Castillo del Morro

Castillo del Morro

Apparently, I forgot to say "hold the ice" at Sia Kara - the cute little Cafe we stopped at for lunch while out scoping out Cuban cigars.  Another Dillard sick as a dog!  For two full days I could barely move, let alone eat or drink anything.  Horrible!  Michael is still not 100% so he is fine staying in bed - but poor Kris and Roger are having to share a space (a small space) with two very ill people.  And it has rained for two days.  Finally, on Tuesday we were able to make it to El Morro.  The fort sits right at the entrance to Havana Harbor.  Built in 1589 in response to raids on the harbor El Morro held tight until 1762 when the fort was captured by the British.  

Killing Field

Michael and Roger tell me that what looks like a waterless moat was actually the "killing field".  Bodies trying to take the fort would collect there for later disposal I presume.  

Interior areas in El Morro

This is really one big fort.  You can see where they rolled things down from the upper levels and all the little cubbies for storing stuff - like cannonballs maybe.  

 That is Havana harbor right behind Michael.  It would be daunting sailing in there with all those cannons pointed right at you.  

Really big fort

Walk up to El Morro

Lighthouse at the fort

 

La Cabana

 

After the capture of El Morro by the British and the eventual return to Spain they were acutely aware of El Morro's vulnerability by land.  So they built La Cabana a sister fort to essentially protect El Morro's backside.  In later years, La Cabana was used to house and torture political prisoners by the Castro brothers.  

1956 Pontiac Super Chief with a continental kit

Great day at El Morro - it was on our bucket list for the trip.  Rainy all day but that did not deter us from hopping in this red convertible for our ride back to Marina Hemingway. Cruising down the Malecon in a red convertible - what could be better.