Click here to see the photos of our Cuban Holiday.The wife and I are much refreshed after 10 days in Cuba. The flight out was tiring: partly because my knees were waging a constant battle with the bozo in front, who wanted to recline into my already non existent legroom, and partly because Virgin just had too many good films on to allow any sleep!
We spent our first 4 days in Havana, which, to coin a guide book cliché, is very much a city of contrasts. Pristinely restored 5 star hotels tower over derelict colonial buildings; many in the process of being demolished; many with their top floors collapsed but their bottom floors inhabited by large families with strings of washing hanging from the balcony. The postcard views of streets full of shiny old 50s american cars are entirely accurate. Like the buildings, some are beautifully kept; shiny metallic paint job, glistening chrome bumpers, glossy red leather upholstery, and thrusting hood ornaments, echoing a time when the whole world was in love with these glorious monsters; some were dilapidated, held together with duct tape, paintwork long since mottled by rust, exhausts belching out puffs of bluish smoke, guys running along behind, push-starting them. A lot of cars were soviet Ladas and the like, and the main form of public transport seemed to be a twin chassis container full of people, pulled by a big old truck rig. A juggernaut with windows. The affectionate name for these hideous things is the camel.
Havana itself is a lively, vibrant place. In some parts locals vye for tourists' attention: offering taxis, photos, rides in horsedrawn carriages, conversation, and occasionally an opportunity to get fleeced (although there are no scams a polite but insistent "No" won't put an end to). But turn a corner, and suddenly, the tourist is no longer king. This is
real Havana, where kids play ball games in the street, old women lean against walls, sucking large cigars in their toothless mouths, and policemen in smart uniforms keep a stern eye on the whole scene.
Another guide book cliché with some truth in it is the assertion that there's music on every street corner. More accurately, there's music in every bar (and there are plenty of those). We got serenaded wherever we ate or drank, and invariably bought the group's CD afterwards. Sadly, the jumping nightlife scene didn't materialise. We did hear of some clubs in the residential parts of Havana (where we'd been told not to go after dark, nor even in daylight if we could avoid it). So we saved the salsa dancing for later.
The guide books also like to tell you that Cuba has one of the finest health services in the world, although when my wife took the stitches out of my hand (she did a brilliant job by the way, although I nearly fainted afterwards, like a big wilting pansy), it took us all morning to find a pharmacy or a first aid centre that possessed any elastoplast, let alone steri-strip!
We were then supposed to transfer to an exclusive island resort, but the travel company cancelled this about ten minutes before we got in the taxi. So instead, we went to a rainforest resort, where we went on long hot walks, swam in rivers, showered under waterfalls, soaked in mineral baths, and luxuriated in mudpacks and massages. We watched vultures swoop gracefully over the lush valley in which our hotel nestled, saw the sun set over the ruins of a restaurant, and ate more food than we thought possible in one sitting (well, that was mostly me actually).
Then on to La Moka, an eco-hotel, built around the trees. One enormous tree grows straight up through three floors, and through a hole in reception, right up through the roof - it's beautifully done. From here, we had views of another lush valley, in the eco-reserve of Las Terrazas, which thirty years previously had been a deforested wasteland, until Castro ordered the reforestation of 5000 acres of land with 6 million trees. A stunning achievement, and a stunning place.
Finally, we transferred to Varadero, a fairly unattractive Cost-Del-Sol style development the other side of Havana, where we'd been determined not to go, but now had no choice, thanks to our travel company messing things up. Having said that, the beach was fantastic, and the sea warmer and shallower than most baths! We had a very relaxing few days here, thanks in part to the all-inclusive bar! We also went to a fabulous Mambo club, and danced the night away.
All in all, we'd thoroughly recommend Cuba. In fact, the sooner the better, before Castro dies, and the Americans move in to build a Starbucks on every corner!
