That nice guy Raul

While his older, semi retired brother spends his days locked up somewhere in Havana furiously writing apocalyptic articles about “the blood-thirsty Empire”, Raul Castro has been busy showing off his sensitive, family side.

Castro II has been visiting what the official media describe as sites of historic, economic and military interest in the provinces of Holguin and Granma, in eastern Cuba, where the Castro brothers hail from ... as does this blogger ... but let's move on ...

The newly enthroned president of the Council of State visited an army base and hydraulic works, quizzed local officials about drought prevention programs and then told reporters that everything seemed to be going just dandy in the area but that “we all now need to get to work”.

In fact, Castro II even had time to pay a well-publicised visit to the large estate in the Biran district owned by his Spanish father, where the Castro brothers were born.

The estate, which is now a national shrine to the Castro family, includes the handsomely-preserved big timber family house you see in the photograph above. Yes, the same house Fidel Castro says he threatened to burn to the ground when he was just 11 - all so he could spite his parents.

According to the official media, Raul Castro toured the estate, visited the small school where the Castro children used to be taught by private tutors (of course), and then deposited fresh flowers at the graves of his parents, Lina and Angel.