When I was in Tulum, Mexico, I decided I simply had to go to Cuba. It was never in my original plans, but I was so close, and had heard so many good things, I had to check it out. So I booked my flight and headed out the next day for a very interesting 2 weeks:
1) Havana, Cuba
Day time
During the days in Havana it is really interesting to just wander around the streets and soak up the atmosphere because between the architecture and the people there are plenty of awesome sights. Decaying colonial buildings stand draped in colourful clothing set out to dry, often fluttering above a game of dominoes played on a creaking table, a clutch of cigar-puffing onlookers gathered around... but in particular:
- big open air concert in aid of national children's day, with some good music that just for a second was almost drum n bass
- beautiful cemetery where I met a security guard called Odalys. I misunderstood what she said when she approached, thinking she was saying I didn't have much time before it closed, so I took out my penknife to check the time (it contains my only clock) and she told me she thought I was going to attack her! Despite this unfortunate beginning she took it on herself to show me around the cemetery, telling me all the stories behind the more unusual graves, which was very interesting.
- birthday party for a friend of the family at the casa involved lots of dancing, delicious food, and lots of friendly Cubans to talk to.
- replying that I was from Iceland when approached by hustlers, in order to pre-empt their "I have 3 brothers in London/I speak English with you my friend" lines, and then once being asked to say some things in Icelandic so that they could learn! Having to invent some phrases on the spot, and then remember what I'd said when asked to repeat it was nearly a catastrophe.
- watching kids successfully play "baseball" in the street after dark with just a thin stick, a bottle cap, and limitless energy and enthusiasm.
Night time
- Jazz cafe: with the advantage of zero jet-lag I went out the night I arrived, and this place had some pretty cool music with a strong Caribbean flavour and seriously extended drum solos of literally 5+ minutes that somehow managed to never get boring!
- Salsa/reggaeton clubbing with other travellers I met (reggaeton being a kind of latino fusion of hip hop and ragga): a very interesting experience, and very different to clubbing in the UK, although the darkened room and overpriced drinks were familiar. But Cubans can really dance, and all the girls want to talk/dance with you. Preposterous.
2) Santa Clara Town
- Fantastic live music by a female singer of about 50 who absolutely belted out the vocals to an intimate audience of less than 60, nearly all Cuban. She would walk between us and sing right up close to people's faces, completely uninhibited in any way, which is how most Cubans seemed to come across. Just very very cool.
3) Trinidad Colonial Town
- A beautiful place though a bit overrun by tourist groups. When arriving at the bus station there was an enormous scrum of people waiting, all clamouring for your attention, wielding photos of their casa in your face and shouting prices as you try to squeeze between them. It was quite a relaxed place after this though, with some beautiful sunsets. I received 1 vicarious offer of marriage here too, a mother I was chatting to on the street for just 10 minutes saying I should marry her daughter! It wasn't the only time either, I guess they must be pretty desperate to escape!
4) Santiago City
- There were lots of hustlers here. One afternoon I went for a quiet beer and a chance to update my diary in a quiet cafe, and within seconds was joined by 22 year old Jacqueline, whose first words were "buy me a beer", swiftly followed by "take me to England" and "my name is Jacqueline", in that order. This was one of those occasions where speaking Spanish is a definite liability because I couldn't pretend that I didn't understand!
- Watching a baseball game. The second time I have done this, and it confirmed that as a spectator sport it is just completely unparalleled in its utter lack of action and drama. Even lawn bowls seems fizzing with dynamic potential by comparison. Even the scuffle between pitcher and batter was lame. The kids' street version you see in every town was miles better, although admittedly the drumming in the crowd was cool.
5) Baracoa Town
- Carnaval: I arrived just in time for the last of 4 days. Tried the local beer (you have to barge to the front of a heaving scrum with an empty bottle in hand to be filled from a giant vat, most of which were empty by 8pm), there was some really good music, great dancing on display (of course), and a tent where they unveiled a 2-headed turtle and a 3-legged chicken.
- National Park: did a small trip with some people I met and we plucked fresh coconuts from the trees, swam in waterfalls, saw lots of colouful birds and plants, and the smallest type of frog in the world (apparently). And this was the last day of my trip to Cuba, unless you count 20-odd hours of bus ride back to Havana for the flight!
I have prepared a translation guide which may help you should any of you be thinking of going to Cuba, particularly regarding the hustlers:
"Hey amigo" - "give me money"
"Where you from, amigo?" - "give me money"
"What are you looking for?" - "give me money"
"I show you good restaurant/disco/hotel" - "give me money"
"I like your t-shirt/hat/sunglasses" - "give me your t-shirt/hat/sunglasses"
"I'm a good guy" - "give me money"
"It's not far" - "It's far"
"It's easy to find. 1 block there, then 2 across." - "I have absolutely no idea where it is"
"No, you don't have to pay to get in" - "You have to pay to get in"
"Would you like to meet my mother?" - "give me money"
"My casa is very quiet, only 1 block from the centre, private bathroom, 20 for both of you" - "It is surrounded by dogs that bark all night, 5 blocks from the centre, shared bathroom, 20 each, and there is an unfeasibly massive number of mosquitoes at no extra charge"
"You like baseball?" - "give me money"
"Would you like to marry my daughter?" - "Would you like to marry my daughter?"
Don't get me wrong though, it was a great experience in all :)
Cuba
Bookmark this page with: