Search for the Big Ball of Yarn

April 22, 2016 We left our bungalow and Santa Clara and began our journey to Camaguey. (Pronounced Camma-way)

Another long drive on rough roads.

Underpass art

Tobacco Wagon

“This is a battle of people’s ideas”

Very common transportation as two worlds meet.

Waiting for a ride, again.

In Cuba, we’re all equal…..

Then there’s the “more equal”…..

After lunch…….

…and it wouldn’t be a meal with a mojito!

But watch your step when you leave

Then we went to the Martha Jimenez art studio. She is an amazing woman/artist. I bought one of her sewing machine art pieces (surprise!). The sewing machine ‘is special to Martha because it is the way women around the world make money.’ Also she remembers her mother sewing a lot when she was young. Martha signed the back of my art piece. I showed her my passport so she could write my name. “Geneva Alberta y Carroll” Martha doesn’t speak English however we had no problem communicating. She is one of the most famous Cuban female artists. Her work was been shown all over the world and she does get to travel with her artwork. A rare treat for a Cuban artist. Martha is a very special person.

Sometimes you find an interesting artist, and if you are lucky you get to meet someone as special as Martha Jiminez!

The Plaza Hotel in Camaguey was very rustic. Not certain how long the elevator had been out of service but by the looks of it possibly since “La Revolucion”, circa 1959. We encountered a huge tropical rain storm on the way to dinner so had to take the bus. But we did get a ride back from dinner on bicitaxis. It was a lot of fun riding a “rattletrap” bike taxi back through the wet dark streets of Camaguey. The bikers play a racing game with each other, grabbing on to be towed, slingshotting off another taxi, etc. It was loads of fun.