Day 1: Holguín, Cuba
My first impression of Cuba is the view from the airplane: everything looks very nice and green.
When I first step outside the airplane, I cherish the warm wind, but soon after I realize how hot it really is. I'm not quite sure yet how well I will adjust to this climate - but I definitely like heat better than cold!
The Holguín airport is tiny, and there are long queues for immigration, security screening, and money exchange - but nobody seems to be in a hurry, so it takes quite some time until I'm finally out of the airport.
The taxi I take to the hotel is very old and looks as if it might fall apart at any second. None of the instruments in the taxi work - speed, gas, battery level - all of them are either dead or oscillate wildly. There is one crank for all windows in the car and it has to be removed and plugged in manually for each window.
On the way to the hotel I notice that there are lots of horse carriages sharing the road - even when the road appears to be a highway with two lanes for each direction.
Phone cards are available neither at the airport nor at the hotel, only at one shop in the town center - so it's really late (back in germany) when I finally get to call home to say I've arrived safely. Why on earth didn't I get a german prepaid card with a carrier that has a roaming agreement with cuba?
On my way to the town center I notice that there are quite a few stray cats and dogs roaming around.
I'm pretty nervous that night because I don't know where I'm gonna sleep the next day and because I fear I won't be able to communicate...
My first impression of Cuba is the view from the airplane: everything looks very nice and green.
When I first step outside the airplane, I cherish the warm wind, but soon after I realize how hot it really is. I'm not quite sure yet how well I will adjust to this climate - but I definitely like heat better than cold!
The Holguín airport is tiny, and there are long queues for immigration, security screening, and money exchange - but nobody seems to be in a hurry, so it takes quite some time until I'm finally out of the airport.
The taxi I take to the hotel is very old and looks as if it might fall apart at any second. None of the instruments in the taxi work - speed, gas, battery level - all of them are either dead or oscillate wildly. There is one crank for all windows in the car and it has to be removed and plugged in manually for each window.
On the way to the hotel I notice that there are lots of horse carriages sharing the road - even when the road appears to be a highway with two lanes for each direction.
Phone cards are available neither at the airport nor at the hotel, only at one shop in the town center - so it's really late (back in germany) when I finally get to call home to say I've arrived safely. Why on earth didn't I get a german prepaid card with a carrier that has a roaming agreement with cuba?
On my way to the town center I notice that there are quite a few stray cats and dogs roaming around.
I'm pretty nervous that night because I don't know where I'm gonna sleep the next day and because I fear I won't be able to communicate...
