DESERTER

[MacDuff]

This is my last posting before I desert to go to Cuba. There I am to marry my lady, who I met three years ago and with whom I have been spending two lengthy holidays totalling 10-12 weeks a year - as a teacher, she has good vacations. I return to Canada towards the end of February.

So, as I bask in the tropical climate, consuming Bucanero the quite worthy equivalent of Mythos, I shall give the odd thought to those less fortunate who have to shiver and swear in northern climes. ops:

On behalf of both my wife to be and myself, I wish all the Symi Visitor old lags (select yourselves) a very happy Christmas and a successful 2011. Let's hope it is a good one for this world of ours.

Smile everyone

[sugardens]

CONGRATULATIONS! I hope you have a wonderful wedding and that you and your future wife have a happy life together. Cuba is fantastic. Have to admit to a bit of envy as it's going to be so lovely and hot there and so utterly freezing here!

[maziemoo]

MacDuff as a "self-selected old lag" I'd like to wish you both all the happiness in the world and to let you know that I'm really happy to hear this news I've been secretly hoping, although it's not really my wish to hope, that this would be the eventual outcome.

Much love and happiness to you both for a wonderful life together. x x x

[Kon]

Congratulations to you both ,have a great time Mcduff.

[snoopy2]

Well MacDuff - i am what you might call a new lag but of older vintage in years. What a wonderful new adventure in your life. I wish you and your wife to be every happiness and surely it will be a joyous start to 2011 for you both. Best wishes.

[Kojak]

Congratulations, Macduff.

[Sunshine]

...Congratulations to you both...hope you'll be as happy as us two...

[Joanie]

From one old lag to another, I wish you and your future wife a wonderful life together, congratulations to you both. Have a fabulous time in the sun. Perhaps a picture or two of the event ??

[benedetti]

wonderful news. Wee Jimmy and I got married in 2003 (I think) after a 20 year engagement. It was the best thing he ever did

[MacDuff]

Carmen and I duly married on 12th January. I am now allowed to live with her in our casa and instead of a tourist visa use a migratory one. Living and shopping as if Cuban, using the Cuban peso rather than the tourist Cuban Convertible Currency (CUC) is different. There are 25 pesos to the CUC. A 400 gm loaf Average rates of pay in Cuba being less than 25 pesos per day costs 10 pesos, eggs one peso each and a bunch of small bananas (14), 5 pesos.! Although we married in Trinidad de Cuba, our home is in Artemisa a non tourist town, so when there I am the only non Cuban. BUT, when we returned to Artemisa following the wedding, we had a fiesta complete with whole roast pig. Our guests only drank 12 dozen Buchanero beer, but the consumption of rum was astronomic! As the quantity of alcoholic consumption increased so did the beat of the music, the dancing became almost frenetic! On another day we hosted 45 15 year old students from the school where Carmen teaches. All very neatly turned out in their buff and white school uniforms (strange how socialism in Cuba enforces school uniforms, when I recall fighting for the retention of school uniforms in Hitchin, Hertfordshire when my friend Shirley Williams was Minister of Education and the Labour government was intent on terminating school uniforms). However, large quantities of ice cream
and cake were consumed and then inevitably they too started to dance. FUN! On the last day of my stay, we ate lunch at noon when the temperature was 28C, when some fourteen hours later I arrived at Edmonton, it was -22C. Cultural shock?
I thank you all for the good wishes and wish you a very belated Happy New Year.
P.S. Joanie: I am a computer nerd. But if you tell me how to transfer a couple of pics from my photo album to here, I will try!

[Allan]

Warmest congratulations MacDuff and welcome back.

[quote="MacDuff"]

P.S. Joanie: I am a computer nerd. But if you tell me how to transfer a couple of pics from my photo album to here, I will try!
[/quote]
The simplest way if you don't want to get into nerdy computer stuff is to email the pictures to me at sv_chatpage@symi.eu.com and I'll do the business for you.

[Gemma1]

Congratulations on your wedding, I really enjoyed reading your report as we're considering Cuba as a winter destination for a change from Goa. Will you move to Cuba permanently now that you're married? There's certainly a difference in the temperatures!!

[snoopy2]

All hail to thee MacDuff - congratulations and welcome back. Sounds like it was almost like a heilan' wedding - can go on for days if not weeks. You sound very happy - long may you both be so.

[Joanie]

Welcome back MacDuff, sound like a fantastic wedding and reception you had, glad everything went well for you both. Yes i think its best to email your pics to Alan Its a long time since I put a picture on here and I forgot how to do it. Cant wait to see them

[Allan]

As requested, here are MacDuff's wedding pictures. A bit small I'm afraid.


[img]http://www.symi.eu.com/sv_images/5B01.jpg[/img] [img]http://www.symi.eu.com/sv_images/5B11.jpg[/img] [img]http://www.symi.eu.com/sv_images/5B12.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.symi.eu.com/sv_images/5B13.jpg[/img] [img]http://www.symi.eu.com/sv_images/5B14.jpg[/img] [img]http://www.symi.eu.com/sv_images/5B25.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.symi.eu.com/sv_images/5B26.jpg[/img] [img]http://www.symi.eu.com/sv_images/5B27.jpg[/img] [img]http://www.symi.eu.com/sv_images/5B28.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.symi.eu.com/sv_images/5B38.jpg[/img] [img]http://www.symi.eu.com/sv_images/5B39.jpg[/img] [img]http://www.symi.eu.com/sv_images/5B4A.jpg[/img]

[maziemoo]

lovely photos MacDuff and what a beautiful lady.....I wish you both all the happiness in the world. x

[snoopy2]

You both look very happy - lovely to see your photos. Keep on lovin'

[MacDuff]

Thank you all for the good wishes, I am a fortunate fellow - and thank you Allan for helping this computer nerd! Gemma1, no, my stay in Cuba is limited to three months at a time unless I become a Cuban - NOT! Because of the generation gap it would be foolish for Carmen to immigrate to Canada and all her interests - daughter of 20 studying law, "la familia" which is extensive and in Cuba very important, her 21 year career as a teacher - she has a Master's (Maestria) Degree and indeed the climate. We hope to get a Canadian visa to enable her to spend the summer vacation here and I will commute to Cuba - probably twice per year. However, if you look up my profile you will find my e-mail, and I will happily assist you with advice and guidance upon how to enjoy the best of Cuba, where to go, where to stay, how to get around the country to enable you to absorb the ambience which includes the wonderful music. Virgin I believe fly direct from Gatwick to Varedero, not Havana, but that's O.K. Those who enjoy Symi are unlikely to want to go to a resort of the type that Cuba, Mexico and other Caribbean countries market through the travel agents. This offer is also open to any other Symi Visitor "lags"! One significant difference to beautiful Symi is a total lack of GINGER turkeys. Also there is no web site as Cubans cannot access the Internet. There are ways to e-mail.

[Gemma1]

Lovely pictures and you both look really happy. I'm sure your time apart will make your time together all the more precious .

If we go to Cuba it wouldn't be until 2013 as we've already booked Goa again for next January. Much as I love Greece, I need some winter sunshine to see me through the cold UK winters, and we're considering alternatives to Goa that won't break the bank

[Joanie]

Great Pictures MacDuff, you both look very happy, your new wife is a very beautiful lady. I'm sure you'll manage being apart for a few months of the year, makes it more exiting when you meet again . Have a wonderful life together MacDuff