Cuba

HAL9000

Just back from a fortnight there. If you haven’t been I can thoroughly recommend a visit.

We started off with a walking tour of old Havana which included the obligatory daiquiri or three at Bar Floredita (one of Ernest Hemingway’s drinking spots) and an obligatory mohito (or two) at the Hotel Ambos Mundos (another Hemingway drinking spot). Havana is an endlessly fascinating mix of the old and new coexisting - modern taxis, loads of old American gas-guzzlers, the odd horse and cart, etc. Most of the buildings are old and really not much to look at from the outside, but will have lovely courtyards and the like once you’re inside. Whilst in Havana we also got to see the Buena Vista Social Club performing one evening. Also had a ride in a ‘69 Thunderbird. Havana also feels a lot safer to walk around at night than other Caribbean capitals and the people we met were, without exception, friendly and happy to chat.

Then off to Viñales which is a tobacco growing region. Did a walking tour which included a trip to a farm where the owner grew tobacco and produced cigars. Not being a smoker it didn’t particularly interest me. However it was interesting to see the care, pride, and passion that went into his product.

Next stop was the Bay of Pigs - site of the failed US invasion of Cuba. Small museum there with an old Hawker Sea Fury and assorted tanks, guns, etc, plus some remains from a shot-down US B26. It seems that the invasion (and subsequent embargo) was, apart from the usual fear of a communist neighbour, pretty much driven by a small group of Cuban exiles living in Florida who seem to have an undue amount of influence.

Then Trinidad which has a deserved reputation for its music scene. Every evening local bands perform on the town steps and every band was saw was exceptional. Apparently the majority of musicians in Cuba are classically trained rather than picking up stuff from YouTube or their mates, and it shows.

Next up was the Che Guevara mausoleum at Santa Clara. A very moving experience. My knowledge of the Cuban revolution is very limited but it obviously influences just about every aspect of life there, and the locals regard Che and Fidel as heroes. We saw several locals laying flowers at the Che Guevara statue.

Then back to Havana for another night before catching the bus to Varadero for a few days R and R - at least one of those ‘R’s stands for Rum.

Anyway, a fascinating country and would definitely recommend to anybody that hasn’t been.

Now just need to give my liver a break.

viz

Sounds really excellent and interesting. 

goldtop

I'd echo most of that. It is a spectacular place. Do they still have the two currencies?

Completely f*cked up by its political baggage, and I wonder what the future holds if/when it liberalises.

HAL9000

goldtop said:

I'd echo most of that. It is a spectacular place. Do they still have the two currencies?

Yes, still has two currencies - the Cuban Peso and the Cuban Convertible Peso (for visitors). Essentially a way of ensuring tourists pay more which I don’t have a problem with. Apparently the aim is to have a single currency within the next year or two.

goldtop said:

Completely f*cked up by the US and, to some extent, the USSR.

FTFY.

BigBearKris

Been twice- would love to go back as soon as finances allow. Glad you loved it!

CloudNine

Agreed, it's a great place to visit, stunning beaches too. As long as you are not one of these people that needs that Dubai 7 Star sort of hotel, it's hard to imagine anyone not enjoying it. Havana an absolute must see city. Suppose the food is not generally as good as many other places you could go, but that would be the only negative thing I could say.

jonnyburgo

I was in Havana 20 years ago, full of beggars conmen and prozzies then, quite a few dead dogs lying around in the heat. Probably got asked for money 10 times or more a day. Not from tramps but locals walking alongside with their hands out. And it was deffo not safe after dark, some guys tried to guide us down an alley to rob us and really got the hump when we wouldn’t follow them, we ran to a cop standing in the corner. He couldn’t have been any less interested.

glad you enjoyed it though!

Emp_Fab

I got chatted up in a salsa bar in Havana once.  I was there with my wife & her sister.  We were too scared to get up and dance because all the locals looked like they were professional dancers !  We'd have looked like three David Brents up there.

Anyway - this guy comes up to me and whispers in broken English "Hello, my friend thinks you are very nice" and gestures with his head behind him....  I look over my shoulder to see a guy in his twenties waving at me.

jonnyburgo

Emp_Fab said:

I got chatted up in a salsa bar in Havana once.  I was there with my wife & her sister.  We were too scared to get up and dance because all the locals looked like they were professional dancers !  We'd have looked like three David Brents up there.

Anyway - this guy comes up to me and whispers in broken English "Hello, my friend thinks you are very nice" and gestures with his head behind him....  I look over my shoulder to see a guy in his twenties waving at me.

Well... did you?

goldtop

jonnyburgo said:

I was in Havana 20 years ago, full of beggars conmen and prozzies then, quite a few dead dogs lying around in the heat. Probably got asked for money 10 times or more a day. Not from tramps but locals walking alongside with their hands out. And it was deffo not safe after dark, some guys tried to guide us down an alley to rob us and really got the hump when we wouldn’t follow them, we ran to a cop standing in the corner. He couldn’t have been any less interested.

glad you enjoyed it though!

20 years ago - just after the collapse of the Soviet Union, when the money-supply to Cuba ran out, perhaps? Those were desperate times. Cuba went from being barely-propped-up to SFA almost overnight.

These days, the 'jinterismo' is not shady/dangerous, but the locals are still very needy. Anyone employed in the tourist industry can earn relatively decent money but central control over every job opportunity means there are many people who have almost zero earning power. And for them, jinterismo on the street is the only game in town.

The first time I was guilted into handing over about $20 for baby milk. Most likely a ruse. After that I developed an increasing cynicism. Which is not a great way to spend a holiday, I'll admit.

I still loved the place.

scrumhalf

When the Soviet Union collapsed the average Cuban lost 1/3rd of their bodyweight. Such delicacies as "special steak" were on offer. To you and me that would be better described as baked grapefruit skins.

The problem that Cuba has is that when everything is provided by the state there is little incentive for people to indulge in the limited forms of capitalism that have been permitted.

Chinese money has been pouring in for a few years, and this, combined with the almost inevitable influx of American tourists when the old guard have died, will change the character of the island irreversibly.

In addition to the places mentioned above I would add Santiago de Cuba, the night life was great.

CloudNine

I have been a couple of times, but the first was a family holiday about 15 years ago and my Mum had some idea that the Cuban kids were in great need of pens, coloured pencils, that sort of thing. She was a teacher, and maybe this was some great wisdom dispensed in the Staffroom or something, not sure. Anyway, she took a load in her suitcase and went we went to Havana, proceeded to try and give them to any child she could see whilst we were walking round the streets. The kids looked at her like she was mad, really had absolutely no interest in her stationery at all, much more interested in having our trainers, money, jewellery, whatever else, she couldn't give these things away. Should have seen her face, was hilarious, think they got left in the hotel, for rich tourists kids to colour in with. 

Limehouse_Blues

I had a mémorable trip to Cuba in 99. My first trip outside Europe. At the time I was discovering photography and have fond memories of printing all my photos in the darkroom at university later in the year.

i travelled with 2 mates. We spent 2 weeks in Havana and a week in Trinidad de Cuba. In Havana we stayed a week with Pablo Menendez, from the group Mezcla and we were there at some of their sessions with James Hardway from the U.K. who were recording their album ‘Moors & Christians’. Pablo’s mum was an American socialist who’d fled McCarthyite America and he’d only known Cuba. I remember his place was in a swish part of Havana - Miramar I think, and right by the Iraqi embassy who had a big poster of SH outside! Pablo had an Internet connection and that was a pretty big deal in 1999 Cuba.

for a lad from Stourbridge who’d not been further than France Cuba was an amazing experience. My first week there I can remember sitting on a wooden pier drinking rum from the bottle watching the biggest sun I’d ever seen dip over the horizon and thinking to myself that this was the life.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/sbk21/albums/72157627409522303


https://www.allmusic.com/album/moors-christians-mw0000588244

Nitefly

Great pics there, @Limehouse_Blues - monochrome really seems to suit the subjects.

My cousin met a girl in Havana, ended up (against all advice) married to her.  They had 2 kids.

She cleaned him out, and now she and the kids live in Las Vegas.  C'est la vie...

Limehouse_Blues

Thanks @Nitefly ;

Sorry about your cousin. That's a sad tale.