Revolution Square and Scuba Diving

Yesterday I took my first of four classes towards getting an IANTD (International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers) Open Water Diver certification. They also have one of the worst website designs of modern times, something straight out of 1996. The only scuba diving experience I've had prior to this was a lesson in Okinawa they we had at the base swimming pool. We skipped the pool this time and went straight to the ocean since Cuba doesn't really have an abundance of pools deep enough to do this sort of thing in. I had a pretty good time and I have the second lesson today when I get off work. Here's a picture of the two other guys that are taking lessons with me. Man, did they give us some ridiculous gear to wear. I felt like I was ready to rumble for the WWE or something in those wetsuits.


The day before that I went with two other guys on a short bike tour of Havana. We peddled a couple miles southeast to Revolution Square and made a loop through the city. That's Jose Marti memorial building you see behind me and the other guy doing the bike salute.


We also went by the Cuban Ministry of the Interior with the outline of Che Guevara on it.


There's a few other sites to see around Havana and at least one museum that I know of that Cubans will permit us to visit. I'll have to plan some routes out so I can go see those soon. Unfortunately anything outside of the city is off limits to us, but I don't know that there's much anyways besides a few tourists resorts. For those of you wondering what it's like to be a diplomat in Cuba, read this. Much of this I wouldn't have told you had you asked me, but since this article is just floating around in public domain I don't see any harm in pointing it out for you.

And for this weekend I have my trip to Miami to see my girlfriend, Andrea. This week has been in stark contrast of last weekend as far as having anything to do goes. Also, doesn't look like I'm going to get come home for another Christmas. Maybe I'll have a turn of luck next year.

The pictures are up and I'll do another post sometime this weekend, enjoy...

More of Nothing

There's not much to report on the Cuban front. This really isn't the most exciting post in the world. Especially with all the restrictions they've placed on us. Needless to say, I have to find something to start doing in my free time around here that doesn't consist of watching DirecTV or sleeping. Although I'm particularly fond of sleeping. There's a scuba shop down the street supposedly and I might have to check that out once I get some decent time off. I've worked everyday since the ball because a few Marines are on leave right now. Tomorrow will be my first day off since then. Maybe by the end of the month I can squeeze in a few lessons towards a scuba certification or something.

December should be pretty laid back since no one is taking much leave during the month. Which surprised me, I figured everyone would try to go home during the winter. I'm contemplating coming home for Christmas since I haven't been home for one in the past 3 years. At the first of the month I'm going to visit my girlfriend, Andrea, in Miami. I'm pretty excited about that, I haven't seen her in 3 months! She just happened to get a job as a nanny in Florida, so that worked out pretty well! That's the only trip I have planned so far.

I'm still not sure why Blogger won't let me post those pics. They're of reasonable filesize so I don't think that's the problem. I think it could be my internet connection at home and at work. If that's the case then there could be a sudden drought of photos in my updates.

Also, I took down the Point Standings on the righthand column. Maybe I'll put it back up when I get to actually see those guys on weekly or even monthly basis. For now in it's place I put my XBox Live gamertag. Feel free to add me to your friends list. I don't have XBox Live yet, but I will sometime in the unforeseeable future. I know its a little presumptuous to make my gamertag Sgt Compton when I'm still a Corporal. But it's really not a matter of if I get promoted but when. Which should be this January depending on a few factors that are completely out of my control.

And Buck, I tried to call you right after you left that comment but I bet you were screening your unknown calls, you turd burglar. :)

Happy 230th Birthday!

Happy 230th birthday to all my fellow Marines out there! For those of you not familiar with the traditions of the Corps, this day in 1775 marks the day the Marine Corps was founded at Tun Tavern in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Each year most Marine Corps units will host a very formal ball to celebrate the birthday. If the unit can't have a ball because they are training or deployed somewhere like Iraq then they have a cake cutting ceremony.


The ball here went extremely well even though it was fairly small. Mostly just people from work came to it since we can't really fraternize with Cubans. Yours truly was on the color guard for the ceremony and we looked sharp! Also, I have pictures from the our birthday ball as well. But, like the pictures from the flood, it might be a while before I can get them posted. For whatever reason Blogger only gives me errors when I try to upload photos. I'm not sure what's going on, but when I figure it out there will be a couple of pics coming.