Off on the wrong foot in Cuba

Arrived here around noon - the taxi ride from airport revealed a time & place very similar to my early Navy days in Singapore Island - tropical 3rd worldish. Our "Hotel Nacional" is very good, even superb in its heyday!

Had some refreshing drinks in the shade of the veranda while waiting for our room to be ready.

 

Next we went for a walk looking for non-existant 711's to get some drinks - got into a conversation with a big black dude a foot taller than me about getting affordable laundry service, and keeping an eye on him while I was walking (we didn't trust him) I fell down a manhole in the footpath just as Joan yelled watch out Harry!

Walked in bloodied thong for 20 minutes along the Malceon (the sea retaining wall) unsuccessfully looking for access to the sea to bathe a bloodied foot in salt water.

Limped back to the hotel and saw the hotel doctor - $5 and 15 minutes later have dressing applied and will look pot for all footpath holes ion the future!

Come to think this place is very much like old Singapore, back in 1970 I fell into a 7ft storm drain (alcohol induced) and had to walk miles to get out.