La Habana

After nearly a week on the beaches the boys would be close to finish their time in Cuba, I had three more additional days. For the third time I headed back to Havana. On the bus trip we met Catherine from Australia. To make things more interesting, however, for me not surprising anymore, my only access to money- meaning my last plastic card in my wallet, got stolen! Just for what? It´s not like Amazon delivers to Cuba?!

In Havana we stayed in the Centro district this time, which is a little out of the old town but offers a great view on the daily life in Havana. I was so jealous for the guys that they were able to leave the day after! I know this must sound terrible and most folks who were in Cuba, probably do not agree with me. But we kind of were chased by bad luck and unpleasant situations. 
Thanks to Steve’s loan I could survive on a stern diet the last three days in Havana before returning to Mexico. I spend the days editing pictures and watching ‘Entourage’! I think Entourage saved my sanity back then- haha.
One month of Cuba is too much after being spoiled with the diversity of the USA and Mexico. Personal note to myself: Do at least some research in the future! Still I don't want to criticise all of Cuba. Havana is a fantastic place in many ways. The rest is compared to my past travels just not as special. I loved the cars- my friend Koksiu would go mental here! Seeing communism reminded me so much of my early days in Poland. All awesome experiences. I´m glad I’ve seen and experienced it before the lift of the US embargo.
With my last CUC’s I finally got on a cab to the airport and waived a final goodbye to Fidel, Che and Camilo.

Santiago de Cuba Province

The three gringos just stepped out of the bus and already bumped into old friends. In Trinidad we met Khayla and her friend. This time we decided to book a casa ahead so we won´t end up again in an hour hotel. However, Khayla recommended us to stay the next day with their host family after they had left.

Santiago would not offer much more than Havana did before and to be honest, there is not much to report of the city itself. It´s nice, they dance salsa and reggaeton here to, but the food is still terrible. 
What was probably the best experience was the stay with the family that rented out their rooms to us. We would provide the rum and they and their friends would gladly join in. For the first time since I had gotten there I had the feeling to have an honest conversation with Cubans. For once I thought there wouldn't be an angle they work to get some money of us. But as before there always is. We noticed that the half a bottle of our rum would be missing the next day even though we all went at the same time to bed. It’s the little things that make me bitter about Cuba. I understand their situation, but inviting everyone to a night of free drinking and getting robbed the next day is just not right. 

Being fed up by the cities we decided to take a car to get to Playa Santa Lucia on the northern side of the island. Once more we got cheated. I think we paid 200$, being told the trip is extremely far and will take around 7 to 8 hours. We got there in 4 hours! Im sure all of us had different expectations about this place. We got there in the late afternoon and asked in the oldest hotel about prices. The lady would tell us 30$ for a double room with two twin beds. That was acceptable! When we started the check in she told us that this price applies just if two stay in the room and that the third had to take a separate room for another 30$! ‘Ok, thank you we will have a look around then.” Shortly we noticed that the hotels nearby would cost way more, so we got back to our unfriendly receptionist from before. She wouldn't even bother looking at us and then suddenly the power went off and we were sitting in the dark! 
The lady felt insulted by the fact that we dared to go somewhere else and compared prices and would refuse to check us in. Mario, an Austrian that was staying there would try to sleek the situation, but she refused stubbornly to proceed until the power would come up again (no one knows how long that might take). So there we were, sitting in the dark drinking rum once more… I think two hours later the lights went on and she lost her argument not to check us in. Guess what, it took here exactly as much as giving us the key to the rooms. Another fantastic demonstration of Cuban friendliness. 

At this moment we all were fed up with Cuba and aspired a quick return to Mexico, but there is no way to change even your flight. Imagine to call an airline hotline (that lets you in the loop for ages) and pay 2$ for 1min! So we tried to make the best of the time here. Just too funny that in this desperate hour I found my mushroom chocolate that I bought back in Cabo sticking next to my passport! I know everyone knows the stories where someone claims he forgot some weed or something else and took it on a plain. I always thought that this couldn't happen to me, but at this moment I was so happy it did! The ‘magic’ gave us a day of laughter, and Steven even developed skills to revive dead branches! 

Playa Santa Lucia is a nice place to escape a -30C winter in Canada. But for a backpacker this isn't the first choice. Accommodation-wise there is the option with the hotel where we ended up or a couple of all-inclusive resorts down the beach. We just found one restaurant that would serve something else than Cuban pizza. So after three nights we decided to treat ourselves and check in to one of those resorts. The plan was simple, if we pay 60$ a day we have to drink and eat worth the price! I felt set back to the days when I was on vacation with my parents in Playa del Carmen. Yeah I was 15 at the time!

Camagüey Province

Being the third biggest city in Cuba, Camaguey doesn't offer much. It´s interesting since it resembles the true face of Cuba. Tourism isn't a big factor, so you walk around without the usual hassle of people trying to sell you things.

“The old city layout resembles a real maze, with narrow, short streets always turning in a direction or another. After Henry Morgan burned the city in the 17th century, it was designed like a maze so attackers would find it hard to move around inside the city.” That´s pretty much what the guidebook told us and what mad us come here. But believe me, it´s not as maze-like as it sounds! 
Once we got out of the cramped 60’ Chevy we made our attempt to find a cheap accommodation. By chance we walked into this funny looking hotel. The owner, a 70+ old Cuban would at first proudly present us the whole building, including a private room upstairs that includes a Jacuzzi and disco lights. Once the tour was over, we bargained a two-room accommodation for 20CUC each and got straight invited to a shot of Whiskey with the owner.
Of course it occurred to us that this might be as well an hour-hotel, but as long as the sheets were clean we wouldn't mind.

Me and Jack asked a couple of Cubans where there would be a good place to go out. We always got the same answer- Copacabana. We jumped on a rickshaw and drove to this apparent ‘best’ place in town. Once in, it took us not long to realise that all the girls were prostitutes! And here is another sad experience about Cuba. Shortly after this night by talking to a young guy I found out that most of the girls you meet expect you to pay (not just for drinks). And the shocking thing about it is that this goes as well for Cuban guys. 

Sancti Spíritus

After another three days in Havana it was time to make a move eastwards towards Trinidad. This picturesque place is a UNESCO world heritage since 1988 and it deserves the protection. On the day of departure there was still the problem with Jenny. She made the point that she wants to travel the same direction and by being four of us we might as well share the costs of a private ‘Taxi’ instead getting on a bus. Nothing wrong with that, so we hit the road in a tiny Wolga.

nce in Trinidad we just found accommodations that would have doubles. So once more Jenny found a good reason to stick around longer with us- haha! Trinidad has a wonderful old centre with daily entertainment on the main plaza.The downside, it´s just massively packed with tourists! Mostly Europeans and Canadians in an advanced age seem to love this place (or Cuba in general). They roll in by busloads and the locals obviously adjust to this in a negative way. It´s hard to walk the streets without being constantly harassed by vendors and pimps. 

One solution to escape this, is by just leaving the centre. The three of us tried to follow the directions of a guidebook to do a photography walk. After five minutes we got of the tracks and followed our instincts. Thanks to this we saw the true face of Trinidad. Poverty that reminded me of some of the worst places in Asia. Alcoholism is one of the big problems that goes along with exiguity for sure. Since rum is as cheap as water it doesn't help to antagonise the issue. On one picture you see a very drunk guy riding back on his horse from a tavern- drunk driving a lo Cubano.
The four of us went to the main plaza for the night entertainment. After having plenty of rum ourselves the situation with Jenny escalated so far that I was hiding behind some bushes to avoid being spotted by her! 

One day after the dust settled and we we headed towards playa d’Ancon on rental bikes (Steves broke after 10min). Relaxing at the beach gave me the opportunity to clear out things with Jenny. Still she wouldn't understand, but finally accept that she can´t hang with us anymore. A funny memory, but at the time just annoying! 

Before heading for Camaguey, we visited the grand Iznaga estate in the Valley of the Sugar Mills. The tower was built to overview all the slaves working in the sugar cane fields nearby. At the peak of the industry in Cuba there were over fifty sugar cane mills in operation in the three valleys around here, with over 30,000 slaves working in the mills and on the sugar cane plantations that surrounded them.

La Habana

I was looking forward to meet Steven & Jack. Jenny would accompany me back to Havana. As I mentioned before, it´s not very economic to travel on your own in Cuba, so I appreciated her company and the fact to split costs for accommodation.

Havana would give me another chance for a couple of great shots. Prepared with Cuban rum and Cohiba cigars we awaited the boys. But the didn't show up- haha. The next day it turned out that they got driven to the wrong place in Havana and stayed in a different Casa (classic scam). Anyway, once reunited, or partly reunited- because Steve was sick again, we discovered the city once more. With Jack buying my old camera, there where now two picture hunters on the streets of Havana.

The next night we would experience the magnificent Café Teatro Bertol Brecht. This venue offers a unique round stage with local contemporary music. To me it seemed like the hipster place young Cubans go to. The famous Casa de la Musica on the other hand is the place you choose to dance salsa, if you can! 

With a bit of a hangover, I pushed myself to finally see the Museum of the Revolution the next day. Due to weird opening hours, this never worked out before. Unfortunately, the museum isn't too interesting. A couple of pictures, some old guns and just a few translations into English make the visit not really worth the money. 

Back to the topic of Jenny. After the last night things went a bit sketchy. It turned out that Jenny was a bit manipulative and a bigger fight between her and Jack broke out. I tried to make her to understand that from that moment on me and the boys would continue on our own. But sometimes people just don’t want to listen…to be continued, haha!

Pinar del Río Province

Arriving by Viazul bus- the separate and much more expensive bus operator just for tourists and wealthy Cubans, you are welcomed by a crowd of approximately 25 housewives with signs showing their casas. Most tourist felt a bit overwhelmed by that, but in my opinion that gives you a great opportunity to bargain a better price.

I decided to stay at a place that offered the room for 15$ including a breakfast. Vinales is surrounded by limestone mountains and tobacco plantations! I felt set back to Thailand. 
On the second day I rented a bike and started cycling. First visit was the Mural de la Prehistoria. Perhaps the worst tourist attraction in Cuba. In 1961 Fidel Castro visited a beautiful valley a few kilometers west of Viñales. He commissioned that the cliff should be painted with snails, dinosaurs, and a family of cavepersons, in garish colors! 
I continued for another 20km until I got to the St Thomas Caves. There would be a couple of guides waiting in front of the caves and offer tours. I decided to bargain once more and got the extended 3-level tour for 15$. It really paid out due to the fact that it was just me and the guide in one of the probably biggest cave systems I’ve ever seen. On the way back I decided to jump on a truck with two pigs and get a ride back to Vinales.
Talking about caves I remember that there was the Disco Ayala close to Vinales. As the name indicates, this is a disco located in a cave and supposed to be a great place to visit. Unfortunately, it was closed at the time and I had to settle with the Casa de la Musica. 

The Casas de la Musica exists pretty much in every Cuban place. Usually a dancing hall with a lot of amazing salsa dancers and a must while your in Cuba! On the main plaza I met Morgan. We decided to catch up later and go for the fiesta together. 
Well and that´s the place where I met Jenny- the start of a weird story.

Artemisa Province

I had one week on my own until my Aussie friends would arrive. So I decided to head westwards from Havana and make a return to the capitol to catch up with them later. My first stop would be Las Terrazas.

The Irish folks handed me their Lonely Planet Cuba down, and for the first time a guidebook would be very handy to have. The lack of WiFi, or Internet in general, makes you aware how much travelling changed. I used to navigate myself pretty much just by the help of Google Maps, Tripadvisor and so on. On the other hand it was a very positive sensation for me to pull the plug off Facebook and similar things, wasting time the www offers. Also this honestly ridiculous situation when you enter a hostel or cafe and everybody stares at his smart phone or iPad without interacting at all would disappear! Cuba makes you very aware of all that changes in travel behaviour. Don't get me wrong, I count myself definitely into that group of cyber retards!

Sorry, this had to get this off my chest, because once more I'm sitting in a hostel full of travellers and all of us have been staring into these little screens (or a bit bigger in my case) for hours. But back to Cuba! Las Terrazas was a nice contrast to the crowded Havana. Once a deforested area, it suffered from landslides and erosion. With the intervention of the government in the ’70, the hillsides would get banked and shortly after a controlled forestation started. Today this area resembles a recreation area close to Havana. 
I stayed once more in a casa particular named Hospedaje Villa Duque. The rooms had the standard rate of 25$. In the room were two queens sized beds though. It was time to find someone to split at least the costs of accommodation! 
After visiting a coffee plantation and going on a couple of hikes the offer on activities was exhausted and I decided to get to Vinales.

La Habana

So out of the blue I found myself in Havana. You might wonder how that happened? In order to answer that we have to backtrack a bit. While traveling with other people you influence each other a lot in many ways. This applies as well to the route you pick, especially when you meet someone with a similar attitude and the possibility to travel freely without worrying to much about time and destination. So as much as I influenced the Aussies to tag along with me into the centre of Mexico, they influenced me when it came to going to Cuba.

One reason that entirely convinced me to visit Cuba right then was the lifting on the US Embargo with the beginning of March 2015. This gives American companies easier access to this encapsulated country and with that a wind of change surely passes Cuba. I think it will not happen as fast as many people think though. However, it is still satisfying to walk the streets without encountering a McDonalds or Starbucks. 

After the pleasant temperatures of DF (due to high elevation), the heat and humidity of Cuba hit me like a wall. The airport already gave away the first impression of this by-communism-beaten-up island. After two hours of queuing up on immigration, of course without any air-conditioning, it was my turn to enter this country for the next 30 days! 
At this point I guess I have to admit that I didn't do any research at all (except for how to get money!). Well, this isn't a wise thing to do, but sometimes you just have to dive in and experience things unprepared. Or at least that´s what I thought at this moment! After arriving in the old town of Havana, I started to search my first Casa Particular- These are private homes that offer accommodation and usually charge 15-25$ for a room. This turned out to be easier than I thought. After the first one was full, the lady just went to the neighbour and started talking in incomprehensible Cuban Spanish. After five minutes and a phone call a room was found 50m down the street. If you read up on Cuba you will understand this kind of helping behaviour better. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in ’91, the Cuban economy collapsed and starvation would be widespread among the population. Without working together probably even more Cubans would have died from hunger. 

The next day I woke up and started exploring my surroundings. I ended up in the Art Café, sipping an astonishingly good latte. It was the first time since LA that I was on my own again and it honestly felt very strange to me. Next to my table was a group of two Irish couples. I felt the urge to get into a conversation with them but honestly, an uncommon feeling of insecurity overcame me and I was struggling with it badly. After ordering and drinking my first Cuba Libre I relaxed and approached them. It was a smart move because it turned out that they were two days from leaving Cuba and travelled big parts of it. After an extensive interview I had gained most of the necessary knowledge to survive there without being ripped off too badly! 

The next day I met the Irish and we started strolling around the whole Centro Viejo (old town). Picture-wise it would be a bit like India, anywhere you aim your lens at you have a 90% chance of a great shot.
For those who don't know it, I'm Polish and know a fair bit about Communism. So for instance to see stores with shelves that carrying just a single box of soap would catapult me back into my early childhood in Poland. 

For 1CUC, the Peso Convertible witch represents the local currency (1USD is 25CUC), we took the Ferry to Casablanca on the other side of the Havana port. After a short hike we enjoyed the sunset from the Fort. 
Later that night we would be invited by people on the street to their simple house. Unfortunately, the kindness in Cuba towards tourists in my eyes is always attached to further expectations, mostly in form of money. After scooping out some clubs we ended up having a typical celebration on the Malecon (promenade).