I finished uploading my collection of pictures focusing on revolutionary slogans in Cuba. They are everywhere in Cuba, and I found them very interesting. Have a look if you like!
Showing posts with label Cuba. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cuba. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Day 30: Habana to Panama
So today I leave Cuba. I don't know if I want to come back someday - it was definitely very interesting, and the diving was superb, but overall I think I felt hustled too frequently to really crave to return soon.
My flight leaves in the late afternoon and goes to Buenos Aires via Panama. I'm scheduled to arrive in Argentina early tomorrow. So that leaves me with half a day in Habana. I decide to first visit the house of birth of José Martí - which turns out to be a bit of a disappointment. The museum has a number of rather boring exhibits - such as the dishes he used, or the cuffs he wore in prison. It doesn't really make an effort to give a coherent account of his life. Instead, it highlights certain aspects or incidents using seemingly random exhibits. Well, I guess not all museums can be top-notch, but I do expect more from a place praised in the travel guide.
Next I went to the Havana Club rum museum. Now this was a lot more interesting. The museum isn't very large, but the English-speaking guide explained all aspects of rum production very well. Did you know that they use old whiskey or bourbon barrels for the ageing process? Apparently that's why rum tastes smoother in comparison with whiskey. I guess it makes sense - the more use a barrel has been put to, the less aroma remains that the wood can give to the liquid in the barrel. The tour included the tasting of a 7 year old rum. I've never really cared much for rum, but it actually tasted quite good. Of course, it doesn't have as much character as whiskey... ;-)
My flight leaves in the late afternoon and goes to Buenos Aires via Panama. I'm scheduled to arrive in Argentina early tomorrow. So that leaves me with half a day in Habana. I decide to first visit the house of birth of José Martí - which turns out to be a bit of a disappointment. The museum has a number of rather boring exhibits - such as the dishes he used, or the cuffs he wore in prison. It doesn't really make an effort to give a coherent account of his life. Instead, it highlights certain aspects or incidents using seemingly random exhibits. Well, I guess not all museums can be top-notch, but I do expect more from a place praised in the travel guide.
Next I went to the Havana Club rum museum. Now this was a lot more interesting. The museum isn't very large, but the English-speaking guide explained all aspects of rum production very well. Did you know that they use old whiskey or bourbon barrels for the ageing process? Apparently that's why rum tastes smoother in comparison with whiskey. I guess it makes sense - the more use a barrel has been put to, the less aroma remains that the wood can give to the liquid in the barrel. The tour included the tasting of a 7 year old rum. I've never really cared much for rum, but it actually tasted quite good. Of course, it doesn't have as much character as whiskey... ;-)
Day 29: Habana
This being my second-to-last day in Cuba, I really have to start writing down all those random observations that are floating around in my mind.
First, I'd like to shed some light on Cuban money. There are two kinds of money in use: Cuban pesos, or moneda nacional, which is what Cubans earn and spend, and convertible pesos, which are used by tourists and for luxury goods. The exchange rate is fixed at 24 Cuban pesos for one convertible. Cuban doctors earn about 500 pesos a month, police about 1000, and regular workers less than that. Now compare this to the price of a pizza at a street stall: 10 Cuban pesos. Or the price of one night in a casa particular: around 20 convertibles, equivalent to 240 Cuban pesos. Of course, for most services, only tourists pay the convertible rates, while Cubans sometimes pay as little as the same amount in Cuban pesos - 24 times less! So, while it's evident that the average Cuban is poor, at least in comparison to the average European, and can really use the money tourists bring in, it's also often hard not to feel like a cow that only exists to be milked for cash as much as possible. And it's also clear why so many Cubans have taken to hustling tourists: if they make as little as one convertible a day, for 20 days a month, they have already earned as much as a doctor - with much less work, and much less education needed.
What has really been getting on my nerves is the lack of Internet access in Cuba. I don't think that this is due to some kind of Internet addiction, however. It's more the reliance on the Internet as a means of communication and information, and the fact that I've been pretty much cut off from both in the past four weeks. No way to quickly look up the bus schedule, or to get the latest news of the world, or of family and friends; no way to share my thoughts or check facts from Cuban history. It made me really aware how much of a digital citizen I've become. This is one of the reasons I'm itching to get to Argentina soon...
Another thing that I found weird in Cuba is the public transportation system. Aside from the long distance buses, which are excellent, I haven't been able to figure out how to use public transport. Apparently, there IS public transportation. I see crowded buses all the time. What is missing, however, is accessible information about it. Which buses are there? Which routes do they serve? What are the timetables, even if only approximately? Public transport clearly involves more than just providing the means of transportation - something that I've only just realized. I wonder how the Cubans know about it. Maybe it's handed down from generation to generation?
What I really miss when shopping is variety. Every shop has exactly the same selection of goods; for example, there is one brand of soda, one type of cheese, and three types of toothpaste. Big supermarkets differ from small ones only in the quantity of items that are displayed for each type. In addition, supermarkets are not really supermarkets in the sense that they offer all types of goods. For example, they don't sell eggs, bread, fruits or vegetables. For these, you have to find specialized shops or farmers markets. I have to say, I look forward to being blown away by capitalist supermarkets in Buenos Aires ;-)
Now, enough with the things-that-are-weird-in-Cuba rant. In the morning, I hopped on to the open-top tourist bus that covers most of Habana's areas of interest. In particular, I wanted to visit the Necrópolis de Cristóbal Colón - allegedly the biggest cemetery in the Americas. The cemetery is a huge sea of white marble tombs, and contains several monuments relating to the Cuban revolution or its fight for independence.
The one I liked best was this monument to firefighters:
In the afternoon I visited the Museo de Chocolate - which is just a euphemism for saying I went to a cafe and feasted on hot chocolate. They did have a few exhibits related to chocolate-making, but the term museum was hardly deserved. The chocolate was really amazing though, rich and creamy and delicious - no wonder there was a queue of people waiting to be seated outside :-)
First, I'd like to shed some light on Cuban money. There are two kinds of money in use: Cuban pesos, or moneda nacional, which is what Cubans earn and spend, and convertible pesos, which are used by tourists and for luxury goods. The exchange rate is fixed at 24 Cuban pesos for one convertible. Cuban doctors earn about 500 pesos a month, police about 1000, and regular workers less than that. Now compare this to the price of a pizza at a street stall: 10 Cuban pesos. Or the price of one night in a casa particular: around 20 convertibles, equivalent to 240 Cuban pesos. Of course, for most services, only tourists pay the convertible rates, while Cubans sometimes pay as little as the same amount in Cuban pesos - 24 times less! So, while it's evident that the average Cuban is poor, at least in comparison to the average European, and can really use the money tourists bring in, it's also often hard not to feel like a cow that only exists to be milked for cash as much as possible. And it's also clear why so many Cubans have taken to hustling tourists: if they make as little as one convertible a day, for 20 days a month, they have already earned as much as a doctor - with much less work, and much less education needed.
What has really been getting on my nerves is the lack of Internet access in Cuba. I don't think that this is due to some kind of Internet addiction, however. It's more the reliance on the Internet as a means of communication and information, and the fact that I've been pretty much cut off from both in the past four weeks. No way to quickly look up the bus schedule, or to get the latest news of the world, or of family and friends; no way to share my thoughts or check facts from Cuban history. It made me really aware how much of a digital citizen I've become. This is one of the reasons I'm itching to get to Argentina soon...
Another thing that I found weird in Cuba is the public transportation system. Aside from the long distance buses, which are excellent, I haven't been able to figure out how to use public transport. Apparently, there IS public transportation. I see crowded buses all the time. What is missing, however, is accessible information about it. Which buses are there? Which routes do they serve? What are the timetables, even if only approximately? Public transport clearly involves more than just providing the means of transportation - something that I've only just realized. I wonder how the Cubans know about it. Maybe it's handed down from generation to generation?
What I really miss when shopping is variety. Every shop has exactly the same selection of goods; for example, there is one brand of soda, one type of cheese, and three types of toothpaste. Big supermarkets differ from small ones only in the quantity of items that are displayed for each type. In addition, supermarkets are not really supermarkets in the sense that they offer all types of goods. For example, they don't sell eggs, bread, fruits or vegetables. For these, you have to find specialized shops or farmers markets. I have to say, I look forward to being blown away by capitalist supermarkets in Buenos Aires ;-)
Now, enough with the things-that-are-weird-in-Cuba rant. In the morning, I hopped on to the open-top tourist bus that covers most of Habana's areas of interest. In particular, I wanted to visit the Necrópolis de Cristóbal Colón - allegedly the biggest cemetery in the Americas. The cemetery is a huge sea of white marble tombs, and contains several monuments relating to the Cuban revolution or its fight for independence.
The one I liked best was this monument to firefighters:
In the afternoon I visited the Museo de Chocolate - which is just a euphemism for saying I went to a cafe and feasted on hot chocolate. They did have a few exhibits related to chocolate-making, but the term museum was hardly deserved. The chocolate was really amazing though, rich and creamy and delicious - no wonder there was a queue of people waiting to be seated outside :-)
Day 28: Back to Habana
One of the things that I really enjoy here in Cuba is having a Spanish name. Officials at bus stations, some museums, and for all kinds of reservations ask for a name to put down in their lists. I tried only once to give them my last name - the lady had me spell it, but gave up after the third character... Since then, I've been using my Spanish first name. Everybody seems to be happy and relieved that they know how to pronounce and spell the name (correctly, by the way, which is more than most Germans have been able to do). They also remember it very well which is great because otherwise they address female tourists as "lady" - which I can't stand because it's what all the hustlers use ;-)
After I arrived in Habana, I called Copa airlines to change my flight to Buenos Aires to November 17th - the last date I can leave without having to extend my visa. With this change, I also canceled my participation in the Habana marathon. This was a really tough decision, I would have loved to compete! But Habana does have a problem with air pollution - I'll just mention the black clouds emitted by many cars and all trucks - and I think it's not the most healthy thing to run in this environment. In addition, I haven't been able to train adequately. I've done a bit of serious training, and lots of walking - I'd guess around 10 to 15 km per day. The problem with all the walking is that it is tiring and therefore prevents real training, but in itself it doesn't really contribute to the level of fitness needed for a marathon. I guess I could have tried to run it anyway, maybe even finished, but I do want competitions to be pleasurable experiences, and for that I need a proper preparation. So unfortunately my marathon debut will have to wait for a while.
In the afternoon, I went to visit the Cuban art exhibitions in the Museo de Bellas Artes. What I liked most were those pieces of modern art that use different techniques and materials and protrude from the 2D canvas in some way. There were even some pieces that - at least in my eyes - managed to subtly question the socialist revolution, such as one that simply spelled the word Revolución using everyday worn and faded materials.
After I arrived in Habana, I called Copa airlines to change my flight to Buenos Aires to November 17th - the last date I can leave without having to extend my visa. With this change, I also canceled my participation in the Habana marathon. This was a really tough decision, I would have loved to compete! But Habana does have a problem with air pollution - I'll just mention the black clouds emitted by many cars and all trucks - and I think it's not the most healthy thing to run in this environment. In addition, I haven't been able to train adequately. I've done a bit of serious training, and lots of walking - I'd guess around 10 to 15 km per day. The problem with all the walking is that it is tiring and therefore prevents real training, but in itself it doesn't really contribute to the level of fitness needed for a marathon. I guess I could have tried to run it anyway, maybe even finished, but I do want competitions to be pleasurable experiences, and for that I need a proper preparation. So unfortunately my marathon debut will have to wait for a while.
In the afternoon, I went to visit the Cuban art exhibitions in the Museo de Bellas Artes. What I liked most were those pieces of modern art that use different techniques and materials and protrude from the 2D canvas in some way. There were even some pieces that - at least in my eyes - managed to subtly question the socialist revolution, such as one that simply spelled the word Revolución using everyday worn and faded materials.
Day 26: Viñales
The valley of Viñales is a world heritage site famous for its curiously shaped hills, called Mogotes.
The town itself is tiny, barely more than a village. The only sight I've been able to find is the church that has greenery growing on its tower:
But of course, nature is the real attraction here. I rented a bicycle for the day - the valley is too big to explore on foot. I have to say, the trip to Viñales was definitely worth it. Just have a look at this gorgeous landscape:
And of course, sitting on a bike again was also great - even if it wasn't as nice as my own ;-)
The town itself is tiny, barely more than a village. The only sight I've been able to find is the church that has greenery growing on its tower:
But of course, nature is the real attraction here. I rented a bicycle for the day - the valley is too big to explore on foot. I have to say, the trip to Viñales was definitely worth it. Just have a look at this gorgeous landscape:
And of course, sitting on a bike again was also great - even if it wasn't as nice as my own ;-)
Day 27: María la Gorda
Today I went on a day trip to María la Gorda. My diving school in Germany had recommended this place as one of the top diving spots in Cuba. Originally, I intended to stay there for a couple of nights, but since the hotel prices have just switched to high season and the travel agency said it would be possible to go there, do two dives, and return all in one day, that's what I did.
There weren't many people going from Viñales to María la Gorda, so the travel agency provided a taxi instead of a bus. Sitting in the front seat gave me a prime spot to observe the state of Cuban roads.
On the way there, I initially thought that the roads were quite bad: uneven, no markings, some potholes. But then the roads kept getting worse. Towards the end, the road consisted to nearly 100% of potholes, some 20 or 30 cm deep, and the driver kept trying to slalom his way around.
The sun was already setting when we started our three-hour drive back. The darkness revealed another dimension of driving in Cuba. The roads are used not only by cars and trucks, but are shared with lots and lots of unlit traffic: pedestrians, bicycles, horse carts, and the occasional car or motorcycle without taillights. This didn't pose a problem when there was no oncoming traffic. But the slightly blinding headlights of oncoming vehicles blocked all unlit objects from view. This resulted in the driver hitting the brakes every time another vehicle approached, and accelerating again once it had passed. Luckily, there wasn't that much (lit) traffic - I'd guess one car per kilometer, maybe slightly more.
The dive center at María la Gorda was the most expensive and least well-maintained one I'd seen so far. They charged extra for equipment rental - which none of the other centers had - and the equipment was rather old and really worn down. During the first dive, I noticed that the valve connecting the air tank to the buoyancy control jacket was releasing a small but constant stream of bubbles - and not only mine, but those of most other divers, too. This, combined with the fact that there were about 20 divers in the water (which I'm not used to at all), really got me distracted, and I wasn't able to appreciate the dive as much as usual.
The second dive, however, fully made up for this. There were only about 8 people diving - apparently because the afternoon dives are supposed to be shallow water dives, which the more advanced divers seem to scorn. The divers were split into two groups, and somehow my group ended up consisting only of me, another girl, and the guide. It wasn't a shallow water dive, either: the guide led us through a small tunnel at a depth of about 18 to 20m to a coral wall that descended vertically as far as I could see - magnificent! After a while we ascended about 8 meters through a chimney-like coral structure, and that's when the shallow water part began. In my opinion, this was extremely beautiful as well. We saw two large crustaceans of some kind, lots of elegant jellyfish, a swarm of blue fish who seemed to be grinning, and lots of other fish and coral. Beauty and tranquillity - that's why I love diving!
There weren't many people going from Viñales to María la Gorda, so the travel agency provided a taxi instead of a bus. Sitting in the front seat gave me a prime spot to observe the state of Cuban roads.
On the way there, I initially thought that the roads were quite bad: uneven, no markings, some potholes. But then the roads kept getting worse. Towards the end, the road consisted to nearly 100% of potholes, some 20 or 30 cm deep, and the driver kept trying to slalom his way around.
The sun was already setting when we started our three-hour drive back. The darkness revealed another dimension of driving in Cuba. The roads are used not only by cars and trucks, but are shared with lots and lots of unlit traffic: pedestrians, bicycles, horse carts, and the occasional car or motorcycle without taillights. This didn't pose a problem when there was no oncoming traffic. But the slightly blinding headlights of oncoming vehicles blocked all unlit objects from view. This resulted in the driver hitting the brakes every time another vehicle approached, and accelerating again once it had passed. Luckily, there wasn't that much (lit) traffic - I'd guess one car per kilometer, maybe slightly more.
The dive center at María la Gorda was the most expensive and least well-maintained one I'd seen so far. They charged extra for equipment rental - which none of the other centers had - and the equipment was rather old and really worn down. During the first dive, I noticed that the valve connecting the air tank to the buoyancy control jacket was releasing a small but constant stream of bubbles - and not only mine, but those of most other divers, too. This, combined with the fact that there were about 20 divers in the water (which I'm not used to at all), really got me distracted, and I wasn't able to appreciate the dive as much as usual.
The second dive, however, fully made up for this. There were only about 8 people diving - apparently because the afternoon dives are supposed to be shallow water dives, which the more advanced divers seem to scorn. The divers were split into two groups, and somehow my group ended up consisting only of me, another girl, and the guide. It wasn't a shallow water dive, either: the guide led us through a small tunnel at a depth of about 18 to 20m to a coral wall that descended vertically as far as I could see - magnificent! After a while we ascended about 8 meters through a chimney-like coral structure, and that's when the shallow water part began. In my opinion, this was extremely beautiful as well. We saw two large crustaceans of some kind, lots of elegant jellyfish, a swarm of blue fish who seemed to be grinning, and lots of other fish and coral. Beauty and tranquillity - that's why I love diving!
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Day 25: Habana to Viñales
I decided to break up my visit to Habana into two parts and visit a bit of countryside in between. So today I'm heading to the far west of Cuba: the valley of Viñales.
On my way to the bus station, I come across yet another piece of socialist architecture: the Plaza de la Revolución and the huge monument to José Martí.
To get an idea how big the thing is, just look at the size of the streetlights and the people in the distance... I can't help thinking that socialist regimes are just another breed of megalomaniac. Why on earth do they need all these huge empty spaces and oversized monuments?
Since I remembered to finally take a picture of the bus today, here's a note on how I've been traveling around - remember that Cuba might look small on a map, but is still more than 1000 km long...
As Cuba doesn't really have a reliable railway system, I've been using long-distance buses to get around. There are two companies (or should I write "brand names", since both are state-run, of course): Astro and Viazul. Astro is intended mainly for Cubans - allegedly they only have two seats for foreigners on each bus. Viazul is slightly more expensive, and therefore almost exclusively used by tourists. They have a fleet of modern Chinese Yutong buses, like this one:
I haven't really been able to figure out the timetables - the information I got off their website three weeks ago is no longer correct - but surprisingly, everything has worked out well so far. I'll keep my fingers crossed for the one trip (back to Habana) that remains ;-)
On my way to the bus station, I come across yet another piece of socialist architecture: the Plaza de la Revolución and the huge monument to José Martí.
To get an idea how big the thing is, just look at the size of the streetlights and the people in the distance... I can't help thinking that socialist regimes are just another breed of megalomaniac. Why on earth do they need all these huge empty spaces and oversized monuments?
Since I remembered to finally take a picture of the bus today, here's a note on how I've been traveling around - remember that Cuba might look small on a map, but is still more than 1000 km long...
As Cuba doesn't really have a reliable railway system, I've been using long-distance buses to get around. There are two companies (or should I write "brand names", since both are state-run, of course): Astro and Viazul. Astro is intended mainly for Cubans - allegedly they only have two seats for foreigners on each bus. Viazul is slightly more expensive, and therefore almost exclusively used by tourists. They have a fleet of modern Chinese Yutong buses, like this one:
I haven't really been able to figure out the timetables - the information I got off their website three weeks ago is no longer correct - but surprisingly, everything has worked out well so far. I'll keep my fingers crossed for the one trip (back to Habana) that remains ;-)
Day 24: Habana
In the morning, I visit the museum of the revolution. The museum is housed in the former presidential palace - a grand building with rooms like this one:
The museum details all aspects of the revolution, including the period of "building socialism" afterwards. The explanations conveniently stop in 1990 - when Cuba lost its primary trade partner with the fall of the Soviet regime, and ran into big-time economic trouble as a result.
I spend the afternoon just strolling around, for example to the bay with a view of the castle over an angry sea:
In the evening, I attend a ballet performance in the Gran Teatro de Habana.
The performance is very good - but a little short: the show is over after only 100 minutes - including two breaks of 15 to 20 minutes each. Even the dance/animation company in my cheap all-inclusive place in Santa Lucía made more effort...
The museum details all aspects of the revolution, including the period of "building socialism" afterwards. The explanations conveniently stop in 1990 - when Cuba lost its primary trade partner with the fall of the Soviet regime, and ran into big-time economic trouble as a result.
I spend the afternoon just strolling around, for example to the bay with a view of the castle over an angry sea:
In the evening, I attend a ballet performance in the Gran Teatro de Habana.
The performance is very good - but a little short: the show is over after only 100 minutes - including two breaks of 15 to 20 minutes each. Even the dance/animation company in my cheap all-inclusive place in Santa Lucía made more effort...
Day 23: To Habana
I'd like to start this post with a remark on food and nutrition. Most days, I eat breakfast at the casa particular I'm staying in. Breakfast is quite cheap, but plenty: they typically have omelettes or fried eggs, lots of fresh fruit (mostly papaya, guava, pineapple or banana), fresh fruit juice, some bread and butter, honey, and of course coffee.
For lunch, I normally eat a pizza at a street stall and get some maní molido (peanut paste) afterwards.
In addition to that, I drink sodas if I cannot find a reliable water shop (i.e. one where I can examine the bottles closely before buying).
All that stuff is definitely sufficient for a day, so I don't eat dinner anymore.
But the thing is this: if you look at the foods I listed, you'll notice that all of them are rich in carbohydrates. Before my trip, I was following a low-carb diet - keeping to the principles of a paleo diet as much as possible. I did this because I believe that the reasoning behind the paleo approach is sound. Now that I'm pretty much forced to eat tons of carbs because there's no viable alternative available, I feel like crap. Constantly in danger of overeating, and always craving more. I really do hope this situation improves again once I'm back in the arms of "mother capitalism"...
But now back to my first day in Habana. I fall asleep in the bus to Habana - something about buses and trains always makes me sleepy. When I wake up, the bus is just coming out of the tunnel that leads under the bay of Habana straight into Habana Vieja (old Habana). So my first glance are not endless, crumbling suburbs, but rather a handful of beautifully restored colonial buildings. Very nice! After getting of the bus - and through the usual crowd of hustlers trying to drag me off to a taxi or a casa particular or both - I have time for a second glance at Habana. It seems to me that most of the buildings haven't seen much maintenance since they were built some time in the last 200 years. Some effort is going into restoration of the major plazas and sites of historic interest (i.e. tourist attractions), but the rest appears to be either a construction site, or in varying states of crumbling decay. Seeing all this faded glory, and the people living in it today, is somewhat depressing, and definitely exhausting.
For lunch, I normally eat a pizza at a street stall and get some maní molido (peanut paste) afterwards.
In addition to that, I drink sodas if I cannot find a reliable water shop (i.e. one where I can examine the bottles closely before buying).
All that stuff is definitely sufficient for a day, so I don't eat dinner anymore.
But the thing is this: if you look at the foods I listed, you'll notice that all of them are rich in carbohydrates. Before my trip, I was following a low-carb diet - keeping to the principles of a paleo diet as much as possible. I did this because I believe that the reasoning behind the paleo approach is sound. Now that I'm pretty much forced to eat tons of carbs because there's no viable alternative available, I feel like crap. Constantly in danger of overeating, and always craving more. I really do hope this situation improves again once I'm back in the arms of "mother capitalism"...
But now back to my first day in Habana. I fall asleep in the bus to Habana - something about buses and trains always makes me sleepy. When I wake up, the bus is just coming out of the tunnel that leads under the bay of Habana straight into Habana Vieja (old Habana). So my first glance are not endless, crumbling suburbs, but rather a handful of beautifully restored colonial buildings. Very nice! After getting of the bus - and through the usual crowd of hustlers trying to drag me off to a taxi or a casa particular or both - I have time for a second glance at Habana. It seems to me that most of the buildings haven't seen much maintenance since they were built some time in the last 200 years. Some effort is going into restoration of the major plazas and sites of historic interest (i.e. tourist attractions), but the rest appears to be either a construction site, or in varying states of crumbling decay. Seeing all this faded glory, and the people living in it today, is somewhat depressing, and definitely exhausting.
Day 22: Varadero
Originally, Varadero wasn't on my plan for Cuba. But I figured since I was already in Santa Clara, only two hours away, I could just as well do some tourist-seeing ;-)
So I booked another two all-inclusive nights at the cheapest place on offer and decided to find out what the ordinary tourist sees of Cuba. In short, it's this:
One thing I noticed very quickly is the amount of really polished and gleaming old American cars, mostly serving as taxis. In the other cities, most of the cars are rather shabby and run-down, but is seems that with the amount of tourists in Varadero, taxi owners really have to make an effort to get people to use their taxi instead of a nicer one. I won't post pictures now - a collection of cars in Cuba is coming separately :-)
The hotel included a day pass for the tourist bus running the length of the peninsula - "Varadero" is stretched out over a 20 km long peninsula featuring 20 km of white sand beach on one side - so it's not really convenient to see on foot.
Most of the people on the bus seemed to use it only to have it take them once around the peninsula, and maybe to one of the big souvenir markets. I wanted to see a little more, so I stepped off the bus at some points.
One was to see the Varahicacos natural preserve - a glimpse of how the peninsula looked before all the hotels came. The trail was beautiful, and populated by thousands of small lizards:
There were also a few small caves - some were quite spooky to explore because I was the only one there...
My next stop was the Cueva Ambrosía, a cave populated by ancient drawings and lots of bats.
I was the only one there (again), and this was a really great experience. The cave is entirely un-touristy: there is no illumination inside - you get a hand lamp - and there are next to no written explanations - the person at the entrance explains everything you need to know about the cave. So then you have a lamp and are left to explore the darkness by yourself, with bats fluttering about, and the occasional drawing appearing on the cave walls. Wow!
So I booked another two all-inclusive nights at the cheapest place on offer and decided to find out what the ordinary tourist sees of Cuba. In short, it's this:
One thing I noticed very quickly is the amount of really polished and gleaming old American cars, mostly serving as taxis. In the other cities, most of the cars are rather shabby and run-down, but is seems that with the amount of tourists in Varadero, taxi owners really have to make an effort to get people to use their taxi instead of a nicer one. I won't post pictures now - a collection of cars in Cuba is coming separately :-)
The hotel included a day pass for the tourist bus running the length of the peninsula - "Varadero" is stretched out over a 20 km long peninsula featuring 20 km of white sand beach on one side - so it's not really convenient to see on foot.
Most of the people on the bus seemed to use it only to have it take them once around the peninsula, and maybe to one of the big souvenir markets. I wanted to see a little more, so I stepped off the bus at some points.
One was to see the Varahicacos natural preserve - a glimpse of how the peninsula looked before all the hotels came. The trail was beautiful, and populated by thousands of small lizards:
There were also a few small caves - some were quite spooky to explore because I was the only one there...
My next stop was the Cueva Ambrosía, a cave populated by ancient drawings and lots of bats.
I was the only one there (again), and this was a really great experience. The cave is entirely un-touristy: there is no illumination inside - you get a hand lamp - and there are next to no written explanations - the person at the entrance explains everything you need to know about the cave. So then you have a lamp and are left to explore the darkness by yourself, with bats fluttering about, and the occasional drawing appearing on the cave walls. Wow!
Day 21: Che Comandante, Amigo
Today I went to see the Che Guevara museum, monument and mausoleum (yes, they really do adore him here in Cuba).
The monument is a huge plaza with a gigantic Che statue and several big stone slabs relating Che's values and visions in words and chiseled images.
Socialist architecture really seems to have a thing for huge oversized plazas, doesn't it?
The museum has various items relating to Che's life, such as his guns, some shirts, peso bills bearing his signature (issued when he was heading Cuba's central bank), a couple of educational certificates, his water bottle, etc. It also has tons of pictures showing Che in all stages of his life. I actually found these far more interesting than most of the exhibits because they conveyed a much more vivid image of the guy than all of his water bottles ever could ;-) It was also very interesting to see where all these photographs were taken. With the exception of Europe, he seemed to have been pretty much everywhere - in just the last 10 years of his life.
Finally, the mausoleum holds his ashes, and those of 38 other revolutionaries. As you might know, Che was shot in Bolivia in the 1960s - by government officials, under the watchful eye of US observers. His ashes were only returned to Cuba in the nineties, so the mausoleum is a fairly recent thing. It is a pretty small room, the ceiling is made of wooden blocks, and in the stone wall there are 39 niches each sealed with a stone telling the name of the person buried here, and decorated with a flower. No photography allowed inside, though - but I guess you can find plenty of images on the net. It's a really atmospheric place!
In the evening, on my way to Varadero, I had the opportunity to see another piece of socialist architecture: the autopista nacional.
The image shows only half of it - there are as many lanes again going in the other direction. The autopista was supposed to connect Santiago to Havana - basically provide a fast east-west connection throughout Cuba - but unfortunately they ran out of money at about half way. But as you can see, even the part they built is way oversized for the current amount of traffic. From a German point of view (with our constantly full highways), it is very funny to see how traffic entering or leaving the autopista - even for fuel or snack breaks - often has to cross over the entire highway, including the lanes running in the opposite direction...
The monument is a huge plaza with a gigantic Che statue and several big stone slabs relating Che's values and visions in words and chiseled images.
Socialist architecture really seems to have a thing for huge oversized plazas, doesn't it?
The museum has various items relating to Che's life, such as his guns, some shirts, peso bills bearing his signature (issued when he was heading Cuba's central bank), a couple of educational certificates, his water bottle, etc. It also has tons of pictures showing Che in all stages of his life. I actually found these far more interesting than most of the exhibits because they conveyed a much more vivid image of the guy than all of his water bottles ever could ;-) It was also very interesting to see where all these photographs were taken. With the exception of Europe, he seemed to have been pretty much everywhere - in just the last 10 years of his life.
Finally, the mausoleum holds his ashes, and those of 38 other revolutionaries. As you might know, Che was shot in Bolivia in the 1960s - by government officials, under the watchful eye of US observers. His ashes were only returned to Cuba in the nineties, so the mausoleum is a fairly recent thing. It is a pretty small room, the ceiling is made of wooden blocks, and in the stone wall there are 39 niches each sealed with a stone telling the name of the person buried here, and decorated with a flower. No photography allowed inside, though - but I guess you can find plenty of images on the net. It's a really atmospheric place!
In the evening, on my way to Varadero, I had the opportunity to see another piece of socialist architecture: the autopista nacional.
The image shows only half of it - there are as many lanes again going in the other direction. The autopista was supposed to connect Santiago to Havana - basically provide a fast east-west connection throughout Cuba - but unfortunately they ran out of money at about half way. But as you can see, even the part they built is way oversized for the current amount of traffic. From a German point of view (with our constantly full highways), it is very funny to see how traffic entering or leaving the autopista - even for fuel or snack breaks - often has to cross over the entire highway, including the lanes running in the opposite direction...
Day 20: Santa Clara
It seems like it's getting a little more chilly in Cuba... Don't get me wrong, I think daytime temperatures are still in the upper twenties (celsius, obviously), but this night was the third in a row that I've needed a blanket in addition to the light cotton sheets, and was not tempted by either ventilation or air conditioning. Mind you, I'm not complaining. It's actually quite refreshing to not feel incredibly sweaty and sticky every evening :-)
Santa Clara is Cuba's Che Guevara memorial city. His remains are entombed in a mausoleum here (which is closed on Mondays, so I'll visit tomorrow). In 1958, he was responsible for the derailment of an armored train carrying Batista troops and weapons, and for the defeat of these troops, here in Santa Clara. This was one of the key events during the revolution, and just four days later Fidel proclaimed victory. The museum at the location of the derailment has the original bulldozer they used to break the rails:
Did you know that Che was so heavily involved with the Cuban revolution, and that he served as minister of industry later on? I have to admit, I had no idea. But it is fascinating to finally discover why this guy's face made it to so many shirts!
But the highlight of this day was something else: the tour of the local cigar manufactory. It really is a manufactory - everything is made by hand, there is no automation, no machinery, just a few mechanical aids. Even so, they produce 18000 cigars of various brands per day, all of them to be exported.
If you've ever been inside a humidor in a fancy tobacco shop, you have an approximate idea of how it smelled in the factory. I love the smell of unburnt tobacco, so I would've loved to stay a lot longer just to inhale some more ;-)
Cigars are not made from fresh or dried tobacco leaves, but from fermented leaves - I didn't know that. The fermentation process for Cohibas (the best brand, they say) takes three full years. This explains why some cigars are so expensive...
Starting from fermented leaves, the production process for cigars is fairly straightforward: first, the inner part of the cigar is assembled by taking a handful of leaves, or parts of leaves, and wrapping them inside two more leaves. This rough cigar is pressed for half an hour and then goes through quality control. The process continues only if the pressure with which the leaves were rolled is just right - otherwise you wouldn't be able to smoke the cigar. A different type of tobacco leaf is then wrapped around the rough inside to create the smooth appearance of the finished cigar. Photography was not permitted inside, but I manged to sneak out two samples of tobacco:
The smooth leaf at the top is used as outside wrap, while the rougher leaf at the bottom of the image is what makes up the cigar's interior - and most of its taste.
After that, the cigars are sorted by color - solely to produce a uniform look within any box, the quality is supposed to be the same. Finally, a small label is wrapped around each individual cigar, and they are packaged into boxes. I had never noticed before, but cigars like these definitely are small works of art, each and every one of them.
The shop opposite the factory had an impressive selection of the finished product:
Finally, what I found very interesting was that there is a lector in the factory. He reads to the workers, probably to make work in the factory less boring. When I was there, he was reading pieces from the newspaper, but it seemed like he was also taking requests from the workers. His voice is transmitted into all the rooms, so everybody has some kind of entertainment. I'm not sure why they don't just turn on a radio though. Maybe some kind of educational or informational mission?
Santa Clara is Cuba's Che Guevara memorial city. His remains are entombed in a mausoleum here (which is closed on Mondays, so I'll visit tomorrow). In 1958, he was responsible for the derailment of an armored train carrying Batista troops and weapons, and for the defeat of these troops, here in Santa Clara. This was one of the key events during the revolution, and just four days later Fidel proclaimed victory. The museum at the location of the derailment has the original bulldozer they used to break the rails:
Did you know that Che was so heavily involved with the Cuban revolution, and that he served as minister of industry later on? I have to admit, I had no idea. But it is fascinating to finally discover why this guy's face made it to so many shirts!
But the highlight of this day was something else: the tour of the local cigar manufactory. It really is a manufactory - everything is made by hand, there is no automation, no machinery, just a few mechanical aids. Even so, they produce 18000 cigars of various brands per day, all of them to be exported.
If you've ever been inside a humidor in a fancy tobacco shop, you have an approximate idea of how it smelled in the factory. I love the smell of unburnt tobacco, so I would've loved to stay a lot longer just to inhale some more ;-)
Cigars are not made from fresh or dried tobacco leaves, but from fermented leaves - I didn't know that. The fermentation process for Cohibas (the best brand, they say) takes three full years. This explains why some cigars are so expensive...
Starting from fermented leaves, the production process for cigars is fairly straightforward: first, the inner part of the cigar is assembled by taking a handful of leaves, or parts of leaves, and wrapping them inside two more leaves. This rough cigar is pressed for half an hour and then goes through quality control. The process continues only if the pressure with which the leaves were rolled is just right - otherwise you wouldn't be able to smoke the cigar. A different type of tobacco leaf is then wrapped around the rough inside to create the smooth appearance of the finished cigar. Photography was not permitted inside, but I manged to sneak out two samples of tobacco:
The smooth leaf at the top is used as outside wrap, while the rougher leaf at the bottom of the image is what makes up the cigar's interior - and most of its taste.
After that, the cigars are sorted by color - solely to produce a uniform look within any box, the quality is supposed to be the same. Finally, a small label is wrapped around each individual cigar, and they are packaged into boxes. I had never noticed before, but cigars like these definitely are small works of art, each and every one of them.
The shop opposite the factory had an impressive selection of the finished product:
Finally, what I found very interesting was that there is a lector in the factory. He reads to the workers, probably to make work in the factory less boring. When I was there, he was reading pieces from the newspaper, but it seemed like he was also taking requests from the workers. His voice is transmitted into all the rooms, so everybody has some kind of entertainment. I'm not sure why they don't just turn on a radio though. Maybe some kind of educational or informational mission?
Monday, November 21, 2011
Day 19: Rancho Luna to Santa Clara
Today I fell for a new kind of scam. I bought a bottle of water in a store - a regular store located in the bus station, looking genuine enough. However, when I opened the bottle I noticed that it opened very easily (which Cuban water bottles usually don't; normally I need to wrap my shirt around the cap to get it open). So I inspected the cap a bit closer, and sure enough there were traces of glue to be seen. In addition, the water smelled different than water of this brand usually does. So the bottle was probably filled with ordinary tap water in someone's back yard, resealed with glue and put up in the shop for a huge profit. I had heard stories about this, but now I know for a fact that it's done.
When I think about it, this probably wasn't the first fake bottle of water, just the first that I've noticed. And now I also know where the stomach aches and (mild) diarrhea came from that I've been having the past couple of days.
It seems that soda cans or beer really are the way to go - both the seals of the cans and the beverages themselves are a lot harder to fake than bottled water.
And with this insight, there goes my nice and healthy low-carb diet, straight out the window... Because in a country where sugar is one of the biggest industries, diet soda simply does not exist.
When I think about it, this probably wasn't the first fake bottle of water, just the first that I've noticed. And now I also know where the stomach aches and (mild) diarrhea came from that I've been having the past couple of days.
It seems that soda cans or beer really are the way to go - both the seals of the cans and the beverages themselves are a lot harder to fake than bottled water.
And with this insight, there goes my nice and healthy low-carb diet, straight out the window... Because in a country where sugar is one of the biggest industries, diet soda simply does not exist.
Day 18: Rancho Luna
To get to Rancho Luna today, I finally had to figure out how to get on a Cuban local bus. I think I managed quite well, but I'm still not sure why some things work the way they do.
I went to check out the bus station yesterday, so I already knew that there was a bus scheduled at 10 am, which counter sells tickets, how much a ticket is, and which door to queue at.
Here's how it worked out in reality: When I arrived at 9:30, the counter was still closed. When it opened, it didn't sell any tickets, but instead gave out slips of paper with a number and "feliz viaje" (good trip) on it. It was too crowded and noisy for me to inquire any further, so I just took the paper and watched what everybody else was doing. Well, everybody else seemed to queue up at one of four doors. Each door had a sign listing the names and prices for a couple of destinations, so I chose the one that had Rancho Luna on it and took some cash from my wallet so I would be able to pay quickly. After a while, it occurred to me that maybe relying on written information wasn't so wise after all (a lesson from my trip to Tokyo...). So I asked a lady if this was the right door to queue at - and of course it wasn't! She pointed me to another door, and the people queuing there confirmed what she had said. At about quarter past 10 (remember the bus was supposed to leave at 10), someone opened the door. People went through, giving their slips of paper to the guy guarding the door, and then immediately darted to one of the platforms. I asked the guy if this was indeed for Rancho Luna, and then went after the others. The bus seemed to be already full, but somehow people were cramming in anyway. There were two employees on the bus: the driver up front, and a person operating the door somewhere in the middle of the bus. Everyone was giving some amount of money to the door operator who then stuffed it into a small metal box without bothering to give any change. He didn't complain about the amount I gave, so it was either too much our just right - either way, for me it was cheap enough. My backpack ended up at the door operator's feet to make more space for people, and at the end the bus was almost as full as a Japanese subway during rush hour. At the next stop, even more people came in... but somehow they all fit in. Some time later, I arrived safely in Rancho Luna.
I immediately made my way to the dive center, just in case they only had dives in the morning. It turned out that they do - and I arrived just in time for the second dive! Perfect timing :-)
The diving wasn't as nice as in Santa Lucía, but still definitely worth it. The site had many of the fish with a fake eye on their tail - some day I'm gonna find out what they're called ;-) - and a shipwreck. I really love shipwrecks. They appear so majestic as they slowly drift into visibility... once proud vessels sailing the seas, they somehow still retain their pride underwater.
I went to check out the bus station yesterday, so I already knew that there was a bus scheduled at 10 am, which counter sells tickets, how much a ticket is, and which door to queue at.
Here's how it worked out in reality: When I arrived at 9:30, the counter was still closed. When it opened, it didn't sell any tickets, but instead gave out slips of paper with a number and "feliz viaje" (good trip) on it. It was too crowded and noisy for me to inquire any further, so I just took the paper and watched what everybody else was doing. Well, everybody else seemed to queue up at one of four doors. Each door had a sign listing the names and prices for a couple of destinations, so I chose the one that had Rancho Luna on it and took some cash from my wallet so I would be able to pay quickly. After a while, it occurred to me that maybe relying on written information wasn't so wise after all (a lesson from my trip to Tokyo...). So I asked a lady if this was the right door to queue at - and of course it wasn't! She pointed me to another door, and the people queuing there confirmed what she had said. At about quarter past 10 (remember the bus was supposed to leave at 10), someone opened the door. People went through, giving their slips of paper to the guy guarding the door, and then immediately darted to one of the platforms. I asked the guy if this was indeed for Rancho Luna, and then went after the others. The bus seemed to be already full, but somehow people were cramming in anyway. There were two employees on the bus: the driver up front, and a person operating the door somewhere in the middle of the bus. Everyone was giving some amount of money to the door operator who then stuffed it into a small metal box without bothering to give any change. He didn't complain about the amount I gave, so it was either too much our just right - either way, for me it was cheap enough. My backpack ended up at the door operator's feet to make more space for people, and at the end the bus was almost as full as a Japanese subway during rush hour. At the next stop, even more people came in... but somehow they all fit in. Some time later, I arrived safely in Rancho Luna.
I immediately made my way to the dive center, just in case they only had dives in the morning. It turned out that they do - and I arrived just in time for the second dive! Perfect timing :-)
The diving wasn't as nice as in Santa Lucía, but still definitely worth it. The site had many of the fish with a fake eye on their tail - some day I'm gonna find out what they're called ;-) - and a shipwreck. I really love shipwrecks. They appear so majestic as they slowly drift into visibility... once proud vessels sailing the seas, they somehow still retain their pride underwater.
Day 17: Cienfuegos
Cienfuegos is a nice little town, a bit sleepy but almost hustler-free. It was founded by a frenchman, and the influences of French colonial architecture can be seen all over the place. This is the theater:
They have a big boulevard, the Prado, going all the way out to a small peninsula called Punta Gorda. On both sides, there are old houses supported by column after column. Have a look:
But the most interesting part of this day was another kind of sight. I was walking around for a bit in the evening when I stumbled upon some kind of socialist propaganda event on the central square. Under the watchful eyes of the statute of 19th century independence hero José Martí, there were a few rows of seats filled mostly with schoolkids (our kids belonging to some socialist youth organization, maybe?). In front of them, there were a couple of microphones where kids took turns reciting socialist propaganda (one finished with "Viva la revolución!" - and then everybody else said "Viva!", followed by a few other slogans that I didn't quite understand; another finished her speech with "Fidel!"), or singing songs that everybody seemed to know and where Cuba seemed to be the most common word. A TV camera and a journalist interviewing the performing kids were also there. Probably a story for the local news - something like "see how much our kids love socialism". Very interesting to see!
They have a big boulevard, the Prado, going all the way out to a small peninsula called Punta Gorda. On both sides, there are old houses supported by column after column. Have a look:
But the most interesting part of this day was another kind of sight. I was walking around for a bit in the evening when I stumbled upon some kind of socialist propaganda event on the central square. Under the watchful eyes of the statute of 19th century independence hero José Martí, there were a few rows of seats filled mostly with schoolkids (our kids belonging to some socialist youth organization, maybe?). In front of them, there were a couple of microphones where kids took turns reciting socialist propaganda (one finished with "Viva la revolución!" - and then everybody else said "Viva!", followed by a few other slogans that I didn't quite understand; another finished her speech with "Fidel!"), or singing songs that everybody seemed to know and where Cuba seemed to be the most common word. A TV camera and a journalist interviewing the performing kids were also there. Probably a story for the local news - something like "see how much our kids love socialism". Very interesting to see!
Day 15: Topes de Collantes
In the morning, I got up very early to find myself a new casa. Another night in a cockroach-infested room with a less than perfect bed didn't seem very appealing ;-)
Since I didn't really want to knock on people's doors that early, I walked around until I found one where the owner was sitting on the door steps. Her rooms were already full, but she pointed me to her daughter's house next door. I have to say, this place is really a lot nicer than the previous one. The owners seem to be quite rich - they even have a household help who does laundry (even mine), cleaning and cooking.
After checking into the casa, I went to the pickup point for the guided tour to the natural park of Topes de Collantes. I joined an organized tour because it is not really accessible by public transportation.
I have to say, the trip to get to the park alone was worth it. We went on an old Russian military truck - which was really necessary because the roads, especially towards the end, were extremely steep and muddy.
At one point, the driver had to stop the truck, get out, and put some kind of metal plate on the wheels to enable the six-wheel drive - otherwise we wouldn't have made it...
The hike itself was quite easy, just a couple of kilometers down a valley. It turned out to be a really good decision to join a tour: the guide had an impressive amount of knowledge about the local flora and fauna. Among others, I saw a Kolibri, part of a Tarantula in her hole in the earth, a termite nest, a cannibal snail and some tree rats. As for the flora, there were coffee plants, banana trees, vanilla plants, African tulips, mimosas (the shy plant that folds up her leaves when you touch them), mariposas, and, of course, palm trees. Very very beautiful!
There were also some great waterfalls and a natural pond we could swim in. The pond had lots of small fish that - when you kept still for a while - came along and nibbled on pieces of dead skin.
What a great tour!
In the evening I met up with two very nice Dutch girls I met on the trip to go to the Casa de la Musica. I took the opportunity to taste two of Cuba's famous cocktails: Mojito and ... another one whose name I've forgotten, which is supposed to be Trinidad's signature cocktail made from rum, lemon and honey. Though the Mojito is not bad at all, I prefer the other one for its sweet honey taste :-)
Since I didn't really want to knock on people's doors that early, I walked around until I found one where the owner was sitting on the door steps. Her rooms were already full, but she pointed me to her daughter's house next door. I have to say, this place is really a lot nicer than the previous one. The owners seem to be quite rich - they even have a household help who does laundry (even mine), cleaning and cooking.
After checking into the casa, I went to the pickup point for the guided tour to the natural park of Topes de Collantes. I joined an organized tour because it is not really accessible by public transportation.
I have to say, the trip to get to the park alone was worth it. We went on an old Russian military truck - which was really necessary because the roads, especially towards the end, were extremely steep and muddy.
At one point, the driver had to stop the truck, get out, and put some kind of metal plate on the wheels to enable the six-wheel drive - otherwise we wouldn't have made it...
The hike itself was quite easy, just a couple of kilometers down a valley. It turned out to be a really good decision to join a tour: the guide had an impressive amount of knowledge about the local flora and fauna. Among others, I saw a Kolibri, part of a Tarantula in her hole in the earth, a termite nest, a cannibal snail and some tree rats. As for the flora, there were coffee plants, banana trees, vanilla plants, African tulips, mimosas (the shy plant that folds up her leaves when you touch them), mariposas, and, of course, palm trees. Very very beautiful!
There were also some great waterfalls and a natural pond we could swim in. The pond had lots of small fish that - when you kept still for a while - came along and nibbled on pieces of dead skin.
What a great tour!
In the evening I met up with two very nice Dutch girls I met on the trip to go to the Casa de la Musica. I took the opportunity to taste two of Cuba's famous cocktails: Mojito and ... another one whose name I've forgotten, which is supposed to be Trinidad's signature cocktail made from rum, lemon and honey. Though the Mojito is not bad at all, I prefer the other one for its sweet honey taste :-)
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Day 16: Playa Ancón
I hadn't planed to spend four nights in Trinidad, but since I'd heard great things about Playa Ancón, I had to see it for myself. The initial plan was to rent a bicycle to get there, and then do a snorkeling tour.
What I didn't figure into this plan, however, was that I had a couple of chores to do in the morning (exchanging money, post office, and the like). So by the time I was done, the shop that rents out bicycles had none left - apparently they have exactly two, and they're the only bike rental in town...
So I chose to hike the 16 km to the beach along the nice coastal road. However, by the time I got to the beach, there were no more snorkeling tours. So I just sat around for a bit reading and then took a taxi back into town.
The hike seemed to be quite exhausting, because I fell into my bed at around 8pm...
What I didn't figure into this plan, however, was that I had a couple of chores to do in the morning (exchanging money, post office, and the like). So by the time I was done, the shop that rents out bicycles had none left - apparently they have exactly two, and they're the only bike rental in town...
So I chose to hike the 16 km to the beach along the nice coastal road. However, by the time I got to the beach, there were no more snorkeling tours. So I just sat around for a bit reading and then took a taxi back into town.
The hike seemed to be quite exhausting, because I fell into my bed at around 8pm...
Day 14: Valle de los Ingenios
Today I took a tourist train to see the Valle de los Ingenios - the valley that used to be Cuba's biggest sugar-producing area. Most of the plantations were destroyed in the independence wars, so today there are only some remains to be seen. For example, this tower that was built to better supervise the slaves.
There was also a small stall selling fresh sugar cane juice. It tasted delicious; very sweet of course, but fruity, not like pure sugar. Here's the machine they used to press the juice from sugar canes:
The cool thing about the tourist train was that it used an old steam engine manufactured in 1926. Have a look:
I think it's amazing that it still runs today! My dad would've loved to inspect it... In fact, I think he would've loved a lot of things in Cuba - all the old cars and engines, the cigars... So I'm dedicating this day to you, dad. May you rest in peace.
In the valley, I met two very nice Americans and, back in Trinidad, decide d to join them for a 12km hike to a lookout that is said to offer a great view of the valley - and it really does:
On the way back into town, we came across this shell of a church, the Iglesia de Santa Ana. Notice how there's grass growing on top of the walls:
Later in the evening, I went to the Casa de la Musica. They have Cuban live music every night on an open air stage. Entry is free (but tips for the bands are appreciated), and you can just sit there, sip a cocktail and enjoy the show. Very nice!
There was also a small stall selling fresh sugar cane juice. It tasted delicious; very sweet of course, but fruity, not like pure sugar. Here's the machine they used to press the juice from sugar canes:
The cool thing about the tourist train was that it used an old steam engine manufactured in 1926. Have a look:
I think it's amazing that it still runs today! My dad would've loved to inspect it... In fact, I think he would've loved a lot of things in Cuba - all the old cars and engines, the cigars... So I'm dedicating this day to you, dad. May you rest in peace.
In the valley, I met two very nice Americans and, back in Trinidad, decide d to join them for a 12km hike to a lookout that is said to offer a great view of the valley - and it really does:
On the way back into town, we came across this shell of a church, the Iglesia de Santa Ana. Notice how there's grass growing on top of the walls:
Later in the evening, I went to the Casa de la Musica. They have Cuban live music every night on an open air stage. Entry is free (but tips for the bands are appreciated), and you can just sit there, sip a cocktail and enjoy the show. Very nice!
Day 13: Trinidad
Today I had to kill my first cockroach ever. Not a pleasant experience, to be sure. I may have to find another place to stay for the next night - but then again, I'm probably not going to get another deal a good as this one (15CUC, breakfast included - until now, I always paid 20 or 25 excluding breakfast). There had to be a catch, right?
Another reason I chose this place was that I was in dire need of a shower when I stepped off the night bus at 7 am - and the owner of this house was at the bus terminal looking for customers. So just following her was definitely the easiest route to a hot shower and breakfast :-)
But apart from the cockroach adventure, Trinidad is a really charming city. The entire city center consists of colorful old colonial houses and streets that were built in the pre-cobblestone era. Have a look:
In the city center, there are almost no houses that provide housing only. Most of them have either a small arts&crafts shop in the living room, or rent out rooms to tourists. This makes it really interesting to just stroll around the streets and look.
In addition to the huge open air museum that is Trinidad, there are also some nice indoor museums. One is an art gallery exhibiting works done by local artists. The colonial design of the rooms alone would have merited a visit; combined with the artwork on display the museum is a real killer. I wasn't allowed to take pictures of the paintings upstairs, but there were some amazing pieces downstairs, too. Like this 3D-image of Trinidad's main squre, made from wooden cigar cases:
Or this one, made entirely of shells:
Beautiful, isn't it?
Another reason I chose this place was that I was in dire need of a shower when I stepped off the night bus at 7 am - and the owner of this house was at the bus terminal looking for customers. So just following her was definitely the easiest route to a hot shower and breakfast :-)
But apart from the cockroach adventure, Trinidad is a really charming city. The entire city center consists of colorful old colonial houses and streets that were built in the pre-cobblestone era. Have a look:
In the city center, there are almost no houses that provide housing only. Most of them have either a small arts&crafts shop in the living room, or rent out rooms to tourists. This makes it really interesting to just stroll around the streets and look.
In addition to the huge open air museum that is Trinidad, there are also some nice indoor museums. One is an art gallery exhibiting works done by local artists. The colonial design of the rooms alone would have merited a visit; combined with the artwork on display the museum is a real killer. I wasn't allowed to take pictures of the paintings upstairs, but there were some amazing pieces downstairs, too. Like this 3D-image of Trinidad's main squre, made from wooden cigar cases:
Or this one, made entirely of shells:
Beautiful, isn't it?
Day 12: Travel, mostly
Today my four-day all-inclusive mini break ended, and I arrived back in Camagüey late in the afternoon. I went online for the first time in Cuba to check the bus schedule - turns out the bus to Trinidad leaves at 2:30 am! Well, at least I'll save the money for a casa particular this night...
But the really interesting part was going online. I had to go to the Telepunto, the official representation of Cuba's telephone company (there is exactly one Telepunto in a city with 300000 inhabitants). There, I had to show my passport to be allowed to buy a one-hour access card for 6 convertible pesos (about 4.50€). The card has two fields containing a user name and password. Using these, you can log in to the rather ancient computers. The installed software matches the computers in ancient-ness: the only available browser is a very old internet explorer 6 - which has been modified to allow only a single window at a time. Who needs multitasking?
Of course, there is also no way to print or save stuff to a usb stick... So I had to resort to the good old notebook and pen to jot down the most important bus departure times for the rest of my time in Cuba.
Now, armed with fresh information - the earth is still revolving around the sun, there's no important email, and the current bus schedules are in my pocket - on to Trinidad!
But the really interesting part was going online. I had to go to the Telepunto, the official representation of Cuba's telephone company (there is exactly one Telepunto in a city with 300000 inhabitants). There, I had to show my passport to be allowed to buy a one-hour access card for 6 convertible pesos (about 4.50€). The card has two fields containing a user name and password. Using these, you can log in to the rather ancient computers. The installed software matches the computers in ancient-ness: the only available browser is a very old internet explorer 6 - which has been modified to allow only a single window at a time. Who needs multitasking?
Of course, there is also no way to print or save stuff to a usb stick... So I had to resort to the good old notebook and pen to jot down the most important bus departure times for the rest of my time in Cuba.
Now, armed with fresh information - the earth is still revolving around the sun, there's no important email, and the current bus schedules are in my pocket - on to Trinidad!
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