As the photos start to flow in from our trip to Cuba, I wanted to include this one.

We were having lunch one day at this nifty little bistro in the Plaza de Catedral, in one of the very oldest sections of Havana. They had a band playing off to one side (as they do almost everywhere you go in Cuba), and one of their guys came around selling their CD. I bought one and happened to mention I used to be a professional musician, playing the piano for over 30 years as a way of earning my living. He invited me to get up and jam with them. I protested, saying I wasn’t very proficient in Latin music, but he didn’t care. He pulled me up. When I got there, another guy, obviously not Cuban, was already playing, and kicking some serious ass, I might add. The bandleader shoved me next to him and we started a duet in the context of the Cuban song they were playing.

Well, the guy was great, but as you can see by the photo, he looks like he’d be more at home on the golf course than behind a piano. When it was all over, I asked him if he was a professional player and he replied, “No. I’m a composer.” Translation: I’m a killer fucking heavyweight in the music business. Turns out he wasn’t kidding. He was none other than Charles Fox, who wrote Killing Me Softly, as well as The Love Boat, Happy Days, I Got A Name, Laverne and Shirley, Love American Style, to name just a few.

This was what greeted us at the door to the building on whose roof Yleana and I were married. Notice there really isn’t a problem since most of the wire ends appear to be taped up. Who needs codes?

Here are some more street scenes from this bewitching city.