CUBA

This was my first visit to Cuba and it was hard to sift through our many pictures and decide which ones should be included. The cigar factory is not here (photos not allowed) or the museums (too tight to pay the fee) or the rum factory (battery ran out) or many many of the interesting things that were lost in the moment it took me to find the camera and switch it on. I have gone on far too long, I have spelled names wrong (including my husband!) and I have presented a Cuba which is possibly unrecognisable to my fellow travellers. But in years to come I will look at this and know it was the essence of our experience. Let me amend that - our first experience. 

Our first hotel was fabulous and we were warned not to expect so much from the rest of the tour! We came here straight from the airport having nervously endured the customs operators going through the suitcases to see what interesting things these foreigners had. 'Biscuits' I could hear a woman saying. 'Biscuits. No, biscuits. Like this, yum yum. Bis-cuits' 

Jon just before his beard was shaved off at the spa. The fact that his beard was still on afterwards was due to the fact that they waved a rusty well-used razor in his face and said 'do you want to die??' (Jon decided no, he didn't, not so early on in the holiday anyway) - it turns out that there is a national shortage of razors. We were to discover to our irritation that rather than disappoint you if you want to do something, Cubans will say 'yes!' 'no problem!' and then let you down later 

Recovering from our long journey in the jacuzzi watched by sparrows (rather than the vultures that circled above for most of the trip!) 

Local food is poor and the Cubans don't really know how to prepare food for Westerners. This 'crepe' was a doorstop set on fire with rum and fried for 10 minutes with a fried peach and fried banana. But what an artwork! The picture was made on the plate while we waited and 'Migdelis' was thrilled that we took this picture 

Jon swimming in the hotel pool - with the temperature at around 28 deg. and humid, it was handy not to have to get out of the pool for out (inclusive) drinks at the bar. This is winter! 

Propaganda! A dictionary revealed that the most common sign translated as 'patriotism or death' !! 

Education is free including University. Health is free and there is one doctor for every 200 people and no problem finding a dentist. There are lots of well educated healthy Cubans working as waiters or maids because being a communist country the wages are the same but access to tips from foreigners is priceless. Most areas have a problem with beggars who choose not to work - there is no unemployment benefit if jobs are available but even a small amount in tips is a month's salary 

Housing is shocking by our standards. Since the 90s resources go into tourist hotels etc but there is little evidence of any building maintenance over decades. Families live where they were before the revolution and have to spend their lives there. It makes for strong communities but cramped housing! It is common to see extensions on the roof where married children try to get privacy 

This cigar-smoking woman was thrilled to have her photo taken because traditionally a tip follows! Just as welcome as money were pens, soap, sweets, razors, anything currently in short supply 

The hotel beach. The area is known for its inlets and the name 'Guardalavacca' means 'hide the cow' although the original name apparently meant 'hide the boat'. Because much of the smuggled loot was beef both names are entirely appropriate 

Buying postcards - each stamp is being glued onto the card by the postmistress! We posted them straight away but are told not to expect them to arrive before Christmas  

Our first bit of free time and I decided to buy peanuts from a street vendor in Holguin. Unfortunately a) I didn't have any money and b) I didn't speak any Spanish. Silvana solved both problems but when she handed over the 25 cents we thought he had asked for, the peanuts kept coming, and coming, and coming until we ran away 

Just before you land on the plane a steward goes down both aisles spraying everything with instecticide. Similarly, anyone heading for the Santiago region has their vehicle fumigated (the luggage still smells of coal tar) although when we got back on the bus we noticed a spider and a fly lazily pursuing their business 

As you see, we couldn't get back on the bus for a while! We walked down the road for about twenty minutes, ten of them in rain 

Children's goat cart in Bayamo 

Derek brought along several packets of 'ginger chews' to be passed round the bus on long journeys, with mixed reception! Jon adored them, and Ricardo couldn't even finish his. Cubans hate spicy food, he told us. In Mexico they have a sauce called 'Havanna Sauce' and they certainly don't have that in Havanna! 

Not only do Cubans not eat spicy food, but whether on 2 wheels or 4 they are also very careful drivers - far too laid back to warrant the 'passionate' label they like to give themselves. Hitch hikers feel very safe! Everyone hitches as it is uncommon to have your own transport. We even saw some policemen hitching! (It was claimed that policemen with arrested suspects were seen hitching!) 

Ricardo our guide and bible with Imogen our manager 

Transport is a major problem in Cuba. After the collapse of communism in Russia the Cubans no longer had a market for their sugar cane and no access to subsidised oil from Russia. The economy became desperate overnight and tourists were allowed in to try and fill the gap - transport is still one of the biggest issues though and cars and lorries have to stop to fill up with people on their way to or from work - professionals are hired to flag a vehicle down and fill it up (our coach driver knew he would have to carry strangers on the 1000km journey back to Holguin from Havanna when we went home). The lorry above is typical of a people-carrier cuban-style. Ricardo also told us of stretch ladders that had been welded to make taxies hold more people. We kept our eyes peeled but never saw one until we reached Havanna and someone pointed out a Lada that had been stretched by welding an extra row of seats in the middle ... 

All the scaffolding we saw (and we saw lots!) was wooden and a work of art 

This is apparently a typical Cuban dessert - cheese and guava jam - I think they're having a laugh 

Casa de la Trova - the first band we saw and we thoroughly enjoyed them, we even bought their CD. Later on at the hotel we listened to a singer, Norah, and bought her CD as well. Two was our absolute limit we said 

Changing of the guard (Santiago) 

Santiago monument - huge and striking - Santiago is altogether prouder, more hostile, more derelict and more edgy than the other areas we visited and I'm glad we only stayed 2 days