos..
These girls are cleaning the Lions...
With acid, I think...
The boss lady had to do the Lions' balls....
This bike was something else...the owner had fabbed up a fuel tank and it looked like he was running a small 50cc engine.
He was running ape hangers...
Check out the wheels: ever seen so many spokes??
Those red trees are red, eh?
The engine is from a Russian Lada...
Up, Up, and away...
Safely tied down for the voyage..
Tracks...
Say, isn't that the same sniffer dog that we had on board in Santiago de Cuba?? I wonder if he does all of Cuba and if he gets extra treats??
He had a buddy who was trained to sniff out explosives...
This is hard work, I think I will lie down next to this cool looking bike...
All of the ship...is sniffed...
"I've got my eye on you, bud. I remember you from somewhere...I'm watching you.."
Nah, she's Canadian, so just scratch some more over here....
"That's a girl.."
"Honest, officer..I don't even smoke cigars "
All right, who sank the boat in the next berth???
Who says it is a little run down?
All right, let's head for Mexico..
Adios Cuba...
Set those sails...
Next stop, Isla Mujeres...
