For the fortunate few, life isn’t complete without a backpacking trip through Europe. This right of passage is believed to further the maturation process of college students, according to sociologists. Of course, others have opined that copious amounts of alcohol, sun and Amsterdam have something to do with it. Regardless of your purpose, you still have to figure out what to take.

Backpack - Getting In Touch With Your Inner Mule

Obviously, the first critical item is your backpack. While one doesn’t need to buy the $10,000 Himalaya Turbo Pack, you should also avoid the $12 blue light special. So, how do you pick a happy middle ground?

The best method for picking a backpack involves three phone books. Select/swipe/borrow three yellow page books from neighbors/friends/enemies and hit your local sporting goods store. With the books, head to the backpackapalozza section of the store and pick out a few sturdy/cool/outrageous rigs. Stuff the phone books in, adjust the straps and go for a walk. Now break out into a run to simulate future dashes for trains/ ferries/ toilets and make the sales people nervous. These steps should quickly reveal the perfect pack.

Now, you may have read other publications suggesting highly technical ways to select a backpack. Trust me, until you have run for the last ferry from Italy to Greece, you have no idea how to pick a pack. The three phone book test solves this nicely.

What To Take

There are a few mantras that every person should chant before packing for Europe. These chants were developed originally by the little known, Oh-My-Back Monks of Southeast Asia. The “OMB” Monks were known for traveling half way to far off cities, turning around, returning home and then traveling the full way to said cities. Religious experts opined as to the deep metaphysical meaning of such trips. They were later embarrassed when the monks revealed the back and forth nature of the trips was due to forgetting something, often whether they had turned off the iron. Nonetheless, such chants have become the guiding light of experienced backpackers.

Let us slowly and clearly chant together,

“I will pack only that which will not result in me being hunched over like a Sherpa.”

“Remember, I can pick it [(lower voice) toothpaste, book, soap] up over there.”

“I will not stuff thy pack to the point of bursting, for thy damn zippers always break/get snagged/refuse to work.”

“I will learn humility through wearing incredibly wrinkled clothes and shall not bring an iron.”

“I shall bring only one guide book, not one for each country that I MIGHT see.”

“I accept that I will come home wearing something I didn’t take and will have lost/traded/burned much of what I did take.”

For female travelers and, okay, the occasional male,

“I will not bring high heels or a gaggle of make-up.”

Admittedly, chanting these mantras will not bringing you immediate enlightenment. Fret, not. You can always throw items away or send them home in a box to your parents/friends/parole officer. For the resourceful backpacker, it is not unheard of to send particularly smelly/discolored/toxic clothing to an ex-girlfriend/ex-boyfriend/little brother. Follow these practical guidelines and you will soon happily be speaking in a loud voice to make foreigners understand you.

The Evidence

This is the hard part for most travelers to wrap their minds around. You will forget those special moments of your trip when you met the hunk Sven or babe Svenetta from Sweden and had a romantic evening/danced the night away/got arrested in Ios/Ibiza/the airport. Maybe not immediately, but you will eventually forget.

You will also forget or lose the contact information of people you meet, despite meticulously writing it down on the back of a coaster/napkin/your hand in a bar/poetry reading/jail at three in the morning. Surprisingly, said coaster/napkin/hand often survive the night/day/weekend and get deposited in your already trashed backpack. Of course, their presence is often forgotten when you later put a Oktoberfest mug/wet towel/toothbrush in. The extra padding at the bottom of your pack is specifically designed to deal with the decomposing result. Still, the information is gone and so is your future with Sven/Svenetta.

To properly record the magical moments of your trip, you must take a diary or journal. Don’t worry, you can burn it later before you get married/your parents get nosey/you have kids. You want a journal in a water/beer/sweat resistant case. Of course, I prefer a Nomad Travel Journal, but just make sure you take something. When you have some extra time in the bus/train/jail cell, you can record how you got there and the people you met.

Trust me, when you, Sven/Svenetta and your nine children are sitting on the porch 10 years later, you will greatly enjoy reading your journal. Of course, that assumes you didn’t burn it.

Traveling to Disney World with someone who needs an air sickness bag to ride a carousel? Or who doesn’t find whimsy in being tossed about in a spinning teacup? Not to fear. Disney World is actually one of the best places for non-theme park types (yes, they do exist).

Visiting the theme parks in Disney World is an experience that goes far beyond thrill rides. Many of the attractions are not rides at all, but entertainment experiences that you won’t find anywhere else.

Here’s just a small sampling of what you can experience at the Disney theme parks that are not rides in the traditional sense of the term:

Magic Kingdom Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin - take aim at the evil emperor Zurg with your “laser gun” as you travel through outerspace Hall of Presidents - history lesson given by audio-animatronic versions of the U.S. presidents Goofy’s Country Dancing Jamboree - learn country line dancing with Goofy and friends Mickey’s Philharmagic - 3D magical adventure with Mickey, Donald Duck and a host of other characters Share a Dream Come True Parade - held every afternoon at 3:00 pm Wishes fireworks - evening fireworks set to music (check park map for times)

Epcot Spaceship Earth - ride through time as you learn about the history of communications Honey I Shrunk the Audience - 3D theater experience with a few unexpected surprises Living Seas - first rate aquarium and oceanography exhibit World Showcase entertainment - a host of entertainment can be found each day, all of it top notch (consult the park map for times) Illuminations - fireworks and laser spectacular set to music, held at park closing each evening Impressions de France - large screen movie on France and its people The American Adventure - a multi-media telling of American history by Ben Franklin and Mark Twain

Disney MGM Studios Great Movie Ride - ride through sets of some of the most popular movies ever made Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular - stunt show based on the popular movie trilogy Lights! Motors! Action! Extreme Stunt Show - an auto stunt show imported from Disneyland Paris MuppetVision 3D - a funny 3D movie experience with Jim Henson’s puppets Voyage of the Little Mermaid - a live stage version of the classic children’s movie Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Play It! - play along with the game show using a touchpad in front of every seat Fantasmic - an evening fireworks and water show with Mickey overcoming the Disney villains

Animal Kingdom Kilimanjaro Safaris - ride through the savannah and see many animals from Africa and Asia Festival of the Lion King - a theater in the round muscial and stunt show based on the Lion King movie It’s Tough to Be a Bug - fun 3D movie on the life of bugs Flights of Wonder - learn about birds and see some amazing stunts in this live show Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle Parade - held every afternoon at 4:00 pm. Pagnani Forest Exploration Trail - explore a tropical forest’s vegetation and animal life at your own pace

The wise old Chinese catchphrase has a very strong implication; the statement depicted the fact that each & every person accepts an occasion a great deal if it is observed. By the use of video production or videography it’s achievable to film a succession of occasions.

At the present time in various different corporate presentations, video footage is widely employed. By employing video production services it is possible to offer the crucial info to a number of different consumers to help convince them. Video production at the present is utilised for several different tasks; however, numerous short format online video commercials and brand associated presentations are usually created in order to achieve particular company objectives.

Audio video productions are now in fashion & are therefore used in roughly any variety of corporate activity. Creative firms at the outset by & large work with a certain sort of client or a business that looks to produce a short format video, a presentation or an assortment of video clips. The entire work of video production is commonly carried out by a number of freelancers; though there are a select number of good video production agencies around at the moment.

Involvement of music composers, cameraman and script writers are also common when creating audio video presentations. What’s more, marketing companies & public relations firms have recently become involved with many aspects of video production & marketing. Vidify are market leaders in short format corporate video production for small businesses.

With hotel prices soaring and London losing its affordable hotels to demolition and refurbishment as parts of big hotel chains, business travellers are often forced to pay premium prices for a hotel room. Many companies have found a simple and more affordable solution to their housing dilemma - a serviced apartment. Serviced apartments are available for rent through Executive Roomspace. They are cheaper than regular hotel suites and offer the feeling of home to a business traveller who may be weary of yet another standard hotel room in yet another city. Such apartments can be rented from one month and discounts are available for long-term stays.

Charlie McCrow, Managing Director at Executive Roomspace, said that foreigners coming to the UK, for the first time stay in a hotel first of all, but those who have been to the city before, opt for serviced apartments. “Many spend their first two nights in a hotel and later move to an apartment. Renting a short-let for a short term as opposed to staying at a hotel makes a lot of sense because they can be a budget option for business travellers, especially in the face of a looming 30 percent increase in hotel room prices and 100 percent occupancy at the hotels”.

Help is at hand through apartment booking companies such as The Apartment Service, where the benefits of their advice will outweigh any perceived savings of self-booking on-line an apartment and negotiating direct.

The serviced apartment market has emerged as a most cost-effective alternative to hotel accommodation and, at times the only option to consider. High in comfort, low in cost with complete consistency. Three C’s that provide a good benchmark for anyone needing to stay, for whatever length of time, away from home.

Executive Roomspace was founded in 1997 as the first UK-based, branded apartment product. It quickly established itself as the largest UK brand of medium priced corporate apartment accommodation, with over 250 units in 30 locations throughout London and the South.

For further press information, please contact Natalie Wakefield, Marketing Executive at Executive Roomspace, 01934 519 518 or e-mail: nataliew@apartment.co.uk

EXECUTIVE ROOMSPACE 5-6 FRANCIS GROVE WIMBLEDON SW19 4DT

—————————————————————– ————— Notes to Editors: About Executive Roomspace: Since 1997 Executive Roomspace has been the first brand named apartment product amongst regular corporate housing bookers. Aimed at the medium budget with a minimum stay of a month, the ease and flexibility of booking has pushed apartment accommodation as the favoured spacious alternative to the standard hotel.

www.roomspace.com

About Apartment Service: The Apartment Service founded in 1981 as the first UK company to offer a global apartment reservations network for serviced accommodation. Now the largest serviced apartment booking company in Europe, with over seven hundred locations worldwide. For business or leisure.

For stays of a day, a week, a month or a year, serviced apartments offer a spacious, flexible and cost effective alternative to restrictive hotel rooms. With an average saving of 15 - 30% on an equivalent standard hotel. Stays in an apartment can be tailored to suit your location, budget and departure requirements. Although you will receive an extremely professional service, The Apartment Service endeavours to meet all personal requirements.

www.apartmentservice.com

The Mirage was the first mega-resort in Las Vegas. Built by Steve Wynn, who later built Treasure Island, the Bellagio, and Wynn Las Vegas. The Mirage is one of our favorite hotels in Las Vegas.

The Mirage Las Vegas has been working hard to improve the hotel. They’ve added a new dining option — the Carnegie Deli — which offers another casual dining option. Kokomo’s is a great place to get steak or lobster. The California Pizza Kitchen is a great option for visitors on a budget. The flagship restaurant at Mirage Las Vegas is Renoir, which offers fine French cuisine.

The most impressive improvement is the new baccarat and high-stakes blackjack room. All we can say is, WOW! One of the big casino companies finally got something right! This is the most impressive place to play blackjack — anywhere. When the Mirage decided to redesign their high-stakes blackjack and baccarat room, they apparently decided to raise the bar. No other room in Vegas (or anywhere else in the world but Monte Carlo) can hold a candle to this one. The room consists of eight blackjack tables with a bar and lounge. The ultra-hip New York style lounge reminds us more of the lounge at the Hudson Hotel in Manhattan than of a place to play blackjack. If you’re going to Vegas to play blackjack, and you’re willing to play a minimum of $100 per hand, this is your destination. During peak times, several of the tables are bumped up to $300 per hand minimum, but you can almost always find a $100 table. Half the tables are six-deck shoe games, and half are double-deck games dealt by hand.

Mirage also has one of the best pools in Las Vegas. It’s not quite as fancy as Mandalay Bay’s (which has a wave pool and lazy river) and doesn’t have poolside blackjack tables like Wynn Las Vegas, but for those just looking for a nice pool area to relax in, Mirage’s is better than most of the strip hotels in Vegas.

Behind the pool is the dolphin habitat and Siegfried & Roy’s secret garden. Both are worth more than the price of admission. If you like animals, make sure you get to Mirage to check these exhibits out.

The biggest weakness of the Mirage is the quality of the rooms. The suites are fabulous, but if you are staying in a regular hotel deluxe room, they could use a little work. I’m not sure why the Mirage Las Vegas hasn’t spent the money to renovate all of its basic hotel rooms. The ones that have been renovated are nice. The others seem dingy, have low-grade hotel beds and bedding, and have tiny bathrooms. Of course, you probably aren’t planning to spend much time in your room when you go to Las Vegas, so this is a problem that is easily overlooked.

Overall, the Mirage Las Vegas Hotel & Casino is a great option for your stay. The location is great, being near Bellagio, Caesar’s, Harrah’s, Venetian, Treasure Island, and Wynn Las Vegas. Our recommendation is that if you want a great room, stay at Wynn or Bellagio, but even if you do that, make sure to go to Mirage to play blackjack, because you won’t find a better place to play!

Despite Castilian (Or Espaol) being the main language of Spain there are also a number of other languages spoken throughout Spain - many are now recognised officially by the government and regulated by governing bodies to ensure that they remain a part of Spain’s history and diversity.

Euskara Batua (unified Basque)

Definitely the most interesting language in Spain, Euskara is widely spoken throughout the Basque region of Northern Spain. The majority of Basque speakers live in Spain with a smaller percentage living over the border in Pyrenean France. The Basques are a fiercely proud people and have an extremely developed sense of regional identity. Despite having a large amount of political and cultural autonomy, there is still a strong movement for complete independence from Spain and the terrorist group ETA have been terrorising the nation for 30 years in the hunt for complete self rule for the Basque country. The language itself has 600,000 speakers on both sides of the Franco-Spanish border with about 75% of those hailing from the Spanish side. The language has always proved to be something of a mystery to linguists as it has not been proven to be related to any other language. Euskara bears no relationship to the indo-European family of languages which includes all of the other languages of Europe. Some linguists have started to propagate the theory that the language bears a similarity to the Georgian language from the Caucasus region but conclusive proof has yet to be uncovered. The language itself has been standardised over the past couple of decades - being mainly a rural language, Euskara is subject to several regional variations, however a standardised version, Euskara Batua, has been established for use in the media and in schools.

Catalan

A romance language, Catalan is spoken not only in Spain but also in parts of Andorra (where it is the national language), and also in isolated areas of France and Sardinia. There are roughly 4 million speakers worldwide who use it as their first language and probably about the same amount who use it as a second language. As a language it is often said to resemble a cross between French and Spanish, although linguists point out that the language bears more in common with Italian in terms of grammar and syntax. Obviously spoken throughout Catalonia there are also several other dialects of Catalan, most notably Valencian. Many in the “Pai Valencia” still claim it is a separate language and this has been the source of much political and linguistic debate over recent years.

Galician

Lying in the extreme north western tip of Spain, Galicia is one of Spain’s more isolated regions. Yet to be penetrated by mass tourism, the region is subject to some of Spain’s worst weather and is also home to its third largest language. Galician is spoken by 3 million Spaniards in Galicia itself and also in the neighbouring regions of Asturias and Castille-Léon. The language bears strong similarities to Portuguese, a factor that is explained by the close proximity of the region to Portugal. The Portuguese language did in fact develop originally in Galicia and Northern Portugal, before a political split in the 14th century separated the two areas allowing the languages to develop and grow independently of each other. The native Galician will be able to understand most Portuguese - similar vocabulary and word order can be seen across both languages and there is fierce debate once more as to whether they are languages in their own right, or dialects of the same language. Again much of it has to do with the perceived independence of the region that is, in many ways, symbolised by its language. Like Catalan and Euskara, Galician now has an official status and is taught in schools adding weight to the strong social movement to protect and preserve the language.

Real Estate in an area like Punta Cana is hot property. Despite development of the island in recent years, there is still potential for appreciation when purchasing property in such a popular vacation destination.

Punta Cana is among the fastest growing tourist destinations in the entire Caribbean. Because of its explosive growth, it is hard to believe that 35 years ago all one could find in Punta Cana was a tiny adventurer’s hotel and one narrow, dirt road. There was no airport, the hotel didn’t offer the services that are offered today. With roughly 40 hotels, 30,000 rooms, 5 operating golf courses and its own power company, Punta Cana still has the potential for tremendous growth.

Punta Cana is a safe destination known for the warmth of its people and their hospitality. Though a small town, it has all the amenities of a metropolis and is endowed with a moderate tropical climate, beautiful beaches, and luxurious forests.

Many years ago entrepreneurs with great foresight purchased large beach properties at very low prices and today, most of the beachfront property in Bavaro and Punta Cana is owned and occupied by big resort hotels. There are very few beach properties left at relatively high prices, but there are still excellent opportunities for acquiring land with a great potential for growth, considering the pace of urbanization.

Acquiring property in Punta Cana is straightforward, but still, foreigners purchasing property anywhere in the world outside their native countries need to exercise extra caution. One can obtain help from a real estate attorney to get through the process. The government’s only requirement is that the Title Registry Offices keep a record, for statistical purposes, of all purchases made by foreigners.

Apartments in Punta Cana can cost anywhere from $50,000 to $225,000 depending upon the location and type of apartment. Beachfront land costs between $15 per square meter to $200 per square meter.

Now, get out there and hunt them deals down!. Get Wholesale Pool Products Direct To Trade at Salehoo wholesale directories, see how Salehoo can help your business. The fact with my experience is that you do not need a Tax ID or Re-Selling license in order to sell tangible merchandise on the Internet. Read on to find out more about Wholesale Pool Products Direct To Trade and Salehoo Wholesalers. A directory with a good balance has focused on their categories of drop shipper products rather than the quantity. More on Wholesale Pool Products Direct To Trade at Salehoo wholesaler directory.

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Christmas is a magical time to spend with family and every one of us want it to end up being as marvellous as it can possibly can be - a section of festive tradition is possessing a tastefully appointed abode to celebrate the festive season. Sometimes abodes wind-up with trashy decorations and Xmas lights arranged around a wilting X-mas tree. Get on-line have a scan through the John Lewis web site and inject the fizz back into Xmas.

At Xmas time the main feature of nearly every living-rooms is the Christmas tree - carefully draped with X-mas lights, decorations and chocolates, hovering above the many brightly coloured gifts underneath; it’s the most obvious thing nearly all folk focus on when they come-in-to a room, and that is the main reason you will like it to turn out being first class. Perusing the great items currently on display on the John Lewis website could not possibly be made any easier - elementary navigation on the left hand side and at the top of every page makes the whole process of navigating to the specific item you want to buy effortless.

Of course once you have picked out your tree - as well as the ideal Christmas ornaments to accompany it - you will certainly like to choose some complimentary ornaments for the rest of the residence. These Xmas decorations may possibly come in the form of Xmas lights, hanging displays or baubles to name but a scattering. Wading through the X-mas hustle and bustle to pick these Xmas decorations out could well end up turning out to be a significant chore and the additional cost of delivery tacked on by some websites could well turn that ‘great price’ you observe to a product more akin to something you might discover on the high street. Fantastic value Xmas tree lights are available from the John Lewis Website.

Don’t fret - with John Lewis you will not simply negate the unnecessary hustle and bustle of the Xmas crowds by browsing from the relative privacy of your own residence, but you will also obtain free normal home delivery for all items ordered - with next day delivery available to you if you should be in a rush. Not only that but free product returns are also available to you, so you can really shop in confidence. So why not let John Lewis help make this The X-mas season a really special one.

Hotel Havana Libre, Tuesday, April 5, 2005, 7:20 pm

Yesterday I had to sign up for my Spanish course at the University of Havana. The Campus of the University is an astoundingly beautiful collection of classical buildings and a Cuban tank graces the entrance to the library.

At 9 am all the foreign students, about 40 of them, met in the Edificio Varona and we were shepherded by various professors into a very antiquated lecture hall. (By the way, of the 5 or 6 washroom stalls in the women’s bathroom, only 1 or 2 have toilets in them, no toilet seats, and no running water in the sinks. Again a sign of rather run-down infrastructure…)

There they told us about the program, but only in Spanish, which was okay for me, since I speak Spanish, but about half the group was completely lost. We then had to do a quick written placement test to assess our existing Spanish skills and then the bureaucracy began.

We found out that we needed the following documents: - a copy of our passports - an official copy of the hotel guest card and/or a copy of the licence of the private Casa Particular - 200 CUC (Convertible Cuban Pesos) in cash for a 2-week course or more for other courses - 40 CUC for changing our tourist visa to an academic visa (in fiscal stamps which we had to obtain abuot 5 km away) - 2 passport photos - 25 CUC in cash to expedite our academic visa if we are in town for only 2 weeks.

I linked up with a bunch of foreign students and we headed off together on our quest to fulfill the Cuban desire for Burocratismo. We first obtained cash at bank at the Hotel Havana Libre, then got the passport pictures done (to be ready for pickup 3 hours later), then searched for the other bank on Calle 23 that would provide us with the 40CUC stamps for the academic visa. With extremely long lineups everywhere, this took us about 2 or 3 hours.

Then we got really hungry and we were approached by a local “Jinetero” (restaurant tout) who promised us a complete meal with main dish, salad and side dish for 6 or 7 CUC. We walked with him, only to find out that the wait at the Paladar (private restaurant) would be about 45 minutes to even sit down, not including food preparation time.

So we walked up Calle 21 and a private restaurant owner approached us for a meal and we gave in and came inside. It was a beautiful colonial villa, except that the guest room with is obligatory 3 tables and 12 seats was in a dark small dingy room completely without windows.

However, we had a delicious home-cooked meal, I had roasted chicken with rice & beans, salad and a lemon soft drink, all for 8 CUC (about 8 US$). 2 of my student colleagues were from Germany and the other fellow is from Toronto as well, but originally from Poland. We had some great conversations and it was interesting linking up with a bunch of Europeans in Havana.

After a brief rest in the hotel, my friend Pedro again picked me up in the evening and I couldn’t help but tell him about my experience with the Cocotaxi driver yesterday, who had tried to pick me up, despite my clarifications and statements that I was married and not interested in any amorous activities.

Pedro explained that sexual relations in Cuba are a relatively common, easy-going thing and that it is very common for people to link up for quick “meaningful overnight relationships”. He referred to the Cuban people as very “passionate and hot-blooded”, I guess that explains a couple of the advances that I have been receiving so far, particularly since there is also quite a lot of sex tourism where men (and even women) come to Cuba to engage in easily available erotic experiences.

Pedro and I walked through the old town and of course along the Malecon (the seafront boulevard) and saw the beautiful Plaza Vieja and the Plaza de la Catedral where a mass was being held for the passing of Pope John Paul II.

This was very interesting, since Cuba is a Communist / official atheist country and there are much fewer Catholics today than before the Revolution. Actually much of Cuba’s religion is a mixture of Catholicism and Santeria (religious practices of the African slaves). Regardless of religiousness, Cuba has declared a 3-day “duelo nacional” (a national mourning period for the Pope) and the mass was attended by hundreds of people.

Pedro and I then had a nice meal in the “Barrio Chino” (Havana’s Chinatown) for 5.60 CUC (less than US$6) for 2 people and 2 vegetarian meals and soft drinks. After a nice dinner he again flagged down a local private car driver and gave him about 1 CUC for picking us up and dropping us off at my Hotel.

At midnight I dropped into bed, exhausted.

However, at 4 am this morning I awoke with major intestinal problems. Apparently my Chinese meal had not become me so well and I had serious digestive issues emanating from both sides of my body. This morning I realy felt rotten and I ended up using my own medical kit for the first time and took some Immodium.

I was unable to eat breakfast, but I made my way to the university where at 9 am our classes started. Surprisingly the placement test had put me into the level of “perfeccionamiento”, the highest level and the level of Spanish in my class was indeed very high. The class consists of 7 students, a young woman from England, a young female medical student from Denmark, a middle-aged female doctor from Finland, a young male law student from Sweden, a young woman and man from Norway and myself from Austria/Canada.

Obviuosly there is a very heavy Scandinavian slant in my class and it seems everyone in the class is a hobby sociologist, political scientist, environmentalist and historian. We asked some rather tough questions about Cuban life, the political system, the economic hardships, the double economy, the situation of women and blacks in Cuba, machismo and the situation of the environment.

Some of these questions made our female professor feel extremely uncomfortable and it seemed like she was squirming under the barrage of probing political and sociological questions. She got very defensive a few times about the Cuban system and only after we discussed the good and bad aspects of European and Canadian societies did she loosen up a bit and become a bit more open and frank about the real Cuban life. It seems that to this day Cubans have to be very careful about what they say in public.

For example, she frankly admitted that racism still exists in Cuba and to this day it is still a country with a lot of machismo. However, she did not admit that Internet access and access to non-Communist media is forbidden for Cubans, she simply explained it as an economic issue. (Several of my colleagues had heard otherwise in their travels in Cuba, simply that a Cuban is not allowed to have access to the Internet). She also admitted that it is not allowed for Cubans to visit the tourist areas of the Cayos (e.g. Cayo Coco) which is exclusively reserved for tourists and Cubans have no access to that area whatsoever, a definite point of contention among the locals.

Class ended about 1:20 and my upset stomach did not allow me to intake any food. I headed back to my hotel, slept a little and have been on the Internet for the past 2 or so hours (racking up a bill of about $US 20.00 or s0), documenting my trip.

It”ll be a quiet evening tonight since I am trying to settle down my stomach. But I am sure the adventures and the learning will continue tomorrow.