Cuba


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Page last updated 9 September 2006

Go to Cuba before Castro dies and the country is opened up to American tourism. When that happens, and it will eventually, the island will be changed forever (and not necessarily for the better in my humble opinion). Don't get me wrong. I am not anti-American, far from it, but it is refreshing to find a few places that have so far escaped the MacDonalds and KFC culture that pervades everywhere.

Cuba was one of those places that I had wanted to go to for a long time but hadn't gotten around to it. When I finally got there it did not disappoint but if I went back I would probably spend more time in Havana.

This was one of the rare occasions where I have chosen a package holiday but it seemed like a good deal. Also, the tourist infrastructure in Cuba is such that things are a little trickier for independent travellers than most other places. Plus, I don't speak any Spanish and most Cubans don't speak any English. The package was with BA holidays but I'm not sure whether they are still running as I believe BA have stopped flying to Havana for some reason.

Upon arriving at Havana you are greeted with real old-fashioned Communist bureaucracy at the airport. It took an age to get through customs and immigration. The customs guy asked whether I had brought chocolate for him. I laughed but when I looked at him saw he was deathly serious. I hadn't bought any chocolate but was allowed to enter the country despite this minor oversight. With the trade sanctions imposed against Cuba, especially by the US, it can be difficult to obtain items that are taken for granted almost everywhere else.

By this time it was getting late and I was looking forward to a sleep. Our coach took us into the City and deposited a bunch of weary British tourists at the Hotel Nacional de Cuba, a magnificent building and iconic landmark. Staying here was another benefit of this particular package deal. I must be getting old but I have taken to staying in more upmarket accommodation these days. Besides, this wasn't just about luxury and comfort. In its heyday, during the 30's and 40's, the Nacional was the playground of America's rich and famous. Around the hotel there are several photos of Hollywood stars and heads of state who have stayed at the hotel, including Frank Sinatra, Ava Gardner, Winston Churchill and Marlon Brando. A definite sense of grandeur and history is evident.

Hotel Nacional de Cuba

Arriving at the hotel though, there were more problems when we were told that bookings hadn't been made for us. At one point it seemed liked we might have to check in somewhere else, which would have been hugely disappointing. This was resolved eventually a couple of hours later after they called in an emergency maid service to make up the rooms and I finally made it to bed. Welcome to Havana!

The impression that Havana gives is that it has been stuck in a time warp for 40 years, which with the sanctions, it effectively has. The whole city is like a living museum with classic American gas-guzzling cars roaming the streets. For economic reasons the Cubans have been forced to keep their old cars going and it is fortunate that the climate is conducive to prolonging the life of metal objects! I have never seen so many old cars being used for every day work and many of them are in fabulous condition. This is a testament to good ole' American engineering and Cuban industrialism in keeping the things going.

In some ways Havana reminded me of Prague. At its height it must have been fabulous with magnificent buildings lining the wide streets but under a Communist regime the buildings have fallen into disrepair and the very fabric of the city has started to erode. It's not as bad as it sounds though. A renovation programme is in place and there are signs that this is working. The Cubans must realise that there is potentially a huge tourist market and need to take steps to encourage visitors to the island.

Around Havana

The downside of a package tour is that there is no flexibility with the itinerary. After 4 days in Havana it was time to leave for Varadero. Varadero is just one town on the coast where the beach stretches for about 1. It was probably a small fishing town at one time but has turned into the biggest beach resort on Cuba. From what I could make out, every hotel was 'all-inclusive', meaning that for the duration of your stay you were stuck (and had to eat in) the same place whether you liked it or not. I guess this may suit a lot of people, especially families and inactive couples, but it did nothing for my natural desire to explore when I am in foreign places. There were a few restaurants outside of the hotels but not many and to eat at them meant effectively that you were paying twice, as your meals at the hotel had already been paid for. I felt alone as a single traveller too, the majority of people being in families and cosy couples. I was therefore grateful to a couple of Canadian sisters taking pity on me eating alone and teamed up with them for the rest of the trip. While near tropical waters I took the opportunity to do a day's diving although it didn't quite turn out to be a complete day. I developed sea sickness after the first dive and donated my breakfast to the local fish population. On the plus side, this is a good technique to obtain some more space on a dive boat. After my unfortunate episode my fellow diving 'buddies' deserted me completely. How's that for camaraderie among the diving community?

Links and resources
Hotel Nacional de Cuba	The finest hotel in Havana
Cuba.com	The Official Web Site to Cuba
GoCuba.ca	Cuba Tourist Board in Canada
Cuba-Junky.com	Useful site written by a Dutch girl who knows the country well