Havana
After breakfast at 7:30. we walked to hotel Arenas Blancas with our little backpack and caught our pre arranged tour bus ( we were just taking the transportation portion) back to Havana. We sat in the very front seat and our guide shared lots of interesting information. Cubans can only have one house but later we were told that if it is in the city, thy can have one in the country. Toilet paper in Cuba is made from by product of sugar cane. (hence sweet paper) They must be able to document by receipt what they have in their homes so there is no chance of hiding extra money through purchases. Cuba has 11 provinces, 32 km at its narrowest, Venezuela is there major trading partner. The Royal palm is Cubas' national tree and the entire palm is used, the red fruit to feed he pigs, the centre of the trunk to make brooms, the leaves for palapa roofs, wood for houses and one part for wraping cigars.
Also that multi generations of family tend to live together.
We arrived back in Havana from Veradero and went to our previous Casa Particular. WE knew that they were booked but as they promised , found us an apartment with someone they knew. The young woman down the street was waiting for the return of a couple from Borgoine France to arrive to pick up their things, whom we met. We left our bag there and and returned at 4 pm where she was just finishing cleaning up. It is a total apartment with a comfortable bed, very spartan of course. She said that this was her job to manage it and that she and her mom had bought it. When we asked her about the elderly in Cuba, she said that they ar given accommodation and 2 meals a day, and that Cubans receive monthly rations of beans and rice for a very inexpensive price. ( we had seen rice patties as we travelled by bus.
While we had been waiting for the apartment we went to the museum of Anthropology and we had a good tour of things that had been dug up like bottles, ceramics and saw frescos on the wall that had been exposed under layers of plaster. Then we went to the Museum de la Revolution and saw many photographs and artifacts. Up the marble staircase there were many bullet holes where they entered to attempt to assent Battista ( the dictator supported by the American government) Under his dictatorship. many Cubans were tortured, lost their lives, as well as suffering abject poverty. Fidel, Raul, Che, and others took power in 1959 after fighting against Batista from 1954 to to the end of 1958. When they finally won, the Americans tried to intervene again and tried to take away the success of the revolution and encourage them to install an interim government. The Bay of Pigs was in 1962 where we saw the tank that was used against the Americans who were supporting a group of dissidents from Cuba.
Che is revered in Cuba and is face is on everything. After he was made a Cuban citizen by Fidel ( he was a wealthy Doctor from Argentina) he served in important governmental posts for a few years until he left for Bolivia to fight. It is said that after he was wounded there, he was killed by the CIA. After that we went to the Rum Museum and learned about the production, getting the molasses from the sugar cane, then fermented and distilled. There are only 8 or 9 cubans that have the recipe and deal with the production. The colour of the rum is related to the oak barrels purchased from Scotland (used whisky barrels) We picked up 2 seven year aged bottles. Then on the way home to our apartment we came across a train. It happened to b Batista's and the first ladies train. There are 2 others in existence, one in the States and one in Mexico. It was very sulubriously appointed. After a short rest we went to Bodequito del Medio for dinner. This is where Earnest Hemingway and the rich and famous in its heyday. They serve Mojitos, and dinner wasn't bad.
The following day we walked to our first Casa Particular where we ate breakfast. There was no hot water or water this morning so we are showerless. We explores the bells Artes Museum and had lunch at a paella restaurant where we listened to a group play Cuban Music. That evening we walked over to the Buena Vista Social Club for dinner and a show. The show was enthusiastic, energetic, talented and involved the audience from many countries to participate.
The streets became almost silent during the night and then crescended with life from bicycles, taxis, bread veers who placed it in a bag and was lifted by road to the balconies above, children playing ball in the streets, elders and others sitting on door stoops, and motorcycles.Life vibrates in the streets. If you visit Cuba, bring things that you think will be useful to the people and it will be heartily welcomed, soap, shampoo, toothpaste, needles, clothes. They put their best out for you in all ways. Beautiful people who don't seem to have any differentiation with skin colour, profession, and they all earn más o menos the same amount of income.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Varadero Cuba
Varadero
The bus/van picked us up at 2:30 and stopped each hour for a washroom / snack break. One of the stops was Che's monument and where he is interred in Santa Clara. We arrived in Varadero with a bit of difficulty finding our casa particular as it was tucked in off the street. The room was a bit of an adjustment. Lets say that most of my friends would not stay but it was clean and the family is lovely. Everything is booked at this time of year. Breakfast was fine and we walked to a Barcelo Hotel where we heard they had internet. They wouldn't sell us a card as they said they didn't have enough for their guests. No toilet seats in the main bathroom that day. We had a card that had 7 minutes remaining so we used that. As we were walking towards the beach, it started to pour rain and thunder. We got absolutely soaked, came back to the casa and changed. After the downpour we took a double decker bus for 5 cucs each, good for the day. Nothing was awe inspiring. There was one 5 star hotel that looked interesting. We tried to buy an internet card at the telephone office but there was a long line. So we abandoned that and came home to get dry and warm. Right now I am feeling why would anyone come here? The people, the old cars, some beaches if the weather is good, Mojito and cigars. We went out for lousy chicken, and decided we can't give a rating today. No eye candy, internet sketchy, terrible food, coldest in years, we've been rained on twice, staying in the 'Oh my God' casa particular and there is no entertainment.
It was very windy all night long and I think it may be time to start a fast as I can't face another meal. Unfortunately we don't have time to explore the other end of the Island ( a long trip) by Guantanamo and the roads aren't as good. Then we walked to the internet store and waited an hour to buy a card. I was told that Cubans are not allowed to buy beef. Only the army and tourists can have beef. Sometimes they can have some if their guests request it and they cook it for you. There is a lady here who has Diabetes and she has to inject insulin 4 times a day. She has to reuse long unsharp needles as there are no tiny ones here available. We walked down 20 long blocks to an Italian restaurant where we had Cuba Libre (rum and coke) and shared a spaghetti. (We were worried that it might be awful but it wasn't too bad. We met 2 couples from Quebec and Ontario who came for dinner hoping it would be better than their all-inclusive. He had half a heart that worked with a built in defibrillator.
We walked back and picked up 2 tubs of ice cream. I can imagine that the Cubans feel trapped with their inability to travel. We have booked our bus back to Havana for tomorrow,we really don't want to spend any more time here. We walked along the beach where the sun sort of came out and the temperature was cool. We ran into the French couple again who were flying back today, feeling disappointed with their experience in Cuba.
The bus/van picked us up at 2:30 and stopped each hour for a washroom / snack break. One of the stops was Che's monument and where he is interred in Santa Clara. We arrived in Varadero with a bit of difficulty finding our casa particular as it was tucked in off the street. The room was a bit of an adjustment. Lets say that most of my friends would not stay but it was clean and the family is lovely. Everything is booked at this time of year. Breakfast was fine and we walked to a Barcelo Hotel where we heard they had internet. They wouldn't sell us a card as they said they didn't have enough for their guests. No toilet seats in the main bathroom that day. We had a card that had 7 minutes remaining so we used that. As we were walking towards the beach, it started to pour rain and thunder. We got absolutely soaked, came back to the casa and changed. After the downpour we took a double decker bus for 5 cucs each, good for the day. Nothing was awe inspiring. There was one 5 star hotel that looked interesting. We tried to buy an internet card at the telephone office but there was a long line. So we abandoned that and came home to get dry and warm. Right now I am feeling why would anyone come here? The people, the old cars, some beaches if the weather is good, Mojito and cigars. We went out for lousy chicken, and decided we can't give a rating today. No eye candy, internet sketchy, terrible food, coldest in years, we've been rained on twice, staying in the 'Oh my God' casa particular and there is no entertainment.
It was very windy all night long and I think it may be time to start a fast as I can't face another meal. Unfortunately we don't have time to explore the other end of the Island ( a long trip) by Guantanamo and the roads aren't as good. Then we walked to the internet store and waited an hour to buy a card. I was told that Cubans are not allowed to buy beef. Only the army and tourists can have beef. Sometimes they can have some if their guests request it and they cook it for you. There is a lady here who has Diabetes and she has to inject insulin 4 times a day. She has to reuse long unsharp needles as there are no tiny ones here available. We walked down 20 long blocks to an Italian restaurant where we had Cuba Libre (rum and coke) and shared a spaghetti. (We were worried that it might be awful but it wasn't too bad. We met 2 couples from Quebec and Ontario who came for dinner hoping it would be better than their all-inclusive. He had half a heart that worked with a built in defibrillator.
We walked back and picked up 2 tubs of ice cream. I can imagine that the Cubans feel trapped with their inability to travel. We have booked our bus back to Havana for tomorrow,we really don't want to spend any more time here. We walked along the beach where the sun sort of came out and the temperature was cool. We ran into the French couple again who were flying back today, feeling disappointed with their experience in Cuba.
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| Catamarans in Veradero |
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| Roger on beach, Varadero |
Cayo Santa Maria
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| The beach 10 minutes away at Hotel Cayo Santa Maria |
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| Blue nosed sword fish by the rocks |
We took the bus to Santa Clara and then along the causeways connecting islands and 52 bridges to Hotel Las Brujas (the witches) on Cayo Santa Maria.White sand and turquoise water. The hotel was the only place we encountered English channel tv stations and guess what we did that evening?
We took a taxi along with a Swiss couple to Hotel Cayo Santa Maria. The beach there was drop dead gorgeous! The agent there was extremely helpful and provided us with a complimentary drink while we waited for her to arrange a bus to Varadero and a casa particular. How I would have loved to stay here but too late, we had already made the arrangements. We drove back to our hotel in a 57 chevy, back to the soapless, dirty tablecloth hotel. ( the tablecloths had not been changed for 3 days) We collected shells on the beach and had our basic chicken or pork dinner except there was no pork.
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| The 50 km causeway into the sea |
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| Turquoise water for the first time in Cuba |
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| Our beach at Las Brujas |
Monday, March 2, 2015
Trinidad
Trinidad
We left the casa at 6:30, barely more than 5 minutes to spare as we didn't get a wake up from our alarm.So we threw ourselves together and made the bus departure to Trinidad.We changed buses in Cienfuegos and it was a nail bitting trip to Trinidad.The bus wasn't as nice the road narrow and the driving fast, especially sitting at the back of the bus. When we arrived, we were met by a bicycle and a fellow holding up our name.We loaded the bike seat up with our luggage as well as the luggage of a french couple from Bourgogne, France who were staying next door. She and I took turns riding the bike to the house for a lark. After checking in to Casa Yamluis, we went to the internet shop one street away ( the telephone company) and tried to access our account but could only do it through a google account (we didn't have the number so we couldn't) so we went back to the house to get the info and returned to the internet. There we found out that the world is getting along very well without our interaction. We had a tasty dinner at the house; bean soup, the ubiquitous cucumber and tomato salad this time with shredded cabbage, pork with rice and fries, brochetta and flan, a bottle of white Spanish wine There is SOAP and shampoo in our room too. We went to bed and slept until 9am.
It was a very plentiful breakfast, juice, coffee (very thick) with lots of hot milk, scrambled eggs, real toast with butter and jam, fruit plate with natural yoghurt, cookies, and the cheese and ham with buns that we didn't have room for.
Trinidad is a very nice architectural city from 1850 constructed from the wealth of sugar cane fortunes. It was designated as a UNESCO world heritage site in 1988. It has colonial mansions, French chandeliers, Spanish furniture and Italian frescos. We drank Mojitos, danced Salsa and Rumba to a band at the top of town. That evening we made arrangements at Infotur for an adventure out of town the next day, and took an hour Salsa lesson working on di le nada, espejo and some turns.We went out for dinner in a very nice, small restaurant where a couple were playing, he percussion, she guitar and both singing.
February 14th, Valentines Day. We ate a sumptuous breakfast as usual and a Hyundai Santa Fe picked us up at the house with our guide and a driver. The Taxi belongs to the government. First off we went to Spiriti Sanctus where there is a beautiful vista of the valley where the best sugar cane was grown in the past with mountains in the distance. (Valle de los Ingenios)
Then we went to the Hacienda Iznaga where we walked through the hacienda and climbed a tower on the property, 4 stories high on a wooden ladder.
The story goes that 2 brothers were in love with the same woman so they had a competition to win her. One built a tower more than 40 meters high and the other a well 20 meters deep, so the tower won.
Afterwards we walked in Park Baneo where our guide pointed out 3 birds and we heard the Tocororo but never saw it. (the national bird of Cuba) There were leaves on the ground that you combine with hibiscus flowers (theirs are trees) for coughs, he picked anise leaves, and he cracked some almonds for us. He showed us some different fruit, a 200 year old mahogany tree, (they are protected) and 3 lovely cascading waterfalls into the water that we swam in.it was deliciously refreshing.
We stopped for lunch that had been pre arranged with a local potato that was a bit starchy, black beens and rice, chicken and pork, tomato and cucumber salad and local beer. There were horse carts everywhere, trucks filled with people and bicycles everywhere. Tomorrow we leave for Cayo Santa Maria.
We left the casa at 6:30, barely more than 5 minutes to spare as we didn't get a wake up from our alarm.So we threw ourselves together and made the bus departure to Trinidad.We changed buses in Cienfuegos and it was a nail bitting trip to Trinidad.The bus wasn't as nice the road narrow and the driving fast, especially sitting at the back of the bus. When we arrived, we were met by a bicycle and a fellow holding up our name.We loaded the bike seat up with our luggage as well as the luggage of a french couple from Bourgogne, France who were staying next door. She and I took turns riding the bike to the house for a lark. After checking in to Casa Yamluis, we went to the internet shop one street away ( the telephone company) and tried to access our account but could only do it through a google account (we didn't have the number so we couldn't) so we went back to the house to get the info and returned to the internet. There we found out that the world is getting along very well without our interaction. We had a tasty dinner at the house; bean soup, the ubiquitous cucumber and tomato salad this time with shredded cabbage, pork with rice and fries, brochetta and flan, a bottle of white Spanish wine There is SOAP and shampoo in our room too. We went to bed and slept until 9am.
It was a very plentiful breakfast, juice, coffee (very thick) with lots of hot milk, scrambled eggs, real toast with butter and jam, fruit plate with natural yoghurt, cookies, and the cheese and ham with buns that we didn't have room for.
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| Ali arriving at Yamluis hostel |
February 14th, Valentines Day. We ate a sumptuous breakfast as usual and a Hyundai Santa Fe picked us up at the house with our guide and a driver. The Taxi belongs to the government. First off we went to Spiriti Sanctus where there is a beautiful vista of the valley where the best sugar cane was grown in the past with mountains in the distance. (Valle de los Ingenios)
Then we went to the Hacienda Iznaga where we walked through the hacienda and climbed a tower on the property, 4 stories high on a wooden ladder.
The story goes that 2 brothers were in love with the same woman so they had a competition to win her. One built a tower more than 40 meters high and the other a well 20 meters deep, so the tower won.
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| The tower |
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| View of the Hacienda from the tower |
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| Ali swimming |
Afterwards we walked in Park Baneo where our guide pointed out 3 birds and we heard the Tocororo but never saw it. (the national bird of Cuba) There were leaves on the ground that you combine with hibiscus flowers (theirs are trees) for coughs, he picked anise leaves, and he cracked some almonds for us. He showed us some different fruit, a 200 year old mahogany tree, (they are protected) and 3 lovely cascading waterfalls into the water that we swam in.it was deliciously refreshing.
We stopped for lunch that had been pre arranged with a local potato that was a bit starchy, black beens and rice, chicken and pork, tomato and cucumber salad and local beer. There were horse carts everywhere, trucks filled with people and bicycles everywhere. Tomorrow we leave for Cayo Santa Maria.
Viñales Cuba
Viñales
We arrived in Viñales after a 4 hour bus trip. There was' a healthy group of women waiting as we arrived, holding up names for the people they were hosting in their homes, as well as others soliciting travellers that had not pre-
booked. It was quite overwhelming.
Our lovely host Maricela was there waiting for us. All the homes in Viñales appeared to be identical and painted delightfully different colours. We walked with her to her home and then sat on the porch with a refreshing glass of guyaba and papaya juice. Fidel (her husband) arrived on horseback (Cocoloco) and we arranged to go off with him in the morning. We went up on the roof to look at the mountains and Maricela cooked us a great dinner of fried chicken, salad of tomatoes and cucumbers.
to be a lot of poverty.Now things are better. It seems almost every house here does this. It feels very refreshing staying in this lush, mountainous town after Havana. When she answers the phone she says Oye (I'm listening) like the French who say j'écoute. There was a light rain during the night and the temperature is cool and comfortable. The shower head is connected to an electrical wire to heat the water as in Peru. We had a great breakfast, tortilla which is an omelet, fruit, coffee, juice and melted cheese on toast. The cheese is extremely mild and Roger misses his sharp Tillicum. They seem to just have white bread, and toast is not really toast as we know it. Everyone gets around in horse carts, but the ubiquitous antique cars are here if you need a taxi. We headed off down the street with Fidel to pick up the two other horses (Caramello) and rode to a coffee demonstration ( the coffee grows at the
base of the mountains under trees) and a tobacco drying shed and plantations. It was a 4 hour horse adventure. We also went into a cave with another group. We negotiated some very narrow spaces. Sketchy light, lots of opportunity to bump your head and fairly exciting. One lady was a little too wide for the experience. I barely squeezed through.
We learned that there are 4 grades of leaves on each plant, taking 3 months for the plant o reach maturity, 3 months to dry and the leaves are fermented with honey and vanilla. The centre vein of the leaf was removed while making the cigar as it has the highest concentration of nicotine. The lower grade leaves go in the centre of the cigar, next the highest grade leaf wraps the centre and the third grade which has elastic properties is used to wrap and finish the cigar. Paper is used between to allow it to dry for 2 hours before the final wrap. Then a banana leaf is used as the humidor.
We both tried a few puffs, there was no smell at all! By the time we got back we were both horsed!
The following day we went on a walk by ourselves towards the Maggotes, the mountains near Viñales. We came across a lady who welcomed us into her home. Her family had been tobacco growers for 5 generations. Her Dad had owned the property and when the state took it over he worked it. She took us to the foot of the limestone mountain and showed us where a family from Montreal were climbing. (5.8B difficulty)
Her mom showed us how to roll a cigar and then we shared a few puffs with her. They ferment theirs in guyaba juice, rum and honey.She said they were unable to travel in Cuba, and if visitors wanted to bring something for the people, kitchen items were always welcome, and clothes as they are very expensive for them. And soap! No one seems to have soap. Then we met a farmer who gave us a guyaba and offered us a cup of coffee. We declined as we find it very strong. It would probably throw me into palpitations! The windows have louvers that can be open and closed but no glass.
Then we walked to the top of a hill above Viñales where the La Ermita Hotel was. We took a scenic shot and returned to our Casa. That evening and the one before we went to a club to listen to a Cuban band and the last night we went to the cultural centre where we watched a show and danced salsa. We really enjoyed our stay here. And our hosts were GREAT. Casa Fidel y Maricelys
Calle Salvador Cisneros int #11A, It is a tourist destination from Havana for the natural beauty in a National Park. The town is comfortable, clean, quaint mode of transportation, the homes are colourful and most people here host travellers which allows them to live more comfortably. Transportation is by old cars, motorcycles, bicycles, horses with or without carts, and of course Chinese tourist buses that transport the likes of us from place to place within the country. There isn't really much to buy as a tourist, except for Rum and cigars. Our family here have 5 bird cages with birds that sing beautifully. Clothes are hand washed and hung out to dry. It costs 25 cucs a night accommodation, 4 cucs each for a hearty breakfast, and 8 cucs each for dinner. We feel like we are living in 1961.
We arrived in Viñales after a 4 hour bus trip. There was' a healthy group of women waiting as we arrived, holding up names for the people they were hosting in their homes, as well as others soliciting travellers that had not pre-
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| Maricela and Fidels Home |
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| Fidel outside arriving by horse |
Our lovely host Maricela was there waiting for us. All the homes in Viñales appeared to be identical and painted delightfully different colours. We walked with her to her home and then sat on the porch with a refreshing glass of guyaba and papaya juice. Fidel (her husband) arrived on horseback (Cocoloco) and we arranged to go off with him in the morning. We went up on the roof to look at the mountains and Maricela cooked us a great dinner of fried chicken, salad of tomatoes and cucumbers.
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| Our bedroom with bedspread popular in the 1960's |
and noodle soup. There looks to be some nice restaurants in town but we have arranged to eat here. There has been about 20 years of casa particulars here. Marcelo said that before this there used
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| Oxen pulling wagon |
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| Main mode of transportation |
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| On the way to pick up the horses with Fidel |
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| Selling Garlic |
We learned that there are 4 grades of leaves on each plant, taking 3 months for the plant o reach maturity, 3 months to dry and the leaves are fermented with honey and vanilla. The centre vein of the leaf was removed while making the cigar as it has the highest concentration of nicotine. The lower grade leaves go in the centre of the cigar, next the highest grade leaf wraps the centre and the third grade which has elastic properties is used to wrap and finish the cigar. Paper is used between to allow it to dry for 2 hours before the final wrap. Then a banana leaf is used as the humidor.
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| Ali on horseback |
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| That's quite the cigar for a guy who doesn't smoke! Cuban size |
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| Tobacco field and drying Barn |
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| Beautiful landscape with tobacco fields |
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| Drying Tobacco inside |
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| Drying Tobacco outside |
Her mom showed us how to roll a cigar and then we shared a few puffs with her. They ferment theirs in guyaba juice, rum and honey.She said they were unable to travel in Cuba, and if visitors wanted to bring something for the people, kitchen items were always welcome, and clothes as they are very expensive for them. And soap! No one seems to have soap. Then we met a farmer who gave us a guyaba and offered us a cup of coffee. We declined as we find it very strong. It would probably throw me into palpitations! The windows have louvers that can be open and closed but no glass.
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| Climbing the Magottes |
Calle Salvador Cisneros int #11A, It is a tourist destination from Havana for the natural beauty in a National Park. The town is comfortable, clean, quaint mode of transportation, the homes are colourful and most people here host travellers which allows them to live more comfortably. Transportation is by old cars, motorcycles, bicycles, horses with or without carts, and of course Chinese tourist buses that transport the likes of us from place to place within the country. There isn't really much to buy as a tourist, except for Rum and cigars. Our family here have 5 bird cages with birds that sing beautifully. Clothes are hand washed and hung out to dry. It costs 25 cucs a night accommodation, 4 cucs each for a hearty breakfast, and 8 cucs each for dinner. We feel like we are living in 1961.
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| Homes in Viñales |
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| Tobacco fields with Maggotes in background |
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| Palm leaves for a new roof installation |
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