Part of the vacation package was a tour by
riverboat. Less than one hour's bus ride away, a clear river reaches the coast at the town
of Matanzas. It's Rio Canimar, and that's our destination of the day. |
![imgp1947.jpg (60319 bytes)](images/Cuba/river%20trip/imgp1947_small.jpg) |
Several boats are waiting for passengers, and here we cast off. |
![imgp1945.jpg (56855 bytes)](images/Cuba/river%20trip/imgp1945_small.jpg) |
We get our own band, and they are quite good - it's just local but it's
not bad and I enjoy it a lot. |
![imgp1978.jpg (58015 bytes)](images/Cuba/river%20trip/imgp1978_small.jpg) |
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![imgp1954.jpg (49734 bytes)](images/Cuba/river%20trip/imgp1954_small.jpg) |
The river here is at sea level, and mangroves line the shores. |
![imgp1952.jpg (43583 bytes)](images/Cuba/river%20trip/imgp1952_small.jpg) |
Tourists dance.... |
![imgp1959.jpg (33107 bytes)](images/Cuba/river%20trip/imgp1959_small.jpg) |
Care to hear the music? Click here |
![imgp1964.jpg (52942 bytes)](images/Cuba/river%20trip/imgp1964_small.jpg) |
...or just watch. |
![imgp1962.jpg (48848 bytes)](images/Cuba/river%20trip/imgp1962_small.jpg) |
Heavy growth lines the shore... |
![imgp1975.jpg (61012 bytes)](images/Cuba/river%20trip/imgp1975_small.jpg) |
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...and vultures glide on the hot rising air currents |
![imgp1976.jpg (19639 bytes)](images/Cuba/river%20trip/imgp1976_small.jpg) |
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The boat's destination is a ranch and mango farm (sorry, the fruit are not
ripe yet)... |
![imgp1983.jpg (64379 bytes)](images/Cuba/river%20trip/imgp1983_small.jpg) |
...where things are explained to us (not that we care much). |
![imgp1989.jpg (84282 bytes)](images/Cuba/river%20trip/imgp1989_small.jpg) |
They've got farm animals such as this horse, and there's a Cuban Trogon in
the tree, the National bird, just visible at the bottom of the picture. |
![imgp1990.jpg (80164 bytes)](images/Cuba/river%20trip/imgp1990_small.jpg) |
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We hop in a row boat and go upstream for an hour by ourselves... |
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![imgp2004.jpg (69589 bytes)](images/Cuba/river%20trip/imgp2004_small.jpg) |
![imgp1998.jpg (90827 bytes)](images/Cuba/river%20trip/imgp1998_small.jpg) |
...to watch flowers and other nature on shore... |
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![imgp2003.jpg (40692 bytes)](images/Cuba/river%20trip/imgp2003_small.jpg) |
![imgp2000.jpg (38916 bytes)](images/Cuba/river%20trip/imgp2000_small.jpg) |
![imgp2001.jpg (107629 bytes)](images/Cuba/river%20trip/imgp2001_small.jpg) |
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....and then return before the boat leaves without us. |
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A last glance back at the bridge: Let's not forget - we are in VCuba,
Fidel's place...! |
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![imgp2007.jpg (39063 bytes)](images/Cuba/river%20trip/imgp2007_small.jpg) |
Finally, we get ready to leave, but not without exchanging addresses... |
![imgp2009.jpg (66186 bytes)](images/Cuba/river%20trip/imgp2009_small.jpg) |
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...while a musical farewell from our band closes the day. |
![imgp2012.jpg (53732 bytes)](images/Cuba/river%20trip/imgp2012_small.jpg) |