Havana, Cuba

A little side trip to Cuba - why not?


Just a part of DF's expanse.



It was a really long day to get to Havana. Metroed to the airport - 3 lines to get there. I got to Terminal 1, then took a bus to Terminal 2. I went to several exchange booths only to find that Cuban currency can only be purchased at Terminal 1. OK. Bus back to Terminal 1, get CUCs (Cuba has two currencies - the Cuban Convertible Peso and la mondea nacional. Most tourist stuff requires CUCs though.)

I went to check in and I was informed that 1) I needed to buy a Cuban visa and 2) I couldn't get my boarding pass if I didn't have my visa/entrance document. SHIT!

I went to immigration and inquired. Luckily, I would be able to get a new document :) I started to get all the paperwork filled out, when the clerk realized at the last minute that I couldn't get it now, but that I needed to do the same thing in Cancun (the city where I was to transfer before heading to Cuba).

Back to the check in desk to explain. Got my boarding pass to Cancun, then stood in another line for my Cuban visa.

Good thing I came early!

Boarded my flight to Cancun, and got my transit document upon arrival. Checking in took f-o-r-e-v-e-r here. Ugh. My layover was for five long hours too. And, I have to say that the convenience store food at the Cancun airport is crazy insane expensive.

Finally, night and my flight to Havana came in the late evening. A quick flight, and I was officially in Cuban territory. It was strange to arrive so late at night - around 1am. The airport is tiny and the security tight.

Cab to my hotel, the Hotel Triton Neptuno. Not the nicest of digs, but doable if you have simple needs and want to save money (I bought the flight and hotel as a package).

I checked in, then accidentally went to the wrong floor. Floor 8. Floor 8 was under construction, without lights, and wind was blowing through the windows, blowing doors open and closed. It was the eeriest sight - I felt like I was in a horror movie. I actually started looking around for my room number, then returned to the elevator. It wasn't working, and I had to walk through the hall again and down the stairwell back to the lobby.

Elevatored upstairs again, this time to the 18th floor. I tried my room, but to no avail. Back to the lobby. This time I was accompanied to the 18th floor by an attendant who showed me that the door knob had to be turned upward.

Finally, sleep.

The next morning I woke up to see what I could see from my room, and this, my readers, is what I saw:


It made me and my problems feel like tiny little dots of nothingness.


Day 1 in Havana began with me leaving my hotel by foot, in the hot, humid heat. I looked at my map and realized that streets are long and that I am not in fact invincible. The places I wanted to see were just too far away. Back at the hotel I asked about the bus near our hotel, where it went and if I could pay with CUCs. The man didn't "recomiendo" it. It's never been my style, but I inquired further about the man's suggestion that I take one of the hotel's drivers. Done.

I had a map with a bunch of places I thought looked interesting and we agreed to drive around, then stop to see the places.


Cemetary Necropolis Cristobal Colon.


This is the grave of the Milagrosa.

"Among anecdotes about death, failed hopes and resignation, the legend of "La Milagrosa", which dates back to the early 20th century, stands out as a chant of love and hope in the Colón Cemetery.

Visitors to the well-known architectural monument dedicated to the dead are attracted by a small tomb always covered with fresh flowers and taken care with love and respect by many people.

The tomb, located at a short distance from the cemetery's Central Chapel, belongs to Amelia Goyri, known as "La Milagrosa", who died during childbirth on May 3, 1903, at the age of 23.

According to the legend, the baby did not survive either and both, mother and son, were buried in the tomb, which the inconsolable widower, José Vicente Adot y Rabell, visited every day.

Day after day, for many years, Adot faithfully visited the tomb of his beloved ones, whose deaths he never accepted by thinking that Amelia was asleep, so he used to wake her up with three knocks on the tomb, a sort of secret signal of complicity between the spouses.

The day the remains were to be exhumed, witnesses saw that the bodies were intact and, in a symbol of maternal love, Amelia was holding her son in her arms, so the tomb was sealed again and has remained like that until today."

Plaza de la Revolucion


The rest of my tour of Havana Vieja was a bit rushed. I felt a bit disheartened and didn't really care about walking around or taking notes on all the museums, walls, plazas, and buildings I saw.

My favourite part was just driving around the streets, people-, car-, and crumbling-building-watching. There are a million colours and things to see. The people and culture are so mixed.










El Capitolito








We passed by this restaurant, and it took a minute to figure out why there was so much security in front - the president was dining there! Cool :)














A mini-performance in a plaza. They looked like they were having so much fun.


It's amazing to see the mix of all the old cars here.


The malecon delights.







Back at my hotel. This is the hotel pool, which looks better from afar. It also costs 10 CUCs to use (roughly the same as Canadian dollars).



CUCs



I took a walk on the beach in front of my hotel. No sand - just interesting rock, coral, and plantlife.





I saw lots of vultures flying above.



Milk and pop at a nearby supermarket. More tight security. No bags allowed (not even small purses), and they check your plastic bags as you leave.


The food is basic. The displays are simple.

The hotel food wasn't so good :/ It was very cheap by Canadian standards though.




My driver Osmany and I made a deal on the side. He was to show me "el cañón" tonight, which he claims, you haven't seen Cuba if you haven't seen it. Then, tomorrow to a beach, and finally to the airport the day after that. Works for me and it helps to be pretty close to knowing my budget.



This is Osmany's brother's car. This night and the next day I went around with two Cuban families. Osmany, his girlfriend, Osmany's brother, his wife, and two young daughters. Osmany and his brother always drove side-by-side and talked to each other. Where were they going? Did they want to eat something?


Russian influence.


el cañón

"Today the fortress, together with the El Morro is part of the "Parque Historico Militar Morro Cabana" The Havana Military Historic Park and, houses a large collection of old weapons. Soldiers in historic uniforms parade for tourists. Every evening at 9:00 pm
the "Canonazo", a cannon shot, sounds from La Cabana which in earlier times signaled the closing of Havana's city gates. Edmision is $CUC 3, you better be early to get your ticket on time. There is very interesting collections of the "White Weapons"
from around the world, at the museum in Military Historic Park. Museum is open late, that you can see it after the canon shot."

There are a few mistakes in that excerpt, but that's the gist.


Initially when Osmany told me about it, I was thinking it was some sort of "canyon." Silly me - I've heard the Spanish translation for 'canyon' before (the name of a metro station), but I guess the English sound came to me faster.

Cuban Spanish sounds very different from Mexican Spanish. Instead of "gracias," it sounds like "grasia." Lots of end sounds aren't included. It was good practice for me to spend so much time with two Cuban families. Everyone was so nice. They were curious and asked lots of questions, as did I. They also explained the stuff happening around us.


At 9pm on the dot, the canon fired.



Next, wandering through tunnels in the dark in Cuba. Didn't spot any ghosts...



...just a big moth.

Day 2, Havana

To the beach!



I saw a billboard about terrorism and the US, but I didn't have enough time to catch it.


Playa Este. The pictures don't really do this slice of perfectness justice. True - it's not the best beach in Cuba (Varadero is supposed to be the best), but it's really just lovely.


Fine white sand and clear turquoise warm waters. It was a Monday and this part wasn't too crowded, so it was perfect for me.


One of the young girls, Daniella, told me to take off my clothes and get into the water. I was feeling shy, then thought 'screw it!' and went into the waves. I was so glad to have her there. She had me repeating and practicing Spanish in the water too.

It's quite a workout to fight those little waves. Totally worth it.

The weather was great too. Warm, but not scorching. Later it started to get a bit too hot though, and I got a minor sunburn on my back :(


I was so exhausted afterward. Mojito time. I kinda had to, right?


I slept early.

Day 3, Havana

The last day. I went to check out the breakfast buffet. Yuck :/

On the way back I came across a scruffy little baby bird stuck inside. It couldn't quite fly, so I caught it and helped it get back outside with the other chatty birds.



I met Osmany again and he took me to the airport for my early afternoon flight.


At the check in desk, the clerk joked that I wasn't American, right? We're similar, but different ;)

I got a stamp in my passport, at my request, at immigration.

The terminal is so tiny. There is only one gate. At least there's no way to get lost.


Happy to have a direct flight back to DF. I met and chatted with a guy from Puerto Vallarta. He has a mechanic and a taco business there. I also had fun with one of the flight attendants. When he found out I was Canadian, he wanted to practice French. Now that I'm learning Spanish, I really can't speak French; I mix Spanish words in all the time. However, I did my best to communicate with him in French for the rest of the flight.


I can see the area where I live from here!

Good to be back in DF. Cuba is so interesting though. Definitely a 'recommend' from moi.