Thursday, December 8, 2016

Guantanamera...

...guajira Guantanamera.

If you know the lyrics you can hear them as you read them from your screen.

Is there a more swinging melody out there?

The more hip among you will also grasp the connection to José Marti, Cuban hero.

So, this is clearly a lead-in to something...



We have tried to concentrate on the beauty of straight lines, but we have failed.

Particularly when it became clear that the land ahead of us, Colombia, was a land of marinas where visiting yachts were concerned.

I'd love to spend some time in Colombia. But if we're going to have to stay in a marina anyway, and this is our one-and-only (please, god) visit to the Caribbean, then maybe we should go stay in a marina in Cuba instead.

So! I overcame my severe allergy to authority long enough to ask the US Coast Guard, "Mother, may we?" in my sweetest voice. And today we got the answer (above).

So as soon as I finish off these damn research proposals (may they go forth and be fruitful) and finish a few pressing boat jobs (some things never change), we're gonna catch the first thing smokin'.

And we're going north, not west.

Guantanamera, guajira Guantanamera...

3 comments:

  1. Never been to Columbia but have to Cuba and I don't think you'll regret it. Our first visit in 2004 had us vowing never to return because of the bureaucracy..... but we did and each subsequent visit has charmed us. Enjoy your time.

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  2. Hi Mate,

    A few years back I signed onto a boat in Panama bound for los Jardines del Rey and Trinidad in Cuba. Skipper turned out to be a raving right winger and a drunk as well. Final straw was when he fell face first into the spaghetti plate of an adjoining diner while in Gran Cayman --- and didn't even apologize. I was on a plane out of there the next day and never made it to the Forbidden Island. Good on you for deciding to go before Chief Small Hands takes over and rolls up the carpet in an effort to make things just like they used to be.

    You still might want to visit Colombia while following your straight line to the Canal. Just a different Colombia. Providencia, the last high island in the Caribbean with no industrial strength tourism. And 110k to the north is the spookiest place I've ever visited. Quito Suneo Reef. Not a single grain of dry land, wrecked freighters jutting up at 45 degree angles, the ghosts of dead sailors flitting about at night.

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  3. Oh, do enjoy. We've been twice, 97 and 01. Would love to return. You're bound to have interesting experiences. Enjoy a mojito for me--and the music...

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