Still sore from the Galapagos we arrived in la Habana
the view from the balcon show the decay of the city well
once you found a place where they sell water you better mark it.
2+2=5?
they even do waiting lines for the waiting room
pretty playa pilar:
incredible breakfast culture, or only for the tourists? you can have it in every airBNB and it is always fanastic!
1938 Ford V8 – very comfy ride – ‚la fol camina bien‘ he said
1981 something Russian – all parts including the motor Peugeot though
beer – if it has some buy as much as can carry, same with water, salt and internet cards sometimes…
fatherland or death
No hay agua en la Habana – There is no water in Havana
Sometimes you don’t get an easy start in a new country. I actually was here some eight years ago. But I didn’t really remember how hostile an environment Cuba is towards the western world normalities.
It all started that day on the stop over in Panama: They stop us in transit and took away our passports, then questioned us independently, to find out if we are really a couple. Seems we gave the right answers; after 15 minutes the whole spook was over and we were allowed to travel on. I asked they guy and he told me, that yes, they were waiting specifically for us. But he wouldn’t tell me why. Laura then told me, that her aunt was deported from England, possibly for not eating on the plane. Mules with cocaine bags in their stomachs don’t eat. Laura also didn’t wanted to eat that horrible Copa Air Food. So here is one of our suspicions. Also could be, that they were afraid I was trying to smuggle her into the US. We will never know. But also I’m sure it won’t be the last story to tell traveling with a Colombian…
Money here – not an easy subject if you are doing it wrong! The root of all the trouble started actually one year ago: When Credit Suisse by error blocked my Maestro Card. They then sent me the new one via DHL with a new code. I then didn’t use the card for a year and when I needed it, I entered my old maestro code. Three times. Three time wrong how it turned out. I forgot that it’s not my old maestro code and I never changed it on the new card. So three tries and this card is worthless. I then sent for a new Maestro Card, which had one month time to arrive in Quito in a pre booked hotel. Never arrived…
So we then arrived in Havana without my Maestro Card. And how it turns out my Master Card doesn’t work in Cuba. And Lau either could’t use her Visa Card. And her Maestro Card is theoretically activated to use abroad. But also didn’t work. And my Colombian Maestro Card – well you get the idea.
So we then made the second mistake not to change any of the USD at the airport, because there was a line, we were tired and also they told us you loose 10% when exchanging – like a fine on USD. They prefer Euros. I forgot… We arrived tired at the airBNB place and all we had left was two apples for dinner. The guy from the airBNB was gay and very unfriendly towards Laura (it seems in his head he was in competition with her): She should wear makeup and should dress better was his welcoming words to her! We knew we needed this guys help if we wanted to trasnfer via Western Union, so I did not tell him what is what.
The next day without money but thirst and hunger we first went looking for a place to change some dollars. But a line of about three hours in every bank is a realistic estimate. This poor people really have lines for everything. They even have a line at the bus terminal for the waiting room! Bogotá in comparison is highly efficient. So we tried again cards. Nothing. No local money, no food, no water. At one point I was shouting at a women from a restaurant to give me some food and take that damn dollars for a loss of 50% exchange rate “Señora, tenemos hambre!”. No, she didn’t wanted to make the deal of the century. We then finally found a place to change a hundred USD. First he wanted a passport but then finally he was ok, for a worse exchange rate. We then ate a yummy Pizza (my opinion, not the one of Lau ;)…) and were looking to buy water. From store to store, without luck. It was then after like two hours when Laura lost it – which practically never happens – and loudly groaned out of desperation at the woman. She really needed water! I was ready to buy also just a little overpriced bottle so not to see her faint.
We needed almost one day only to get some money and water. At night, when we were strolling through Havana Vieja (funny name, everything we saw so far is very vieja – old) we sat down where there was a restaurant with a live band and had a Mojito. And another one and another one and then went to a club and had another one. This after 1 month and nine days of absolute soberness, the plan is three month. But I guess that was the cheat day. Next morning we were again down to 6 CUC, it’s like 6 dollar. We used them well: 10 liters of water (our host showed me a place, where I bought the last two bottles). An internet card for 1 CUC. Lasts one hour. You have to find an internet spot, mostly in parks to log in, look for people sitting around with their cellphones. Depending on the spot that takes 15 minutes – only to login. And then the connection is really bad. And with the rest I bought 1 kilogram pasta and some tomato sauce. And again we had no money, but food and water. Hangover from last night we licked our wounds and recovered in the air-conditioned bedroom.
Next day we had to wait till five at night to go to a friend of the host to change dollars for a reasonable exchange rate (we lost like 5% this time, not 15% like the other time). And also found a better wifi spot. I found out that my credit card is not going to work after calling Credit Suisse. I wrote to Mam, to please send some money via Western Union and to my bank guy to send again a Maestro Card, but this time to Janine – didn’t wanted to molest her again – but it seems there is no other solution then to send the card by DHL – otherwise someone always will steal it on the way. Good thing they can be sent deactivated nowadays (and only when the card arrives I call the bank to activate it).
So yeah, tomorrow: four days later we are hopefully ready to get the wire transfer from Western Union. More exactly my host. You can only send money to Cubans in Cuba via Western Union. We will then do all the other ‘hotel reservations’ through AirBNB and that way AirBNB can take it right off the credit card and we should get trough the month without anymore loosing time over money subjects. Note to self: When traveling to Cuba bring loads of cash. That’s actually what everyone says, if you do some research. Many times the machines also just don’t have any money or there is no electricity or no connection to the internet. If you worry you are too late to see the real Cuba: Don’t! Still very real and also it will stay that way for some time. Out of the perspective of the Cubans, I’m sorry that Trump is such an idiot. Out of my perspective: Thank you Trump for reversing everything that Obama did, also killing the freshly generated diplomatic ties after 55 year. The stream of gringos (which for me are still only people from the states) has ceased almost totally, which is very welcoming after the Galapagos, where there are way to many.
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Update after the first eight days: still no solution how to get money. Lauras family also tried to help us, but they were also not able to send money via Western Union. We are getting creative: Janine is asking DHL tomorrow if it is possible to send cash via DHL. If not we are planning to send money via bank transfer to an account of the lady we are going to stay in Santiago de Cuba in eight days. We should be able to survive till then, we are down to 200 CUC (=USD or CHF). Good thing my credit card still works for AirBNB. This way we can still reserve places to stay at least.
If there is need, you can life very cheap in Cuba: A bread a CUP. So 24 bread for a CUC or a USD (CHF). The cheapest Pizza 5 CUP, 20 US Cents. 5 Pizzas for a USD! And some of them actually with tasty cheese! A bus or boat ride for two people a CUP. So you can ride 24 buses for a USD. Water has to be boiled for 10 minutes and then filtert through a linen cloth. We are still not on that level of poor to go for this solution. But we definitely are not getting trough till the end of our trip in Cuba without money reinforcement. We have to get a solution within the next six days!
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Update two: Today we watched the ceremony where they fired a real canon: It’s actually like a bomb exploding! Then we followed the quickest google route back, crawled trough a hole in a fence and ended up – in a military base! In Cuba in a military base as tourist, bad idea. The guard called someone – that someone called someone. In the end came a Captain and took our IDs. We then had to wait an hour for the police to take us away and clarify everything. But no one ever came. Luck or not – after an hour they said, don’t do it again and that I should tell my Swedish friends to not crawl through holes in fences in Cuba…
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Update next day: After another whatsapp call with Janine today, she most possibly solved the riddle: We send money to Lauras friend in the states and she then sends the money to our host here in Cuba. Western Union only works from the States to Cuba, not Switzerland nor from Colombia… That way we loose 10%, but that doesn’t really matter at that stage, we just need money!
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The contradictions you encounter when traveling in communist countries led me in the past to use the word ‘communist’ as synonym for contradiction (like catch22). I totally forgot about using it like that; but now it all comes back and confuses me again. First basic question: If people here are not happy and want to leave, but can’t: why at the same time are they proud of Che and Fidel? Isn’t it obvious that it is their fault? No, because it’s the fault of the imperialist capitalists? How so? Because they blocking the freedom of Cubans! Or whatever silly story the government will make up. Well maybe with this country it’s just easier to understand how easy it is to brainwash the masses. In the end we all start believing what our parents tell us. What other possibility do we have?
It’s like good old Lonely Planet says: “This country can be as exiting as frustrating.” Trying to get money for the last eight days without success is definitely frustrating. Cueing for a piece of bread: We are not used to that. Every single task takes up so much time, it is very challenging. Or standing in line for an hour to get an internet card for 60 minutes (maximum three cards per person). If you didn’t forget about bringing your passport! Same with bus tickets. You learn quickly not to forget your passport. So Internet is really a luxury here. It’s good to remember how it was without it. And always that heat. And then when you finally think you know your places where to find water, they’re out of it!
Being stuck almost without internet, the Lonely Planet guide book from our host is like our Internet, feels like a blast from the past – beeing so depending on that book! With a little difference that this Internet stopped working in 2015, it is not the newest edition. For example Fidel is still alive in our version of Cuba… Apart from that not much changed: Prices are still the same. Only AirBNB seems to be a newer invention, which LP didn’t took in consideration in 2015.
And when I then explain to Laura, that Havana seems so very exiting to me; She is like: “Why? Do you like to see the people suffering? Or do you like suffering? And don’t you think the people here are ‘muy bravos’ (very angry)?” Yes, actually many people here are not too friendly when you ask them something. But some change quickly within the conversation. Other stay unhelpful. Some literally enjoy being bitchy, Laura calls them ‘ratas’ when they behave that way. It is definitely a good practice to keep an open mind, whatever expectations you may have, they will not be met. “That is traveling for me” I tell Laura. Laura tells me: “Yes it’s so exiting standing in line.” No, it’s having the privilege to be in a country where everything is so different. That are the moments where one is able to thrive (thriving.ch). I mean communists who can dance Salsa? That’s not really the picture of a communist we have. And the conflict of liking ‘things’ after 50 years of not being allowed to like ‘things’. Which shows in Havana very clearly. This city was possibly one of the prettiest in the world some few hundert years ago. But it is in ruins now and the last 50 years of not putting love into ‘things’ didn’t help. If it is not yours, what do you care about an apartment? Not much seems to be the answer. We live here in Havana Centro. The view from the balcony is like in a war zone! And to see the building in decay is maybe nice for taking pictures, but to life inside – well it’s definitely always damp and so not very healthy to life in symbiosis with the fungus… And what is also different from Colombia: People here like to complain! About how hard their life’s are. Yes they are, but so they are in Colombia too, and down there no one ever complains. I don’t know if it is a communist thing, not to seem happy. Cause that could mean you have more than the other person, and that is why you are happy? Or there is no reason to be happy if you have nothing, so try to never seem happy, it’s suspicious! Just a theory why every interaction starts without a smile and the first response seems always angry when starting a conversation, also between the Cubans themselves. If we compare countries with dogs: Cuba is definitely not a beginners dog. On a scale from one to ten somewhere in the middle, maybe a german shepherd. On the very positive side: It seems pretty save, also to walk around at night. I mean at least sober and without the want of fulfilling some physical needs…
The best way to get to know a city still seems to walk for days and to try and solve some tasks. That’s what we did: Every day 8 to 14 kilometers and a lot of interaction with Habaneros. And now I can also communicate in Spanish, such a different experience. It’s a ‘Segen und Fluch’ (a blessing and a curse) to understand everything. More or less everything… Impression after eight days of la Habana: Very spectacular really! Still so much to process. What an incredible and unique city! Can’t wait to get to know more of this country. Lau is happy to leave and la Habana will definitely never be her big love. She is sure, that in the countryside people are less ‘bravos’, less angry, less spiteful. She should be right about that, people are much more friendly away from Habana.
Last money update: Just when we wanted to send money via the states with Western Union, we met a Swiss girl which offered to help us. So Janine sent money to her account. Her mother charged her prepaid credit card. And we were ready to get the money, when Eva came back and told me, that they just robbed her, including her credit card. I really couldn’t believe it any more, at first I was sure she was joking! We then tried her other credit card, which didn’t work. Within the next two days the money situation also started to make Eva nervous. But as it turned out, this idiots from her bank blocked both of her credit cards. Good thing they can unblock them. So finally after 11 days of being occupied with finding a solution on how to get money and growing more and more restless, we went again to the ATM, Eva entered the pin-code and the receipt came out and you could hear the machine count the forty 20 CUC bills, and really: The slot opened and there was the money, sweet sweet money! It was the second time we broke the not drinking alcohol policy, obviously we had to celebrate!!!
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Tomorrow we will be heading from Trinidad to Santiago de Cuba (another 13 hour bus ride…), where it seems the luck starts to be our friend again: We should be in time for the annual Carnival de Santiago! In general traveling and living got much easier since we left la Habana. There is always water, and lots of restaurants. You don’t have to stand in line to buy internet cards and also there is no limit on how many you can buy, and you also don’t have to show your passports to buy them. I don’t know why Habana is so different from Cienfuegos or Trinidad, also the people are way friendlier since we left the capital. However: In Cienfuegos there was almost never electricity for three days and in Trinidad there are heaps of tourists. La Habana to me still is ‘uh nana’ while for Laura it’s not even ‘so lala’, she is just happy to never have to return to that place…
Whatever new information I can dig up, this country never starts boring me. We just learned, that only since about 10 years they changed the laws of ownership. Before you did not own anything. So the work around was to swap things. Basically if you move to another place you swap your house with someone who wants to live where you came from. Or you swap your car for something else. You were not allowed to sell, neither to buy things. How very absurd out of my perspective. That they actually went through with all this ideas! And even more weird, that you now own the place where you stay and are able to sell it! And for example to buy a car, which then is yours. How totally weird it must be to now evolve a sense of ownership. And even more weird, that at the same time they still preach communism. That in ‘their story’ they are still in the process of the revolution. As far as I understood, there was a dictator by the name of Batista, and Fidel and Che chased him out of the country. That was some 55 years ago. That was the revolution, they won. And since then it seems they are in some weird loop, like in a vacuum where they are still in that revolution (Updated thought: I think the idea of still being in that revolution is that no one comes up with the idea of starting a revolution, it’s like the ‘haute cuisine de brain fuck’) and it seems the people actually still stand behind the story although they are not free. Fidel and Che are still the heroes. Well now the people can actually travel, if they have money. Which not so many have, with a minimum wage of 8 USD a month. You need at least 500 USD cash to get a visa to travel for example to Panama as I understand. Not much left to say apart from ‘viva la revolución’ (long live the revolution) and ‘patria o muerte’ (fatherland or death) which you can still read on billboards, coins and walls all over the country. Some other keywords I read today on a wall: ‘altruismo, desinteres, solidaridad, modestia, heroismo’ – where only desinteres (being un – interested) really interest me: Why? Not to have interest in anything means not to be curious and not to question anything, that’s how many people here act! With a face of utter ‘desinteres’!
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Update after three weeks in Cuba: By now we got used to how the people are here. That doesn’t mean we are fully enjoying it. A hostile environment, this words still come to mind. A month was too much for this island. Where we are staying here in Santiago de Cuba, the hostess again is very artificial friendly. And when I told her that in AirBNB it says breakfast included, she said but that’s not true. I showed her her airBNB entry, but she just repeats that it is not like that. Nice: So now another eight days in a hostile surrounding. Well we can’t fight her just now, still waiting for the DHL which gets here in her name. DHL also lets us down: The debit card is still in Madrid, since six f***ing days . DHL express my *ss, and that for a price of 120 CHF… Should arrive Tuesday at the end of the day, but we had planned to leave Tuesday, before the end of the day… Lets just hope it arrives Tuesday, so we can leave Santiago de Cuba. Which by the way is a very lovely city. Very picturesque. Just don’t walk into a bakery or any other government run institution or you got to feel that heavy energy of what i would describe as their idea of being good communists. Or in Lauras words: ‘una energia muy pesada’ (a crushing / depressing / heavy energy). Here I actually prefer to sit in the central Hotel at the park to enjoy a cold beverage, with the other tourists. Just don’t feel like taking any more of this bitching at me, whenever I want to buy something in a local store. Well I don’t blame them, they are also just the product of their surrounding and upbringing. Also the men always mouthing something in Lauras face when passing her, whenever I’m walking a meter in front. The last guy who did so I stopped and asked, what he told her. He then said, that it’s all normal, only that she makes good photos and that he’s married with three kids and that his behavior is absolutely normal. This is called acosar (harassing, annoying, bullying) in Spanish and Laura said it needed many campaigns in Colombia to change that behavior towards women. Well – here it’s still VERY common. By now it’s like a positive surprise if someone is reacting genuinely nice without wanting anything. I think posting this text after the photos will actually point out a very interesting reality of traveling: Only seeing the photos, from the viewpoint of someone who was not part of that journey, always produces a feeling of just having a great time. Reading then this text will be in a great contrast (Not that I expect anyone to have so much time on their hands to actually read it).
I feel with the people here, by now I also looking forward to leaving that island. What a weird, weird place! (Update after reading that text the other day: The mood you are in here also strongly reflects how well you slept and how much you eat and how many hours you walked in the boiling sun for. You can take the people here much more lightly when being in a good constitution. Today was a good day: I feel balanced, yesterday I felt like starting to be straight out angry like the people here generally are. We then had to drink a Mojito to relax again ;)… Breaking the non drinking rule here has become somewhat of a habit in Cuba.
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Getting philosophical – once in a while
It’s a new day and with a good nights sleep and full stomach the world seems a less hostile place. On a more conciliatory approach and with trying to appreciate the possibility of traveling to far away places: This is what it is all about really: See the differences, which enables you to reflect and understand yourself and humans as a species more profoundly. And to understand that it is all just programmatic. So back to that philosophical question: Are we all just an unwritten blackboard when we get born? Yes, very much so. Just the hardware is different. Which leads to a different outcome of any two human beings, also if you put them through the exact same experiences. So ‘you’ or ‘I’ is very relative, it IS actually just your experiences. So why is it, that this sense of ‘I’ feels so strong, so true, so real? Because we get trained from the very beginning to identify with things, with our body, with our name. We choose favorite colors, favorite books, favorite movies. Friends, colleagues and later on girlfriends/boyfriends, wives and husbands. We identify very strong with ‘our’ country, our city, our favorite team, band, beer, car. It seems a waste of time.
It seems so naturally, but I really don’t know if it is pushed by people who have their own agenda about selling stuff or gaining more power – or with other words: What would happen, if there would be no things to buy, and if there would be no hierarchy, if we would all be the same, that was the idea of communism if I understand it right. And now that I see the result it seems, that capitalism produces happier faces, but then this concept is still believed to work, while communism in global opinion has failed. We talk about how the white race took the black race slaves, but look at us now, a few people took everyone slave. Slaving away, day by day from eight to five, Monday to Friday. With one to four weeks of holidays. Doing something most of us don’t want to do. The difference between Cuba and Switzerland? Well in Switzerland we do it with a smile, while here they don’t even try, so which one is actually more hypocritical?
Funny – you can use as many words to describe the world as you wish, and you can try as many concepts as you please, the outcome never seems to be satisfying. There is no truth, there are only different viewpoints. And as we humans understand our surrounding with opposites, we can generate only a grayscale starting with black and white. Duality – zero and one. We are almost there – reproducing our reality, our intelligence, within computers. And as soon as we achieved that goal, there is no more need to be isolated in individual bodies. We will be one. And I hope we will be less confused. So what are we really? We are manifested matter. Through the manifestation of matter it generated intelligence within any living thing. This view suggests that more intelligent connected matter produces more intelligence (so to say a greater brain – or more accurately: more connected synapses can produce a more complex network. Compare us humans to precious metals in form of intelligence scattered in the soil which can shine more when all brought to one big pile. Only when we achieve singularity, artificially reproduced biochemical reactions of our brain we can grow exponentially to a new level of intelligence, where there is no biomaterial needed anymore, where the actual carrier ‘our body’ is superfluous. The need for humans out of the view of a universal intelligence will then have run dry. Out of the view of a universal intelligence this then was the area of the humans. Possibly the equivalent of the stone age compared with the human view of evolution. The point is to not identify and think of yourself as human, but more of a part of greater universal intelligence. This way you also have no need to feel sad about the uselessness of the human race within the next 50 to 200 years. Sounds crazy? Like someone having too much time on his hands? So why do people nowadays often say: I don’t believe in god per se, but I believe in a greater universal force. Well I guess Spirituality and all the other concepts to try and explain the world weren’t so far away from the truth, just couldn’t grasp it fully. We will be freed and we will be one, and it will definitely feel great. I’m positive.
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One week to go in Cuba, we almost made it and it seems we will get out alive. I just hope they don’t hassle us again in Panama, in transit to Jamaica!
We now arrived in Camagüey, an old pirate city where also Morgan and the likes roamed around. We decided wisely not to wait for the DHL letter in Santiago de Cuba, which it said on Monday still sits in Madrid, waiting to be moved – since a week! Now is Tuesday, the day it supposed to arrive – by the end of the day. Well it still sits in Madrid. Janine called them and found out, that it has the same shipping number like some car parts which were sent in January from Hong Kong to Bulgaria. No one can explain how this happened. Well I do: Cuba! It now gets send back to Switzerland and it seems we also will get the money back. From Switzerland we start a new try: This time to Jamaica…
Now a few anecdotes why it is not always so much fun interacting with Cubans to a point where we decided to try and not interact with them at all, or also reverse-shitting in their faces, when they try to hassle us for something. This not-connecting is pretty hard for me, I always feel very much like connecting with everyone…
The other day I went to the butcher and asked if they sell cheese. He repeated “cheese? no!” In the next store they told me, that it was in that store – we entered that store and yes, there was actually a fridge full of cheese. And the vendor himself was the guy who told me, they had none (outside the store on his break). I then asked him, why he said they don’t have any, and he just kept repeating “how much do you want?” That was that moment when I understood that they are actually really careculos, there was no more doubt! Some of them really are plain and simple a**holes!
More cheese stories: Another day I was looking to buy some cheese again (fresh products is advanced shopping), I then, after half an hour, found a place, but there were only 5 kilogram pieces. I asked, if it is possible to just buy 400 grams, and she was like no, how would that be possible. The other guy then said “all or nothing” and while I walked away, they were still laughing about me till I left the store. Then some guy wanted fire. I gave him, he then wanted to know where I’m from and said, that his brother is living there too. And I should sit myself down and when I told him stores are closing and I still haven’t got everything, he was like “are you a racist? Do you hate black people? Come on sit down”. A typical hassle to rip off just another stupid tourist for a few pesos. I then found in one store Madeleins and told the lady “me regalas un paquete de madelenes?” She responded that there are no regalos (presents) here, so I explained her that’s how we say it in Colombia. She then corrected me in the worst teacher-style manner that we are NOT in Colombia and that here we say “Miss, can I please buy some Madelenes?”. As if any of this careculos would ever use the word “please”. They are not only like this with tourists, they are also that rude with each other. It seems like they all (well lets say 90%) have a bad day – every day. And it’s not only rude – it’s actually more they really want to harass you. Acosar is the word in Spanish. Not only men towards women, when they pass them, have always some dirty words ready; no – also this Madelene selling bit** was spontaneously ready to fuck me rhetorically in the a**. Sorry for the language, it’s only to reflect the mood you are in when three of this encounters happen to you within less than half an hour. Is that what it means to be a good communist? Another good communist, a bici taxista wanted five, then was ready to go for three. When we arrived he said three per person, and was not ready to compromise for five like I suggested. I then asked our hostess for help only to find out, that these people always stick together. As a foreigner you will never win, sure enough neither if you go to the police. I finally paid him the six, his junkie-angry yellowish (hepatitis?) glowing eyes did not mean a good end to the story if I wouldn’t be ready to pay.
I need to add, that we also had a few nice encounters, with people who didn’t wanted anything from us. I can’t say for sure after only three weeks, but it seems not only most buildings are broken here…
I was reading that last part to Lau and she was just like “Yeah, but it’s so spectacular, like you always repeat!” Well yes, it’s outside the comfort zone, it challenging. The truth is, I don’t want to do no one injustice, especially not to a whole country… But hey, I tried a month and the stories speak for themselves really.
Or is the truth that we are all like that? Only that we have the luxury to think we are nice, but all that’s really different is, that we are trying to be nice. As long that we can afford that luxury. I for myself flipped pretty quick here, only needed three weeks. I’m treating them now like they treat me. It is really easy, it doesn’t take any effort to be an ass. Am I just being a hypocrite, when judging them? Telling me stories, about how nice other places are in comparison with this place. Is it just a question of how tough life is on someone? Would also correspond to the wise words of Antony de Mello: “I’m an ass, you’re an ass”.
On a brighter note: the variety in every breakfasts from la Habana till Santiago de Cuba is spectacular! It’s like to show off, that they actually have a big variety in things. Here in Camagüey she does it even more spectacular then any other place so far: Tee for Lau (four different types to choose from, coffee for me, with milk, fresh squeezed juice, fresh yoghurt, fresh cheese, cheese toasts with an omelet and a sausage, toasted bred with butter, crepes and something Nutella-alike – just yum and enough for the whole day.
Today we were strolling through Camagüey, this is definitely my favorite place together with la Habana and Cienfuegos. People are more relaxed than in la Habana or Santiago de Cuba (happier?) and the city is outstandingly pretty with loads of little parks and endless spectacular house facades. Also is this city big enough to walk around at least for two days. One more day here, then a four hour taxi ride to Playa Pilar, “the most spectacular playa in all of Cuba” as they say everywhere. We got it down to 130 CUC for a not air conditioned car. It’s an all inclusive resort where we stay for two nights to also get a glimpse of how other people perceive Cuba in their neat little bubble, the people who come back from their two week all inclusive holidays, all exited about how friendly Cubans are… Actually no, more because it’s the only place to stay at Playa Pilar. And because it is also Hemingways favorite beach in all of the Caribbean – lets find out what all the fuss is about!
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Sitting in a plane again – we just left Cuba. But still not the Cubans… The all inclusive resort was very expensive for the quality of food and our “standard room” was pretty broken. This is what some people work a whole year for – to stay at such a place for a week? It’s unbelievable. We nonetheless had a very good time – at the beach, away from the whole pool circus, where this people prefer to stay. It is truly an exceptionally pretty beach, the water is warm and clear and the sand is powder white with a sand dune in the back dotted with palm trees on the crest. Also the drive here in an 1981 Lada was pretty cool, the last 50 kilometers on a small road with the sea to the left and right…
We arrived pretty sunburned (still don’t get it how this happens, when only staying in the shadow of the palmhut?) yesterday night back in la Habana and got picked up by Dayron with his 1938 Ford! His mother cooked us a yummy dinner (for two, even tough we only had money left for one dinner. We finally payed her the rest with the unused internetcards). With this wonderful beach still in mind we headed this morning, again with Dayron and his Ford, a little more reconciled with Cuba, to the airport. It was an intense and interesting month here in Cuba.
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Last update
Arriving in Kingstons, Jamaicas capital, yesterday was again a heavy culture shock. Laura is keeping up pretty well! It needs a lot flexibility and adaption to this heavy switches, it a lot to digest. I’m actually a junky for that, but for now I’m good – it’s quite some sensory overload: From Communists to Rastafari. From Cuban Spanish to Jamaican English…. From rice and beans to Ackee and Saltfish. From hellish heat in the streets to now also hellish heat in the bedroom without airconditioning. I don’t really get Jamaica at all but am really loving it here so far. I mean it’s just all so British and I just realized again how much I love England. And here they understand “britishness” but have this other flavor added. Such a weight was lifted when we finally were leaving Cuba. A month was maybe a bit too much. Or maybe just the right amount of time?