Viva Cuba

Hey,

I just got back from the much-anticipated holiday and I am full of
excitement and adventurous memories which I'd like to share.... it
might encourage you to go and explore Cuba or any other interesting
country.
Here is my story, read it or ignore it 8-)

Our journey started very traditionally in Havana. This city is full of
old american cars from the 50's, which are randomly being repaired on
every other corner. Small streets, colorful old houses, ladies smoking
huge cuban cigars, local band playing salsa, literally thousands of
primary school kids in purple uniforms.....and it makes this place so
photogenic! I took a tour in a rum factory ( Havana Club) with one
tasting shot included, yummy and also in the tobacco factory (Partagas
- they roll Cohiba's). That was something. Approximately 300 people
rolling every kind of cigars you can think about, almost without
break, one by one, individually... Every day at 1pm they read them
some stories to cheer the employees up. I didn't have an idea how
complicated process of making a cigar it is. From growing the leaves,
dividing them according the size and flavor, choosing the right blend
for the particular type of cigar, style of rolling, which leaf is
going inside, and which outside (which one into the middle), how long
it needs to be pressed, what kind of glue..... bla bla...i guess that
Smokers know the difference. Later on we tried mojito in well-known
Bodeguita del Medio (very crowded but huge, fat bar-attender was quite
charming 8-). First disappointment came when we took a taxi to
Tropicana (=best cabaret ever) and were trying to get inside for 25
bucks (as Lonely Planet says it's possible!). Well, lady at the
entrance desk informed us that the entrance fee is $70 and there is a
mistake in the Book ! ! ! We took a taxi back to our " casa
particular" and never ever trusted The Book again!

Vinales. Small city on the west side of the island known for the
natural beauty - mogotes. Mogotes look like small rocky hills suddenly
growing up from the ground. It is all covered with green palm trees,
and under some of them are hidden caves which I've heard are worth to
see. Heaven for rock-climbers. We rented a scooter to explore the
whole area around, stopped by the divine Playa Jutias with white sand,
crystal clear water - tea temperature and unfortunately very annoying
mosquitos. After hot and sunny day we rode into a tropical storm
(twice!). Fortunately I just scratched my knee while falling down from
the slipping motorbike 8-)))) As I said, it was adventurous 8-)

Traveling in Cuba is not always fun. There are very few buses running
and tourists are allowed to get just into the most expensive ones
(when Cubans are paying for the tickets 24 cuban pesos = $1, tourist
are paying 24 pesos convertibles = $24). Renting a car is more
expensive than in The United States (ok, ok, almost!). For trains you
need to make a reservation few days ago... and you can buy your ticket
just if there are no Cubans wanting to buy one! Cubans are prohibited
to give a lift to foreigners. Few of them are still doing it, but if
you get caught by police (as we did) you are in a trouble... There are
also taxis - called " collectivos", which pick up people on highways
and for few pesos you can get across the island. But... they don't
take tourists. Most of the population is traveling by trucks,
tractors, horse carters, buffalo carters... whatever is running.
So after trying everything mentioned (even overcrowded local buses,
which are just pretending to be buses but in reality they are trucks
with doors on sides.... who was in India would not be surprised by
it), we continued traveling mostly by regular taxi, charging
incredible money for it. We always tried to share it with other
tourist and save some money for evening mojito or freshly caught and
cooked lobster in local families. Btw cuban cuisine is the worst I've
ever tried... at least what they sell on the street... " jamon con
queso por cinco peso" or "pizza con queso" for the same price... yuk!
Local people are trying to make some money for living by approaching
foreigners and inviting them for a lunch or dinner at their house
(illegally of course) and their fish and seafood is on the contrary
very delicious.
I did some snorkeling on Playa Ancon near Trinidad, and also on Playa
Santa Lucia near Camaguey. That was our 10th day on the island and our
budget got veeeeeeery low. Yes, I forgot to mention that we forgot to
withdraw enough money before departure, our american credit cards were
not working because of the american embargo and our only hope, french
credit card, got stucked in the ATM in Havana..... Literally we were
in the stage of starving when just by accident we overheard our mother
tongue - Slovak language. Two Slovak guys and one Cuban guy (who was
15 years ago working in my country so he spoke fluent Slovak as well),
were sitting on the beach. We said hello, and after they get to know
what happened to us, they run to the hotel kitchen (all inclusive, I'm
lovin' it!) and brought us burgers, bananas and some snacks 8-) They
took us for another snorkeling on catamaran and said their goodbye
with $50 so we could buy some food on the way home. My biggest Thanks
to them and I wish I can help somebody in need in the future. I get to
know how it is to get stucked somewhere without money.
Anyway this Cuban-Slovak guy is a fisherman, so he took us to coral
reefs where we could see beautiful colorful fish, orangish, bluish,
even phosphor. Guys, they saw even barracudas and rays . I was not
that brave to follow after hearing the story from the previous day,
when this Cuban guy was hunting a huge turtle and a shark bit one leg
and head off it. He is fearless, he still took the turtle home and
made a lunch from the rest of it...

I was complaining about different prices for locals and for tourist a
lot. Just later on I have realized, that most of the Cubans are
earning as little as $25 a month. That's very little.
It is still very poor country, but at least nobody is starving here.
Government is taking care about the housing, education, health care
and pension. In the same time government takes everything from the
people what would make them little bit richer than others, what would
make their lives more bearable. Well... socialism.... There are no
other billboards in whole country just the ones saying: "Viva Fidel,
80 anos mas", or "Socialismo por siempre" or "Patria o muerte", "Cada
dia una obra mejor", or "Volveran!".

On our way back to States we had a day and a half to spend in Mexico.
Too little for such a country but we used every minute of it. After
visiting a Mayan pyramide in Chichen Itza we spent a night in a
touristy resort near Playa del Carmen. Finally our american cards had
worked, so we even bought ourselves some frozen fruit margaritas,
yummy! I had to try the mexican cuisine..... I ate the special Mayan
lime soup in one blink of the eye, although I guess I was still hungry
and I wouldn't eat it very often. But everything else we tried there
was delicious !!!
One more morning glory at the beach and I was ready to go.... ready to
see my family, after 8 months of being somewhere, doing something....
I am ready to go home. At least for a while.....

But I will definitely update you soon with another traveling fever. I
like it and I enjoy it.

Here are links to some picture:
http://static.flickr.com/82/265961598_c53020e8cb.jpg?v=0
http://static.flickr.com/121/265958839_9ff72c232a.jpg?v=0

I miss you all ! ! !

Viera