Indivisibilities Wiki - User contributions [en]

MexicoCuba

2006-10-26T15:49:55Z

213.249.136.51: /* Get insurance */

== Mexico Cuba 2006 ==

=== Introduction ===

This is a holiday idea that I have been whinging on about for some time now after the thouroughly excellent times I had in Peru and Egypt . The thought behind Mexico & Cuba 2006 is to combine the latin flavours of central america through the tequilla & salsa music with the ancient wonder of the pyramids. At the time of writing (February 2006) this is still simply an idea so the purpose of this page is to do some perelimenary investigation into whather the whole idea is possible at all --Tom

== General Plan ==
Fly in to Mexico city, travel down to cancun (coach/rail) and over to Havana (Boat/Plane.)

[[Image:bigmap.JPG]]

===Flights===
We've booked our flights now, woohoo -

'''Outbound Flights'''
{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
! From!! To !! Date and Time !!Flight No!! Class !! Carrier
|-
|London - LHR || Paris - CDG || Fri 27th Oct 2006 13:05 - 15:15 || AF1571 || Class: Economy || Air France
|-
|Paris - CDG || Mexico City - MEX || Fri 27th Oct 2006 16:15 - 21:10 || AF434 || Class: Economy || Air France
|}

'''Return flights'''
{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
! From!! To !! Date and Time !!Flight No!! Class !! Carrier
|-
|Havana - HAV || Paris - CDG || Tue 14th Nov 2006 21:15 - 11:05 next day || AF479 || Class: Economy ||Air France
|-
|Paris - CDG || London - LHR || Wed 15th Nov 2006 12:00 - 12:15 || AF1570 || Class: Economy || Air France
|}

===Must see sights===
*Teotithuacan
*Mexico city
*General Aztec/Mayan stuff
*Tequilla plantations
*Gulf of mexico coast
*Havana

===Moving around===

'''Mexico'''
*Coach
*Rail?
*Flight between Mexico and Cuba

There is an online currency converter [http://www.xe.com/ here]

'''Cuba'''

''Unknown'' - Possibly not that much moving around

== Detailed Plan ==
'''Click on one of the below links to see a detailed plan of each leg of the journey.'''

[[MexicoCity|MexicoCity to Palenque 27th Oct 9:15 pm - 2nd November 9:15pm]]

[[Yucutan|Palenque to Cancun (The Yucutan) 2nd November 9:15pm - 8th November 9:15pm]]

[[Cuba|Cancun to Havana (Cuba) 8th November 9:15pm - 14th November 9:15pm]]

== ToDo ==
=== Get jabs ===

* Hepatitis A
* Typhoid
* Polio
* Tetanus
* Yellow Fever (?)
* Malaria (?)

[[Image:tick.gif]] Tom - Had My jabs today, Owch! --Tom (21/09)

[[Image:tick.gif]] Matt'll be alright

[[Image:tick.gif]] Marc's ok too

=== Get insurance ===

[[Image:tick.gif]] Matt

[[Image:tick.gif]] Marc

[[Image:tick.gif]] Tom

=== Book Hotels ===

[[Image:tick.gif]] Matt (some)

[[Image:tick.gif]] Marc (some)

[[Image:tick.gif]] Tom (some)

=== Cuba Visa ===
[[Image:tick.gif]] Matt

[[Image:tick.gif]] Marc

[[Image:tick.gif]] Tom

=== Get some Mexican / Cuban / US Dollars ===

[[Image:tick.gif]] Matt (ordered but not picked up yet, couldn't get Cubans from Natwest!)

[[Image:tick.gif]] Marc (ordered but not picked up, not getting Cubans for now)

[[Image:tick.gif]] Tom -- US and Mex. (I have read that it is illegal to import or export Cuban currency and that US might be difficult in Cuba)

See [http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket%2FXcelerate%2FShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029390590&a=KCountryAdvice&aid=1013618385839 FCO Cuba]

=== Shopping for clothes / supplies ===

[[Image:blank.gif]] Matt

[[Image:blank.gif]] Marc

[[Image:blank.gif]] Tom

=== Other ToDo ===
* What to bring

* Who is bringing what

* Getting to the airport

* Print the Wiki

* Read what Elin wrote (!!)

* Watch Buena Vista Social Club or at least have a look on YouTube

* Try to learn a bit of Spanish

* PANIC!!

== Comments ==

Matt: According to Cyril & Nick at work, Cancun is "a hole", Americanised, touristy, Burger Kings... But a few miles south is a nice town... and also, a few miles off the coast of Mexico nr. Cancun is an isle, called isla.... something. Which translates as: Island of women!

Matt: A friend of a colleague at work said that in Cancun: [http://cancun-hotels.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g150807-d152884-r5944647-Senor_Frog_s-Cancun_Yucatan_Peninsula.html Senor Frog's] is a fun place to go

Matt: Cyril said that a couple of miles from Palenque, there's a road that goes over a mountainous bit. On the way down, there is a river that's really clear/ blue. And also, near Cancun there's a lake that's linked to the sea underground.

==Recommended reading==

''The Labyrinth of Solitude'' by Octavio Paz - insight into the Mexican psyche and outlines a lot of information about Mexican history. Short essays.

''Innocent Erendira and other short stories'' by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Short stories by the acclaimed Colombian writer. ''Innocent Erendira'' in particular is great for demonstrating Magical realism.

''Labyrinths'' by Jorge Luis Borges - short stories from an excellent Argentinian writer. Matt will love ''The Library of Babel'' I would have thought, the ''Garden of Forking Paths'' and ''Death and the Compass'' are excellent as well.

MexicoCuba

2006-10-26T15:49:43Z

213.249.136.51: /* Get some Mexican / Cuban / US Dollars */

== Mexico Cuba 2006 ==

=== Introduction ===

This is a holiday idea that I have been whinging on about for some time now after the thouroughly excellent times I had in Peru and Egypt . The thought behind Mexico & Cuba 2006 is to combine the latin flavours of central america through the tequilla & salsa music with the ancient wonder of the pyramids. At the time of writing (February 2006) this is still simply an idea so the purpose of this page is to do some perelimenary investigation into whather the whole idea is possible at all --Tom

== General Plan ==
Fly in to Mexico city, travel down to cancun (coach/rail) and over to Havana (Boat/Plane.)

[[Image:bigmap.JPG]]

===Flights===
We've booked our flights now, woohoo -

'''Outbound Flights'''
{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
! From!! To !! Date and Time !!Flight No!! Class !! Carrier
|-
|London - LHR || Paris - CDG || Fri 27th Oct 2006 13:05 - 15:15 || AF1571 || Class: Economy || Air France
|-
|Paris - CDG || Mexico City - MEX || Fri 27th Oct 2006 16:15 - 21:10 || AF434 || Class: Economy || Air France
|}

'''Return flights'''
{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
! From!! To !! Date and Time !!Flight No!! Class !! Carrier
|-
|Havana - HAV || Paris - CDG || Tue 14th Nov 2006 21:15 - 11:05 next day || AF479 || Class: Economy ||Air France
|-
|Paris - CDG || London - LHR || Wed 15th Nov 2006 12:00 - 12:15 || AF1570 || Class: Economy || Air France
|}

===Must see sights===
*Teotithuacan
*Mexico city
*General Aztec/Mayan stuff
*Tequilla plantations
*Gulf of mexico coast
*Havana

===Moving around===

'''Mexico'''
*Coach
*Rail?
*Flight between Mexico and Cuba

There is an online currency converter [http://www.xe.com/ here]

'''Cuba'''

''Unknown'' - Possibly not that much moving around

== Detailed Plan ==
'''Click on one of the below links to see a detailed plan of each leg of the journey.'''

[[MexicoCity|MexicoCity to Palenque 27th Oct 9:15 pm - 2nd November 9:15pm]]

[[Yucutan|Palenque to Cancun (The Yucutan) 2nd November 9:15pm - 8th November 9:15pm]]

[[Cuba|Cancun to Havana (Cuba) 8th November 9:15pm - 14th November 9:15pm]]

== ToDo ==
=== Get jabs ===

* Hepatitis A
* Typhoid
* Polio
* Tetanus
* Yellow Fever (?)
* Malaria (?)

[[Image:tick.gif]] Tom - Had My jabs today, Owch! --Tom (21/09)

[[Image:tick.gif]] Matt'll be alright

[[Image:tick.gif]] Marc's ok too

=== Get insurance ===

[[Image:blank.gif]] Matt

[[Image:tick.gif]] Marc

[[Image:tick.gif]] Tom

=== Book Hotels ===

[[Image:tick.gif]] Matt (some)

[[Image:tick.gif]] Marc (some)

[[Image:tick.gif]] Tom (some)

=== Cuba Visa ===
[[Image:tick.gif]] Matt

[[Image:tick.gif]] Marc

[[Image:tick.gif]] Tom

=== Get some Mexican / Cuban / US Dollars ===

[[Image:tick.gif]] Matt (ordered but not picked up yet, couldn't get Cubans from Natwest!)

[[Image:tick.gif]] Marc (ordered but not picked up, not getting Cubans for now)

[[Image:tick.gif]] Tom -- US and Mex. (I have read that it is illegal to import or export Cuban currency and that US might be difficult in Cuba)

See [http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket%2FXcelerate%2FShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029390590&a=KCountryAdvice&aid=1013618385839 FCO Cuba]

=== Shopping for clothes / supplies ===

[[Image:blank.gif]] Matt

[[Image:blank.gif]] Marc

[[Image:blank.gif]] Tom

=== Other ToDo ===
* What to bring

* Who is bringing what

* Getting to the airport

* Print the Wiki

* Read what Elin wrote (!!)

* Watch Buena Vista Social Club or at least have a look on YouTube

* Try to learn a bit of Spanish

* PANIC!!

== Comments ==

Matt: According to Cyril & Nick at work, Cancun is "a hole", Americanised, touristy, Burger Kings... But a few miles south is a nice town... and also, a few miles off the coast of Mexico nr. Cancun is an isle, called isla.... something. Which translates as: Island of women!

Matt: A friend of a colleague at work said that in Cancun: [http://cancun-hotels.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g150807-d152884-r5944647-Senor_Frog_s-Cancun_Yucatan_Peninsula.html Senor Frog's] is a fun place to go

Matt: Cyril said that a couple of miles from Palenque, there's a road that goes over a mountainous bit. On the way down, there is a river that's really clear/ blue. And also, near Cancun there's a lake that's linked to the sea underground.

==Recommended reading==

''The Labyrinth of Solitude'' by Octavio Paz - insight into the Mexican psyche and outlines a lot of information about Mexican history. Short essays.

''Innocent Erendira and other short stories'' by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Short stories by the acclaimed Colombian writer. ''Innocent Erendira'' in particular is great for demonstrating Magical realism.

''Labyrinths'' by Jorge Luis Borges - short stories from an excellent Argentinian writer. Matt will love ''The Library of Babel'' I would have thought, the ''Garden of Forking Paths'' and ''Death and the Compass'' are excellent as well.

MexicoCuba

2006-10-26T15:49:28Z

213.249.136.51: /* Comments */

== Mexico Cuba 2006 ==

=== Introduction ===

This is a holiday idea that I have been whinging on about for some time now after the thouroughly excellent times I had in Peru and Egypt . The thought behind Mexico & Cuba 2006 is to combine the latin flavours of central america through the tequilla & salsa music with the ancient wonder of the pyramids. At the time of writing (February 2006) this is still simply an idea so the purpose of this page is to do some perelimenary investigation into whather the whole idea is possible at all --Tom

== General Plan ==
Fly in to Mexico city, travel down to cancun (coach/rail) and over to Havana (Boat/Plane.)

[[Image:bigmap.JPG]]

===Flights===
We've booked our flights now, woohoo -

'''Outbound Flights'''
{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
! From!! To !! Date and Time !!Flight No!! Class !! Carrier
|-
|London - LHR || Paris - CDG || Fri 27th Oct 2006 13:05 - 15:15 || AF1571 || Class: Economy || Air France
|-
|Paris - CDG || Mexico City - MEX || Fri 27th Oct 2006 16:15 - 21:10 || AF434 || Class: Economy || Air France
|}

'''Return flights'''
{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
! From!! To !! Date and Time !!Flight No!! Class !! Carrier
|-
|Havana - HAV || Paris - CDG || Tue 14th Nov 2006 21:15 - 11:05 next day || AF479 || Class: Economy ||Air France
|-
|Paris - CDG || London - LHR || Wed 15th Nov 2006 12:00 - 12:15 || AF1570 || Class: Economy || Air France
|}

===Must see sights===
*Teotithuacan
*Mexico city
*General Aztec/Mayan stuff
*Tequilla plantations
*Gulf of mexico coast
*Havana

===Moving around===

'''Mexico'''
*Coach
*Rail?
*Flight between Mexico and Cuba

There is an online currency converter [http://www.xe.com/ here]

'''Cuba'''

''Unknown'' - Possibly not that much moving around

== Detailed Plan ==
'''Click on one of the below links to see a detailed plan of each leg of the journey.'''

[[MexicoCity|MexicoCity to Palenque 27th Oct 9:15 pm - 2nd November 9:15pm]]

[[Yucutan|Palenque to Cancun (The Yucutan) 2nd November 9:15pm - 8th November 9:15pm]]

[[Cuba|Cancun to Havana (Cuba) 8th November 9:15pm - 14th November 9:15pm]]

== ToDo ==
=== Get jabs ===

* Hepatitis A
* Typhoid
* Polio
* Tetanus
* Yellow Fever (?)
* Malaria (?)

[[Image:tick.gif]] Tom - Had My jabs today, Owch! --Tom (21/09)

[[Image:tick.gif]] Matt'll be alright

[[Image:tick.gif]] Marc's ok too

=== Get insurance ===

[[Image:blank.gif]] Matt

[[Image:tick.gif]] Marc

[[Image:tick.gif]] Tom

=== Book Hotels ===

[[Image:tick.gif]] Matt (some)

[[Image:tick.gif]] Marc (some)

[[Image:tick.gif]] Tom (some)

=== Cuba Visa ===
[[Image:tick.gif]] Matt

[[Image:tick.gif]] Marc

[[Image:tick.gif]] Tom

=== Get some Mexican / Cuban / US Dollars ===

[[Image:blank.gif]] Matt (ordered but not picked up yet, couldn't get Cubans from Natwest!)

[[Image:tick.gif]] Marc (ordered but not picked up, not getting Cubans for now)

[[Image:tick.gif]] Tom -- US and Mex. (I have read that it is illegal to import or export Cuban currency and that US might be difficult in Cuba)

See [http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket%2FXcelerate%2FShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029390590&a=KCountryAdvice&aid=1013618385839 FCO Cuba]

=== Shopping for clothes / supplies ===

[[Image:blank.gif]] Matt

[[Image:blank.gif]] Marc

[[Image:blank.gif]] Tom

=== Other ToDo ===
* What to bring

* Who is bringing what

* Getting to the airport

* Print the Wiki

* Read what Elin wrote (!!)

* Watch Buena Vista Social Club or at least have a look on YouTube

* Try to learn a bit of Spanish

* PANIC!!

== Comments ==

Matt: According to Cyril & Nick at work, Cancun is "a hole", Americanised, touristy, Burger Kings... But a few miles south is a nice town... and also, a few miles off the coast of Mexico nr. Cancun is an isle, called isla.... something. Which translates as: Island of women!

Matt: A friend of a colleague at work said that in Cancun: [http://cancun-hotels.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g150807-d152884-r5944647-Senor_Frog_s-Cancun_Yucatan_Peninsula.html Senor Frog's] is a fun place to go

Matt: Cyril said that a couple of miles from Palenque, there's a road that goes over a mountainous bit. On the way down, there is a river that's really clear/ blue. And also, near Cancun there's a lake that's linked to the sea underground.

==Recommended reading==

''The Labyrinth of Solitude'' by Octavio Paz - insight into the Mexican psyche and outlines a lot of information about Mexican history. Short essays.

''Innocent Erendira and other short stories'' by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Short stories by the acclaimed Colombian writer. ''Innocent Erendira'' in particular is great for demonstrating Magical realism.

''Labyrinths'' by Jorge Luis Borges - short stories from an excellent Argentinian writer. Matt will love ''The Library of Babel'' I would have thought, the ''Garden of Forking Paths'' and ''Death and the Compass'' are excellent as well.

Cuba

2006-10-18T11:57:41Z

213.249.136.51: /* Cuba: First half - Havana */

<table border=1 align="right">
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> Cuba
<tr>
<td align="center">
 [[Image:CubaFlag_40_per_cent.jpg]] 
Flag
<td align="center">
[[Image:Cuba_coa_smaller.png]] 
Coat of Arms



<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> Motto: Spanish: Patria y Libertad 
(English: "Homeland and Freedom")
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> Anthem: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Bayamesa La Bayamesa] (The Bayamo Song)
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> [[Image:LocationCuba.png]]

<tr>
<td> Capital <td>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana Havana] 
23°8′N 82°23′W
<tr>
<td>Largest City <td>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana Havana]
<tr>
<td>Official Language <td>Spanish
<tr>
<td>Government: 
President of the 
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_of_State_of_Cuba Council of State of Cuba:]
<td>Republic 
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fidel_Castro Fidel Castro]
<tr>
<td>Independence 
- Declared from Spain 
- Cuban Republic declared 
- Date recognised in Cuba
<td>
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Years%27_War Ten Years' War] 
October 10, 1868 
May 20, 1902 
January 1, 1959
<tr>
<td>Area - Total - Water (%)
<td>110,860 km² ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_outlying_territories_by_area 104th]) 
42,803 sq mi 
negligible
<tr>
<td>Population 
- 2005 est. 
- 2002 census 
- Density
<td> 11,345,670 ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population 70th]) 
11,177,743 
102/km² ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population_density 73rd]) 
264/sq mi 

<tr>
<td>GDP 
- Total 
- Per Capita
<td> 2004 estimate 
$33.9 billion ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29 89th]) 
$3,000 ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29_per_capita 126th])
<tr>
<td>Human Development Index 
<td> 0.817 ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_Human_Development_Index 52nd]) - high
<tr>
<td>Currency 
<td>Peso 
Convertible peso (see ~1~)
<tr>
<td>Time Zone 
- Summer (DST)
<td>EST 
(Starts April 1, end date varies)
<tr>
<td>Internet TLD
<td> .cu
<tr>
<td>Calling Code
<td> +53
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> ~1~ 1993–2004, the U.S. dollar was used in addition to the peso until the dollar was replaced by the convertible peso.
</table>

==Cuba==

 

====Overview====

Known as the "Pearl of the Antilles", Cuba offers picturesque colonial towns, an Afro-Cuban culture, almost 300 unblemished beaches, great countryside, potent rum and excellent beer. Cuba is great for scuba diving, yachting, fishing, hiking, horseback riding and golf. Cuba has been described as a "fascinating smorgasbord [[http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=define%3A+smorgasbord&meta= (eh?)]] of nonstop discovery and experience".
 

====Timing====
November is the start of the dry season in cuba. Temperatures are normally around 27 Celsius. We will also miss the peak tourist season (mid Dec. to mid-March, & all of July & August). 

====About Cuba====

Cuba is the largest Caribbean island [16th largest island in the world :-) ]. In fact, it is bigger than all 3700 other Caribbean islands put together! Of its 11m inhabitants, 60% are of Spanish descent; there are also substantial African and mixed-race minorities. Spain colonised Cuba in 1512 and decimated its indigenous population of Arawak Indians. In 1898 the US occupied the country, but relations soured in 1959 when the charismatic Fidel Castro came to power. The ban on US tourism has its advantages: apart from the coastal resort of Varadero the island remains non-commercial, and the people genuinely friendly. Well known for its musical culture, the rumba, mambo, cha cha cha, son and salsa all originated in Cuba. The Capital, Havana, founded on its present site in 1519, is one of the oldest cities in the Americas. 
 

[[Image:Cubamap.gif]]

====Things to do, when in Cuba====

- smoke Cuban cigars

- take a ride in a Vintage american car

- stay in a 'casa particular' - a common phenomenon in Cuba - for locals to rent out a room or 2 of their houses for tourists, this is the best way to gain an insight into the country

- drink 'Mojitos' - 'just the ticket after a hard day on the beach, Cuba's quintessential cocktail, a refreshing concoction of rum, limes & mint'

==Havana==

The capital, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana Havana], with its colonial architecture and ostentatious 50s and 60s cars, is the biggest Caribbean city (pop. approx. 2.2 million) and the hub of Cuban nightlife.

We will spend a good 2 or 3 days in Havana.

Havana has four main areas: La Habana Vieja (Old Havana), a World Heritage Site; and La Habana Moderna (Modern Havana), no less attractive and full of life and visitors, Miramar, and Vedado.

====Old Havana====

"Old Havana has so much charm that only by visiting it can one capture fully the contrasts, sounds and colors that coexist there."
[[Image:delmorro.jpg|left|The Castillo Del Morro]]
Old Havana has all the appearance of a Spanish colonial city. Havana is ideally situated for trade and communications, and many of the defences built to protect it from pirates and corsairs still exist, which is why it is impossible to walk in Old Havana without encountering impressive fortresses like the Castillo de la Real Fuerza, the Castillo de San Salvador de la Punta, La Cabaña, and the most unique of them all, '''El Morro (Morro Castle)''', located at the entrance to the Bay. From here each night the lighthouse guides ships passing by Havana, and by day visitors come to admire the stunning views the capital has to offer.
[[Image:Viejaplaza.jpg|right|The Vieja Plaza]]

Old Havana also has spacious and beautiful cobbled plazas (squares) such as la Plaza de San Francisco de Asís, la Plaza de Armas, la Plaza Vieja and la Plaza de La Catedral (Cathedral Square), the latter a popular choice for photos and post cards of Cuba. Here you can try out some Cuban cocktails in an open air restaurant, while enjoying the view of the surrounding buildings and the sound of Cuban music in the air.

Havana has numerous museums: the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales (Palace of the Spanish Governors) which houses the Museum of the City of Havana, the Gabinete Arqueológico (Archaeological Bureau) and the Museo del Chocolate (hmm!!)

In nearby Morro Castle there is a permanent exhibition of the fort's construction process. Also located on that side of the Bay on a hillside is the giant statue of Christ of Casablanca, which is lit nightly.

====Food====

See this [http://travel.guardian.co.uk/activities/food/story/0,,1764375,00.html Guardian] article for some chit chat about food in Cuba.

'''[http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8373 La Guarida restaurant]''' - where the excellent food is matched by Baroque surroundings, in the location where the film Strawberry and Chocolate was filmed. Note- La Guarida is a Paledar. Paledars are privately run small restaurants in homes. The operators pay a fee to the government for the right to have up to eight tables. The food is often better than the boring, bland food offered at most official restaurants, and the prices are much better. Service, however, is frequently painfully slow, and menu items at many paledars are limited.

Guardian comments about 'La Guarida': Of the scores of paladares in Havana only one really stands out - La Guarida. On a blank-sided street in a residential area you're ushered into a gloomy old apartment building where washing hangs from clotheslines.

At the top of a staircase a door opens onto a jumbled three-room salon stuffed with bric-a-brac. There's a fully stocked bar with a good wine list, and the menu offers delights such as spicy gazpacho and tuna in coconut sauce. The service is first class, but the atmosphere is slightly subversive. You leave feeling that you've been given a glimpse into a secret Havana underworld - the controversial Cuban film Fresa y Chocolate was shot here in 1994 and La Guarida still attracts an arty clientele.

====Modern Havana====
[[Image:cemetary.jpg|left|Christopher Columbus Cemetary]]
There is the state-subsidised '''Coppelia ice-cream parlour''' (you have to pay in pesos) where a dollar gets you 22 scoops. Apparently not bad ice cream.

There are several night clubs that offer music programs, among them El Gato Tuerto (The One-Eyed Cat), the Jazz Café, the Cocodrilo (The Crocodile), the Habana Café and Dos Gardenias (Two Gardenias).
[[Image:Malecon.jpg|right|The Malecón]]
'''Necrópolis de Colón (Columbus Graveyard)''' - Besides its tranquility there are some amazing stories there. There is a tomb shaped like a domino piece, one surrounded by women who wanted to get pregnant, a pyramid tomb built for the professor of the school of architecture...lots of interesting things to see.

It's along '''the Malecón''' that Havana's architecture really shines. From what I can gather, the Maelcón is a promenade much cherished by the people of Havana.

====Miramar and Vedado====

'''Fabrica de Tobaco Partagas''' -[[Image:bacardi.jpg|right|Edificio Bacardi]] A famous Havana cigar factory, offers a fascinating insight into the skills behind cigar making and lays bare some idiosyncratic Cuban working practices. Pricy, but good, apparently "more interesting and less touristy than expected".

'''The Edificio Bacardi''' - A slice of dazzling art deco architecture, the former pre-revolution headquarters of Bacardí, the famous rum company, it is a fitting place for to enjoy a Cubre libre.

'''Maqueta de la Habana (Miniature Havana)''' - The realistic scale model of Havana takes up almost 88 sq. m (946 sq. ft.). You can walk around it on the ground level, or climb a narrow interior balcony that rings three walls. This is not to be confused with a similar (and much smaller) scale model of Old Havana, found in Old Havana, of course.

==Varadero==

[[image:varadero.jpg]]

There are lots of exiting tours and things to see in Varadero. Josone Park, in the center of Varadero, is a nature area with restaurants and cultural events which can be toured by horse and carriage from resort hotels.

It's more than 20 km of excellent beaches, a broad strip of fine, white sand along the shoreline, and a continental shelf that softly sinks into a warm, crystal-clear sea of the most varied of blues. These are the chief tourist attractions of Varadero, a tourist city that is presently well-positioned in the International circuits.

These natural wonders are enriched and complemented by the existence of numerous caves, cliffs, and lagoons. Varadero also has pristine, easy to reach keys and other interesting natural surroundings on the peninsula's easternmost tip, in addition to a set of cultural, historical, and environmental sites provided by the nearby cities of Matanzas and Cardenas and the Zapata Swamp Biosphere Reserve.

You won't find legal Casas Particular in the area of Varadero, it's not alowed by the government for a Cuban to start a Casa in this area. Although there are some "Red Triangle" casas, those casas are only for Cubans, tourists are not allowed to stay in these casas particulares...

Of course you can do stubborn and search out for yourself an illegal Casa Particular, and you will find them, remember that you risk getting thrown out on the streets at night by the police.

Tours in Varadero run from the three Information centres which run more or less the same excursions for similar prices, and I based the itinerary activities on these common excursions, and all-day tours include lunch, usually. One of these trips goes to the Cuevas de Bellamar.

Bellamar Cave, located at the exit of Matanzas city, is considered to be one of the wonders
of Cuban geography. Famous for its karstic crystals, stalactites and stalagmites.
Explored area of the cave is 3 km long, while its deepest part descends to 48 meters.

==Trinidad==

Trinidad is a relic of the early days of the Spanish colony. Trinidad Colonial past, unique architecture and magnificent location, between the mountains and Mexican Gulf, inspire tourist interest from around the world.
Trinidad has five main squares and four churches date from the 18th and 19th centuries the whole city, cobbled streets and tiled roofs, is a national monument and since 1988 a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

[[image:trinidad.jpg|left]]

'''Ayala:''' This famous discotheque is housed in a beautiful underground grotto of eccentrically shaped stones and profound depth. A play of light and shadow, silence and noise envelopes the unique experience of a night out drinking and dancing. A variety of music is played and an assortment of imported and domestic beer and liquor is served, including the Mojita (Mint Rum Julip) and Cuba Libre (Rum and coke). The 60-person capacity is comprised mostly of those from the Las Cuevas Hotel and a young crowd from Trinidad. (Opening Hours 10:30p-3a daily; Admission Charge USD10)

'''Getting there:''' Viazul ( +53 419 4448/ http://www.viazul.cu ) provides convenient daily bus service to Trinidad from Havana, Varadero, and Santiago de Cuba. Trinidad's bus terminal is located on Gustavo Izquierdo between Piro Guinart and Simon Bolivar.

'''From Veradero:''' Viazul ( +53 45 61 4886/ http://www.viazul.cu ) offers bus service throughout Cuba including daily service between Havana, Trinidad and Varadero. The Varadero bus station is located at Calle 36 and the Autopista del Sur.

==Other potential places to visit==

Maria La Gorda - approx. 5 hrs drive from Havana - this seems to be the best place in Cuba for scuba diving. And also, you don't have to know how to scuba dive already!

Caves that can be explored:

Cueva del Cable, Cueva del Simón, de Paredones, del Indio, de los Tomates, de Quintanal, Astón, de Cagagüanes, de Palmarito, de Bitirí, Revuelta de los Chinos, de la Patana, Solapos de Jaruco and Caleta del Rosario

==Transport in Cuba==

There are two types of buses that run throughout Cuba, the dirt-cheap ones that are falling apart and stop at every roof they pass; and the more direct, fast and comfortable coaches with air con that cost in dollars but still not that much (eg. $60 for the whole length of the island). The fast ones sometimes leave from a different bus station, so look out for that.

"if you do take a cab, try to take one of the government ones. I can't remember what the visual difference is, but it's worth finding out - the price is a tenth of a private hire cab."

It's apparently relatively easy to catch a ride with a friendly local car-owner willing to act as a 'taxi'.

- prandial

==Tourist Tips==

Restaurants are reportedly relatively non-existent, because the economy won't support them. If you make sure to interact, it's seems that it's not hard to find a local who'll invite or direct you to a local house where they'll be willing to cook you a meal, for a small renumeration.

Eat from street vendors.

"A cheese sandwich is a cheese sandwich and the only time my friend and I got food poisoning was when we went to a dollar restaurant instead of a peso one." -prandial

Don't dismiss the slogans that adorn billboards, storefronts and walls in Cuba as revolutionary propaganda. Many of the quotes belong to Jose Marti, and read in proper context, they're beautiful evocations of freedom and morality. Marti is one of Cuba's national heroes (he helped the country achieve independence from Spain) and is also acknowledged as one of the Caribbean's first modern poets.

Do take in the view of Havana from the rooftop bar (and swimming pool) of the 17-story Capri Hotel. Little seems to have changed there since its days as a Mafia hangout, and the view is fantastic.

Don't be shocked to hear locals get the attention of restaurant waiters or friends on the street by pursing their lips and making an animated sucking or kissing sound.

Try to get a ride in a cadillac. But they'll probably throw you out as they aren't licensed cabs.

Eating in Paladares can be fun, if you find a good one it's excellent. But it's a risk and a tricky one without speaking any Spanish.

==Tourist Traps==

A lot of the Cuban cigars sold even in Cuba are fake or inferior.

You will be hassled a lot on the streets, low grade begging, nothing dangerous.

You'll find it near impossible not to be fleeced if you don't speak any Spanish (and pretty hard not to be even if you do) - most people who speak English are those who've learnt it to work with tourists.

If you hook up with some locals, they may suggest going with you to a place that's really touristy, saying they like it. In fact it's because you'll be paying their cover charge and they'll collect their cut later. If somebody tells you to go to "Cabaret Tropicana", bear in mind that this place is expensive and you'll see a typical cabaret full of people trying to get money from you.

In Old Habana, you'll have to dodge a lot of peddlers hawking "Cohibas" , cigars, and 'herbal aphrodysiacs' and whatnot, but they aren't that pushy if you politely don't show interest. Just remember to NEVER EVER buy from these people. If these people are caught by the police selling to you they could get in serious trouble and you possibly as well. If you buy cigars make sure they have the government seal on the side of the box.

La Guarida don't bribe the taxi drivers- so if any of them tell you the restaurant is closed or has been closed for a while- don't believe them. Persist, and they will take you there.

The official money of Cuba is now the Cuban Convertible Peso, or CUC. They're called "chavitos." It's best to use the official money exchange venues as counterfeiting and theft is not unknown.
They're another type of money in circulation called "moneda nacional." If you do not have Cuban friends it's unlikely a tourist would have occasion to use the non-convertible peso, which is valued at about 20-1 to the CUC. A common scam is paying in chavitos and getting nacional in return.

Another common scam is to take a one CUC bank note and add a zero behind the one to make it look like a 10 CUC bank note. The scammer then looks for a tourist to help him (or her) to make change and the tourist gets stuck with the doctored note. ALWAYS make sure that any 10 CUC notes also say Diez on them and not UNO!!!

Old Habana is the bag-snatching capital of Cuba- so BE WARNED.

"Don't be shocked if you're approached by a prostitute (jinetera) in Havana—though this almost exclusively happens to male travelers."

Oh dear. For many years, Cuba was seen as a sexual playground for foreign men, and the expectation still lingers, especially in nightclubs.

Don't confuse 'hotel' with 'motel,' 'inn' or 'posada.' The latter three rent by the hour.

==Suggested Itinerary==

This is just Elín's suggested itinerary (edited/ added to by Matt), based on what I know of the best places to go and the most interesting things to do in Havana. It sounds good to ME, I hope you think it sounds interesting as well.

===Cuba: 1st half - Havana===

'''Accommodation''' Havana, [http://www.cuba.tc/Havana/Parkview.html|Hotel Park View] (3* modern hotel near centre). Triple room (apparently) EUR 294 total for 3 nights.
Booked & paid.

This should have a good view from the 7th floor restaurant.

====Day 12 - Wednesday 8th Nov 2006====

Following on from [http://www.indivisibilities.com/wiki/index.php/Yucutan#Day_11.2C_Tuesday_7th_November_PM_-_Day_12.2C_Wednesday_8th_November_-_Canc.C3.BAn Cancun], I'm not sure when we will arrive at Havana on this day. The official handover time, of the rubber chicken from Marc to Matt will be: 9.15pm. We'll probably land in Havana in the evening, and won't have time to do very much. We'll have to check into our hotel, and then can spend a nice evening chilling out - with a coffee, or a beer (whatever's your poison!).

====Day 13 - Thursday 9th Nov====

The start time of this day being unknown, I will assume it to be in between 2-4pm. This should give you time to get to Cuba, get to your hotel and settle in. However, should you find yourself with time on your hands in the morning, arriving early, you should check out the very good but naturally very secluded and isolated spot of the '''Necropolis de Colon''', first and foremost. If you STILL have excess time, check out the '''Universidad de Habana''' and the student hero Julio Antonio Mella. If you get there REALLY early or my timing is really off and you end up with loads of spare time on your hands you can make a REALLY out of the way trip to Miniature Havana all the way over in Miramar, though I think it's unlikely.

2-4pm: We will start by going over the bridge to the '''Parque Historico Morro y Cabana''', and explore the two forts and various museums at this complex. Have dinner at one of the restaurants here and be sure to catch the '''Canonaza ceremony''' (ceremony of the cannon) at the '''Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro''' at 9pm, before heading back to your hotel for a good night's sleep.

====Day 14 - Friday 10th Nov====

Make sure to book ahead for a reservation at La Guarida! It's very popular.

8-8.30am: Though it's unlikely you'll be staying here, if it's breakfast you want, head to Le Veranda at the quite famous '''Hotel Nacional''', who do an English breakfast, American, continental and cereal breakfast to meet all breakfasting needs. After that, within the Hotel Nacional, you can visit the '''Tagonana cave''', for FREE! A couple of blocks away from the Hotel Nacional is the famous '''Coppelia Ice Cream shop''', where one can get 22 scoops for about 50p.

You can eat your ice cream whilst wandering along '''The Malecon''', the local 'place to be' for the Cubans, apparently. Also a good place, I believe, to change money and do that kind of thing if you need to.

Take a taxi or bus or whatever to '''Parque Central''', where you should be able to get some lunch.

12.30 - Check out the very nearby '''Edificio Bacardi''', take some snaps, it's pretty darn Art Deco. Then make your way back through Parque Centro to the '''Gran Teatro'''. Pass that and take your tour of the '''Fabrica de Tobaco Partagas'''. Don't forget it closes at 2pm!!! You can always go back and do the Edificio Bacardi if you find you're short of time. If you can, pick up some cigars for later smokage.

[[image:capitolio.jpg|right|Capitolio Nacional]]

2pm- Go to the just-next-foor '''Capitolio Nacional'''. You can go inside, be impressed, and then take a horse and carriage (ooh) to '''Plaza de Catedral'''. Look at the Catedral and take some more snaps, and think 'hmm. Cathedral.' before checking out the apparently, best plaza, Plaza Catedral.

Now, detailed instructions follow. From the plaza, it's a two minute walk along San Ignacio, and Mercaderes on your way to '''Plaza de Armas'''. Along Mercederes you will pass a '''giant mural''', portraying 67 figures from the history of arts and politics in Havana. Take a token snap, and then get your butts to the Plaza Armas, the oldest and most animated of Havana's plazas. Due North of the plaza just across O'Reilly (or 'Radar') street, is the '''Castillo de la Real Fuerza'''. There is also, near the plaza, '''El Templete''', a rather incongruous scaled down version of the Parthenon. I think it sounds cute, (a small temple, a 'templette' aw!), so you should take some pics. Unless it's rubbish.

Now, from the plaza, making your way down the busy shopping street '''Obispo''', go to '''Ambos Mundos''' and up to the '''roof garden''' for a '''mojito''' in the afternoon light. You might also want to whip out those '''cigars'''. Relax, safe in the knowledge that you have totally '''pwned Havana''' in just two days. However, your work is not yet done. No. Cigars and Mojitos are all well and good. But...

5pm: Just a short hike away is '''Museo de Fundacion Destilera Havana Club''', apparently one of the most interesting things to do in Havana, it's also known as the Museo del Ron, that's right, '''RUM!''' (Drink up me 'earties, yo ho...Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me! ok enough of that.) Check out this museum just before heading to '''La Guarida''' for your 6.30 ? reservation. Then head out to '''Macumba Habana''' for dancing, or to a '''Zorra y el Cuervo''' for a '''jaaaazzz concert'''.

===Cuba: 2nd half - Veradero===

====Day 15 - Saturday 11th Nov====

Ok initially I was going to say - Day 15, go to Maria La Gorda, via teh lovely countryside of Vinales. However, if you went to this side of the island you'd pretty much have to stay that side, and there's not much else to do. Otherwise, the drive to Varadero would be about 5-7 hours, and that's after the 3 or 4 hour drive to Maria La Gorda in the first place! Sadly it is just not do-able, so today we go to '''Varadero'''.

The first day you arrive in Varadero and to make up for the lack of dive-age in Maria La Gorda, I think it would be good to go diving at the Marina Varadero Gaviota. With free transfer from your hotel to the Marina, which is right at the end of Varadero, and free initiation courses for people who have never been diving before. $35 for a single dive, you can go diving at the Cuevo de Saturno (including transfers) which sounds fun.

If you go clubbing tonight, a great place to round off the day- is the disco in the cave! Cueva del Pirata- sounds groovy to me =D There's also a club on a boat moored on the Veradado canal- La Patuna, and the lively Palacio de la Rumba, one of the best designed venues. For Marc, there is 'Splash', with a "high cheeseometer rating for the watered down club and pop music is plays" xD Just kiddin. ;)

====Day 16 - Sunday 12th Nov====

Right, so you are in Varadero right? So the natural thing to do...is take a day trip to '''Trinidad'''. Well, Varadero is great for these little trips. I think you should do a day tour of Trinidad. So that's day 16. Again if you have time in the evening, check out Varadero.

====Day 17 - Monday 13th Nov====

You can either take a half-day trip to the '''Cuevas de Bellamar''', and/or you can just chill out on the apparently gorgeous beaches of Varadero, assuming the weather's nice.

====Day 18 - Tuesday 14th Nov====

Today, we go back from Veradero to Havana, (but I'm not sure when yet).

Go home! - Flight leaves at 21.15 today.
------------------------------

Thus endeth the itinerary. You can utterly disregard it, utterly follow it, mix and match bits or use some parts and not others - either way I won't be offended, just enjoy yourselves!! =)

==FAQ==

FAQ:

Feel free to add questions here!

'''''Who are Fidel Castro and Che Guavera?'''''

Fidel and Che were friends who fought guerilla style against a very corrupt dictator, Balistra Machado, who ran Cuba before Fidel managed to take over. They believe in Marxist ideals, which is why Cuba is now Communist, and America are now scared/angry/ sulking. Che was killed and is now seen as a sort of hero, though he actually was against the 'celebrity' idea, he's been turned into one.

'''''Why is ice cream so cheap at The Coppelia?'''''

Communist-> equal for everyone -> ice cream that everyone can afford. I think it's funded by the state or something. But I've heard it's not bad icecream.

'''''Who's that student hero guy again?'''''

Julio Antonio Mella enrolled at the Universidad de la Habana aged 16. He soon became one of the leading forces behind the University Student's Federation (FEU), his rousing speeches stirring a generation of students to protest university corruption. His campaign against the appointment of incompetent and unqualified professors through nepotism and political favours paid off, and in 1923 over a hundred hapless professors were dismissed. After graduation, he became famous for roaming Havana and giving lectures on Marxism to workers. In 1927 he fled to Mexico, fearful that his outspoken diatribes against Machado's goverment had earned him enemies. Sadly his fears proved corect, and in 1929 was shot in the street of Mexico City with ihs girlfriend. ='( Although never proved, it was widely assumed that Machado was responsible.

==Red tape==

Embassies and visas

UK: Cuban Embassy 167 High Holborn, London WC1 6PA; Consular section: 15 Grape Street, London WC1 (020 7240 2488).

Cuba: British Embassy Calle 34, Number 702/4, entre 7ma Avenida y 17, Miramar, Havana (53 7 241 771).

Visa requirements: Virtually all visitors need a Cuban visa or tourist card, which allows a stay of 30 days. In the UK, visas for all nationalities cost £15 and can be obtained over the counter at the embassy, or direct from your travel agent. Postal visa applications take 1-2 weeks to process. Visitors need a return ticket, and proof that they have booked a hotel room for at least three nights. The US prohibits its citizens from travelling to Cuba unless they obtain a licence, usually reserved for journalists or government officials.

==Useful Links:==

Visa - [http://www.cubaldn.com/englishFiles/consuladoin.htm Embassy of Cuba]

For practicalities - health, climate etc.
[http://travel.guardian.co.uk/countries/information/0,8766,420477,00.html The Guardian]

For geography, history & culture:
[http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761569844/Cuba.html Encarta]

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuba Wikipedia]

Cuba

2006-10-18T11:35:31Z

213.249.136.51: /* Trinidad */

<table border=1 align="right">
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> Cuba
<tr>
<td align="center">
 [[Image:CubaFlag_40_per_cent.jpg]] 
Flag
<td align="center">
[[Image:Cuba_coa_smaller.png]] 
Coat of Arms



<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> Motto: Spanish: Patria y Libertad 
(English: "Homeland and Freedom")
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> Anthem: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Bayamesa La Bayamesa] (The Bayamo Song)
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> [[Image:LocationCuba.png]]

<tr>
<td> Capital <td>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana Havana] 
23°8′N 82°23′W
<tr>
<td>Largest City <td>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana Havana]
<tr>
<td>Official Language <td>Spanish
<tr>
<td>Government: 
President of the 
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_of_State_of_Cuba Council of State of Cuba:]
<td>Republic 
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fidel_Castro Fidel Castro]
<tr>
<td>Independence 
- Declared from Spain 
- Cuban Republic declared 
- Date recognised in Cuba
<td>
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Years%27_War Ten Years' War] 
October 10, 1868 
May 20, 1902 
January 1, 1959
<tr>
<td>Area - Total - Water (%)
<td>110,860 km² ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_outlying_territories_by_area 104th]) 
42,803 sq mi 
negligible
<tr>
<td>Population 
- 2005 est. 
- 2002 census 
- Density
<td> 11,345,670 ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population 70th]) 
11,177,743 
102/km² ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population_density 73rd]) 
264/sq mi 

<tr>
<td>GDP 
- Total 
- Per Capita
<td> 2004 estimate 
$33.9 billion ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29 89th]) 
$3,000 ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29_per_capita 126th])
<tr>
<td>Human Development Index 
<td> 0.817 ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_Human_Development_Index 52nd]) - high
<tr>
<td>Currency 
<td>Peso 
Convertible peso (see ~1~)
<tr>
<td>Time Zone 
- Summer (DST)
<td>EST 
(Starts April 1, end date varies)
<tr>
<td>Internet TLD
<td> .cu
<tr>
<td>Calling Code
<td> +53
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> ~1~ 1993–2004, the U.S. dollar was used in addition to the peso until the dollar was replaced by the convertible peso.
</table>

==Cuba==

 

====Overview====

Known as the "Pearl of the Antilles", Cuba offers picturesque colonial towns, an Afro-Cuban culture, almost 300 unblemished beaches, great countryside, potent rum and excellent beer. Cuba is great for scuba diving, yachting, fishing, hiking, horseback riding and golf. Cuba has been described as a "fascinating smorgasbord [[http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=define%3A+smorgasbord&meta= (eh?)]] of nonstop discovery and experience".
 

====Timing====
November is the start of the dry season in cuba. Temperatures are normally around 27 Celsius. We will also miss the peak tourist season (mid Dec. to mid-March, & all of July & August). 

====About Cuba====

Cuba is the largest Caribbean island [16th largest island in the world :-) ]. In fact, it is bigger than all 3700 other Caribbean islands put together! Of its 11m inhabitants, 60% are of Spanish descent; there are also substantial African and mixed-race minorities. Spain colonised Cuba in 1512 and decimated its indigenous population of Arawak Indians. In 1898 the US occupied the country, but relations soured in 1959 when the charismatic Fidel Castro came to power. The ban on US tourism has its advantages: apart from the coastal resort of Varadero the island remains non-commercial, and the people genuinely friendly. Well known for its musical culture, the rumba, mambo, cha cha cha, son and salsa all originated in Cuba. The Capital, Havana, founded on its present site in 1519, is one of the oldest cities in the Americas. 
 

[[Image:Cubamap.gif]]

====Things to do, when in Cuba====

- smoke Cuban cigars

- take a ride in a Vintage american car

- stay in a 'casa particular' - a common phenomenon in Cuba - for locals to rent out a room or 2 of their houses for tourists, this is the best way to gain an insight into the country

- drink 'Mojitos' - 'just the ticket after a hard day on the beach, Cuba's quintessential cocktail, a refreshing concoction of rum, limes & mint'

==Havana==

The capital, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana Havana], with its colonial architecture and ostentatious 50s and 60s cars, is the biggest Caribbean city (pop. approx. 2.2 million) and the hub of Cuban nightlife.

We will spend a good 2 or 3 days in Havana.

Havana has four main areas: La Habana Vieja (Old Havana), a World Heritage Site; and La Habana Moderna (Modern Havana), no less attractive and full of life and visitors, Miramar, and Vedado.

====Old Havana====

"Old Havana has so much charm that only by visiting it can one capture fully the contrasts, sounds and colors that coexist there."
[[Image:delmorro.jpg|left|The Castillo Del Morro]]
Old Havana has all the appearance of a Spanish colonial city. Havana is ideally situated for trade and communications, and many of the defences built to protect it from pirates and corsairs still exist, which is why it is impossible to walk in Old Havana without encountering impressive fortresses like the Castillo de la Real Fuerza, the Castillo de San Salvador de la Punta, La Cabaña, and the most unique of them all, '''El Morro (Morro Castle)''', located at the entrance to the Bay. From here each night the lighthouse guides ships passing by Havana, and by day visitors come to admire the stunning views the capital has to offer.
[[Image:Viejaplaza.jpg|right|The Vieja Plaza]]

Old Havana also has spacious and beautiful cobbled plazas (squares) such as la Plaza de San Francisco de Asís, la Plaza de Armas, la Plaza Vieja and la Plaza de La Catedral (Cathedral Square), the latter a popular choice for photos and post cards of Cuba. Here you can try out some Cuban cocktails in an open air restaurant, while enjoying the view of the surrounding buildings and the sound of Cuban music in the air.

Havana has numerous museums: the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales (Palace of the Spanish Governors) which houses the Museum of the City of Havana, the Gabinete Arqueológico (Archaeological Bureau) and the Museo del Chocolate (hmm!!)

In nearby Morro Castle there is a permanent exhibition of the fort's construction process. Also located on that side of the Bay on a hillside is the giant statue of Christ of Casablanca, which is lit nightly.

====Food====

See this [http://travel.guardian.co.uk/activities/food/story/0,,1764375,00.html Guardian] article for some chit chat about food in Cuba.

'''[http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8373 La Guarida restaurant]''' - where the excellent food is matched by Baroque surroundings, in the location where the film Strawberry and Chocolate was filmed. Note- La Guarida is a Paledar. Paledars are privately run small restaurants in homes. The operators pay a fee to the government for the right to have up to eight tables. The food is often better than the boring, bland food offered at most official restaurants, and the prices are much better. Service, however, is frequently painfully slow, and menu items at many paledars are limited.

Guardian comments about 'La Guarida': Of the scores of paladares in Havana only one really stands out - La Guarida. On a blank-sided street in a residential area you're ushered into a gloomy old apartment building where washing hangs from clotheslines.

At the top of a staircase a door opens onto a jumbled three-room salon stuffed with bric-a-brac. There's a fully stocked bar with a good wine list, and the menu offers delights such as spicy gazpacho and tuna in coconut sauce. The service is first class, but the atmosphere is slightly subversive. You leave feeling that you've been given a glimpse into a secret Havana underworld - the controversial Cuban film Fresa y Chocolate was shot here in 1994 and La Guarida still attracts an arty clientele.

====Modern Havana====
[[Image:cemetary.jpg|left|Christopher Columbus Cemetary]]
There is the state-subsidised '''Coppelia ice-cream parlour''' (you have to pay in pesos) where a dollar gets you 22 scoops. Apparently not bad ice cream.

There are several night clubs that offer music programs, among them El Gato Tuerto (The One-Eyed Cat), the Jazz Café, the Cocodrilo (The Crocodile), the Habana Café and Dos Gardenias (Two Gardenias).
[[Image:Malecon.jpg|right|The Malecón]]
'''Necrópolis de Colón (Columbus Graveyard)''' - Besides its tranquility there are some amazing stories there. There is a tomb shaped like a domino piece, one surrounded by women who wanted to get pregnant, a pyramid tomb built for the professor of the school of architecture...lots of interesting things to see.

It's along '''the Malecón''' that Havana's architecture really shines. From what I can gather, the Maelcón is a promenade much cherished by the people of Havana.

====Miramar and Vedado====

'''Fabrica de Tobaco Partagas''' -[[Image:bacardi.jpg|right|Edificio Bacardi]] A famous Havana cigar factory, offers a fascinating insight into the skills behind cigar making and lays bare some idiosyncratic Cuban working practices. Pricy, but good, apparently "more interesting and less touristy than expected".

'''The Edificio Bacardi''' - A slice of dazzling art deco architecture, the former pre-revolution headquarters of Bacardí, the famous rum company, it is a fitting place for to enjoy a Cubre libre.

'''Maqueta de la Habana (Miniature Havana)''' - The realistic scale model of Havana takes up almost 88 sq. m (946 sq. ft.). You can walk around it on the ground level, or climb a narrow interior balcony that rings three walls. This is not to be confused with a similar (and much smaller) scale model of Old Havana, found in Old Havana, of course.

==Varadero==

[[image:varadero.jpg]]

There are lots of exiting tours and things to see in Varadero. Josone Park, in the center of Varadero, is a nature area with restaurants and cultural events which can be toured by horse and carriage from resort hotels.

It's more than 20 km of excellent beaches, a broad strip of fine, white sand along the shoreline, and a continental shelf that softly sinks into a warm, crystal-clear sea of the most varied of blues. These are the chief tourist attractions of Varadero, a tourist city that is presently well-positioned in the International circuits.

These natural wonders are enriched and complemented by the existence of numerous caves, cliffs, and lagoons. Varadero also has pristine, easy to reach keys and other interesting natural surroundings on the peninsula's easternmost tip, in addition to a set of cultural, historical, and environmental sites provided by the nearby cities of Matanzas and Cardenas and the Zapata Swamp Biosphere Reserve.

You won't find legal Casas Particular in the area of Varadero, it's not alowed by the government for a Cuban to start a Casa in this area. Although there are some "Red Triangle" casas, those casas are only for Cubans, tourists are not allowed to stay in these casas particulares...

Of course you can do stubborn and search out for yourself an illegal Casa Particular, and you will find them, remember that you risk getting thrown out on the streets at night by the police.

Tours in Varadero run from the three Information centres which run more or less the same excursions for similar prices, and I based the itinerary activities on these common excursions, and all-day tours include lunch, usually. One of these trips goes to the Cuevas de Bellamar.

Bellamar Cave, located at the exit of Matanzas city, is considered to be one of the wonders
of Cuban geography. Famous for its karstic crystals, stalactites and stalagmites.
Explored area of the cave is 3 km long, while its deepest part descends to 48 meters.

==Trinidad==

Trinidad is a relic of the early days of the Spanish colony. Trinidad Colonial past, unique architecture and magnificent location, between the mountains and Mexican Gulf, inspire tourist interest from around the world.
Trinidad has five main squares and four churches date from the 18th and 19th centuries the whole city, cobbled streets and tiled roofs, is a national monument and since 1988 a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

[[image:trinidad.jpg|left]]

'''Ayala:''' This famous discotheque is housed in a beautiful underground grotto of eccentrically shaped stones and profound depth. A play of light and shadow, silence and noise envelopes the unique experience of a night out drinking and dancing. A variety of music is played and an assortment of imported and domestic beer and liquor is served, including the Mojita (Mint Rum Julip) and Cuba Libre (Rum and coke). The 60-person capacity is comprised mostly of those from the Las Cuevas Hotel and a young crowd from Trinidad. (Opening Hours 10:30p-3a daily; Admission Charge USD10)

'''Getting there:''' Viazul ( +53 419 4448/ http://www.viazul.cu ) provides convenient daily bus service to Trinidad from Havana, Varadero, and Santiago de Cuba. Trinidad's bus terminal is located on Gustavo Izquierdo between Piro Guinart and Simon Bolivar.

'''From Veradero:''' Viazul ( +53 45 61 4886/ http://www.viazul.cu ) offers bus service throughout Cuba including daily service between Havana, Trinidad and Varadero. The Varadero bus station is located at Calle 36 and the Autopista del Sur.

==Other potential places to visit==

Maria La Gorda - approx. 5 hrs drive from Havana - this seems to be the best place in Cuba for scuba diving. And also, you don't have to know how to scuba dive already!

Caves that can be explored:

Cueva del Cable, Cueva del Simón, de Paredones, del Indio, de los Tomates, de Quintanal, Astón, de Cagagüanes, de Palmarito, de Bitirí, Revuelta de los Chinos, de la Patana, Solapos de Jaruco and Caleta del Rosario

==Transport in Cuba==

There are two types of buses that run throughout Cuba, the dirt-cheap ones that are falling apart and stop at every roof they pass; and the more direct, fast and comfortable coaches with air con that cost in dollars but still not that much (eg. $60 for the whole length of the island). The fast ones sometimes leave from a different bus station, so look out for that.

"if you do take a cab, try to take one of the government ones. I can't remember what the visual difference is, but it's worth finding out - the price is a tenth of a private hire cab."

It's apparently relatively easy to catch a ride with a friendly local car-owner willing to act as a 'taxi'.

- prandial

==Tourist Tips==

Restaurants are reportedly relatively non-existent, because the economy won't support them. If you make sure to interact, it's seems that it's not hard to find a local who'll invite or direct you to a local house where they'll be willing to cook you a meal, for a small renumeration.

Eat from street vendors.

"A cheese sandwich is a cheese sandwich and the only time my friend and I got food poisoning was when we went to a dollar restaurant instead of a peso one." -prandial

Don't dismiss the slogans that adorn billboards, storefronts and walls in Cuba as revolutionary propaganda. Many of the quotes belong to Jose Marti, and read in proper context, they're beautiful evocations of freedom and morality. Marti is one of Cuba's national heroes (he helped the country achieve independence from Spain) and is also acknowledged as one of the Caribbean's first modern poets.

Do take in the view of Havana from the rooftop bar (and swimming pool) of the 17-story Capri Hotel. Little seems to have changed there since its days as a Mafia hangout, and the view is fantastic.

Don't be shocked to hear locals get the attention of restaurant waiters or friends on the street by pursing their lips and making an animated sucking or kissing sound.

Try to get a ride in a cadillac. But they'll probably throw you out as they aren't licensed cabs.

Eating in Paladares can be fun, if you find a good one it's excellent. But it's a risk and a tricky one without speaking any Spanish.

==Tourist Traps==

A lot of the Cuban cigars sold even in Cuba are fake or inferior.

You will be hassled a lot on the streets, low grade begging, nothing dangerous.

You'll find it near impossible not to be fleeced if you don't speak any Spanish (and pretty hard not to be even if you do) - most people who speak English are those who've learnt it to work with tourists.

If you hook up with some locals, they may suggest going with you to a place that's really touristy, saying they like it. In fact it's because you'll be paying their cover charge and they'll collect their cut later. If somebody tells you to go to "Cabaret Tropicana", bear in mind that this place is expensive and you'll see a typical cabaret full of people trying to get money from you.

In Old Habana, you'll have to dodge a lot of peddlers hawking "Cohibas" , cigars, and 'herbal aphrodysiacs' and whatnot, but they aren't that pushy if you politely don't show interest. Just remember to NEVER EVER buy from these people. If these people are caught by the police selling to you they could get in serious trouble and you possibly as well. If you buy cigars make sure they have the government seal on the side of the box.

La Guarida don't bribe the taxi drivers- so if any of them tell you the restaurant is closed or has been closed for a while- don't believe them. Persist, and they will take you there.

The official money of Cuba is now the Cuban Convertible Peso, or CUC. They're called "chavitos." It's best to use the official money exchange venues as counterfeiting and theft is not unknown.
They're another type of money in circulation called "moneda nacional." If you do not have Cuban friends it's unlikely a tourist would have occasion to use the non-convertible peso, which is valued at about 20-1 to the CUC. A common scam is paying in chavitos and getting nacional in return.

Another common scam is to take a one CUC bank note and add a zero behind the one to make it look like a 10 CUC bank note. The scammer then looks for a tourist to help him (or her) to make change and the tourist gets stuck with the doctored note. ALWAYS make sure that any 10 CUC notes also say Diez on them and not UNO!!!

Old Habana is the bag-snatching capital of Cuba- so BE WARNED.

"Don't be shocked if you're approached by a prostitute (jinetera) in Havana—though this almost exclusively happens to male travelers."

Oh dear. For many years, Cuba was seen as a sexual playground for foreign men, and the expectation still lingers, especially in nightclubs.

Don't confuse 'hotel' with 'motel,' 'inn' or 'posada.' The latter three rent by the hour.

==Suggested Itinerary==

This is just Elín's suggested itinerary (edited/ added to by Matt), based on what I know of the best places to go and the most interesting things to do in Havana. It sounds good to ME, I hope you think it sounds interesting as well.

===Cuba: First half - Havana===

'''Accommodation''' Havana, [http://www.cuba.tc/Havana/Parkview.html|Hotel Park View] (3* modern hotel near centre). Triple room (apparently) EUR 294 total for 3 nights.
Booked & paid.

This should have a good view from the 7th floor restaurant.

====Day 12 - Wednesday 8th Nov 2006====

Following on from [http://www.indivisibilities.com/wiki/index.php/Yucutan#Day_11.2C_Tuesday_7th_November_PM_-_Day_12.2C_Wednesday_8th_November_-_Canc.C3.BAn Cancun], I'm not sure when we will arrive at Havana on this day. The official handover time, of the rubber chicken from Marc to Matt will be: 9.15pm. We'll probably land in Havana in the evening, and won't have time to do very much. We'll have to check into our hotel, and then can spend a nice evening chilling out - with a coffee, or a beer (whatever's your poison!).

====Day 13 - Thursday 9th Nov====

The start time of this day being unknown, I will assume it to be in between 2-4pm. This should give you time to get to Cuba, get to your hotel and settle in. However, should you find yourself with time on your hands in the morning, arriving early, you should check out the very good but naturally very secluded and isolated spot of the '''Necropolis de Colon''', first and foremost. If you STILL have excess time, check out the '''Universidad de Habana''' and the student hero Julio Antonio Mella. If you get there REALLY early or my timing is really off and you end up with loads of spare time on your hands you can make a REALLY out of the way trip to Miniature Havana all the way over in Miramar, though I think it's unlikely.

2-4pm: We will start by going over the bridge to the '''Parque Historico Morro y Cabana''', and explore the two forts and various museums at this complex. Have dinner at one of the restaurants here and be sure to catch the '''Canonaza ceremony''' (ceremony of the cannon) at the '''Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro''' at 9pm, before heading back to your hotel for a good night's sleep.

====Day 14 - Friday 10th Nov====

Make sure to book ahead for a reservation at La Guarida! It's very popular.

8-8.30am: Though it's unlikely you'll be staying here, if it's breakfast you want, head to Le Veranda at the quite famous '''Hotel Nacional''', who do an English breakfast, American, continental and cereal breakfast to meet all breakfasting needs. After that, within the Hotel Nacional, you can visit the '''Tagonana cave''', for FREE! A couple of blocks away from the Hotel Nacional is the famous '''Coppelia Ice Cream shop''', where one can get 22 scoops for about 50p.

You can eat your ice cream whilst wandering along '''The Malecon''', the local 'place to be' for the Cubans, apparently. Also a good place, I believe, to change money and do that kind of thing if you need to.

Take a taxi or bus or whatever to '''Parque Central''', where you should be able to get some lunch.

12.30 - Check out the very nearby '''Edificio Bacardi''', take some snaps, it's pretty darn Art Deco. Then make your way back through Parque Centro to the '''Gran Teatro'''. Pass that and take your tour of the '''Fabrica de Tobaco Partagas'''. Don't forget it closes at 2pm!!! You can always go back and do the Edificio Bacardi if you find you're short of time. If you can, pick up some cigars for later smokage.

[[image:capitolio.jpg|right|Capitolio Nacional]]

2pm- Go to the just-next-foor '''Capitolio Nacional'''. You can go inside, be impressed, and then take a horse and carriage (ooh) to '''Plaza de Catedral'''. Look at the Catedral and take some more snaps, and think 'hmm. Cathedral.' before checking out the apparently, best plaza, Plaza Catedral.

Now, detailed instructions follow. From the plaza, it's a two minute walk along San Ignacio, and Mercaderes on your way to '''Plaza de Armas'''. Along Mercederes you will pass a '''giant mural''', portraying 67 figures from the history of arts and politics in Havana. Take a token snap, and then get your butts to the Plaza Armas, the oldest and most animated of Havana's plazas. Due North of the plaza just across O'Reilly (or 'Radar') street, is the '''Castillo de la Real Fuerza'''. There is also, near the plaza, '''El Templete''', a rather incongruous scaled down version of the Parthenon. I think it sounds cute, (a small temple, a 'templette' aw!), so you should take some pics. Unless it's rubbish.

Now, from the plaza, making your way down the busy shopping street '''Obispo''', go to '''Ambos Mundos''' and up to the '''roof garden''' for a '''mojito''' in the afternoon light. You might also want to whip out those '''cigars'''. Relax, safe in the knowledge that you have totally '''pwned Havana''' in just two days. However, your work is not yet done. No. Cigars and Mojitos are all well and good. But...

5pm: Just a short hike away is '''Museo de Fundacion Destilera Havana Club''', apparently one of the most interesting things to do in Havana, it's also known as the Museo del Ron, that's right, '''RUM!''' (Drink up me 'earties, yo ho...Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me! ok enough of that.) Check out this museum just before heading to '''La Guarida''' for your 6.30 ? reservation. Then head out to '''Macumba Habana''' for dancing, or to a '''Zorra y el Cuervo''' for a '''jaaaazzz concert'''.

===Cuba: 2nd half - Veradero===

====Day 15 - Saturday 11th Nov====

Ok initially I was going to say - Day 15, go to Maria La Gorda, via teh lovely countryside of Vinales. However, if you went to this side of the island you'd pretty much have to stay that side, and there's not much else to do. Otherwise, the drive to Varadero would be about 5-7 hours, and that's after the 3 or 4 hour drive to Maria La Gorda in the first place! Sadly it is just not do-able, so today we go to '''Varadero'''.

The first day you arrive in Varadero and to make up for the lack of dive-age in Maria La Gorda, I think it would be good to go diving at the Marina Varadero Gaviota. With free transfer from your hotel to the Marina, which is right at the end of Varadero, and free initiation courses for people who have never been diving before. $35 for a single dive, you can go diving at the Cuevo de Saturno (including transfers) which sounds fun.

If you go clubbing tonight, a great place to round off the day- is the disco in the cave! Cueva del Pirata- sounds groovy to me =D There's also a club on a boat moored on the Veradado canal- La Patuna, and the lively Palacio de la Rumba, one of the best designed venues. For Marc, there is 'Splash', with a "high cheeseometer rating for the watered down club and pop music is plays" xD Just kiddin. ;)

====Day 16 - Sunday 12th Nov====

Right, so you are in Varadero right? So the natural thing to do...is take a day trip to '''Trinidad'''. Well, Varadero is great for these little trips. I think you should do a day tour of Trinidad. So that's day 16. Again if you have time in the evening, check out Varadero.

====Day 17 - Monday 13th Nov====

You can either take a half-day trip to the '''Cuevas de Bellamar''', and/or you can just chill out on the apparently gorgeous beaches of Varadero, assuming the weather's nice.

====Day 18 - Tuesday 14th Nov====

Today, we go back from Veradero to Havana, (but I'm not sure when yet).

Go home! - Flight leaves at 21.15 today.
------------------------------

Thus endeth the itinerary. You can utterly disregard it, utterly follow it, mix and match bits or use some parts and not others - either way I won't be offended, just enjoy yourselves!! =)

==FAQ==

FAQ:

Feel free to add questions here!

'''''Who are Fidel Castro and Che Guavera?'''''

Fidel and Che were friends who fought guerilla style against a very corrupt dictator, Balistra Machado, who ran Cuba before Fidel managed to take over. They believe in Marxist ideals, which is why Cuba is now Communist, and America are now scared/angry/ sulking. Che was killed and is now seen as a sort of hero, though he actually was against the 'celebrity' idea, he's been turned into one.

'''''Why is ice cream so cheap at The Coppelia?'''''

Communist-> equal for everyone -> ice cream that everyone can afford. I think it's funded by the state or something. But I've heard it's not bad icecream.

'''''Who's that student hero guy again?'''''

Julio Antonio Mella enrolled at the Universidad de la Habana aged 16. He soon became one of the leading forces behind the University Student's Federation (FEU), his rousing speeches stirring a generation of students to protest university corruption. His campaign against the appointment of incompetent and unqualified professors through nepotism and political favours paid off, and in 1923 over a hundred hapless professors were dismissed. After graduation, he became famous for roaming Havana and giving lectures on Marxism to workers. In 1927 he fled to Mexico, fearful that his outspoken diatribes against Machado's goverment had earned him enemies. Sadly his fears proved corect, and in 1929 was shot in the street of Mexico City with ihs girlfriend. ='( Although never proved, it was widely assumed that Machado was responsible.

==Red tape==

Embassies and visas

UK: Cuban Embassy 167 High Holborn, London WC1 6PA; Consular section: 15 Grape Street, London WC1 (020 7240 2488).

Cuba: British Embassy Calle 34, Number 702/4, entre 7ma Avenida y 17, Miramar, Havana (53 7 241 771).

Visa requirements: Virtually all visitors need a Cuban visa or tourist card, which allows a stay of 30 days. In the UK, visas for all nationalities cost £15 and can be obtained over the counter at the embassy, or direct from your travel agent. Postal visa applications take 1-2 weeks to process. Visitors need a return ticket, and proof that they have booked a hotel room for at least three nights. The US prohibits its citizens from travelling to Cuba unless they obtain a licence, usually reserved for journalists or government officials.

==Useful Links:==

Visa - [http://www.cubaldn.com/englishFiles/consuladoin.htm Embassy of Cuba]

For practicalities - health, climate etc.
[http://travel.guardian.co.uk/countries/information/0,8766,420477,00.html The Guardian]

For geography, history & culture:
[http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761569844/Cuba.html Encarta]

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuba Wikipedia]

Cuba

2006-10-12T13:20:55Z

213.249.136.51: /* Suggested Itinerary */

<table border=1 align="right">
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> Cuba
<tr>
<td align="center">
 [[Image:CubaFlag_40_per_cent.jpg]] 
Flag
<td align="center">
[[Image:Cuba_coa_smaller.png]] 
Coat of Arms



<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> Motto: Spanish: Patria y Libertad 
(English: "Homeland and Freedom")
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> Anthem: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Bayamesa La Bayamesa] (The Bayamo Song)
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> [[Image:LocationCuba.png]]

<tr>
<td> Capital <td>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana Havana] 
23°8′N 82°23′W
<tr>
<td>Largest City <td>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana Havana]
<tr>
<td>Official Language <td>Spanish
<tr>
<td>Government: 
President of the 
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_of_State_of_Cuba Council of State of Cuba:]
<td>Republic 
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fidel_Castro Fidel Castro]
<tr>
<td>Independence 
- Declared from Spain 
- Cuban Republic declared 
- Date recognised in Cuba
<td>
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Years%27_War Ten Years' War] 
October 10, 1868 
May 20, 1902 
January 1, 1959
<tr>
<td>Area - Total - Water (%)
<td>110,860 km² ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_outlying_territories_by_area 104th]) 
42,803 sq mi 
negligible
<tr>
<td>Population 
- 2005 est. 
- 2002 census 
- Density
<td> 11,345,670 ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population 70th]) 
11,177,743 
102/km² ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population_density 73rd]) 
264/sq mi 

<tr>
<td>GDP 
- Total 
- Per Capita
<td> 2004 estimate 
$33.9 billion ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29 89th]) 
$3,000 ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29_per_capita 126th])
<tr>
<td>Human Development Index 
<td> 0.817 ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_Human_Development_Index 52nd]) - high
<tr>
<td>Currency 
<td>Peso 
Convertible peso (see ~1~)
<tr>
<td>Time Zone 
- Summer (DST)
<td>EST 
(Starts April 1, end date varies)
<tr>
<td>Internet TLD
<td> .cu
<tr>
<td>Calling Code
<td> +53
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> ~1~ 1993–2004, the U.S. dollar was used in addition to the peso until the dollar was replaced by the convertible peso.
</table>

==Cuba==

 

====Overview====

Known as the "Pearl of the Antilles", Cuba offers picturesque colonial towns, an Afro-Cuban culture, almost 300 unblemished beaches, great countryside, potent rum and excellent beer. Cuba is great for scuba diving, yachting, fishing, hiking, horseback riding and golf. Cuba has been described as a "fascinating smorgasbord [[http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=define%3A+smorgasbord&meta= (eh?)]] of nonstop discovery and experience".
 

====Timing====
November is the start of the dry season in cuba. Temperatures are normally around 27 Celsius. We will also miss the peak tourist season (mid Dec. to mid-March, & all of July & August). 

====About Cuba====

Cuba is the largest Caribbean island [16th largest island in the world :-) ]. In fact, it is bigger than all 3700 other Caribbean islands put together! Of its 11m inhabitants, 60% are of Spanish descent; there are also substantial African and mixed-race minorities. Spain colonised Cuba in 1512 and decimated its indigenous population of Arawak Indians. In 1898 the US occupied the country, but relations soured in 1959 when the charismatic Fidel Castro came to power. The ban on US tourism has its advantages: apart from the coastal resort of Varadero the island remains non-commercial, and the people genuinely friendly. Well known for its musical culture, the rumba, mambo, cha cha cha, son and salsa all originated in Cuba. The Capital, Havana, founded on its present site in 1519, is one of the oldest cities in the Americas. 
 

[[Image:Cubamap.gif]]

====Things to do, when in Cuba====

- smoke Cuban cigars

- take a ride in a Vintage american car

- stay in a 'casa particular' - a common phenomenon in Cuba - for locals to rent out a room or 2 of their houses for tourists, this is the best way to gain an insight into the country

- drink 'Mojitos' - 'just the ticket after a hard day on the beach, Cuba's quintessential cocktail, a refreshing concoction of rum, limes & mint'

==Havana==

The capital, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana Havana], with its colonial architecture and ostentatious 50s and 60s cars, is the biggest Caribbean city (pop. approx. 2.2 million) and the hub of Cuban nightlife.

We will spend a good 2 or 3 days in Havana.

Havana has four main areas: La Habana Vieja (Old Havana), a World Heritage Site; and La Habana Moderna (Modern Havana), no less attractive and full of life and visitors, Miramar, and Vedado.

====Old Havana====

"Old Havana has so much charm that only by visiting it can one capture fully the contrasts, sounds and colors that coexist there."
[[Image:delmorro.jpg|left|The Castillo Del Morro]]
Old Havana has all the appearance of a Spanish colonial city. Havana is ideally situated for trade and communications, and many of the defences built to protect it from pirates and corsairs still exist, which is why it is impossible to walk in Old Havana without encountering impressive fortresses like the Castillo de la Real Fuerza, the Castillo de San Salvador de la Punta, La Cabaña, and the most unique of them all, '''El Morro (Morro Castle)''', located at the entrance to the Bay. From here each night the lighthouse guides ships passing by Havana, and by day visitors come to admire the stunning views the capital has to offer.
[[Image:Viejaplaza.jpg|right|The Vieja Plaza]]

Old Havana also has spacious and beautiful cobbled plazas (squares) such as la Plaza de San Francisco de Asís, la Plaza de Armas, la Plaza Vieja and la Plaza de La Catedral (Cathedral Square), the latter a popular choice for photos and post cards of Cuba. Here you can try out some Cuban cocktails in an open air restaurant, while enjoying the view of the surrounding buildings and the sound of Cuban music in the air.

Havana has numerous museums: the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales (Palace of the Spanish Governors) which houses the Museum of the City of Havana, the Gabinete Arqueológico (Archaeological Bureau) and the Museo del Chocolate (hmm!!)

In nearby Morro Castle there is a permanent exhibition of the fort's construction process. Also located on that side of the Bay on a hillside is the giant statue of Christ of Casablanca, which is lit nightly.

====Food====

See this [http://travel.guardian.co.uk/activities/food/story/0,,1764375,00.html Guardian] article for some chit chat about food in Cuba.

'''[http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8373 La Guarida restaurant]''' - where the excellent food is matched by Baroque surroundings, in the location where the film Strawberry and Chocolate was filmed. Note- La Guarida is a Paledar. Paledars are privately run small restaurants in homes. The operators pay a fee to the government for the right to have up to eight tables. The food is often better than the boring, bland food offered at most official restaurants, and the prices are much better. Service, however, is frequently painfully slow, and menu items at many paledars are limited.

Guardian comments about 'La Guarida': Of the scores of paladares in Havana only one really stands out - La Guarida. On a blank-sided street in a residential area you're ushered into a gloomy old apartment building where washing hangs from clotheslines.

At the top of a staircase a door opens onto a jumbled three-room salon stuffed with bric-a-brac. There's a fully stocked bar with a good wine list, and the menu offers delights such as spicy gazpacho and tuna in coconut sauce. The service is first class, but the atmosphere is slightly subversive. You leave feeling that you've been given a glimpse into a secret Havana underworld - the controversial Cuban film Fresa y Chocolate was shot here in 1994 and La Guarida still attracts an arty clientele.

====Modern Havana====
[[Image:cemetary.jpg|left|Christopher Columbus Cemetary]]
There is the state-subsidised '''Coppelia ice-cream parlour''' (you have to pay in pesos) where a dollar gets you 22 scoops. Apparently not bad ice cream.

There are several night clubs that offer music programs, among them El Gato Tuerto (The One-Eyed Cat), the Jazz Café, the Cocodrilo (The Crocodile), the Habana Café and Dos Gardenias (Two Gardenias).
[[Image:Malecon.jpg|right|The Malecón]]
'''Necrópolis de Colón (Columbus Graveyard)''' - Besides its tranquility there are some amazing stories there. There is a tomb shaped like a domino piece, one surrounded by women who wanted to get pregnant, a pyramid tomb built for the professor of the school of architecture...lots of interesting things to see.

It's along '''the Malecón''' that Havana's architecture really shines. From what I can gather, the Maelcón is a promenade much cherished by the people of Havana.

====Miramar and Vedado====

'''Fabrica de Tobaco Partagas''' -[[Image:bacardi.jpg|right|Edificio Bacardi]] A famous Havana cigar factory, offers a fascinating insight into the skills behind cigar making and lays bare some idiosyncratic Cuban working practices. Pricy, but good, apparently "more interesting and less touristy than expected".

'''The Edificio Bacardi''' - A slice of dazzling art deco architecture, the former pre-revolution headquarters of Bacardí, the famous rum company, it is a fitting place for to enjoy a Cubre libre.

'''Maqueta de la Habana (Miniature Havana)''' - The realistic scale model of Havana takes up almost 88 sq. m (946 sq. ft.). You can walk around it on the ground level, or climb a narrow interior balcony that rings three walls. This is not to be confused with a similar (and much smaller) scale model of Old Havana, found in Old Havana, of course.

==Varadero==

[[image:varadero.jpg]]

There are lots of exiting tours and things to see in Varadero. Josone Park, in the center of Varadero, is a nature area with restaurants and cultural events which can be toured by horse and carriage from resort hotels.

It's more than 20 km of excellent beaches, a broad strip of fine, white sand along the shoreline, and a continental shelf that softly sinks into a warm, crystal-clear sea of the most varied of blues. These are the chief tourist attractions of Varadero, a tourist city that is presently well-positioned in the International circuits.

These natural wonders are enriched and complemented by the existence of numerous caves, cliffs, and lagoons. Varadero also has pristine, easy to reach keys and other interesting natural surroundings on the peninsula's easternmost tip, in addition to a set of cultural, historical, and environmental sites provided by the nearby cities of Matanzas and Cardenas and the Zapata Swamp Biosphere Reserve.

You won't find legal Casas Particular in the area of Varadero, it's not alowed by the government for a Cuban to start a Casa in this area. Although there are some "Red Triangle" casas, those casas are only for Cubans, tourists are not allowed to stay in these casas particulares...

Of course you can do stubborn and search out for yourself an illegal Casa Particular, and you will find them, remember that you risk getting thrown out on the streets at night by the police.

Tours in Varadero run from the three Information centres which run more or less the same excursions for similar prices, and I based the itinerary activities on these common excursions, and all-day tours include lunch, usually. One of these trips goes to the Cuevas de Bellamar.

Bellamar Cave, located at the exit of Matanzas city, is considered to be one of the wonders
of Cuban geography. Famous for its karstic crystals, stalactites and stalagmites.
Explored area of the cave is 3 km long, while its deepest part descends to 48 meters.

==Trinidad==

Trinidad is a relic of the early days of the Spanish colony. Trinidad Colonial past, unique architecture and magnificent location, between the mountains and Mexican Gulf, inspire tourist interest from around the world.
Trinidad has five main squares and four churches date from the 18th and 19th centuries the whole city, cobbled streets and tiled roofs, is a national monument and since 1988 a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

'''Ayala:''' This famous discotheque is housed in a beautiful underground grotto of eccentrically shaped stones and profound depth. A play of light and shadow, silence and noise envelopes the unique experience of a night out drinking and dancing. A variety of music is played and an assortment of imported and domestic beer and liquor is served, including the Mojita (Mint Rum Julip) and Cuba Libre (Rum and coke). The 60-person capacity is comprised mostly of those from the Las Cuevas Hotel and a young crowd from Trinidad. (Opening Hours 10:30p-3a daily; Admission Charge USD10)

[[image:trinidad.jpg]]

'''Getting there:''' Viazul ( +53 419 4448/ http://www.viazul.cu ) provides convenient daily bus service to Trinidad from Havana, Varadero, and Santiago de Cuba. Trinidad's bus terminal is located on Gustavo Izquierdo between Piro Guinart and Simon Bolivar.

'''From Veradero:''' Viazul ( +53 45 61 4886/ http://www.viazul.cu ) offers bus service throughout Cuba including daily service between Havana, Trinidad and Varadero. The Varadero bus station is located at Calle 36 and the Autopista del Sur.

==Other potential places to visit==

Maria La Gorda - approx. 5 hrs drive from Havana - this seems to be the best place in Cuba for scuba diving. And also, you don't have to know how to scuba dive already!

Caves that can be explored:

Cueva del Cable, Cueva del Simón, de Paredones, del Indio, de los Tomates, de Quintanal, Astón, de Cagagüanes, de Palmarito, de Bitirí, Revuelta de los Chinos, de la Patana, Solapos de Jaruco and Caleta del Rosario

==Transport in Cuba==

There are two types of buses that run throughout Cuba, the dirt-cheap ones that are falling apart and stop at every roof they pass; and the more direct, fast and comfortable coaches with air con that cost in dollars but still not that much (eg. $60 for the whole length of the island). The fast ones sometimes leave from a different bus station, so look out for that.

"if you do take a cab, try to take one of the government ones. I can't remember what the visual difference is, but it's worth finding out - the price is a tenth of a private hire cab."

It's apparently relatively easy to catch a ride with a friendly local car-owner willing to act as a 'taxi'.

- prandial

==Tourist Tips==

Restaurants are reportedly relatively non-existent, because the economy won't support them. If you make sure to interact, it's seems that it's not hard to find a local who'll invite or direct you to a local house where they'll be willing to cook you a meal, for a small renumeration.

Eat from street vendors.

"A cheese sandwich is a cheese sandwich and the only time my friend and I got food poisoning was when we went to a dollar restaurant instead of a peso one." -prandial

Don't dismiss the slogans that adorn billboards, storefronts and walls in Cuba as revolutionary propaganda. Many of the quotes belong to Jose Marti, and read in proper context, they're beautiful evocations of freedom and morality. Marti is one of Cuba's national heroes (he helped the country achieve independence from Spain) and is also acknowledged as one of the Caribbean's first modern poets.

Do take in the view of Havana from the rooftop bar (and swimming pool) of the 17-story Capri Hotel. Little seems to have changed there since its days as a Mafia hangout, and the view is fantastic.

Don't be shocked to hear locals get the attention of restaurant waiters or friends on the street by pursing their lips and making an animated sucking or kissing sound.

Try to get a ride in a cadillac. But they'll probably throw you out as they aren't licensed cabs.

Eating in Paladares can be fun, if you find a good one it's excellent. But it's a risk and a tricky one without speaking any Spanish.

==Tourist Traps==

A lot of the Cuban cigars sold even in Cuba are fake or inferior.

You will be hassled a lot on the streets, low grade begging, nothing dangerous.

You'll find it near impossible not to be fleeced if you don't speak any Spanish (and pretty hard not to be even if you do) - most people who speak English are those who've learnt it to work with tourists.

If you hook up with some locals, they may suggest going with you to a place that's really touristy, saying they like it. In fact it's because you'll be paying their cover charge and they'll collect their cut later. If somebody tells you to go to "Cabaret Tropicana", bear in mind that this place is expensive and you'll see a typical cabaret full of people trying to get money from you.

In Old Habana, you'll have to dodge a lot of peddlers hawking "Cohibas" , cigars, and 'herbal aphrodysiacs' and whatnot, but they aren't that pushy if you politely don't show interest. Just remember to NEVER EVER buy from these people. If these people are caught by the police selling to you they could get in serious trouble and you possibly as well. If you buy cigars make sure they have the government seal on the side of the box.

La Guarida don't bribe the taxi drivers- so if any of them tell you the restaurant is closed or has been closed for a while- don't believe them. Persist, and they will take you there.

The official money of Cuba is now the Cuban Convertible Peso, or CUC. They're called "chavitos." It's best to use the official money exchange venues as counterfeiting and theft is not unknown.
They're another type of money in circulation called "moneda nacional." If you do not have Cuban friends it's unlikely a tourist would have occasion to use the non-convertible peso, which is valued at about 20-1 to the CUC. A common scam is paying in chavitos and getting nacional in return.

Another common scam is to take a one CUC bank note and add a zero behind the one to make it look like a 10 CUC bank note. The scammer then looks for a tourist to help him (or her) to make change and the tourist gets stuck with the doctored note. ALWAYS make sure that any 10 CUC notes also say Diez on them and not UNO!!!

Old Habana is the bag-snatching capital of Cuba- so BE WARNED.

"Don't be shocked if you're approached by a prostitute (jinetera) in Havana—though this almost exclusively happens to male travelers."

Oh dear. For many years, Cuba was seen as a sexual playground for foreign men, and the expectation still lingers, especially in nightclubs.

Don't confuse 'hotel' with 'motel,' 'inn' or 'posada.' The latter three rent by the hour.

==Suggested Itinerary==

This is just Elín's suggested itinerary (edited/ added to by Matt), based on what I know of the best places to go and the most interesting things to do in Havana. It sounds good to ME, I hope you think it sounds interesting as well.

===Cuba: First half - Havana===

'''Accommodation''' Havana, [http://www.cuba.tc/Havana/Parkview.html|Hotel Park View] (3* modern hotel near centre). Triple room (apparently) EUR 294 total for 3 nights.
Booked & paid.

This should have a good view from the 7th floor restaurant.

====Day 12 - Wednesday 8th Nov 2006====

Following on from [http://www.indivisibilities.com/wiki/index.php/Yucutan#Day_11.2C_Tuesday_7th_November_PM_-_Day_12.2C_Wednesday_8th_November_-_Canc.C3.BAn Cancun], I'm not sure when we will arrive at Havana on this day. The official handover time, of the rubber chicken from Marc to Matt will be: 9.15pm. We'll probably land in Havana in the evening, and won't have time to do very much. We'll have to check into our hotel, and then can spend a nice evening chilling out - with a coffee, or a beer (whatever's your poison!).

====Day 13 - Thursday 9th Nov====

The start time of this day being unknown, I will assume it to be in between 2-4pm. This should give you time to get to Cuba, get to your hotel and settle in. However, should you find yourself with time on your hands in the morning, arriving early, you should check out the very good but naturally very secluded and isolated spot of the '''Necropolis de Colon''', first and foremost. If you STILL have excess time, check out the '''Universidad de Habana''' and the student hero Julio Antonio Mella. If you get there REALLY early or my timing is really off and you end up with loads of spare time on your hands you can make a REALLY out of the way trip to Miniature Havana all the way over in Miramar, though I think it's unlikely.

2-4pm: We will start by going over the bridge to the '''Parque Historico Morro y Cabana''', and explore the two forts and various museums at this complex. Have dinner at one of the restaurants here and be sure to catch the '''Canonaza ceremony''' (ceremony of the cannon) at the '''Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro''' at 9pm, before heading back to your hotel for a good night's sleep.

====Day 14 - Friday 10th Nov====

Make sure to book ahead for a reservation at La Guarida! It's very popular.

8-8.30am: Though it's unlikely you'll be staying here, if it's breakfast you want, head to Le Veranda at the quite famous '''Hotel Nacional''', who do an English breakfast, American, continental and cereal breakfast to meet all breakfasting needs. After that, within the Hotel Nacional, you can visit the '''Tagonana cave''', for FREE! A couple of blocks away from the Hotel Nacional is the famous '''Coppelia Ice Cream shop''', where one can get 22 scoops for about 50p.

You can eat your ice cream whilst wandering along '''The Malecon''', the local 'place to be' for the Cubans, apparently. Also a good place, I believe, to change money and do that kind of thing if you need to.

Take a taxi or bus or whatever to '''Parque Central''', where you should be able to get some lunch.

12.30 - Check out the very nearby '''Edificio Bacardi''', take some snaps, it's pretty darn Art Deco. Then make your way back through Parque Centro to the '''Gran Teatro'''. Pass that and take your tour of the '''Fabrica de Tobaco Partagas'''. Don't forget it closes at 2pm!!! You can always go back and do the Edificio Bacardi if you find you're short of time. If you can, pick up some cigars for later smokage.

[[image:capitolio.jpg|right|Capitolio Nacional]]

2pm- Go to the just-next-foor '''Capitolio Nacional'''. You can go inside, be impressed, and then take a horse and carriage (ooh) to '''Plaza de Catedral'''. Look at the Catedral and take some more snaps, and think 'hmm. Cathedral.' before checking out the apparently, best plaza, Plaza Catedral.

Now, detailed instructions follow. From the plaza, it's a two minute walk along San Ignacio, and Mercaderes on your way to '''Plaza de Armas'''. Along Mercederes you will pass a '''giant mural''', portraying 67 figures from the history of arts and politics in Havana. Take a token snap, and then get your butts to the Plaza Armas, the oldest and most animated of Havana's plazas. Due North of the plaza just across O'Reilly (or 'Radar') street, is the '''Castillo de la Real Fuerza'''. There is also, near the plaza, '''El Templete''', a rather incongruous scaled down version of the Parthenon. I think it sounds cute, (a small temple, a 'templette' aw!), so you should take some pics. Unless it's rubbish.

Now, from the plaza, making your way down the busy shopping street '''Obispo''', go to '''Ambos Mundos''' and up to the '''roof garden''' for a '''mojito''' in the afternoon light. You might also want to whip out those '''cigars'''. Relax, safe in the knowledge that you have totally '''pwned Havana''' in just two days. However, your work is not yet done. No. Cigars and Mojitos are all well and good. But...

5pm: Just a short hike away is '''Museo de Fundacion Destilera Havana Club''', apparently one of the most interesting things to do in Havana, it's also known as the Museo del Ron, that's right, '''RUM!''' (Drink up me 'earties, yo ho...Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me! ok enough of that.) Check out this museum just before heading to '''La Guarida''' for your 6.30 ? reservation. Then head out to '''Macumba Habana''' for dancing, or to a '''Zorra y el Cuervo''' for a '''jaaaazzz concert'''.

===Cuba: 2nd half - Veradero===

====Day 15 - Saturday 11th Nov====

Ok initially I was going to say - Day 15, go to Maria La Gorda, via teh lovely countryside of Vinales. However, if you went to this side of the island you'd pretty much have to stay that side, and there's not much else to do. Otherwise, the drive to Varadero would be about 5-7 hours, and that's after the 3 or 4 hour drive to Maria La Gorda in the first place! Sadly it is just not do-able, so today we go to '''Varadero'''.

The first day you arrive in Varadero and to make up for the lack of dive-age in Maria La Gorda, I think it would be good to go diving at the Marina Varadero Gaviota. With free transfer from your hotel to the Marina, which is right at the end of Varadero, and free initiation courses for people who have never been diving before. $35 for a single dive, you can go diving at the Cuevo de Saturno (including transfers) which sounds fun.

If you go clubbing tonight, a great place to round off the day- is the disco in the cave! Cueva del Pirata- sounds groovy to me =D There's also a club on a boat moored on the Veradado canal- La Patuna, and the lively Palacio de la Rumba, one of the best designed venues. For Marc, there is 'Splash', with a "high cheeseometer rating for the watered down club and pop music is plays" xD Just kiddin. ;)

====Day 16 - Sunday 12th Nov====

Right, so you are in Varadero right? So the natural thing to do...is take a day trip to '''Trinidad'''. Well, Varadero is great for these little trips. I think you should do a day tour of Trinidad. So that's day 16. Again if you have time in the evening, check out Varadero.

====Day 17 - Monday 13th Nov====

You can either take a half-day trip to the '''Cuevas de Bellamar''', and/or you can just chill out on the apparently gorgeous beaches of Varadero, assuming the weather's nice.

====Day 18 - Tuesday 14th Nov====

Today, we go back from Veradero to Havana, (but I'm not sure when yet).

Go home! - Flight leaves at 21.15 today.
------------------------------

Thus endeth the itinerary. You can utterly disregard it, utterly follow it, mix and match bits or use some parts and not others - either way I won't be offended, just enjoy yourselves!! =)

==FAQ==

FAQ:

Feel free to add questions here!

'''''Who are Fidel Castro and Che Guavera?'''''

Fidel and Che were friends who fought guerilla style against a very corrupt dictator, Balistra Machado, who ran Cuba before Fidel managed to take over. They believe in Marxist ideals, which is why Cuba is now Communist, and America are now scared/angry/ sulking. Che was killed and is now seen as a sort of hero, though he actually was against the 'celebrity' idea, he's been turned into one.

'''''Why is ice cream so cheap at The Coppelia?'''''

Communist-> equal for everyone -> ice cream that everyone can afford. I think it's funded by the state or something. But I've heard it's not bad icecream.

'''''Who's that student hero guy again?'''''

Julio Antonio Mella enrolled at the Universidad de la Habana aged 16. He soon became one of the leading forces behind the University Student's Federation (FEU), his rousing speeches stirring a generation of students to protest university corruption. His campaign against the appointment of incompetent and unqualified professors through nepotism and political favours paid off, and in 1923 over a hundred hapless professors were dismissed. After graduation, he became famous for roaming Havana and giving lectures on Marxism to workers. In 1927 he fled to Mexico, fearful that his outspoken diatribes against Machado's goverment had earned him enemies. Sadly his fears proved corect, and in 1929 was shot in the street of Mexico City with ihs girlfriend. ='( Although never proved, it was widely assumed that Machado was responsible.

==Red tape==

Embassies and visas

UK: Cuban Embassy 167 High Holborn, London WC1 6PA; Consular section: 15 Grape Street, London WC1 (020 7240 2488).

Cuba: British Embassy Calle 34, Number 702/4, entre 7ma Avenida y 17, Miramar, Havana (53 7 241 771).

Visa requirements: Virtually all visitors need a Cuban visa or tourist card, which allows a stay of 30 days. In the UK, visas for all nationalities cost £15 and can be obtained over the counter at the embassy, or direct from your travel agent. Postal visa applications take 1-2 weeks to process. Visitors need a return ticket, and proof that they have booked a hotel room for at least three nights. The US prohibits its citizens from travelling to Cuba unless they obtain a licence, usually reserved for journalists or government officials.

==Useful Links:==

Visa - [http://www.cubaldn.com/englishFiles/consuladoin.htm Embassy of Cuba]

For practicalities - health, climate etc.
[http://travel.guardian.co.uk/countries/information/0,8766,420477,00.html The Guardian]

For geography, history & culture:
[http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761569844/Cuba.html Encarta]

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuba Wikipedia]

MexicoCuba

2006-10-12T13:10:14Z

213.249.136.51: /* Book Hotels */

== Mexico Cuba 2006 ==

=== Introduction ===

This is a holiday idea that I have been whinging on about for some time now after the thouroughly excellent times I had in Peru and Egypt . The thought behind Mexico & Cuba 2006 is to combine the latin flavours of central america through the tequilla & salsa music with the ancient wonder of the pyramids. At the time of writing (February 2006) this is still simply an idea so the purpose of this page is to do some perelimenary investigation into whather the whole idea is possible at all --Tom

==Possible Stumbling Blocks==
* VISAs and beurocracy in and out of cuba
* Moving around
* Hurricanes
* Picking a date
* Getting annual leave
* Who is coming anyway
* Costs

== Plan ==
A) Fly in to Mexico city, travel down to cancun (coach/rail) and over to Havana (Boat/Plane.)

B) Do the whole thing the other way round if the flights are a lot cheaper.

[[Image:bigmap.JPG]]

===Flights===
We've booked our flights now, woohoo -

'''Outbound Flights'''
{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
! From!! To !! Date and Time !!Flight No!! Class !! Carrier
|-
|London - LHR || Paris - CDG || Fri 27th Oct 2006 13:05 - 15:15 || AF1571 || Class: Economy || Air France
|-
|Paris - CDG || Mexico City - MEX || Fri 27th Oct 2006 16:15 - 21:10 || AF434 || Class: Economy || Air France
|}

'''Return flights'''
{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
! From!! To !! Date and Time !!Flight No!! Class !! Carrier
|-
|Havana - HAV || Paris - CDG || Tue 14th Nov 2006 21:15 - 11:05 next day || AF479 || Class: Economy ||Air France
|-
|Paris - CDG || London - LHR || Wed 15th Nov 2006 12:00 - 12:15 || AF1570 || Class: Economy || Air France
|}

===Cities===
*Mexico City
*???
*Cancun
*Havana

===Must see sights===
*Teotithuacan
*Mexico city
*General Aztec/Mayan stuff
*Tequilla plantations
*Gulf of mexico coast
*Havana

===Moving around===

'''Mexico'''
*Coach
*Rail?

I have found two companies offering flights between Cancun and Havana
[http://www.clickmx.com/ Click Mexicana] (Around £80 ish)
and
[http://www.cubana.co.cu Cubana] (Around £100 ish)

(Both sites are in Spanish)

There is an online currency converter [http://www.xe.com/ here]

'''Cuba'''

''Unknown'' - Possibly not that much moving around

== Detailed Plan ==
[[MexicoCity|MexicoCity to Palenque 27th Oct 9:15 pm - 2nd November 9:15pm]]

[[Yucutan|Palenque to Cancun (The Yucutan) 2nd November 9:15pm - 8th November 9:15pm]]

[[Cuba|Cancun to Havana (Cuba) 8th November 9:15pm - 14th November 9:15pm]]

== ToDo ==
=== Get jabs ===

* Hepatitis A
* Typhoid
* Polio
* Tetanus
* Yellow Fever (?)
* Malaria (?)

[[Image:tick.gif]] Tom - Had My jabs today, Owch! --Tom (21/09)

[[Image:tick.gif]] Matt'll be alright

[[Image:tick.gif]] Marc's ok too

=== Get insurance ===

=== Book Hotels ===

=== Cuba Visa ===
=== Who is coming===
* Tom
* Marc
* Matt

== Comments ==

Matt: According to Cyril & Nick at work, Cancun is "a hole", Americanised, touristy, Burger Kings... But a few miles south is a nice town...

==Recommended reading==

''The Labyrinth of Solitude'' by Octavio Paz - insight into the Mexican psyche and outlines a lot of information about Mexican history. Short essays.

''Innocent Erendira and other short stories'' by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Short stories by the acclaimed Colombian writer. ''Innocent Erendira'' in particular is great for demonstrating Magical realism.

''Labyrinths'' by Jorge Luis Borges - short stories from an excellent Argentinian writer. Matt will love ''The Library of Babel'' I would have thought, the ''Garden of Forking Paths'' and ''Death and the Compass'' are excellent as well.

Cuba

2006-10-05T12:03:01Z

213.249.136.51: /* Trinidad */

<table border=1 align="right">
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> Cuba
<tr>
<td align="center">
 [[Image:CubaFlag_40_per_cent.jpg]] 
Flag
<td align="center">
[[Image:Cuba_coa_smaller.png]] 
Coat of Arms



<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> Motto: Spanish: Patria y Libertad 
(English: "Homeland and Freedom")
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> Anthem: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Bayamesa La Bayamesa] (The Bayamo Song)
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> [[Image:LocationCuba.png]]

<tr>
<td> Capital <td>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana Havana] 
23°8′N 82°23′W
<tr>
<td>Largest City <td>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana Havana]
<tr>
<td>Official Language <td>Spanish
<tr>
<td>Government: 
President of the 
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_of_State_of_Cuba Council of State of Cuba:]
<td>Republic 
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fidel_Castro Fidel Castro]
<tr>
<td>Independence 
- Declared from Spain 
- Cuban Republic declared 
- Date recognised in Cuba
<td>
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Years%27_War Ten Years' War] 
October 10, 1868 
May 20, 1902 
January 1, 1959
<tr>
<td>Area - Total - Water (%)
<td>110,860 km² ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_outlying_territories_by_area 104th]) 
42,803 sq mi 
negligible
<tr>
<td>Population 
- 2005 est. 
- 2002 census 
- Density
<td> 11,345,670 ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population 70th]) 
11,177,743 
102/km² ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population_density 73rd]) 
264/sq mi 

<tr>
<td>GDP 
- Total 
- Per Capita
<td> 2004 estimate 
$33.9 billion ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29 89th]) 
$3,000 ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29_per_capita 126th])
<tr>
<td>Human Development Index 
<td> 0.817 ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_Human_Development_Index 52nd]) - high
<tr>
<td>Currency 
<td>Peso 
Convertible peso (see ~1~)
<tr>
<td>Time Zone 
- Summer (DST)
<td>EST 
(Starts April 1, end date varies)
<tr>
<td>Internet TLD
<td> .cu
<tr>
<td>Calling Code
<td> +53
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> ~1~ 1993–2004, the U.S. dollar was used in addition to the peso until the dollar was replaced by the convertible peso.
</table>

==Cuba==

 

====Overview====

Known as the "Pearl of the Antilles", Cuba offers picturesque colonial towns, an Afro-Cuban culture, almost 300 unblemished beaches, great countryside, potent rum and excellent beer. Cuba is great for scuba diving, yachting, fishing, hiking, horseback riding and golf. Cuba has been described as a "fascinating smorgasbord [[http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=define%3A+smorgasbord&meta= (eh?)]] of nonstop discovery and experience".
 

====Timing====
November is the start of the dry season in cuba. Temperatures are normally around 27 Celsius. We will also miss the peak tourist season (mid Dec. to mid-March, & all of July & August). 

====About Cuba====

Cuba is the largest Caribbean island [16th largest island in the world :-) ]. In fact, it is bigger than all 3700 other Caribbean islands put together! Of its 11m inhabitants, 60% are of Spanish descent; there are also substantial African and mixed-race minorities. Spain colonised Cuba in 1512 and decimated its indigenous population of Arawak Indians. In 1898 the US occupied the country, but relations soured in 1959 when the charismatic Fidel Castro came to power. The ban on US tourism has its advantages: apart from the coastal resort of Varadero the island remains non-commercial, and the people genuinely friendly. Well known for its musical culture, the rumba, mambo, cha cha cha, son and salsa all originated in Cuba. The Capital, Havana, founded on its present site in 1519, is one of the oldest cities in the Americas. 
 

[[Image:Cubamap.gif]]

====Things to do, when in Cuba====

- smoke Cuban cigars

- take a ride in a Vintage american car

- stay in a 'casa particular' - a common phenomenon in Cuba - for locals to rent out a room or 2 of their houses for tourists, this is the best way to gain an insight into the country

- drink 'Mojitos' - 'just the ticket after a hard day on the beach, Cuba's quintessential cocktail, a refreshing concoction of rum, limes & mint'

==Havana==

The capital, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana Havana], with its colonial architecture and ostentatious 50s and 60s cars, is the biggest Caribbean city (pop. approx. 2.2 million) and the hub of Cuban nightlife.

We will spend a good 2 or 3 days in Havana.

Havana has four main areas: La Habana Vieja (Old Havana), a World Heritage Site; and La Habana Moderna (Modern Havana), no less attractive and full of life and visitors, Miramar, and Vedado.

====Old Havana====

"Old Havana has so much charm that only by visiting it can one capture fully the contrasts, sounds and colors that coexist there."
[[Image:delmorro.jpg|left|The Castillo Del Morro]]
Old Havana has all the appearance of a Spanish colonial city. Havana is ideally situated for trade and communications, and many of the defences built to protect it from pirates and corsairs still exist, which is why it is impossible to walk in Old Havana without encountering impressive fortresses like the Castillo de la Real Fuerza, the Castillo de San Salvador de la Punta, La Cabaña, and the most unique of them all, '''El Morro (Morro Castle)''', located at the entrance to the Bay. From here each night the lighthouse guides ships passing by Havana, and by day visitors come to admire the stunning views the capital has to offer.
[[Image:Viejaplaza.jpg|right|The Vieja Plaza]]

Old Havana also has spacious and beautiful cobbled plazas (squares) such as la Plaza de San Francisco de Asís, la Plaza de Armas, la Plaza Vieja and la Plaza de La Catedral (Cathedral Square), the latter a popular choice for photos and post cards of Cuba. Here you can try out some Cuban cocktails in an open air restaurant, while enjoying the view of the surrounding buildings and the sound of Cuban music in the air.

Havana has numerous museums: the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales (Palace of the Spanish Governors) which houses the Museum of the City of Havana, the Gabinete Arqueológico (Archaeological Bureau) and the Museo del Chocolate (hmm!!)

In nearby Morro Castle there is a permanent exhibition of the fort's construction process. Also located on that side of the Bay on a hillside is the giant statue of Christ of Casablanca, which is lit nightly.

====Food====

See this [http://travel.guardian.co.uk/activities/food/story/0,,1764375,00.html Guardian] article for some chit chat about food in Cuba.

'''[http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8373 La Guarida restaurant]''' - where the excellent food is matched by Baroque surroundings, in the location where the film Strawberry and Chocolate was filmed. Note- La Guarida is a Paledar. Paledars are privately run small restaurants in homes. The operators pay a fee to the government for the right to have up to eight tables. The food is often better than the boring, bland food offered at most official restaurants, and the prices are much better. Service, however, is frequently painfully slow, and menu items at many paledars are limited.

Guardian comments about 'La Guarida': Of the scores of paladares in Havana only one really stands out - La Guarida. On a blank-sided street in a residential area you're ushered into a gloomy old apartment building where washing hangs from clotheslines.

At the top of a staircase a door opens onto a jumbled three-room salon stuffed with bric-a-brac. There's a fully stocked bar with a good wine list, and the menu offers delights such as spicy gazpacho and tuna in coconut sauce. The service is first class, but the atmosphere is slightly subversive. You leave feeling that you've been given a glimpse into a secret Havana underworld - the controversial Cuban film Fresa y Chocolate was shot here in 1994 and La Guarida still attracts an arty clientele.

====Modern Havana====
[[Image:cemetary.jpg|left|Christopher Columbus Cemetary]]
There is the state-subsidised '''Coppelia ice-cream parlour''' (you have to pay in pesos) where a dollar gets you 22 scoops. Apparently not bad ice cream.

There are several night clubs that offer music programs, among them El Gato Tuerto (The One-Eyed Cat), the Jazz Café, the Cocodrilo (The Crocodile), the Habana Café and Dos Gardenias (Two Gardenias).
[[Image:Malecon.jpg|right|The Malecón]]
'''Necrópolis de Colón (Columbus Graveyard)''' - Besides its tranquility there are some amazing stories there. There is a tomb shaped like a domino piece, one surrounded by women who wanted to get pregnant, a pyramid tomb built for the professor of the school of architecture...lots of interesting things to see.

It's along '''the Malecón''' that Havana's architecture really shines. From what I can gather, the Maelcón is a promenade much cherished by the people of Havana.

====Miramar and Vedado====

'''Fabrica de Tobaco Partagas''' -[[Image:bacardi.jpg|right|Edificio Bacardi]] A famous Havana cigar factory, offers a fascinating insight into the skills behind cigar making and lays bare some idiosyncratic Cuban working practices. Pricy, but good, apparently "more interesting and less touristy than expected".

'''The Edificio Bacardi''' - A slice of dazzling art deco architecture, the former pre-revolution headquarters of Bacardí, the famous rum company, it is a fitting place for to enjoy a Cubre libre.

'''Maqueta de la Habana (Miniature Havana)''' - The realistic scale model of Havana takes up almost 88 sq. m (946 sq. ft.). You can walk around it on the ground level, or climb a narrow interior balcony that rings three walls. This is not to be confused with a similar (and much smaller) scale model of Old Havana, found in Old Havana, of course.

==Varadero==

[[image:varadero.jpg]]

There are lots of exiting tours and things to see in Varadero. Josone Park, in the center of Varadero, is a nature area with restaurants and cultural events which can be toured by horse and carriage from resort hotels.

It's more than 20 km of excellent beaches, a broad strip of fine, white sand along the shoreline, and a continental shelf that softly sinks into a warm, crystal-clear sea of the most varied of blues. These are the chief tourist attractions of Varadero, a tourist city that is presently well-positioned in the International circuits.

These natural wonders are enriched and complemented by the existence of numerous caves, cliffs, and lagoons. Varadero also has pristine, easy to reach keys and other interesting natural surroundings on the peninsula's easternmost tip, in addition to a set of cultural, historical, and environmental sites provided by the nearby cities of Matanzas and Cardenas and the Zapata Swamp Biosphere Reserve.

You won't find legal Casas Particular in the area of Varadero, it's not alowed by the government for a Cuban to start a Casa in this area. Although there are some "Red Triangle" casas, those casas are only for Cubans, tourists are not allowed to stay in these casas particulares...

Of course you can do stubborn and search out for yourself an illegal Casa Particular, and you will find them, remember that you risk getting thrown out on the streets at night by the police.

Tours in Varadero run from the three Information centres which run more or less the same excursions for similar prices, and I based the itinerary activities on these common excursions, and all-day tours include lunch, usually. One of these trips goes to the Cuevas de Bellamar.

Bellamar Cave, located at the exit of Matanzas city, is considered to be one of the wonders
of Cuban geography. Famous for its karstic crystals, stalactites and stalagmites.
Explored area of the cave is 3 km long, while its deepest part descends to 48 meters.

==Trinidad==

Trinidad is a relic of the early days of the Spanish colony. Trinidad Colonial past, unique architecture and magnificent location, between the mountains and Mexican Gulf, inspire tourist interest from around the world.
Trinidad has five main squares and four churches date from the 18th and 19th centuries the whole city, cobbled streets and tiled roofs, is a national monument and since 1988 a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

'''Ayala:''' This famous discotheque is housed in a beautiful underground grotto of eccentrically shaped stones and profound depth. A play of light and shadow, silence and noise envelopes the unique experience of a night out drinking and dancing. A variety of music is played and an assortment of imported and domestic beer and liquor is served, including the Mojita (Mint Rum Julip) and Cuba Libre (Rum and coke). The 60-person capacity is comprised mostly of those from the Las Cuevas Hotel and a young crowd from Trinidad. (Opening Hours 10:30p-3a daily; Admission Charge USD10)

[[image:trinidad.jpg]]

'''Getting there:''' Viazul ( +53 419 4448/ http://www.viazul.cu ) provides convenient daily bus service to Trinidad from Havana, Varadero, and Santiago de Cuba. Trinidad's bus terminal is located on Gustavo Izquierdo between Piro Guinart and Simon Bolivar.

'''From Veradero:''' Viazul ( +53 45 61 4886/ http://www.viazul.cu ) offers bus service throughout Cuba including daily service between Havana, Trinidad and Varadero. The Varadero bus station is located at Calle 36 and the Autopista del Sur.

==Other potential places to visit==

Maria La Gorda - approx. 5 hrs drive from Havana - this seems to be the best place in Cuba for scuba diving. And also, you don't have to know how to scuba dive already!

Caves that can be explored:

Cueva del Cable, Cueva del Simón, de Paredones, del Indio, de los Tomates, de Quintanal, Astón, de Cagagüanes, de Palmarito, de Bitirí, Revuelta de los Chinos, de la Patana, Solapos de Jaruco and Caleta del Rosario

==Transport in Cuba==

There are two types of buses that run throughout Cuba, the dirt-cheap ones that are falling apart and stop at every roof they pass; and the more direct, fast and comfortable coaches with air con that cost in dollars but still not that much (eg. $60 for the whole length of the island). The fast ones sometimes leave from a different bus station, so look out for that.

"if you do take a cab, try to take one of the government ones. I can't remember what the visual difference is, but it's worth finding out - the price is a tenth of a private hire cab."

It's apparently relatively easy to catch a ride with a friendly local car-owner willing to act as a 'taxi'.

- prandial

==Tourist Tips==

Restaurants are reportedly relatively non-existent, because the economy won't support them. If you make sure to interact, it's seems that it's not hard to find a local who'll invite or direct you to a local house where they'll be willing to cook you a meal, for a small renumeration.

Eat from street vendors.

"A cheese sandwich is a cheese sandwich and the only time my friend and I got food poisoning was when we went to a dollar restaurant instead of a peso one." -prandial

Don't dismiss the slogans that adorn billboards, storefronts and walls in Cuba as revolutionary propaganda. Many of the quotes belong to Jose Marti, and read in proper context, they're beautiful evocations of freedom and morality. Marti is one of Cuba's national heroes (he helped the country achieve independence from Spain) and is also acknowledged as one of the Caribbean's first modern poets.

Do take in the view of Havana from the rooftop bar (and swimming pool) of the 17-story Capri Hotel. Little seems to have changed there since its days as a Mafia hangout, and the view is fantastic.

Don't be shocked to hear locals get the attention of restaurant waiters or friends on the street by pursing their lips and making an animated sucking or kissing sound.

Try to get a ride in a cadillac. But they'll probably throw you out as they aren't licensed cabs.

Eating in Paladares can be fun, if you find a good one it's excellent. But it's a risk and a tricky one without speaking any Spanish.

==Tourist Traps==

A lot of the Cuban cigars sold even in Cuba are fake or inferior.

You will be hassled a lot on the streets, low grade begging, nothing dangerous.

You'll find it near impossible not to be fleeced if you don't speak any Spanish (and pretty hard not to be even if you do) - most people who speak English are those who've learnt it to work with tourists.

If you hook up with some locals, they may suggest going with you to a place that's really touristy, saying they like it. In fact it's because you'll be paying their cover charge and they'll collect their cut later. If somebody tells you to go to "Cabaret Tropicana", bear in mind that this place is expensive and you'll see a typical cabaret full of people trying to get money from you.

In Old Habana, you'll have to dodge a lot of peddlers hawking "Cohibas" , cigars, and 'herbal aphrodysiacs' and whatnot, but they aren't that pushy if you politely don't show interest. Just remember to NEVER EVER buy from these people. If these people are caught by the police selling to you they could get in serious trouble and you possibly as well. If you buy cigars make sure they have the government seal on the side of the box.

La Guarida don't bribe the taxi drivers- so if any of them tell you the restaurant is closed or has been closed for a while- don't believe them. Persist, and they will take you there.

The official money of Cuba is now the Cuban Convertible Peso, or CUC. They're called "chavitos." It's best to use the official money exchange venues as counterfeiting and theft is not unknown.
They're another type of money in circulation called "moneda nacional." If you do not have Cuban friends it's unlikely a tourist would have occasion to use the non-convertible peso, which is valued at about 20-1 to the CUC. A common scam is paying in chavitos and getting nacional in return.

Another common scam is to take a one CUC bank note and add a zero behind the one to make it look like a 10 CUC bank note. The scammer then looks for a tourist to help him (or her) to make change and the tourist gets stuck with the doctored note. ALWAYS make sure that any 10 CUC notes also say Diez on them and not UNO!!!

Old Habana is the bag-snatching capital of Cuba- so BE WARNED.

"Don't be shocked if you're approached by a prostitute (jinetera) in Havana—though this almost exclusively happens to male travelers."

Oh dear. For many years, Cuba was seen as a sexual playground for foreign men, and the expectation still lingers, especially in nightclubs.

Don't confuse 'hotel' with 'motel,' 'inn' or 'posada.' The latter three rent by the hour.

==Suggested Itinerary==

This is just Elín's suggested itinerary (edited/ added to by Matt), based on what I know of the best places to go and the most interesting things to do in Havana. It sounds good to ME, I hope you think it sounds interesting as well.

====Day 12 - Wednesday 8th Nov 2006====

Following on from [http://www.indivisibilities.com/wiki/index.php/Yucutan#Day_11.2C_Tuesday_7th_November_PM_-_Day_12.2C_Wednesday_8th_November_-_Canc.C3.BAn Cancun], I'm not sure when we will arrive at Havana on this day. The official handover time, of the rubber chicken from Marc to Matt will be: 9.15pm. We'll probably land in Havana in the evening, and won't have time to do very much. We'll have to check into our hotel, and then can spend a nice evening chilling out - with a coffee, or a beer (whatever's your poison!).

====Day 13 - Thursday 9th Nov====

The start time of this day being unknown, I will assume it to be in between 2-4pm. This should give you time to get to Cuba, get to your hotel and settle in. However, should you find yourself with time on your hands in the morning, arriving early, you should check out the very good but naturally very secluded and isolated spot of the '''Necropolis de Colon''', first and foremost. If you STILL have excess time, check out the '''Universidad de Habana''' and the student hero Julio Antonio Mella. If you get there REALLY early or my timing is really off and you end up with loads of spare time on your hands you can make a REALLY out of the way trip to Miniature Havana all the way over in Miramar, though I think it's unlikely.

2-4pm: We will start by going over the bridge to the '''Parque Historico Morro y Cabana''', and explore the two forts and various museums at this complex. Have dinner at one of the restaurants here and be sure to catch the '''Canonaza ceremony''' (ceremony of the cannon) at the '''Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro''' at 9pm, before heading back to your hotel for a good night's sleep.

====Day 14 - Friday 10th Nov====

Make sure to book ahead for a reservation at La Guarida! It's very popular.

8-8.30am: Though it's unlikely you'll be staying here, if it's breakfast you want, head to Le Veranda at the quite famous '''Hotel Nacional''', who do an English breakfast, American, continental and cereal breakfast to meet all breakfasting needs. After that, within the Hotel Nacional, you can visit the '''Tagonana cave''', for FREE! A couple of blocks away from the Hotel Nacional is the famous '''Coppelia Ice Cream shop''', where one can get 22 scoops for about 50p.

You can eat your ice cream whilst wandering along '''The Malecon''', the local 'place to be' for the Cubans, apparently. Also a good place, I believe, to change money and do that kind of thing if you need to.

Take a taxi or bus or whatever to '''Parque Central''', where you should be able to get some lunch.

12.30 - Check out the very nearby '''Edificio Bacardi''', take some snaps, it's pretty darn Art Deco. Then make your way back through Parque Centro to the '''Gran Teatro'''. Pass that and take your tour of the '''Fabrica de Tobaco Partagas'''. Don't forget it closes at 2pm!!! You can always go back and do the Edificio Bacardi if you find you're short of time. If you can, pick up some cigars for later smokage.

[[image:capitolio.jpg|right|Capitolio Nacional]]

2pm- Go to the just-next-foor '''Capitolio Nacional'''. You can go inside, be impressed, and then take a horse and carriage (ooh) to '''Plaza de Catedral'''. Look at the Catedral and take some more snaps, and think 'hmm. Cathedral.' before checking out the apparently, best plaza, Plaza Catedral.

Now, detailed instructions follow. From the plaza, it's a two minute walk along San Ignacio, and Mercaderes on your way to '''Plaza de Armas'''. Along Mercederes you will pass a '''giant mural''', portraying 67 figures from the history of arts and politics in Havana. Take a token snap, and then get your butts to the Plaza Armas, the oldest and most animated of Havana's plazas. Due North of the plaza just across O'Reilly (or 'Radar') street, is the '''Castillo de la Real Fuerza'''. There is also, near the plaza, '''El Templete''', a rather incongruous scaled down version of the Parthenon. I think it sounds cute, (a small temple, a 'templette' aw!), so you should take some pics. Unless it's rubbish.

Now, from the plaza, making your way down the busy shopping street '''Obispo''', go to '''Ambos Mundos''' and up to the '''roof garden''' for a '''mojito''' in the afternoon light. You might also want to whip out those '''cigars'''. Relax, safe in the knowledge that you have totally '''pwned Havana''' in just two days. However, your work is not yet done. No. Cigars and Mojitos are all well and good. But...

5pm: Just a short hike away is '''Museo de Fundacion Destilera Havana Club''', apparently one of the most interesting things to do in Havana, it's also known as the Museo del Ron, that's right, '''RUM!''' (Drink up me 'earties, yo ho...Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me! ok enough of that.) Check out this museum just before heading to '''La Guarida''' for your 6.30 ? reservation. Then head out to '''Macumba Habana''' for dancing, or to a '''Zorra y el Cuervo''' for a '''jaaaazzz concert'''.

====Day 15 - Saturday 11th Nov====

Ok initially I was going to say - Day 15, go to Maria La Gorda, via teh lovely countryside of Vinales. However, if you went to this side of the island you'd pretty much have to stay that side, and there's not much else to do. Otherwise, the drive to Varadero would be about 5-7 hours, and that's after the 3 or 4 hour drive to Maria La Gorda in the first place! Sadly it is just not do-able, so today we go to '''Varadero'''.

The first day you arrive in Varadero and to make up for the lack of dive-age in Maria La Gorda, I think it would be good to go diving at the Marina Varadero Gaviota. With free transfer from your hotel to the Marina, which is right at the end of Varadero, and free initiation courses for people who have never been diving before. $35 for a single dive, you can go diving at the Cuevo de Saturno (including transfers) which sounds fun.

If you go clubbing tonight, a great place to round off the day- is the disco in the cave! Cueva del Pirata- sounds groovy to me =D There's also a club on a boat moored on the Veradado canal- La Patuna, and the lively Palacio de la Rumba, one of the best designed venues. For Marc, there is 'Splash', with a "high cheeseometer rating for the watered down club and pop music is plays" xD Just kiddin. ;)

====Day 16 - Sunday 12th Nov====

Right, so you are in Varadero right? So the natural thing to do...is take a day trip to '''Trinidad'''. Well, Varadero is great for these little trips. I think you should do a day tour of Trinidad. So that's day 16. Again if you have time in the evening, check out Varadero.

====Day 17 - Monday 13th Nov====

You can either take a half-day trip to the '''Cuevas de Bellamar''', and/or you can just chill out on the apparently gorgeous beaches of Varadero, assuming the weather's nice.

====Day 18 - Tuesday 14th Nov====

Today, we go back from Veradero to Havana, (but I'm not sure when yet).

Go home! - Flight leaves at 21.15 today.
------------------------------

Thus endeth the itinerary. You can utterly disregard it, utterly follow it, mix and match bits or use some parts and not others - either way I won't be offended, just enjoy yourselves!! =)

==FAQ==

FAQ:

Feel free to add questions here!

'''''Who are Fidel Castro and Che Guavera?'''''

Fidel and Che were friends who fought guerilla style against a very corrupt dictator, Balistra Machado, who ran Cuba before Fidel managed to take over. They believe in Marxist ideals, which is why Cuba is now Communist, and America are now scared/angry/ sulking. Che was killed and is now seen as a sort of hero, though he actually was against the 'celebrity' idea, he's been turned into one.

'''''Why is ice cream so cheap at The Coppelia?'''''

Communist-> equal for everyone -> ice cream that everyone can afford. I think it's funded by the state or something. But I've heard it's not bad icecream.

'''''Who's that student hero guy again?'''''

Julio Antonio Mella enrolled at the Universidad de la Habana aged 16. He soon became one of the leading forces behind the University Student's Federation (FEU), his rousing speeches stirring a generation of students to protest university corruption. His campaign against the appointment of incompetent and unqualified professors through nepotism and political favours paid off, and in 1923 over a hundred hapless professors were dismissed. After graduation, he became famous for roaming Havana and giving lectures on Marxism to workers. In 1927 he fled to Mexico, fearful that his outspoken diatribes against Machado's goverment had earned him enemies. Sadly his fears proved corect, and in 1929 was shot in the street of Mexico City with ihs girlfriend. ='( Although never proved, it was widely assumed that Machado was responsible.

==Red tape==

Embassies and visas

UK: Cuban Embassy 167 High Holborn, London WC1 6PA; Consular section: 15 Grape Street, London WC1 (020 7240 2488).

Cuba: British Embassy Calle 34, Number 702/4, entre 7ma Avenida y 17, Miramar, Havana (53 7 241 771).

Visa requirements: Virtually all visitors need a Cuban visa or tourist card, which allows a stay of 30 days. In the UK, visas for all nationalities cost £15 and can be obtained over the counter at the embassy, or direct from your travel agent. Postal visa applications take 1-2 weeks to process. Visitors need a return ticket, and proof that they have booked a hotel room for at least three nights. The US prohibits its citizens from travelling to Cuba unless they obtain a licence, usually reserved for journalists or government officials.

==Useful Links:==

Visa - [http://www.cubaldn.com/englishFiles/consuladoin.htm Embassy of Cuba]

For practicalities - health, climate etc.
[http://travel.guardian.co.uk/countries/information/0,8766,420477,00.html The Guardian]

For geography, history & culture:
[http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761569844/Cuba.html Encarta]

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuba Wikipedia]

Cuba

2006-10-05T11:45:49Z

213.249.136.51: /* Trinidad */

<table border=1 align="right">
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> Cuba
<tr>
<td align="center">
 [[Image:CubaFlag_40_per_cent.jpg]] 
Flag
<td align="center">
[[Image:Cuba_coa_smaller.png]] 
Coat of Arms



<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> Motto: Spanish: Patria y Libertad 
(English: "Homeland and Freedom")
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> Anthem: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Bayamesa La Bayamesa] (The Bayamo Song)
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> [[Image:LocationCuba.png]]

<tr>
<td> Capital <td>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana Havana] 
23°8′N 82°23′W
<tr>
<td>Largest City <td>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana Havana]
<tr>
<td>Official Language <td>Spanish
<tr>
<td>Government: 
President of the 
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_of_State_of_Cuba Council of State of Cuba:]
<td>Republic 
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fidel_Castro Fidel Castro]
<tr>
<td>Independence 
- Declared from Spain 
- Cuban Republic declared 
- Date recognised in Cuba
<td>
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Years%27_War Ten Years' War] 
October 10, 1868 
May 20, 1902 
January 1, 1959
<tr>
<td>Area - Total - Water (%)
<td>110,860 km² ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_outlying_territories_by_area 104th]) 
42,803 sq mi 
negligible
<tr>
<td>Population 
- 2005 est. 
- 2002 census 
- Density
<td> 11,345,670 ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population 70th]) 
11,177,743 
102/km² ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population_density 73rd]) 
264/sq mi 

<tr>
<td>GDP 
- Total 
- Per Capita
<td> 2004 estimate 
$33.9 billion ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29 89th]) 
$3,000 ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29_per_capita 126th])
<tr>
<td>Human Development Index 
<td> 0.817 ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_Human_Development_Index 52nd]) - high
<tr>
<td>Currency 
<td>Peso 
Convertible peso (see ~1~)
<tr>
<td>Time Zone 
- Summer (DST)
<td>EST 
(Starts April 1, end date varies)
<tr>
<td>Internet TLD
<td> .cu
<tr>
<td>Calling Code
<td> +53
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> ~1~ 1993–2004, the U.S. dollar was used in addition to the peso until the dollar was replaced by the convertible peso.
</table>

==Cuba==

 

====Overview====

Known as the "Pearl of the Antilles", Cuba offers picturesque colonial towns, an Afro-Cuban culture, almost 300 unblemished beaches, great countryside, potent rum and excellent beer. Cuba is great for scuba diving, yachting, fishing, hiking, horseback riding and golf. Cuba has been described as a "fascinating smorgasbord [[http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=define%3A+smorgasbord&meta= (eh?)]] of nonstop discovery and experience".
 

====Timing====
November is the start of the dry season in cuba. Temperatures are normally around 27 Celsius. We will also miss the peak tourist season (mid Dec. to mid-March, & all of July & August). 

====About Cuba====

Cuba is the largest Caribbean island [16th largest island in the world :-) ]. In fact, it is bigger than all 3700 other Caribbean islands put together! Of its 11m inhabitants, 60% are of Spanish descent; there are also substantial African and mixed-race minorities. Spain colonised Cuba in 1512 and decimated its indigenous population of Arawak Indians. In 1898 the US occupied the country, but relations soured in 1959 when the charismatic Fidel Castro came to power. The ban on US tourism has its advantages: apart from the coastal resort of Varadero the island remains non-commercial, and the people genuinely friendly. Well known for its musical culture, the rumba, mambo, cha cha cha, son and salsa all originated in Cuba. The Capital, Havana, founded on its present site in 1519, is one of the oldest cities in the Americas. 
 

[[Image:Cubamap.gif]]

====Things to do, when in Cuba====

- smoke Cuban cigars

- take a ride in a Vintage american car

- stay in a 'casa particular' - a common phenomenon in Cuba - for locals to rent out a room or 2 of their houses for tourists, this is the best way to gain an insight into the country

- drink 'Mojitos' - 'just the ticket after a hard day on the beach, Cuba's quintessential cocktail, a refreshing concoction of rum, limes & mint'

==Havana==

The capital, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana Havana], with its colonial architecture and ostentatious 50s and 60s cars, is the biggest Caribbean city (pop. approx. 2.2 million) and the hub of Cuban nightlife.

We will spend a good 2 or 3 days in Havana.

Havana has four main areas: La Habana Vieja (Old Havana), a World Heritage Site; and La Habana Moderna (Modern Havana), no less attractive and full of life and visitors, Miramar, and Vedado.

====Old Havana====

"Old Havana has so much charm that only by visiting it can one capture fully the contrasts, sounds and colors that coexist there."
[[Image:delmorro.jpg|left|The Castillo Del Morro]]
Old Havana has all the appearance of a Spanish colonial city. Havana is ideally situated for trade and communications, and many of the defences built to protect it from pirates and corsairs still exist, which is why it is impossible to walk in Old Havana without encountering impressive fortresses like the Castillo de la Real Fuerza, the Castillo de San Salvador de la Punta, La Cabaña, and the most unique of them all, '''El Morro (Morro Castle)''', located at the entrance to the Bay. From here each night the lighthouse guides ships passing by Havana, and by day visitors come to admire the stunning views the capital has to offer.
[[Image:Viejaplaza.jpg|right|The Vieja Plaza]]

Old Havana also has spacious and beautiful cobbled plazas (squares) such as la Plaza de San Francisco de Asís, la Plaza de Armas, la Plaza Vieja and la Plaza de La Catedral (Cathedral Square), the latter a popular choice for photos and post cards of Cuba. Here you can try out some Cuban cocktails in an open air restaurant, while enjoying the view of the surrounding buildings and the sound of Cuban music in the air.

Havana has numerous museums: the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales (Palace of the Spanish Governors) which houses the Museum of the City of Havana, the Gabinete Arqueológico (Archaeological Bureau) and the Museo del Chocolate (hmm!!)

In nearby Morro Castle there is a permanent exhibition of the fort's construction process. Also located on that side of the Bay on a hillside is the giant statue of Christ of Casablanca, which is lit nightly.

====Food====

See this [http://travel.guardian.co.uk/activities/food/story/0,,1764375,00.html Guardian] article for some chit chat about food in Cuba.

'''[http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8373 La Guarida restaurant]''' - where the excellent food is matched by Baroque surroundings, in the location where the film Strawberry and Chocolate was filmed. Note- La Guarida is a Paledar. Paledars are privately run small restaurants in homes. The operators pay a fee to the government for the right to have up to eight tables. The food is often better than the boring, bland food offered at most official restaurants, and the prices are much better. Service, however, is frequently painfully slow, and menu items at many paledars are limited.

Guardian comments about 'La Guarida': Of the scores of paladares in Havana only one really stands out - La Guarida. On a blank-sided street in a residential area you're ushered into a gloomy old apartment building where washing hangs from clotheslines.

At the top of a staircase a door opens onto a jumbled three-room salon stuffed with bric-a-brac. There's a fully stocked bar with a good wine list, and the menu offers delights such as spicy gazpacho and tuna in coconut sauce. The service is first class, but the atmosphere is slightly subversive. You leave feeling that you've been given a glimpse into a secret Havana underworld - the controversial Cuban film Fresa y Chocolate was shot here in 1994 and La Guarida still attracts an arty clientele.

====Modern Havana====
[[Image:cemetary.jpg|left|Christopher Columbus Cemetary]]
There is the state-subsidised '''Coppelia ice-cream parlour''' (you have to pay in pesos) where a dollar gets you 22 scoops. Apparently not bad ice cream.

There are several night clubs that offer music programs, among them El Gato Tuerto (The One-Eyed Cat), the Jazz Café, the Cocodrilo (The Crocodile), the Habana Café and Dos Gardenias (Two Gardenias).
[[Image:Malecon.jpg|right|The Malecón]]
'''Necrópolis de Colón (Columbus Graveyard)''' - Besides its tranquility there are some amazing stories there. There is a tomb shaped like a domino piece, one surrounded by women who wanted to get pregnant, a pyramid tomb built for the professor of the school of architecture...lots of interesting things to see.

It's along '''the Malecón''' that Havana's architecture really shines. From what I can gather, the Maelcón is a promenade much cherished by the people of Havana.

====Miramar and Vedado====

'''Fabrica de Tobaco Partagas''' -[[Image:bacardi.jpg|right|Edificio Bacardi]] A famous Havana cigar factory, offers a fascinating insight into the skills behind cigar making and lays bare some idiosyncratic Cuban working practices. Pricy, but good, apparently "more interesting and less touristy than expected".

'''The Edificio Bacardi''' - A slice of dazzling art deco architecture, the former pre-revolution headquarters of Bacardí, the famous rum company, it is a fitting place for to enjoy a Cubre libre.

'''Maqueta de la Habana (Miniature Havana)''' - The realistic scale model of Havana takes up almost 88 sq. m (946 sq. ft.). You can walk around it on the ground level, or climb a narrow interior balcony that rings three walls. This is not to be confused with a similar (and much smaller) scale model of Old Havana, found in Old Havana, of course.

==Varadero==

[[image:varadero.jpg]]

There are lots of exiting tours and things to see in Varadero. Josone Park, in the center of Varadero, is a nature area with restaurants and cultural events which can be toured by horse and carriage from resort hotels.

It's more than 20 km of excellent beaches, a broad strip of fine, white sand along the shoreline, and a continental shelf that softly sinks into a warm, crystal-clear sea of the most varied of blues. These are the chief tourist attractions of Varadero, a tourist city that is presently well-positioned in the International circuits.

These natural wonders are enriched and complemented by the existence of numerous caves, cliffs, and lagoons. Varadero also has pristine, easy to reach keys and other interesting natural surroundings on the peninsula's easternmost tip, in addition to a set of cultural, historical, and environmental sites provided by the nearby cities of Matanzas and Cardenas and the Zapata Swamp Biosphere Reserve.

You won't find legal Casas Particular in the area of Varadero, it's not alowed by the government for a Cuban to start a Casa in this area. Although there are some "Red Triangle" casas, those casas are only for Cubans, tourists are not allowed to stay in these casas particulares...

Of course you can do stubborn and search out for yourself an illegal Casa Particular, and you will find them, remember that you risk getting thrown out on the streets at night by the police.

Tours in Varadero run from the three Information centres which run more or less the same excursions for similar prices, and I based the itinerary activities on these common excursions, and all-day tours include lunch, usually. One of these trips goes to the Cuevas de Bellamar.

Bellamar Cave, located at the exit of Matanzas city, is considered to be one of the wonders
of Cuban geography. Famous for its karstic crystals, stalactites and stalagmites.
Explored area of the cave is 3 km long, while its deepest part descends to 48 meters.

==Trinidad==

Trinidad is a relic of the early days of the Spanish colony. Trinidad Colonial past, unique architecture and magnificent location, between the mountains and Mexican Gulf, inspire tourist interest from around the world.
Trinidad has five main squares and four churches date from the 18th and 19th centuries the whole city, cobbled streets and tiled roofs, is a national monument and since 1988 a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

[[image:trinidad.jpg]]

'''Getting there:''' Viazul ( +53 419 4448/ http://www.viazul.cu ) provides convenient daily bus service to Trinidad from Havana, Varadero, and Santiago de Cuba. Trinidad's bus terminal is located on Gustavo Izquierdo between Piro Guinart and Simon Bolivar.

'''From Veradero:''' Viazul ( +53 45 61 4886/ http://www.viazul.cu ) offers bus service throughout Cuba including daily service between Havana, Trinidad and Varadero. The Varadero bus station is located at Calle 36 and the Autopista del Sur.

==Other potential places to visit==

Maria La Gorda - approx. 5 hrs drive from Havana - this seems to be the best place in Cuba for scuba diving. And also, you don't have to know how to scuba dive already!

Caves that can be explored:

Cueva del Cable, Cueva del Simón, de Paredones, del Indio, de los Tomates, de Quintanal, Astón, de Cagagüanes, de Palmarito, de Bitirí, Revuelta de los Chinos, de la Patana, Solapos de Jaruco and Caleta del Rosario

==Transport in Cuba==

There are two types of buses that run throughout Cuba, the dirt-cheap ones that are falling apart and stop at every roof they pass; and the more direct, fast and comfortable coaches with air con that cost in dollars but still not that much (eg. $60 for the whole length of the island). The fast ones sometimes leave from a different bus station, so look out for that.

"if you do take a cab, try to take one of the government ones. I can't remember what the visual difference is, but it's worth finding out - the price is a tenth of a private hire cab."

It's apparently relatively easy to catch a ride with a friendly local car-owner willing to act as a 'taxi'.

- prandial

==Tourist Tips==

Restaurants are reportedly relatively non-existent, because the economy won't support them. If you make sure to interact, it's seems that it's not hard to find a local who'll invite or direct you to a local house where they'll be willing to cook you a meal, for a small renumeration.

Eat from street vendors.

"A cheese sandwich is a cheese sandwich and the only time my friend and I got food poisoning was when we went to a dollar restaurant instead of a peso one." -prandial

Don't dismiss the slogans that adorn billboards, storefronts and walls in Cuba as revolutionary propaganda. Many of the quotes belong to Jose Marti, and read in proper context, they're beautiful evocations of freedom and morality. Marti is one of Cuba's national heroes (he helped the country achieve independence from Spain) and is also acknowledged as one of the Caribbean's first modern poets.

Do take in the view of Havana from the rooftop bar (and swimming pool) of the 17-story Capri Hotel. Little seems to have changed there since its days as a Mafia hangout, and the view is fantastic.

Don't be shocked to hear locals get the attention of restaurant waiters or friends on the street by pursing their lips and making an animated sucking or kissing sound.

Try to get a ride in a cadillac. But they'll probably throw you out as they aren't licensed cabs.

Eating in Paladares can be fun, if you find a good one it's excellent. But it's a risk and a tricky one without speaking any Spanish.

==Tourist Traps==

A lot of the Cuban cigars sold even in Cuba are fake or inferior.

You will be hassled a lot on the streets, low grade begging, nothing dangerous.

You'll find it near impossible not to be fleeced if you don't speak any Spanish (and pretty hard not to be even if you do) - most people who speak English are those who've learnt it to work with tourists.

If you hook up with some locals, they may suggest going with you to a place that's really touristy, saying they like it. In fact it's because you'll be paying their cover charge and they'll collect their cut later. If somebody tells you to go to "Cabaret Tropicana", bear in mind that this place is expensive and you'll see a typical cabaret full of people trying to get money from you.

In Old Habana, you'll have to dodge a lot of peddlers hawking "Cohibas" , cigars, and 'herbal aphrodysiacs' and whatnot, but they aren't that pushy if you politely don't show interest. Just remember to NEVER EVER buy from these people. If these people are caught by the police selling to you they could get in serious trouble and you possibly as well. If you buy cigars make sure they have the government seal on the side of the box.

La Guarida don't bribe the taxi drivers- so if any of them tell you the restaurant is closed or has been closed for a while- don't believe them. Persist, and they will take you there.

The official money of Cuba is now the Cuban Convertible Peso, or CUC. They're called "chavitos." It's best to use the official money exchange venues as counterfeiting and theft is not unknown.
They're another type of money in circulation called "moneda nacional." If you do not have Cuban friends it's unlikely a tourist would have occasion to use the non-convertible peso, which is valued at about 20-1 to the CUC. A common scam is paying in chavitos and getting nacional in return.

Another common scam is to take a one CUC bank note and add a zero behind the one to make it look like a 10 CUC bank note. The scammer then looks for a tourist to help him (or her) to make change and the tourist gets stuck with the doctored note. ALWAYS make sure that any 10 CUC notes also say Diez on them and not UNO!!!

Old Habana is the bag-snatching capital of Cuba- so BE WARNED.

"Don't be shocked if you're approached by a prostitute (jinetera) in Havana—though this almost exclusively happens to male travelers."

Oh dear. For many years, Cuba was seen as a sexual playground for foreign men, and the expectation still lingers, especially in nightclubs.

Don't confuse 'hotel' with 'motel,' 'inn' or 'posada.' The latter three rent by the hour.

==Suggested Itinerary==

This is just Elín's suggested itinerary (edited/ added to by Matt), based on what I know of the best places to go and the most interesting things to do in Havana. It sounds good to ME, I hope you think it sounds interesting as well.

====Day 12 - Wednesday 8th Nov 2006====

Following on from [http://www.indivisibilities.com/wiki/index.php/Yucutan#Day_11.2C_Tuesday_7th_November_PM_-_Day_12.2C_Wednesday_8th_November_-_Canc.C3.BAn Cancun], I'm not sure when we will arrive at Havana on this day. The official handover time, of the rubber chicken from Marc to Matt will be: 9.15pm. We'll probably land in Havana in the evening, and won't have time to do very much. We'll have to check into our hotel, and then can spend a nice evening chilling out - with a coffee, or a beer (whatever's your poison!).

====Day 13 - Thursday 9th Nov====

The start time of this day being unknown, I will assume it to be in between 2-4pm. This should give you time to get to Cuba, get to your hotel and settle in. However, should you find yourself with time on your hands in the morning, arriving early, you should check out the very good but naturally very secluded and isolated spot of the '''Necropolis de Colon''', first and foremost. If you STILL have excess time, check out the '''Universidad de Habana''' and the student hero Julio Antonio Mella. If you get there REALLY early or my timing is really off and you end up with loads of spare time on your hands you can make a REALLY out of the way trip to Miniature Havana all the way over in Miramar, though I think it's unlikely.

2-4pm: We will start by going over the bridge to the '''Parque Historico Morro y Cabana''', and explore the two forts and various museums at this complex. Have dinner at one of the restaurants here and be sure to catch the '''Canonaza ceremony''' (ceremony of the cannon) at the '''Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro''' at 9pm, before heading back to your hotel for a good night's sleep.

====Day 14 - Friday 10th Nov====

Make sure to book ahead for a reservation at La Guarida! It's very popular.

8-8.30am: Though it's unlikely you'll be staying here, if it's breakfast you want, head to Le Veranda at the quite famous '''Hotel Nacional''', who do an English breakfast, American, continental and cereal breakfast to meet all breakfasting needs. After that, within the Hotel Nacional, you can visit the '''Tagonana cave''', for FREE! A couple of blocks away from the Hotel Nacional is the famous '''Coppelia Ice Cream shop''', where one can get 22 scoops for about 50p.

You can eat your ice cream whilst wandering along '''The Malecon''', the local 'place to be' for the Cubans, apparently. Also a good place, I believe, to change money and do that kind of thing if you need to.

Take a taxi or bus or whatever to '''Parque Central''', where you should be able to get some lunch.

12.30 - Check out the very nearby '''Edificio Bacardi''', take some snaps, it's pretty darn Art Deco. Then make your way back through Parque Centro to the '''Gran Teatro'''. Pass that and take your tour of the '''Fabrica de Tobaco Partagas'''. Don't forget it closes at 2pm!!! You can always go back and do the Edificio Bacardi if you find you're short of time. If you can, pick up some cigars for later smokage.

[[image:capitolio.jpg|right|Capitolio Nacional]]

2pm- Go to the just-next-foor '''Capitolio Nacional'''. You can go inside, be impressed, and then take a horse and carriage (ooh) to '''Plaza de Catedral'''. Look at the Catedral and take some more snaps, and think 'hmm. Cathedral.' before checking out the apparently, best plaza, Plaza Catedral.

Now, detailed instructions follow. From the plaza, it's a two minute walk along San Ignacio, and Mercaderes on your way to '''Plaza de Armas'''. Along Mercederes you will pass a '''giant mural''', portraying 67 figures from the history of arts and politics in Havana. Take a token snap, and then get your butts to the Plaza Armas, the oldest and most animated of Havana's plazas. Due North of the plaza just across O'Reilly (or 'Radar') street, is the '''Castillo de la Real Fuerza'''. There is also, near the plaza, '''El Templete''', a rather incongruous scaled down version of the Parthenon. I think it sounds cute, (a small temple, a 'templette' aw!), so you should take some pics. Unless it's rubbish.

Now, from the plaza, making your way down the busy shopping street '''Obispo''', go to '''Ambos Mundos''' and up to the '''roof garden''' for a '''mojito''' in the afternoon light. You might also want to whip out those '''cigars'''. Relax, safe in the knowledge that you have totally '''pwned Havana''' in just two days. However, your work is not yet done. No. Cigars and Mojitos are all well and good. But...

5pm: Just a short hike away is '''Museo de Fundacion Destilera Havana Club''', apparently one of the most interesting things to do in Havana, it's also known as the Museo del Ron, that's right, '''RUM!''' (Drink up me 'earties, yo ho...Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me! ok enough of that.) Check out this museum just before heading to '''La Guarida''' for your 6.30 ? reservation. Then head out to '''Macumba Habana''' for dancing, or to a '''Zorra y el Cuervo''' for a '''jaaaazzz concert'''.

====Day 15 - Saturday 11th Nov====

Ok initially I was going to say - Day 15, go to Maria La Gorda, via teh lovely countryside of Vinales. However, if you went to this side of the island you'd pretty much have to stay that side, and there's not much else to do. Otherwise, the drive to Varadero would be about 5-7 hours, and that's after the 3 or 4 hour drive to Maria La Gorda in the first place! Sadly it is just not do-able, so today we go to '''Varadero'''.

The first day you arrive in Varadero and to make up for the lack of dive-age in Maria La Gorda, I think it would be good to go diving at the Marina Varadero Gaviota. With free transfer from your hotel to the Marina, which is right at the end of Varadero, and free initiation courses for people who have never been diving before. $35 for a single dive, you can go diving at the Cuevo de Saturno (including transfers) which sounds fun.

If you go clubbing tonight, a great place to round off the day- is the disco in the cave! Cueva del Pirata- sounds groovy to me =D There's also a club on a boat moored on the Veradado canal- La Patuna, and the lively Palacio de la Rumba, one of the best designed venues. For Marc, there is 'Splash', with a "high cheeseometer rating for the watered down club and pop music is plays" xD Just kiddin. ;)

====Day 16 - Sunday 12th Nov====

Right, so you are in Varadero right? So the natural thing to do...is take a day trip to '''Trinidad'''. Well, Varadero is great for these little trips. I think you should do a day tour of Trinidad. So that's day 16. Again if you have time in the evening, check out Varadero.

====Day 17 - Monday 13th Nov====

You can either take a half-day trip to the '''Cuevas de Bellamar''', and/or you can just chill out on the apparently gorgeous beaches of Varadero, assuming the weather's nice.

====Day 18 - Tuesday 14th Nov====

Today, we go back from Veradero to Havana, (but I'm not sure when yet).

Go home! - Flight leaves at 21.15 today.
------------------------------

Thus endeth the itinerary. You can utterly disregard it, utterly follow it, mix and match bits or use some parts and not others - either way I won't be offended, just enjoy yourselves!! =)

==FAQ==

FAQ:

Feel free to add questions here!

'''''Who are Fidel Castro and Che Guavera?'''''

Fidel and Che were friends who fought guerilla style against a very corrupt dictator, Balistra Machado, who ran Cuba before Fidel managed to take over. They believe in Marxist ideals, which is why Cuba is now Communist, and America are now scared/angry/ sulking. Che was killed and is now seen as a sort of hero, though he actually was against the 'celebrity' idea, he's been turned into one.

'''''Why is ice cream so cheap at The Coppelia?'''''

Communist-> equal for everyone -> ice cream that everyone can afford. I think it's funded by the state or something. But I've heard it's not bad icecream.

'''''Who's that student hero guy again?'''''

Julio Antonio Mella enrolled at the Universidad de la Habana aged 16. He soon became one of the leading forces behind the University Student's Federation (FEU), his rousing speeches stirring a generation of students to protest university corruption. His campaign against the appointment of incompetent and unqualified professors through nepotism and political favours paid off, and in 1923 over a hundred hapless professors were dismissed. After graduation, he became famous for roaming Havana and giving lectures on Marxism to workers. In 1927 he fled to Mexico, fearful that his outspoken diatribes against Machado's goverment had earned him enemies. Sadly his fears proved corect, and in 1929 was shot in the street of Mexico City with ihs girlfriend. ='( Although never proved, it was widely assumed that Machado was responsible.

==Red tape==

Embassies and visas

UK: Cuban Embassy 167 High Holborn, London WC1 6PA; Consular section: 15 Grape Street, London WC1 (020 7240 2488).

Cuba: British Embassy Calle 34, Number 702/4, entre 7ma Avenida y 17, Miramar, Havana (53 7 241 771).

Visa requirements: Virtually all visitors need a Cuban visa or tourist card, which allows a stay of 30 days. In the UK, visas for all nationalities cost £15 and can be obtained over the counter at the embassy, or direct from your travel agent. Postal visa applications take 1-2 weeks to process. Visitors need a return ticket, and proof that they have booked a hotel room for at least three nights. The US prohibits its citizens from travelling to Cuba unless they obtain a licence, usually reserved for journalists or government officials.

==Useful Links:==

Visa - [http://www.cubaldn.com/englishFiles/consuladoin.htm Embassy of Cuba]

For practicalities - health, climate etc.
[http://travel.guardian.co.uk/countries/information/0,8766,420477,00.html The Guardian]

For geography, history & culture:
[http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761569844/Cuba.html Encarta]

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuba Wikipedia]

Cuba

2006-10-04T11:03:34Z

213.249.136.51: /* Food */

<table border=1 align="right">
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> Cuba
<tr>
<td align="center">
 [[Image:CubaFlag_40_per_cent.jpg]] 
Flag
<td align="center">
[[Image:Cuba_coa_smaller.png]] 
Coat of Arms



<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> Motto: Spanish: Patria y Libertad 
(English: "Homeland and Freedom")
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> Anthem: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Bayamesa La Bayamesa] (The Bayamo Song)
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> [[Image:LocationCuba.png]]

<tr>
<td> Capital <td>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana Havana] 
23°8′N 82°23′W
<tr>
<td>Largest City <td>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana Havana]
<tr>
<td>Official Language <td>Spanish
<tr>
<td>Government: 
President of the 
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_of_State_of_Cuba Council of State of Cuba:]
<td>Republic 
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fidel_Castro Fidel Castro]
<tr>
<td>Independence 
- Declared from Spain 
- Cuban Republic declared 
- Date recognised in Cuba
<td>
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Years%27_War Ten Years' War] 
October 10, 1868 
May 20, 1902 
January 1, 1959
<tr>
<td>Area - Total - Water (%)
<td>110,860 km² ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_outlying_territories_by_area 104th]) 
42,803 sq mi 
negligible
<tr>
<td>Population 
- 2005 est. 
- 2002 census 
- Density
<td> 11,345,670 ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population 70th]) 
11,177,743 
102/km² ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population_density 73rd]) 
264/sq mi 

<tr>
<td>GDP 
- Total 
- Per Capita
<td> 2004 estimate 
$33.9 billion ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29 89th]) 
$3,000 ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29_per_capita 126th])
<tr>
<td>Human Development Index 
<td> 0.817 ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_Human_Development_Index 52nd]) - high
<tr>
<td>Currency 
<td>Peso 
Convertible peso (see ~1~)
<tr>
<td>Time Zone 
- Summer (DST)
<td>EST 
(Starts April 1, end date varies)
<tr>
<td>Internet TLD
<td> .cu
<tr>
<td>Calling Code
<td> +53
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> ~1~ 1993–2004, the U.S. dollar was used in addition to the peso until the dollar was replaced by the convertible peso.
</table>

==Cuba==

 

====Overview====

Known as the "Pearl of the Antilles", Cuba offers picturesque colonial towns, an Afro-Cuban culture, almost 300 unblemished beaches, great countryside, potent rum and excellent beer. Cuba is great for scuba diving, yachting, fishing, hiking, horseback riding and golf. Cuba has been described as a "fascinating smorgasbord [[http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=define%3A+smorgasbord&meta= (eh?)]] of nonstop discovery and experience".
 

====Timing====
November is the start of the dry season in cuba. Temperatures are normally around 27 Celsius. We will also miss the peak tourist season (mid Dec. to mid-March, & all of July & August). 

====About Cuba====

Cuba is the largest Caribbean island [16th largest island in the world :-) ]. In fact, it is bigger than all 3700 other Caribbean islands put together! Of its 11m inhabitants, 60% are of Spanish descent; there are also substantial African and mixed-race minorities. Spain colonised Cuba in 1512 and decimated its indigenous population of Arawak Indians. In 1898 the US occupied the country, but relations soured in 1959 when the charismatic Fidel Castro came to power. The ban on US tourism has its advantages: apart from the coastal resort of Varadero the island remains non-commercial, and the people genuinely friendly. Well known for its musical culture, the rumba, mambo, cha cha cha, son and salsa all originated in Cuba. The Capital, Havana, founded on its present site in 1519, is one of the oldest cities in the Americas. 
 

[[Image:Cubamap.gif]]

====Things to do, when in Cuba====

- smoke Cuban cigars

- take a ride in a Vintage american car

- stay in a 'casa particular' - a common phenomenon in Cuba - for locals to rent out a room or 2 of their houses for tourists, this is the best way to gain an insight into the country

- drink 'Mojitos' - 'just the ticket after a hard day on the beach, Cuba's quintessential cocktail, a refreshing concoction of rum, limes & mint'

==Havana==

The capital, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana Havana], with its colonial architecture and ostentatious 50s and 60s cars, is the biggest Caribbean city (pop. approx. 2.2 million) and the hub of Cuban nightlife.

We will spend a good 2 or 3 days in Havana.

Havana has four main areas: La Habana Vieja (Old Havana), a World Heritage Site; and La Habana Moderna (Modern Havana), no less attractive and full of life and visitors, Miramar, and Vedado.

====Old Havana====

"Old Havana has so much charm that only by visiting it can one capture fully the contrasts, sounds and colors that coexist there."
[[Image:delmorro.jpg|left|The Castillo Del Morro]]
Old Havana has all the appearance of a Spanish colonial city. Havana is ideally situated for trade and communications, and many of the defences built to protect it from pirates and corsairs still exist, which is why it is impossible to walk in Old Havana without encountering impressive fortresses like the Castillo de la Real Fuerza, the Castillo de San Salvador de la Punta, La Cabaña, and the most unique of them all, '''El Morro (Morro Castle)''', located at the entrance to the Bay. From here each night the lighthouse guides ships passing by Havana, and by day visitors come to admire the stunning views the capital has to offer.
[[Image:Viejaplaza.jpg|right|The Vieja Plaza]]

Old Havana also has spacious and beautiful cobbled plazas (squares) such as la Plaza de San Francisco de Asís, la Plaza de Armas, la Plaza Vieja and la Plaza de La Catedral (Cathedral Square), the latter a popular choice for photos and post cards of Cuba. Here you can try out some Cuban cocktails in an open air restaurant, while enjoying the view of the surrounding buildings and the sound of Cuban music in the air.

Havana has numerous museums: the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales (Palace of the Spanish Governors) which houses the Museum of the City of Havana, the Gabinete Arqueológico (Archaeological Bureau) and the Museo del Chocolate (hmm!!)

In nearby Morro Castle there is a permanent exhibition of the fort's construction process. Also located on that side of the Bay on a hillside is the giant statue of Christ of Casablanca, which is lit nightly.

====Food====

See this [http://travel.guardian.co.uk/activities/food/story/0,,1764375,00.html Guardian] article for some chit chat about food in Cuba.

'''[http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8373 La Guarida restaurant]''' - where the excellent food is matched by Baroque surroundings, in the location where the film Strawberry and Chocolate was filmed. Note- La Guarida is a Paledar. Paledars are privately run small restaurants in homes. The operators pay a fee to the government for the right to have up to eight tables. The food is often better than the boring, bland food offered at most official restaurants, and the prices are much better. Service, however, is frequently painfully slow, and menu items at many paledars are limited.

Guardian comments about 'La Guarida': Of the scores of paladares in Havana only one really stands out - La Guarida. On a blank-sided street in a residential area you're ushered into a gloomy old apartment building where washing hangs from clotheslines.

At the top of a staircase a door opens onto a jumbled three-room salon stuffed with bric-a-brac. There's a fully stocked bar with a good wine list, and the menu offers delights such as spicy gazpacho and tuna in coconut sauce. The service is first class, but the atmosphere is slightly subversive. You leave feeling that you've been given a glimpse into a secret Havana underworld - the controversial Cuban film Fresa y Chocolate was shot here in 1994 and La Guarida still attracts an arty clientele.

====Modern Havana====
[[Image:cemetary.jpg|left|Christopher Columbus Cemetary]]
There is the state-subsidised '''Coppelia ice-cream parlour''' (you have to pay in pesos) where a dollar gets you 22 scoops. Apparently not bad ice cream.

There are several night clubs that offer music programs, among them El Gato Tuerto (The One-Eyed Cat), the Jazz Café, the Cocodrilo (The Crocodile), the Habana Café and Dos Gardenias (Two Gardenias).
[[Image:Malecon.jpg|right|The Malecón]]
'''Necrópolis de Colón (Columbus Graveyard)''' - Besides its tranquility there are some amazing stories there. There is a tomb shaped like a domino piece, one surrounded by women who wanted to get pregnant, a pyramid tomb built for the professor of the school of architecture...lots of interesting things to see.

It's along '''the Malecón''' that Havana's architecture really shines. From what I can gather, the Maelcón is a promenade much cherished by the people of Havana.

====Miramar and Vedado====

'''Fabrica de Tobaco Partagas''' -[[Image:bacardi.jpg|right|Edificio Bacardi]] A famous Havana cigar factory, offers a fascinating insight into the skills behind cigar making and lays bare some idiosyncratic Cuban working practices. Pricy, but good, apparently "more interesting and less touristy than expected".

'''The Edificio Bacardi''' - A slice of dazzling art deco architecture, the former pre-revolution headquarters of Bacardí, the famous rum company, it is a fitting place for to enjoy a Cubre libre.

'''Maqueta de la Habana (Miniature Havana)''' - The realistic scale model of Havana takes up almost 88 sq. m (946 sq. ft.). You can walk around it on the ground level, or climb a narrow interior balcony that rings three walls. This is not to be confused with a similar (and much smaller) scale model of Old Havana, found in Old Havana, of course.

==Varadero==

[[image:varadero.jpg]]

There are lots of exiting tours and things to see in Varadero. Josone Park, in the center of Varadero, is a nature area with restaurants and cultural events which can be toured by horse and carriage from resort hotels.

It's more than 20 km of excellent beaches, a broad strip of fine, white sand along the shoreline, and a continental shelf that softly sinks into a warm, crystal-clear sea of the most varied of blues. These are the chief tourist attractions of Varadero, a tourist city that is presently well-positioned in the International circuits.

These natural wonders are enriched and complemented by the existence of numerous caves, cliffs, and lagoons. Varadero also has pristine, easy to reach keys and other interesting natural surroundings on the peninsula's easternmost tip, in addition to a set of cultural, historical, and environmental sites provided by the nearby cities of Matanzas and Cardenas and the Zapata Swamp Biosphere Reserve.

You won't find legal Casas Particular in the area of Varadero, it's not alowed by the government for a Cuban to start a Casa in this area. Although there are some "Red Triangle" casas, those casas are only for Cubans, tourists are not allowed to stay in these casas particulares...

Of course you can do stubborn and search out for yourself an illegal Casa Particular, and you will find them, remember that you risk getting thrown out on the streets at night by the police.

Tours in Varadero run from the three Information centres which run more or less the same excursions for similar prices, and I based the itinerary activities on these common excursions, and all-day tours include lunch, usually. One of these trips goes to the Cuevas de Bellamar.

Bellamar Cave, located at the exit of Matanzas city, is considered to be one of the wonders
of Cuban geography. Famous for its karstic crystals, stalactites and stalagmites.
Explored area of the cave is 3 km long, while its deepest part descends to 48 meters.

==Trinidad==

Trinidad is a relic of the early days of the Spanish colony. Trinidad Colonial past, unique architecture and magnificent location, between the mountains and Mexican Gulf, inspire tourist interest from around the world.
Trinidad has five main squares and four churches date from the 18th and 19th centuries the whole city, cobbled streets and tiled roofs, is a national monument and since 1988 a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

[[image:trinidad.jpg]]

==Other potential places to visit==

Maria La Gorda - approx. 5 hrs drive from Havana - this seems to be the best place in Cuba for scuba diving. And also, you don't have to know how to scuba dive already!

Caves that can be explored:

Cueva del Cable, Cueva del Simón, de Paredones, del Indio, de los Tomates, de Quintanal, Astón, de Cagagüanes, de Palmarito, de Bitirí, Revuelta de los Chinos, de la Patana, Solapos de Jaruco and Caleta del Rosario

==Transport in Cuba==

There are two types of buses that run throughout Cuba, the dirt-cheap ones that are falling apart and stop at every roof they pass; and the more direct, fast and comfortable coaches with air con that cost in dollars but still not that much (eg. $60 for the whole length of the island). The fast ones sometimes leave from a different bus station, so look out for that.

"if you do take a cab, try to take one of the government ones. I can't remember what the visual difference is, but it's worth finding out - the price is a tenth of a private hire cab."

It's apparently relatively easy to catch a ride with a friendly local car-owner willing to act as a 'taxi'.

- prandial

==Tourist Tips==

Restaurants are reportedly relatively non-existent, because the economy won't support them. If you make sure to interact, it's seems that it's not hard to find a local who'll invite or direct you to a local house where they'll be willing to cook you a meal, for a small renumeration.

Eat from street vendors.

"A cheese sandwich is a cheese sandwich and the only time my friend and I got food poisoning was when we went to a dollar restaurant instead of a peso one." -prandial

Don't dismiss the slogans that adorn billboards, storefronts and walls in Cuba as revolutionary propaganda. Many of the quotes belong to Jose Marti, and read in proper context, they're beautiful evocations of freedom and morality. Marti is one of Cuba's national heroes (he helped the country achieve independence from Spain) and is also acknowledged as one of the Caribbean's first modern poets.

Do take in the view of Havana from the rooftop bar (and swimming pool) of the 17-story Capri Hotel. Little seems to have changed there since its days as a Mafia hangout, and the view is fantastic.

Don't be shocked to hear locals get the attention of restaurant waiters or friends on the street by pursing their lips and making an animated sucking or kissing sound.

Try to get a ride in a cadillac. But they'll probably throw you out as they aren't licensed cabs.

Eating in Paladares can be fun, if you find a good one it's excellent. But it's a risk and a tricky one without speaking any Spanish.

==Tourist Traps==

A lot of the Cuban cigars sold even in Cuba are fake or inferior.

You will be hassled a lot on the streets, low grade begging, nothing dangerous.

You'll find it near impossible not to be fleeced if you don't speak any Spanish (and pretty hard not to be even if you do) - most people who speak English are those who've learnt it to work with tourists.

If you hook up with some locals, they may suggest going with you to a place that's really touristy, saying they like it. In fact it's because you'll be paying their cover charge and they'll collect their cut later. If somebody tells you to go to "Cabaret Tropicana", bear in mind that this place is expensive and you'll see a typical cabaret full of people trying to get money from you.

In Old Habana, you'll have to dodge a lot of peddlers hawking "Cohibas" , cigars, and 'herbal aphrodysiacs' and whatnot, but they aren't that pushy if you politely don't show interest. Just remember to NEVER EVER buy from these people. If these people are caught by the police selling to you they could get in serious trouble and you possibly as well. If you buy cigars make sure they have the government seal on the side of the box.

La Guarida don't bribe the taxi drivers- so if any of them tell you the restaurant is closed or has been closed for a while- don't believe them. Persist, and they will take you there.

The official money of Cuba is now the Cuban Convertible Peso, or CUC. They're called "chavitos." It's best to use the official money exchange venues as counterfeiting and theft is not unknown.
They're another type of money in circulation called "moneda nacional." If you do not have Cuban friends it's unlikely a tourist would have occasion to use the non-convertible peso, which is valued at about 20-1 to the CUC. A common scam is paying in chavitos and getting nacional in return.

Another common scam is to take a one CUC bank note and add a zero behind the one to make it look like a 10 CUC bank note. The scammer then looks for a tourist to help him (or her) to make change and the tourist gets stuck with the doctored note. ALWAYS make sure that any 10 CUC notes also say Diez on them and not UNO!!!

Old Habana is the bag-snatching capital of Cuba- so BE WARNED.

"Don't be shocked if you're approached by a prostitute (jinetera) in Havana—though this almost exclusively happens to male travelers."

Oh dear. For many years, Cuba was seen as a sexual playground for foreign men, and the expectation still lingers, especially in nightclubs.

Don't confuse 'hotel' with 'motel,' 'inn' or 'posada.' The latter three rent by the hour.

==Suggested Itinerary==

This is just Elín's suggested itinerary (edited/ added to by Matt), based on what I know of the best places to go and the most interesting things to do in Havana. It sounds good to ME, I hope you think it sounds interesting as well.

====Day 12 - Wednesday 8th Nov 2006====

Following on from [http://www.indivisibilities.com/wiki/index.php/Yucutan#Day_11.2C_Tuesday_7th_November_PM_-_Day_12.2C_Wednesday_8th_November_-_Canc.C3.BAn Cancun], I'm not sure when we will arrive at Havana on this day. The official handover time, of the rubber chicken from Marc to Matt will be: 9.15pm. We'll probably land in Havana in the evening, and won't have time to do very much. We'll have to check into our hotel, and then can spend a nice evening chilling out - with a coffee, or a beer (whatever's your poison!).

====Day 13 - Thursday 9th Nov====

The start time of this day being unknown, I will assume it to be in between 2-4pm. This should give you time to get to Cuba, get to your hotel and settle in. However, should you find yourself with time on your hands in the morning, arriving early, you should check out the very good but naturally very secluded and isolated spot of the '''Necropolis de Colon''', first and foremost. If you STILL have excess time, check out the '''Universidad de Habana''' and the student hero Julio Antonio Mella. If you get there REALLY early or my timing is really off and you end up with loads of spare time on your hands you can make a REALLY out of the way trip to Miniature Havana all the way over in Miramar, though I think it's unlikely.

2-4pm: We will start by going over the bridge to the '''Parque Historico Morro y Cabana''', and explore the two forts and various museums at this complex. Have dinner at one of the restaurants here and be sure to catch the '''Canonaza ceremony''' (ceremony of the cannon) at the '''Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro''' at 9pm, before heading back to your hotel for a good night's sleep.

====Day 14 - Friday 10th Nov====

Make sure to book ahead for a reservation at La Guarida! It's very popular.

8-8.30am: Though it's unlikely you'll be staying here, if it's breakfast you want, head to Le Veranda at the quite famous '''Hotel Nacional''', who do an English breakfast, American, continental and cereal breakfast to meet all breakfasting needs. After that, within the Hotel Nacional, you can visit the '''Tagonana cave''', for FREE! A couple of blocks away from the Hotel Nacional is the famous '''Coppelia Ice Cream shop''', where one can get 22 scoops for about 50p.

You can eat your ice cream whilst wandering along '''The Malecon''', the local 'place to be' for the Cubans, apparently. Also a good place, I believe, to change money and do that kind of thing if you need to.

Take a taxi or bus or whatever to '''Parque Central''', where you should be able to get some lunch.

12.30 - Check out the very nearby '''Edificio Bacardi''', take some snaps, it's pretty darn Art Deco. Then make your way back through Parque Centro to the '''Gran Teatro'''. Pass that and take your tour of the '''Fabrica de Tobaco Partagas'''. Don't forget it closes at 2pm!!! You can always go back and do the Edificio Bacardi if you find you're short of time. If you can, pick up some cigars for later smokage.

[[image:capitolio.jpg|right|Capitolio Nacional]]

2pm- Go to the just-next-foor '''Capitolio Nacional'''. You can go inside, be impressed, and then take a horse and carriage (ooh) to '''Plaza de Catedral'''. Look at the Catedral and take some more snaps, and think 'hmm. Cathedral.' before checking out the apparently, best plaza, Plaza Catedral.

Now, detailed instructions follow. From the plaza, it's a two minute walk along San Ignacio, and Mercaderes on your way to '''Plaza de Armas'''. Along Mercederes you will pass a '''giant mural''', portraying 67 figures from the history of arts and politics in Havana. Take a token snap, and then get your butts to the Plaza Armas, the oldest and most animated of Havana's plazas. Due North of the plaza just across O'Reilly (or 'Radar') street, is the '''Castillo de la Real Fuerza'''. There is also, near the plaza, '''El Templete''', a rather incongruous scaled down version of the Parthenon. I think it sounds cute, (a small temple, a 'templette' aw!), so you should take some pics. Unless it's rubbish.

Now, from the plaza, making your way down the busy shopping street '''Obispo''', go to '''Ambos Mundos''' and up to the '''roof garden''' for a '''mojito''' in the afternoon light. You might also want to whip out those '''cigars'''. Relax, safe in the knowledge that you have totally '''pwned Havana''' in just two days. However, your work is not yet done. No. Cigars and Mojitos are all well and good. But...

5pm: Just a short hike away is '''Museo de Fundacion Destilera Havana Club''', apparently one of the most interesting things to do in Havana, it's also known as the Museo del Ron, that's right, '''RUM!''' (Drink up me 'earties, yo ho...Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me! ok enough of that.) Check out this museum just before heading to '''La Guarida''' for your 6.30 ? reservation. Then head out to '''Macumba Habana''' for dancing, or to a '''Zorra y el Cuervo''' for a '''jaaaazzz concert'''.

====Day 15 - Saturday 11th Nov====

Ok initially I was going to say - Day 15, go to Maria La Gorda, via teh lovely countryside of Vinales. However, if you went to this side of the island you'd pretty much have to stay that side, and there's not much else to do. Otherwise, the drive to Varadero would be about 5-7 hours, and that's after the 3 or 4 hour drive to Maria La Gorda in the first place! Sadly it is just not do-able, so today we go to '''Varadero'''.

The first day you arrive in Varadero and to make up for the lack of dive-age in Maria La Gorda, I think it would be good to go diving at the Marina Varadero Gaviota. With free transfer from your hotel to the Marina, which is right at the end of Varadero, and free initiation courses for people who have never been diving before. $35 for a single dive, you can go diving at the Cuevo de Saturno (including transfers) which sounds fun.

If you go clubbing tonight, a great place to round off the day- is the disco in the cave! Cueva del Pirata- sounds groovy to me =D There's also a club on a boat moored on the Veradado canal- La Patuna, and the lively Palacio de la Rumba, one of the best designed venues. For Marc, there is 'Splash', with a "high cheeseometer rating for the watered down club and pop music is plays" xD Just kiddin. ;)

====Day 16 - Sunday 12th Nov====

Right, so you are in Varadero right? So the natural thing to do...is take a day trip to '''Trinidad'''. Well, Varadero is great for these little trips. I think you should do a day tour of Trinidad. So that's day 16. Again if you have time in the evening, check out Varadero.

====Day 17 - Monday 13th Nov====

You can either take a half-day trip to the '''Cuevas de Bellamar''', and/or you can just chill out on the apparently gorgeous beaches of Varadero, assuming the weather's nice.

====Day 18 - Tuesday 14th Nov====

Today, we go back from Veradero to Havana, (but I'm not sure when yet).

Go home! - Flight leaves at 21.15 today.
------------------------------

Thus endeth the itinerary. You can utterly disregard it, utterly follow it, mix and match bits or use some parts and not others - either way I won't be offended, just enjoy yourselves!! =)

==FAQ==

FAQ:

Feel free to add questions here!

'''''Who are Fidel Castro and Che Guavera?'''''

Fidel and Che were friends who fought guerilla style against a very corrupt dictator, Balistra Machado, who ran Cuba before Fidel managed to take over. They believe in Marxist ideals, which is why Cuba is now Communist, and America are now scared/angry/ sulking. Che was killed and is now seen as a sort of hero, though he actually was against the 'celebrity' idea, he's been turned into one.

'''''Why is ice cream so cheap at The Coppelia?'''''

Communist-> equal for everyone -> ice cream that everyone can afford. I think it's funded by the state or something. But I've heard it's not bad icecream.

'''''Who's that student hero guy again?'''''

Julio Antonio Mella enrolled at the Universidad de la Habana aged 16. He soon became one of the leading forces behind the University Student's Federation (FEU), his rousing speeches stirring a generation of students to protest university corruption. His campaign against the appointment of incompetent and unqualified professors through nepotism and political favours paid off, and in 1923 over a hundred hapless professors were dismissed. After graduation, he became famous for roaming Havana and giving lectures on Marxism to workers. In 1927 he fled to Mexico, fearful that his outspoken diatribes against Machado's goverment had earned him enemies. Sadly his fears proved corect, and in 1929 was shot in the street of Mexico City with ihs girlfriend. ='( Although never proved, it was widely assumed that Machado was responsible.

==Red tape==

Embassies and visas

UK: Cuban Embassy 167 High Holborn, London WC1 6PA; Consular section: 15 Grape Street, London WC1 (020 7240 2488).

Cuba: British Embassy Calle 34, Number 702/4, entre 7ma Avenida y 17, Miramar, Havana (53 7 241 771).

Visa requirements: Virtually all visitors need a Cuban visa or tourist card, which allows a stay of 30 days. In the UK, visas for all nationalities cost £15 and can be obtained over the counter at the embassy, or direct from your travel agent. Postal visa applications take 1-2 weeks to process. Visitors need a return ticket, and proof that they have booked a hotel room for at least three nights. The US prohibits its citizens from travelling to Cuba unless they obtain a licence, usually reserved for journalists or government officials.

==Useful Links:==

Visa - [http://www.cubaldn.com/englishFiles/consuladoin.htm Embassy of Cuba]

For practicalities - health, climate etc.
[http://travel.guardian.co.uk/countries/information/0,8766,420477,00.html The Guardian]

For geography, history & culture:
[http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761569844/Cuba.html Encarta]

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuba Wikipedia]

Cuba

2006-10-02T12:37:42Z

213.249.136.51: /* Food */

<table border=1 align="right">
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> Cuba
<tr>
<td align="center">
 [[Image:CubaFlag_40_per_cent.jpg]] 
Flag
<td align="center">
[[Image:Cuba_coa_smaller.png]] 
Coat of Arms



<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> Motto: Spanish: Patria y Libertad 
(English: "Homeland and Freedom")
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> Anthem: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Bayamesa La Bayamesa] (The Bayamo Song)
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> [[Image:LocationCuba.png]]

<tr>
<td> Capital <td>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana Havana] 
23°8′N 82°23′W
<tr>
<td>Largest City <td>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana Havana]
<tr>
<td>Official Language <td>Spanish
<tr>
<td>Government: 
President of the 
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_of_State_of_Cuba Council of State of Cuba:]
<td>Republic 
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fidel_Castro Fidel Castro]
<tr>
<td>Independence 
- Declared from Spain 
- Cuban Republic declared 
- Date recognised in Cuba
<td>
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Years%27_War Ten Years' War] 
October 10, 1868 
May 20, 1902 
January 1, 1959
<tr>
<td>Area - Total - Water (%)
<td>110,860 km² ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_outlying_territories_by_area 104th]) 
42,803 sq mi 
negligible
<tr>
<td>Population 
- 2005 est. 
- 2002 census 
- Density
<td> 11,345,670 ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population 70th]) 
11,177,743 
102/km² ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population_density 73rd]) 
264/sq mi 

<tr>
<td>GDP 
- Total 
- Per Capita
<td> 2004 estimate 
$33.9 billion ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29 89th]) 
$3,000 ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29_per_capita 126th])
<tr>
<td>Human Development Index 
<td> 0.817 ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_Human_Development_Index 52nd]) - high
<tr>
<td>Currency 
<td>Peso 
Convertible peso (see ~1~)
<tr>
<td>Time Zone 
- Summer (DST)
<td>EST 
(Starts April 1, end date varies)
<tr>
<td>Internet TLD
<td> .cu
<tr>
<td>Calling Code
<td> +53
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> ~1~ 1993–2004, the U.S. dollar was used in addition to the peso until the dollar was replaced by the convertible peso.
</table>

==Cuba==

 

====Overview====

Known as the "Pearl of the Antilles", Cuba offers picturesque colonial towns, an Afro-Cuban culture, almost 300 unblemished beaches, great countryside, potent rum and excellent beer. Cuba is great for scuba diving, yachting, fishing, hiking, horseback riding and golf. Cuba has been described as a "fascinating smorgasbord [[http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=define%3A+smorgasbord&meta= (eh?)]] of nonstop discovery and experience".
 

====Timing====
November is the start of the dry season in cuba. Temperatures are normally around 27 Celsius. We will also miss the peak tourist season (mid Dec. to mid-March, & all of July & August). 

====About Cuba====

Cuba is the largest Caribbean island [16th largest island in the world :-) ]. In fact, it is bigger than all 3700 other Caribbean islands put together! Of its 11m inhabitants, 60% are of Spanish descent; there are also substantial African and mixed-race minorities. Spain colonised Cuba in 1512 and decimated its indigenous population of Arawak Indians. In 1898 the US occupied the country, but relations soured in 1959 when the charismatic Fidel Castro came to power. The ban on US tourism has its advantages: apart from the coastal resort of Varadero the island remains non-commercial, and the people genuinely friendly. Well known for its musical culture, the rumba, mambo, cha cha cha, son and salsa all originated in Cuba. The Capital, Havana, founded on its present site in 1519, is one of the oldest cities in the Americas. 
 

[[Image:Cubamap.gif]]

====Things to do, when in Cuba====

- smoke Cuban cigars

- take a ride in a Vintage american car

- stay in a 'casa particular' - a common phenomenon in Cuba - for locals to rent out a room or 2 of their houses for tourists, this is the best way to gain an insight into the country

- drink 'Mojitos' - 'just the ticket after a hard day on the beach, Cuba's quintessential cocktail, a refreshing concoction of rum, limes & mint'

==Havana==

The capital, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana Havana], with its colonial architecture and ostentatious 50s and 60s cars, is the biggest Caribbean city (pop. approx. 2.2 million) and the hub of Cuban nightlife.

We will spend a good 2 or 3 days in Havana.

Havana has four main areas: La Habana Vieja (Old Havana), a World Heritage Site; and La Habana Moderna (Modern Havana), no less attractive and full of life and visitors, Miramar, and Vedado.

====Old Havana====

"Old Havana has so much charm that only by visiting it can one capture fully the contrasts, sounds and colors that coexist there."
[[Image:delmorro.jpg|left|The Castillo Del Morro]]
Old Havana has all the appearance of a Spanish colonial city. Havana is ideally situated for trade and communications, and many of the defences built to protect it from pirates and corsairs still exist, which is why it is impossible to walk in Old Havana without encountering impressive fortresses like the Castillo de la Real Fuerza, the Castillo de San Salvador de la Punta, La Cabaña, and the most unique of them all, '''El Morro (Morro Castle)''', located at the entrance to the Bay. From here each night the lighthouse guides ships passing by Havana, and by day visitors come to admire the stunning views the capital has to offer.
[[Image:Viejaplaza.jpg|right|The Vieja Plaza]]

Old Havana also has spacious and beautiful cobbled plazas (squares) such as la Plaza de San Francisco de Asís, la Plaza de Armas, la Plaza Vieja and la Plaza de La Catedral (Cathedral Square), the latter a popular choice for photos and post cards of Cuba. Here you can try out some Cuban cocktails in an open air restaurant, while enjoying the view of the surrounding buildings and the sound of Cuban music in the air.

Havana has numerous museums: the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales (Palace of the Spanish Governors) which houses the Museum of the City of Havana, the Gabinete Arqueológico (Archaeological Bureau) and the Museo del Chocolate (hmm!!)

In nearby Morro Castle there is a permanent exhibition of the fort's construction process. Also located on that side of the Bay on a hillside is the giant statue of Christ of Casablanca, which is lit nightly.

====Food====

See this [http://travel.guardian.co.uk/activities/food/story/0,,1764375,00.html Guardian] article for some chit chat about food in Cuba.

'''[http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8373 La Guarida restaurant]''' - where the excellent food is matched by Baroque surroundings, in the location where the film Strawberry and Chocolate was filmed. Note- La Guarida is a Paledar. Paledars are privately run small restaurants in homes. The operators pay a fee to the government for the right to have up to eight tables. The food is often better than the boring, bland food offered at most official restaurants, and the prices are much better. Service, however, is frequently painfully slow, and menu items at many paledars are limited.

Of the scores of paladares in Havana only one really stands out - La Guarida. On a blank-sided street in a residential area you're ushered into a gloomy old apartment building where washing hangs from clotheslines.

At the top of a staircase a door opens onto a jumbled three-room salon stuffed with bric-a-brac. There's a fully stocked bar with a good wine list, and the menu offers delights such as spicy gazpacho and tuna in coconut sauce. The service is first class, but the atmosphere is slightly subversive. You leave feeling that you've been given a glimpse into a secret Havana underworld - the controversial Cuban film Fresa y Chocolate was shot here in 1994 and La Guarida still attracts an arty clientele.

====Modern Havana====
[[Image:cemetary.jpg|left|Christopher Columbus Cemetary]]
There is the state-subsidised '''Coppelia ice-cream parlour''' (you have to pay in pesos) where a dollar gets you 22 scoops. Apparently not bad ice cream.

There are several night clubs that offer music programs, among them El Gato Tuerto (The One-Eyed Cat), the Jazz Café, the Cocodrilo (The Crocodile), the Habana Café and Dos Gardenias (Two Gardenias).
[[Image:Malecon.jpg|right|The Malecón]]
'''Necrópolis de Colón (Columbus Graveyard)''' - Besides its tranquility there are some amazing stories there. There is a tomb shaped like a domino piece, one surrounded by women who wanted to get pregnant, a pyramid tomb built for the professor of the school of architecture...lots of interesting things to see.

It's along '''the Malecón''' that Havana's architecture really shines. From what I can gather, the Maelcón is a promenade much cherished by the people of Havana.

====Miramar and Vedado====

'''Fabrica de Tobaco Partagas''' -[[Image:bacardi.jpg|right|Edificio Bacardi]] A famous Havana cigar factory, offers a fascinating insight into the skills behind cigar making and lays bare some idiosyncratic Cuban working practices. Pricy, but good, apparently "more interesting and less touristy than expected".

'''The Edificio Bacardi''' - A slice of dazzling art deco architecture, the former pre-revolution headquarters of Bacardí, the famous rum company, it is a fitting place for to enjoy a Cubre libre.

'''Maqueta de la Habana (Miniature Havana)''' - The realistic scale model of Havana takes up almost 88 sq. m (946 sq. ft.). You can walk around it on the ground level, or climb a narrow interior balcony that rings three walls. This is not to be confused with a similar (and much smaller) scale model of Old Havana, found in Old Havana, of course.

==Varadero==

[[image:varadero.jpg]]

There are lots of exiting tours and things to see in Varadero. Josone Park, in the center of Varadero, is a nature area with restaurants and cultural events which can be toured by horse and carriage from resort hotels.

It's more than 20 km of excellent beaches, a broad strip of fine, white sand along the shoreline, and a continental shelf that softly sinks into a warm, crystal-clear sea of the most varied of blues. These are the chief tourist attractions of Varadero, a tourist city that is presently well-positioned in the International circuits.

These natural wonders are enriched and complemented by the existence of numerous caves, cliffs, and lagoons. Varadero also has pristine, easy to reach keys and other interesting natural surroundings on the peninsula's easternmost tip, in addition to a set of cultural, historical, and environmental sites provided by the nearby cities of Matanzas and Cardenas and the Zapata Swamp Biosphere Reserve.

You won't find legal Casas Particular in the area of Varadero, it's not alowed by the government for a Cuban to start a Casa in this area. Although there are some "Red Triangle" casas, those casas are only for Cubans, tourists are not allowed to stay in these casas particulares...

Of course you can do stubborn and search out for yourself an illegal Casa Particular, and you will find them, remember that you risk getting thrown out on the streets at night by the police.

Tours in Varadero run from the three Information centres which run more or less the same excursions for similar prices, and I based the itinerary activities on these common excursions, and all-day tours include lunch, usually. One of these trips goes to the Cuevas de Bellamar.

Bellamar Cave, located at the exit of Matanzas city, is considered to be one of the wonders
of Cuban geography. Famous for its karstic crystals, stalactites and stalagmites.
Explored area of the cave is 3 km long, while its deepest part descends to 48 meters.

==Trinidad==

Trinidad is a relic of the early days of the Spanish colony. Trinidad Colonial past, unique architecture and magnificent location, between the mountains and Mexican Gulf, inspire tourist interest from around the world.
Trinidad has five main squares and four churches date from the 18th and 19th centuries the whole city, cobbled streets and tiled roofs, is a national monument and since 1988 a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

[[image:trinidad.jpg]]

==Other potential places to visit==

Maria La Gorda - approx. 5 hrs drive from Havana - this seems to be the best place in Cuba for scuba diving. And also, you don't have to know how to scuba dive already!

Caves that can be explored:

Cueva del Cable, Cueva del Simón, de Paredones, del Indio, de los Tomates, de Quintanal, Astón, de Cagagüanes, de Palmarito, de Bitirí, Revuelta de los Chinos, de la Patana, Solapos de Jaruco and Caleta del Rosario

==Transport in Cuba==

There are two types of buses that run throughout Cuba, the dirt-cheap ones that are falling apart and stop at every roof they pass; and the more direct, fast and comfortable coaches with air con that cost in dollars but still not that much (eg. $60 for the whole length of the island). The fast ones sometimes leave from a different bus station, so look out for that.

"if you do take a cab, try to take one of the government ones. I can't remember what the visual difference is, but it's worth finding out - the price is a tenth of a private hire cab."

It's apparently relatively easy to catch a ride with a friendly local car-owner willing to act as a 'taxi'.

- prandial

==Tourist Tips==

Restaurants are reportedly relatively non-existent, because the economy won't support them. If you make sure to interact, it's seems that it's not hard to find a local who'll invite or direct you to a local house where they'll be willing to cook you a meal, for a small renumeration.

Eat from street vendors.

"A cheese sandwich is a cheese sandwich and the only time my friend and I got food poisoning was when we went to a dollar restaurant instead of a peso one." -prandial

Don't dismiss the slogans that adorn billboards, storefronts and walls in Cuba as revolutionary propaganda. Many of the quotes belong to Jose Marti, and read in proper context, they're beautiful evocations of freedom and morality. Marti is one of Cuba's national heroes (he helped the country achieve independence from Spain) and is also acknowledged as one of the Caribbean's first modern poets.

Do take in the view of Havana from the rooftop bar (and swimming pool) of the 17-story Capri Hotel. Little seems to have changed there since its days as a Mafia hangout, and the view is fantastic.

Don't be shocked to hear locals get the attention of restaurant waiters or friends on the street by pursing their lips and making an animated sucking or kissing sound.

Try to get a ride in a cadillac. But they'll probably throw you out as they aren't licensed cabs.

Eating in Paladares can be fun, if you find a good one it's excellent. But it's a risk and a tricky one without speaking any Spanish.

==Tourist Traps==

A lot of the Cuban cigars sold even in Cuba are fake or inferior.

You will be hassled a lot on the streets, low grade begging, nothing dangerous.

You'll find it near impossible not to be fleeced if you don't speak any Spanish (and pretty hard not to be even if you do) - most people who speak English are those who've learnt it to work with tourists.

If you hook up with some locals, they may suggest going with you to a place that's really touristy, saying they like it. In fact it's because you'll be paying their cover charge and they'll collect their cut later. If somebody tells you to go to "Cabaret Tropicana", bear in mind that this place is expensive and you'll see a typical cabaret full of people trying to get money from you.

In Old Habana, you'll have to dodge a lot of peddlers hawking "Cohibas" , cigars, and 'herbal aphrodysiacs' and whatnot, but they aren't that pushy if you politely don't show interest. Just remember to NEVER EVER buy from these people. If these people are caught by the police selling to you they could get in serious trouble and you possibly as well. If you buy cigars make sure they have the government seal on the side of the box.

La Guarida don't bribe the taxi drivers- so if any of them tell you the restaurant is closed or has been closed for a while- don't believe them. Persist, and they will take you there.

The official money of Cuba is now the Cuban Convertible Peso, or CUC. They're called "chavitos." It's best to use the official money exchange venues as counterfeiting and theft is not unknown.
They're another type of money in circulation called "moneda nacional." If you do not have Cuban friends it's unlikely a tourist would have occasion to use the non-convertible peso, which is valued at about 20-1 to the CUC. A common scam is paying in chavitos and getting nacional in return.

Another common scam is to take a one CUC bank note and add a zero behind the one to make it look like a 10 CUC bank note. The scammer then looks for a tourist to help him (or her) to make change and the tourist gets stuck with the doctored note. ALWAYS make sure that any 10 CUC notes also say Diez on them and not UNO!!!

Old Habana is the bag-snatching capital of Cuba- so BE WARNED.

"Don't be shocked if you're approached by a prostitute (jinetera) in Havana—though this almost exclusively happens to male travelers."

Oh dear. For many years, Cuba was seen as a sexual playground for foreign men, and the expectation still lingers, especially in nightclubs.

Don't confuse 'hotel' with 'motel,' 'inn' or 'posada.' The latter three rent by the hour.

==Suggested Itinerary==

This is just Elín's suggested itinerary (edited/ added to by Matt), based on what I know of the best places to go and the most interesting things to do in Havana. It sounds good to ME, I hope you think it sounds interesting as well.

====Day 12 - Wednesday 8th Nov 2006====

Following on from [http://www.indivisibilities.com/wiki/index.php/Yucutan#Day_11.2C_Tuesday_7th_November_PM_-_Day_12.2C_Wednesday_8th_November_-_Canc.C3.BAn Cancun], I'm not sure when we will arrive at Havana on this day. The official handover time, of the rubber chicken from Marc to Matt will be: 9.15pm. We'll probably land in Havana in the evening, and won't have time to do very much. We'll have to check into our hotel, and then can spend a nice evening chilling out - with a coffee, or a beer (whatever's your poison!).

====Day 13 - Thursday 9th Nov====

The start time of this day being unknown, I will assume it to be in between 2-4pm. This should give you time to get to Cuba, get to your hotel and settle in. However, should you find yourself with time on your hands in the morning, arriving early, you should check out the very good but naturally very secluded and isolated spot of the '''Necropolis de Colon''', first and foremost. If you STILL have excess time, check out the '''Universidad de Habana''' and the student hero Julio Antonio Mella. If you get there REALLY early or my timing is really off and you end up with loads of spare time on your hands you can make a REALLY out of the way trip to Miniature Havana all the way over in Miramar, though I think it's unlikely.

2-4pm: We will start by going over the bridge to the '''Parque Historico Morro y Cabana''', and explore the two forts and various museums at this complex. Have dinner at one of the restaurants here and be sure to catch the '''Canonaza ceremony''' (ceremony of the cannon) at the '''Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro''' at 9pm, before heading back to your hotel for a good night's sleep.

====Day 14 - Friday 10th Nov====

Make sure to book ahead for a reservation at La Guarida! It's very popular.

8-8.30am: Though it's unlikely you'll be staying here, if it's breakfast you want, head to Le Veranda at the quite famous '''Hotel Nacional''', who do an English breakfast, American, continental and cereal breakfast to meet all breakfasting needs. After that, within the Hotel Nacional, you can visit the '''Tagonana cave''', for FREE! A couple of blocks away from the Hotel Nacional is the famous '''Coppelia Ice Cream shop''', where one can get 22 scoops for about 50p.

You can eat your ice cream whilst wandering along '''The Malecon''', the local 'place to be' for the Cubans, apparently. Also a good place, I believe, to change money and do that kind of thing if you need to.

Take a taxi or bus or whatever to '''Parque Central''', where you should be able to get some lunch.

12.30 - Check out the very nearby '''Edificio Bacardi''', take some snaps, it's pretty darn Art Deco. Then make your way back through Parque Centro to the '''Gran Teatro'''. Pass that and take your tour of the '''Fabrica de Tobaco Partagas'''. Don't forget it closes at 2pm!!! You can always go back and do the Edificio Bacardi if you find you're short of time. If you can, pick up some cigars for later smokage.

[[image:capitolio.jpg|right|Capitolio Nacional]]

2pm- Go to the just-next-foor '''Capitolio Nacional'''. You can go inside, be impressed, and then take a horse and carriage (ooh) to '''Plaza de Catedral'''. Look at the Catedral and take some more snaps, and think 'hmm. Cathedral.' before checking out the apparently, best plaza, Plaza Catedral.

Now, detailed instructions follow. From the plaza, it's a two minute walk along San Ignacio, and Mercaderes on your way to '''Plaza de Armas'''. Along Mercederes you will pass a '''giant mural''', portraying 67 figures from the history of arts and politics in Havana. Take a token snap, and then get your butts to the Plaza Armas, the oldest and most animated of Havana's plazas. Due North of the plaza just across O'Reilly (or 'Radar') street, is the '''Castillo de la Real Fuerza'''. There is also, near the plaza, '''El Templete''', a rather incongruous scaled down version of the Parthenon. I think it sounds cute, (a small temple, a 'templette' aw!), so you should take some pics. Unless it's rubbish.

Now, from the plaza, making your way down the busy shopping street '''Obispo''', go to '''Ambos Mundos''' and up to the '''roof garden''' for a '''mojito''' in the afternoon light. You might also want to whip out those '''cigars'''. Relax, safe in the knowledge that you have totally '''pwned Havana''' in just two days. However, your work is not yet done. No. Cigars and Mojitos are all well and good. But...

5pm: Just a short hike away is '''Museo de Fundacion Destilera Havana Club''', apparently one of the most interesting things to do in Havana, it's also known as the Museo del Ron, that's right, '''RUM!''' (Drink up me 'earties, yo ho...Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me! ok enough of that.) Check out this museum just before heading to '''La Guarida''' for your 6.30 ? reservation. Then head out to '''Macumba Habana''' for dancing, or to a '''Zorra y el Cuervo''' for a '''jaaaazzz concert'''.

====Day 15 - Saturday 11th Nov====

Ok initially I was going to say - Day 15, go to Maria La Gorda, via teh lovely countryside of Vinales. However, if you went to this side of the island you'd pretty much have to stay that side, and there's not much else to do. Otherwise, the drive to Varadero would be about 5-7 hours, and that's after the 3 or 4 hour drive to Maria La Gorda in the first place! Sadly it is just not do-able, so today we go to '''Varadero'''.

The first day you arrive in Varadero and to make up for the lack of dive-age in Maria La Gorda, I think it would be good to go diving at the Marina Varadero Gaviota. With free transfer from your hotel to the Marina, which is right at the end of Varadero, and free initiation courses for people who have never been diving before. $35 for a single dive, you can go diving at the Cuevo de Saturno (including transfers) which sounds fun.

If you go clubbing tonight, a great place to round off the day- is the disco in the cave! Cueva del Pirata- sounds groovy to me =D There's also a club on a boat moored on the Veradado canal- La Patuna, and the lively Palacio de la Rumba, one of the best designed venues. For Marc, there is 'Splash', with a "high cheeseometer rating for the watered down club and pop music is plays" xD Just kiddin. ;)

====Day 16 - Sunday 12th Nov====

Right, so you are in Varadero right? So the natural thing to do...is take a day trip to '''Trinidad'''. Well, Varadero is great for these little trips. I think you should do a day tour of Trinidad. So that's day 16. Again if you have time in the evening, check out Varadero.

====Day 17 - Monday 13th Nov====

You can either take a half-day trip to the '''Cuevas de Bellamar''', and/or you can just chill out on the apparently gorgeous beaches of Varadero, assuming the weather's nice.

====Day 18 - Tuesday 14th Nov====

Today, we go back from Veradero to Havana, (but I'm not sure when yet).

Go home! - Flight leaves at 21.15 today.
------------------------------

Thus endeth the itinerary. You can utterly disregard it, utterly follow it, mix and match bits or use some parts and not others - either way I won't be offended, just enjoy yourselves!! =)

==FAQ==

FAQ:

Feel free to add questions here!

'''''Who are Fidel Castro and Che Guavera?'''''

Fidel and Che were friends who fought guerilla style against a very corrupt dictator, Balistra Machado, who ran Cuba before Fidel managed to take over. They believe in Marxist ideals, which is why Cuba is now Communist, and America are now scared/angry/ sulking. Che was killed and is now seen as a sort of hero, though he actually was against the 'celebrity' idea, he's been turned into one.

'''''Why is ice cream so cheap at The Coppelia?'''''

Communist-> equal for everyone -> ice cream that everyone can afford. I think it's funded by the state or something. But I've heard it's not bad icecream.

'''''Who's that student hero guy again?'''''

Julio Antonio Mella enrolled at the Universidad de la Habana aged 16. He soon became one of the leading forces behind the University Student's Federation (FEU), his rousing speeches stirring a generation of students to protest university corruption. His campaign against the appointment of incompetent and unqualified professors through nepotism and political favours paid off, and in 1923 over a hundred hapless professors were dismissed. After graduation, he became famous for roaming Havana and giving lectures on Marxism to workers. In 1927 he fled to Mexico, fearful that his outspoken diatribes against Machado's goverment had earned him enemies. Sadly his fears proved corect, and in 1929 was shot in the street of Mexico City with ihs girlfriend. ='( Although never proved, it was widely assumed that Machado was responsible.

==Red tape==

Embassies and visas

UK: Cuban Embassy 167 High Holborn, London WC1 6PA; Consular section: 15 Grape Street, London WC1 (020 7240 2488).

Cuba: British Embassy Calle 34, Number 702/4, entre 7ma Avenida y 17, Miramar, Havana (53 7 241 771).

Visa requirements: Virtually all visitors need a Cuban visa or tourist card, which allows a stay of 30 days. In the UK, visas for all nationalities cost £15 and can be obtained over the counter at the embassy, or direct from your travel agent. Postal visa applications take 1-2 weeks to process. Visitors need a return ticket, and proof that they have booked a hotel room for at least three nights. The US prohibits its citizens from travelling to Cuba unless they obtain a licence, usually reserved for journalists or government officials.

==Useful Links:==

Visa - [http://www.cubaldn.com/englishFiles/consuladoin.htm Embassy of Cuba]

For practicalities - health, climate etc.
[http://travel.guardian.co.uk/countries/information/0,8766,420477,00.html The Guardian]

For geography, history & culture:
[http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761569844/Cuba.html Encarta]

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuba Wikipedia]

Cuba

2006-10-02T12:35:27Z

213.249.136.51: /* Havana */

<table border=1 align="right">
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> Cuba
<tr>
<td align="center">
 [[Image:CubaFlag_40_per_cent.jpg]] 
Flag
<td align="center">
[[Image:Cuba_coa_smaller.png]] 
Coat of Arms



<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> Motto: Spanish: Patria y Libertad 
(English: "Homeland and Freedom")
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> Anthem: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Bayamesa La Bayamesa] (The Bayamo Song)
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> [[Image:LocationCuba.png]]

<tr>
<td> Capital <td>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana Havana] 
23°8′N 82°23′W
<tr>
<td>Largest City <td>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana Havana]
<tr>
<td>Official Language <td>Spanish
<tr>
<td>Government: 
President of the 
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_of_State_of_Cuba Council of State of Cuba:]
<td>Republic 
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fidel_Castro Fidel Castro]
<tr>
<td>Independence 
- Declared from Spain 
- Cuban Republic declared 
- Date recognised in Cuba
<td>
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Years%27_War Ten Years' War] 
October 10, 1868 
May 20, 1902 
January 1, 1959
<tr>
<td>Area - Total - Water (%)
<td>110,860 km² ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_outlying_territories_by_area 104th]) 
42,803 sq mi 
negligible
<tr>
<td>Population 
- 2005 est. 
- 2002 census 
- Density
<td> 11,345,670 ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population 70th]) 
11,177,743 
102/km² ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population_density 73rd]) 
264/sq mi 

<tr>
<td>GDP 
- Total 
- Per Capita
<td> 2004 estimate 
$33.9 billion ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29 89th]) 
$3,000 ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29_per_capita 126th])
<tr>
<td>Human Development Index 
<td> 0.817 ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_Human_Development_Index 52nd]) - high
<tr>
<td>Currency 
<td>Peso 
Convertible peso (see ~1~)
<tr>
<td>Time Zone 
- Summer (DST)
<td>EST 
(Starts April 1, end date varies)
<tr>
<td>Internet TLD
<td> .cu
<tr>
<td>Calling Code
<td> +53
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> ~1~ 1993–2004, the U.S. dollar was used in addition to the peso until the dollar was replaced by the convertible peso.
</table>

==Cuba==

 

====Overview====

Known as the "Pearl of the Antilles", Cuba offers picturesque colonial towns, an Afro-Cuban culture, almost 300 unblemished beaches, great countryside, potent rum and excellent beer. Cuba is great for scuba diving, yachting, fishing, hiking, horseback riding and golf. Cuba has been described as a "fascinating smorgasbord [[http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=define%3A+smorgasbord&meta= (eh?)]] of nonstop discovery and experience".
 

====Timing====
November is the start of the dry season in cuba. Temperatures are normally around 27 Celsius. We will also miss the peak tourist season (mid Dec. to mid-March, & all of July & August). 

====About Cuba====

Cuba is the largest Caribbean island [16th largest island in the world :-) ]. In fact, it is bigger than all 3700 other Caribbean islands put together! Of its 11m inhabitants, 60% are of Spanish descent; there are also substantial African and mixed-race minorities. Spain colonised Cuba in 1512 and decimated its indigenous population of Arawak Indians. In 1898 the US occupied the country, but relations soured in 1959 when the charismatic Fidel Castro came to power. The ban on US tourism has its advantages: apart from the coastal resort of Varadero the island remains non-commercial, and the people genuinely friendly. Well known for its musical culture, the rumba, mambo, cha cha cha, son and salsa all originated in Cuba. The Capital, Havana, founded on its present site in 1519, is one of the oldest cities in the Americas. 
 

[[Image:Cubamap.gif]]

====Things to do, when in Cuba====

- smoke Cuban cigars

- take a ride in a Vintage american car

- stay in a 'casa particular' - a common phenomenon in Cuba - for locals to rent out a room or 2 of their houses for tourists, this is the best way to gain an insight into the country

- drink 'Mojitos' - 'just the ticket after a hard day on the beach, Cuba's quintessential cocktail, a refreshing concoction of rum, limes & mint'

==Havana==

The capital, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana Havana], with its colonial architecture and ostentatious 50s and 60s cars, is the biggest Caribbean city (pop. approx. 2.2 million) and the hub of Cuban nightlife.

We will spend a good 2 or 3 days in Havana.

Havana has four main areas: La Habana Vieja (Old Havana), a World Heritage Site; and La Habana Moderna (Modern Havana), no less attractive and full of life and visitors, Miramar, and Vedado.

====Old Havana====

"Old Havana has so much charm that only by visiting it can one capture fully the contrasts, sounds and colors that coexist there."
[[Image:delmorro.jpg|left|The Castillo Del Morro]]
Old Havana has all the appearance of a Spanish colonial city. Havana is ideally situated for trade and communications, and many of the defences built to protect it from pirates and corsairs still exist, which is why it is impossible to walk in Old Havana without encountering impressive fortresses like the Castillo de la Real Fuerza, the Castillo de San Salvador de la Punta, La Cabaña, and the most unique of them all, '''El Morro (Morro Castle)''', located at the entrance to the Bay. From here each night the lighthouse guides ships passing by Havana, and by day visitors come to admire the stunning views the capital has to offer.
[[Image:Viejaplaza.jpg|right|The Vieja Plaza]]

Old Havana also has spacious and beautiful cobbled plazas (squares) such as la Plaza de San Francisco de Asís, la Plaza de Armas, la Plaza Vieja and la Plaza de La Catedral (Cathedral Square), the latter a popular choice for photos and post cards of Cuba. Here you can try out some Cuban cocktails in an open air restaurant, while enjoying the view of the surrounding buildings and the sound of Cuban music in the air.

Havana has numerous museums: the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales (Palace of the Spanish Governors) which houses the Museum of the City of Havana, the Gabinete Arqueológico (Archaeological Bureau) and the Museo del Chocolate (hmm!!)

In nearby Morro Castle there is a permanent exhibition of the fort's construction process. Also located on that side of the Bay on a hillside is the giant statue of Christ of Casablanca, which is lit nightly.

====Food====

See this [http://travel.guardian.co.uk/activities/food/story/0,,1764375,00.html Guardian] article for some chit chat about food in Cuba.

'''La Guarida restaurant''' - where the excellent food is matched by Baroque surroundings, in the location where the film Strawberry and Chocolate was filmed. Note- La Guarida is a Paledar. Paledars are privately run small restaurants in homes. The operators pay a fee to the government for the right to have up to eight tables. The food is often better than the boring, bland food offered at most official restaurants, and the prices are much better. Service, however, is frequently painfully slow, and menu items at many paledars are limited.

Of the scores of paladares in Havana only one really stands out - La Guarida. On a blank-sided street in a residential area you're ushered into a gloomy old apartment building where washing hangs from clotheslines.

At the top of a staircase a door opens onto a jumbled three-room salon stuffed with bric-a-brac. There's a fully stocked bar with a good wine list, and the menu offers delights such as spicy gazpacho and tuna in coconut sauce. The service is first class, but the atmosphere is slightly subversive. You leave feeling that you've been given a glimpse into a secret Havana underworld - the controversial Cuban film Fresa y Chocolate was shot here in 1994 and La Guarida still attracts an arty clientele.

====Modern Havana====
[[Image:cemetary.jpg|left|Christopher Columbus Cemetary]]
There is the state-subsidised '''Coppelia ice-cream parlour''' (you have to pay in pesos) where a dollar gets you 22 scoops. Apparently not bad ice cream.

There are several night clubs that offer music programs, among them El Gato Tuerto (The One-Eyed Cat), the Jazz Café, the Cocodrilo (The Crocodile), the Habana Café and Dos Gardenias (Two Gardenias).
[[Image:Malecon.jpg|right|The Malecón]]
'''Necrópolis de Colón (Columbus Graveyard)''' - Besides its tranquility there are some amazing stories there. There is a tomb shaped like a domino piece, one surrounded by women who wanted to get pregnant, a pyramid tomb built for the professor of the school of architecture...lots of interesting things to see.

It's along '''the Malecón''' that Havana's architecture really shines. From what I can gather, the Maelcón is a promenade much cherished by the people of Havana.

====Miramar and Vedado====

'''Fabrica de Tobaco Partagas''' -[[Image:bacardi.jpg|right|Edificio Bacardi]] A famous Havana cigar factory, offers a fascinating insight into the skills behind cigar making and lays bare some idiosyncratic Cuban working practices. Pricy, but good, apparently "more interesting and less touristy than expected".

'''The Edificio Bacardi''' - A slice of dazzling art deco architecture, the former pre-revolution headquarters of Bacardí, the famous rum company, it is a fitting place for to enjoy a Cubre libre.

'''Maqueta de la Habana (Miniature Havana)''' - The realistic scale model of Havana takes up almost 88 sq. m (946 sq. ft.). You can walk around it on the ground level, or climb a narrow interior balcony that rings three walls. This is not to be confused with a similar (and much smaller) scale model of Old Havana, found in Old Havana, of course.

==Varadero==

[[image:varadero.jpg]]

There are lots of exiting tours and things to see in Varadero. Josone Park, in the center of Varadero, is a nature area with restaurants and cultural events which can be toured by horse and carriage from resort hotels.

It's more than 20 km of excellent beaches, a broad strip of fine, white sand along the shoreline, and a continental shelf that softly sinks into a warm, crystal-clear sea of the most varied of blues. These are the chief tourist attractions of Varadero, a tourist city that is presently well-positioned in the International circuits.

These natural wonders are enriched and complemented by the existence of numerous caves, cliffs, and lagoons. Varadero also has pristine, easy to reach keys and other interesting natural surroundings on the peninsula's easternmost tip, in addition to a set of cultural, historical, and environmental sites provided by the nearby cities of Matanzas and Cardenas and the Zapata Swamp Biosphere Reserve.

You won't find legal Casas Particular in the area of Varadero, it's not alowed by the government for a Cuban to start a Casa in this area. Although there are some "Red Triangle" casas, those casas are only for Cubans, tourists are not allowed to stay in these casas particulares...

Of course you can do stubborn and search out for yourself an illegal Casa Particular, and you will find them, remember that you risk getting thrown out on the streets at night by the police.

Tours in Varadero run from the three Information centres which run more or less the same excursions for similar prices, and I based the itinerary activities on these common excursions, and all-day tours include lunch, usually. One of these trips goes to the Cuevas de Bellamar.

Bellamar Cave, located at the exit of Matanzas city, is considered to be one of the wonders
of Cuban geography. Famous for its karstic crystals, stalactites and stalagmites.
Explored area of the cave is 3 km long, while its deepest part descends to 48 meters.

==Trinidad==

Trinidad is a relic of the early days of the Spanish colony. Trinidad Colonial past, unique architecture and magnificent location, between the mountains and Mexican Gulf, inspire tourist interest from around the world.
Trinidad has five main squares and four churches date from the 18th and 19th centuries the whole city, cobbled streets and tiled roofs, is a national monument and since 1988 a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

[[image:trinidad.jpg]]

==Other potential places to visit==

Maria La Gorda - approx. 5 hrs drive from Havana - this seems to be the best place in Cuba for scuba diving. And also, you don't have to know how to scuba dive already!

Caves that can be explored:

Cueva del Cable, Cueva del Simón, de Paredones, del Indio, de los Tomates, de Quintanal, Astón, de Cagagüanes, de Palmarito, de Bitirí, Revuelta de los Chinos, de la Patana, Solapos de Jaruco and Caleta del Rosario

==Transport in Cuba==

There are two types of buses that run throughout Cuba, the dirt-cheap ones that are falling apart and stop at every roof they pass; and the more direct, fast and comfortable coaches with air con that cost in dollars but still not that much (eg. $60 for the whole length of the island). The fast ones sometimes leave from a different bus station, so look out for that.

"if you do take a cab, try to take one of the government ones. I can't remember what the visual difference is, but it's worth finding out - the price is a tenth of a private hire cab."

It's apparently relatively easy to catch a ride with a friendly local car-owner willing to act as a 'taxi'.

- prandial

==Tourist Tips==

Restaurants are reportedly relatively non-existent, because the economy won't support them. If you make sure to interact, it's seems that it's not hard to find a local who'll invite or direct you to a local house where they'll be willing to cook you a meal, for a small renumeration.

Eat from street vendors.

"A cheese sandwich is a cheese sandwich and the only time my friend and I got food poisoning was when we went to a dollar restaurant instead of a peso one." -prandial

Don't dismiss the slogans that adorn billboards, storefronts and walls in Cuba as revolutionary propaganda. Many of the quotes belong to Jose Marti, and read in proper context, they're beautiful evocations of freedom and morality. Marti is one of Cuba's national heroes (he helped the country achieve independence from Spain) and is also acknowledged as one of the Caribbean's first modern poets.

Do take in the view of Havana from the rooftop bar (and swimming pool) of the 17-story Capri Hotel. Little seems to have changed there since its days as a Mafia hangout, and the view is fantastic.

Don't be shocked to hear locals get the attention of restaurant waiters or friends on the street by pursing their lips and making an animated sucking or kissing sound.

Try to get a ride in a cadillac. But they'll probably throw you out as they aren't licensed cabs.

Eating in Paladares can be fun, if you find a good one it's excellent. But it's a risk and a tricky one without speaking any Spanish.

==Tourist Traps==

A lot of the Cuban cigars sold even in Cuba are fake or inferior.

You will be hassled a lot on the streets, low grade begging, nothing dangerous.

You'll find it near impossible not to be fleeced if you don't speak any Spanish (and pretty hard not to be even if you do) - most people who speak English are those who've learnt it to work with tourists.

If you hook up with some locals, they may suggest going with you to a place that's really touristy, saying they like it. In fact it's because you'll be paying their cover charge and they'll collect their cut later. If somebody tells you to go to "Cabaret Tropicana", bear in mind that this place is expensive and you'll see a typical cabaret full of people trying to get money from you.

In Old Habana, you'll have to dodge a lot of peddlers hawking "Cohibas" , cigars, and 'herbal aphrodysiacs' and whatnot, but they aren't that pushy if you politely don't show interest. Just remember to NEVER EVER buy from these people. If these people are caught by the police selling to you they could get in serious trouble and you possibly as well. If you buy cigars make sure they have the government seal on the side of the box.

La Guarida don't bribe the taxi drivers- so if any of them tell you the restaurant is closed or has been closed for a while- don't believe them. Persist, and they will take you there.

The official money of Cuba is now the Cuban Convertible Peso, or CUC. They're called "chavitos." It's best to use the official money exchange venues as counterfeiting and theft is not unknown.
They're another type of money in circulation called "moneda nacional." If you do not have Cuban friends it's unlikely a tourist would have occasion to use the non-convertible peso, which is valued at about 20-1 to the CUC. A common scam is paying in chavitos and getting nacional in return.

Another common scam is to take a one CUC bank note and add a zero behind the one to make it look like a 10 CUC bank note. The scammer then looks for a tourist to help him (or her) to make change and the tourist gets stuck with the doctored note. ALWAYS make sure that any 10 CUC notes also say Diez on them and not UNO!!!

Old Habana is the bag-snatching capital of Cuba- so BE WARNED.

"Don't be shocked if you're approached by a prostitute (jinetera) in Havana—though this almost exclusively happens to male travelers."

Oh dear. For many years, Cuba was seen as a sexual playground for foreign men, and the expectation still lingers, especially in nightclubs.

Don't confuse 'hotel' with 'motel,' 'inn' or 'posada.' The latter three rent by the hour.

==Suggested Itinerary==

This is just Elín's suggested itinerary (edited/ added to by Matt), based on what I know of the best places to go and the most interesting things to do in Havana. It sounds good to ME, I hope you think it sounds interesting as well.

====Day 12 - Wednesday 8th Nov 2006====

Following on from [http://www.indivisibilities.com/wiki/index.php/Yucutan#Day_11.2C_Tuesday_7th_November_PM_-_Day_12.2C_Wednesday_8th_November_-_Canc.C3.BAn Cancun], I'm not sure when we will arrive at Havana on this day. The official handover time, of the rubber chicken from Marc to Matt will be: 9.15pm. We'll probably land in Havana in the evening, and won't have time to do very much. We'll have to check into our hotel, and then can spend a nice evening chilling out - with a coffee, or a beer (whatever's your poison!).

====Day 13 - Thursday 9th Nov====

The start time of this day being unknown, I will assume it to be in between 2-4pm. This should give you time to get to Cuba, get to your hotel and settle in. However, should you find yourself with time on your hands in the morning, arriving early, you should check out the very good but naturally very secluded and isolated spot of the '''Necropolis de Colon''', first and foremost. If you STILL have excess time, check out the '''Universidad de Habana''' and the student hero Julio Antonio Mella. If you get there REALLY early or my timing is really off and you end up with loads of spare time on your hands you can make a REALLY out of the way trip to Miniature Havana all the way over in Miramar, though I think it's unlikely.

2-4pm: We will start by going over the bridge to the '''Parque Historico Morro y Cabana''', and explore the two forts and various museums at this complex. Have dinner at one of the restaurants here and be sure to catch the '''Canonaza ceremony''' (ceremony of the cannon) at the '''Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro''' at 9pm, before heading back to your hotel for a good night's sleep.

====Day 14 - Friday 10th Nov====

Make sure to book ahead for a reservation at La Guarida! It's very popular.

8-8.30am: Though it's unlikely you'll be staying here, if it's breakfast you want, head to Le Veranda at the quite famous '''Hotel Nacional''', who do an English breakfast, American, continental and cereal breakfast to meet all breakfasting needs. After that, within the Hotel Nacional, you can visit the '''Tagonana cave''', for FREE! A couple of blocks away from the Hotel Nacional is the famous '''Coppelia Ice Cream shop''', where one can get 22 scoops for about 50p.

You can eat your ice cream whilst wandering along '''The Malecon''', the local 'place to be' for the Cubans, apparently. Also a good place, I believe, to change money and do that kind of thing if you need to.

Take a taxi or bus or whatever to '''Parque Central''', where you should be able to get some lunch.

12.30 - Check out the very nearby '''Edificio Bacardi''', take some snaps, it's pretty darn Art Deco. Then make your way back through Parque Centro to the '''Gran Teatro'''. Pass that and take your tour of the '''Fabrica de Tobaco Partagas'''. Don't forget it closes at 2pm!!! You can always go back and do the Edificio Bacardi if you find you're short of time. If you can, pick up some cigars for later smokage.

[[image:capitolio.jpg|right|Capitolio Nacional]]

2pm- Go to the just-next-foor '''Capitolio Nacional'''. You can go inside, be impressed, and then take a horse and carriage (ooh) to '''Plaza de Catedral'''. Look at the Catedral and take some more snaps, and think 'hmm. Cathedral.' before checking out the apparently, best plaza, Plaza Catedral.

Now, detailed instructions follow. From the plaza, it's a two minute walk along San Ignacio, and Mercaderes on your way to '''Plaza de Armas'''. Along Mercederes you will pass a '''giant mural''', portraying 67 figures from the history of arts and politics in Havana. Take a token snap, and then get your butts to the Plaza Armas, the oldest and most animated of Havana's plazas. Due North of the plaza just across O'Reilly (or 'Radar') street, is the '''Castillo de la Real Fuerza'''. There is also, near the plaza, '''El Templete''', a rather incongruous scaled down version of the Parthenon. I think it sounds cute, (a small temple, a 'templette' aw!), so you should take some pics. Unless it's rubbish.

Now, from the plaza, making your way down the busy shopping street '''Obispo''', go to '''Ambos Mundos''' and up to the '''roof garden''' for a '''mojito''' in the afternoon light. You might also want to whip out those '''cigars'''. Relax, safe in the knowledge that you have totally '''pwned Havana''' in just two days. However, your work is not yet done. No. Cigars and Mojitos are all well and good. But...

5pm: Just a short hike away is '''Museo de Fundacion Destilera Havana Club''', apparently one of the most interesting things to do in Havana, it's also known as the Museo del Ron, that's right, '''RUM!''' (Drink up me 'earties, yo ho...Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me! ok enough of that.) Check out this museum just before heading to '''La Guarida''' for your 6.30 ? reservation. Then head out to '''Macumba Habana''' for dancing, or to a '''Zorra y el Cuervo''' for a '''jaaaazzz concert'''.

====Day 15 - Saturday 11th Nov====

Ok initially I was going to say - Day 15, go to Maria La Gorda, via teh lovely countryside of Vinales. However, if you went to this side of the island you'd pretty much have to stay that side, and there's not much else to do. Otherwise, the drive to Varadero would be about 5-7 hours, and that's after the 3 or 4 hour drive to Maria La Gorda in the first place! Sadly it is just not do-able, so today we go to '''Varadero'''.

The first day you arrive in Varadero and to make up for the lack of dive-age in Maria La Gorda, I think it would be good to go diving at the Marina Varadero Gaviota. With free transfer from your hotel to the Marina, which is right at the end of Varadero, and free initiation courses for people who have never been diving before. $35 for a single dive, you can go diving at the Cuevo de Saturno (including transfers) which sounds fun.

If you go clubbing tonight, a great place to round off the day- is the disco in the cave! Cueva del Pirata- sounds groovy to me =D There's also a club on a boat moored on the Veradado canal- La Patuna, and the lively Palacio de la Rumba, one of the best designed venues. For Marc, there is 'Splash', with a "high cheeseometer rating for the watered down club and pop music is plays" xD Just kiddin. ;)

====Day 16 - Sunday 12th Nov====

Right, so you are in Varadero right? So the natural thing to do...is take a day trip to '''Trinidad'''. Well, Varadero is great for these little trips. I think you should do a day tour of Trinidad. So that's day 16. Again if you have time in the evening, check out Varadero.

====Day 17 - Monday 13th Nov====

You can either take a half-day trip to the '''Cuevas de Bellamar''', and/or you can just chill out on the apparently gorgeous beaches of Varadero, assuming the weather's nice.

====Day 18 - Tuesday 14th Nov====

Today, we go back from Veradero to Havana, (but I'm not sure when yet).

Go home! - Flight leaves at 21.15 today.
------------------------------

Thus endeth the itinerary. You can utterly disregard it, utterly follow it, mix and match bits or use some parts and not others - either way I won't be offended, just enjoy yourselves!! =)

==FAQ==

FAQ:

Feel free to add questions here!

'''''Who are Fidel Castro and Che Guavera?'''''

Fidel and Che were friends who fought guerilla style against a very corrupt dictator, Balistra Machado, who ran Cuba before Fidel managed to take over. They believe in Marxist ideals, which is why Cuba is now Communist, and America are now scared/angry/ sulking. Che was killed and is now seen as a sort of hero, though he actually was against the 'celebrity' idea, he's been turned into one.

'''''Why is ice cream so cheap at The Coppelia?'''''

Communist-> equal for everyone -> ice cream that everyone can afford. I think it's funded by the state or something. But I've heard it's not bad icecream.

'''''Who's that student hero guy again?'''''

Julio Antonio Mella enrolled at the Universidad de la Habana aged 16. He soon became one of the leading forces behind the University Student's Federation (FEU), his rousing speeches stirring a generation of students to protest university corruption. His campaign against the appointment of incompetent and unqualified professors through nepotism and political favours paid off, and in 1923 over a hundred hapless professors were dismissed. After graduation, he became famous for roaming Havana and giving lectures on Marxism to workers. In 1927 he fled to Mexico, fearful that his outspoken diatribes against Machado's goverment had earned him enemies. Sadly his fears proved corect, and in 1929 was shot in the street of Mexico City with ihs girlfriend. ='( Although never proved, it was widely assumed that Machado was responsible.

==Red tape==

Embassies and visas

UK: Cuban Embassy 167 High Holborn, London WC1 6PA; Consular section: 15 Grape Street, London WC1 (020 7240 2488).

Cuba: British Embassy Calle 34, Number 702/4, entre 7ma Avenida y 17, Miramar, Havana (53 7 241 771).

Visa requirements: Virtually all visitors need a Cuban visa or tourist card, which allows a stay of 30 days. In the UK, visas for all nationalities cost £15 and can be obtained over the counter at the embassy, or direct from your travel agent. Postal visa applications take 1-2 weeks to process. Visitors need a return ticket, and proof that they have booked a hotel room for at least three nights. The US prohibits its citizens from travelling to Cuba unless they obtain a licence, usually reserved for journalists or government officials.

==Useful Links:==

Visa - [http://www.cubaldn.com/englishFiles/consuladoin.htm Embassy of Cuba]

For practicalities - health, climate etc.
[http://travel.guardian.co.uk/countries/information/0,8766,420477,00.html The Guardian]

For geography, history & culture:
[http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761569844/Cuba.html Encarta]

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuba Wikipedia]

Cuba

2006-10-02T12:25:55Z

213.249.136.51: /* Suggested Itinerary */

<table border=1 align="right">
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> Cuba
<tr>
<td align="center">
 [[Image:CubaFlag_40_per_cent.jpg]] 
Flag
<td align="center">
[[Image:Cuba_coa_smaller.png]] 
Coat of Arms



<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> Motto: Spanish: Patria y Libertad 
(English: "Homeland and Freedom")
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> Anthem: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Bayamesa La Bayamesa] (The Bayamo Song)
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> [[Image:LocationCuba.png]]

<tr>
<td> Capital <td>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana Havana] 
23°8′N 82°23′W
<tr>
<td>Largest City <td>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana Havana]
<tr>
<td>Official Language <td>Spanish
<tr>
<td>Government: 
President of the 
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_of_State_of_Cuba Council of State of Cuba:]
<td>Republic 
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fidel_Castro Fidel Castro]
<tr>
<td>Independence 
- Declared from Spain 
- Cuban Republic declared 
- Date recognised in Cuba
<td>
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Years%27_War Ten Years' War] 
October 10, 1868 
May 20, 1902 
January 1, 1959
<tr>
<td>Area - Total - Water (%)
<td>110,860 km² ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_outlying_territories_by_area 104th]) 
42,803 sq mi 
negligible
<tr>
<td>Population 
- 2005 est. 
- 2002 census 
- Density
<td> 11,345,670 ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population 70th]) 
11,177,743 
102/km² ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population_density 73rd]) 
264/sq mi 

<tr>
<td>GDP 
- Total 
- Per Capita
<td> 2004 estimate 
$33.9 billion ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29 89th]) 
$3,000 ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29_per_capita 126th])
<tr>
<td>Human Development Index 
<td> 0.817 ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_Human_Development_Index 52nd]) - high
<tr>
<td>Currency 
<td>Peso 
Convertible peso (see ~1~)
<tr>
<td>Time Zone 
- Summer (DST)
<td>EST 
(Starts April 1, end date varies)
<tr>
<td>Internet TLD
<td> .cu
<tr>
<td>Calling Code
<td> +53
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> ~1~ 1993–2004, the U.S. dollar was used in addition to the peso until the dollar was replaced by the convertible peso.
</table>

==Cuba==

 

====Overview====

Known as the "Pearl of the Antilles", Cuba offers picturesque colonial towns, an Afro-Cuban culture, almost 300 unblemished beaches, great countryside, potent rum and excellent beer. Cuba is great for scuba diving, yachting, fishing, hiking, horseback riding and golf. Cuba has been described as a "fascinating smorgasbord [[http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=define%3A+smorgasbord&meta= (eh?)]] of nonstop discovery and experience".
 

====Timing====
November is the start of the dry season in cuba. Temperatures are normally around 27 Celsius. We will also miss the peak tourist season (mid Dec. to mid-March, & all of July & August). 

====About Cuba====

Cuba is the largest Caribbean island [16th largest island in the world :-) ]. In fact, it is bigger than all 3700 other Caribbean islands put together! Of its 11m inhabitants, 60% are of Spanish descent; there are also substantial African and mixed-race minorities. Spain colonised Cuba in 1512 and decimated its indigenous population of Arawak Indians. In 1898 the US occupied the country, but relations soured in 1959 when the charismatic Fidel Castro came to power. The ban on US tourism has its advantages: apart from the coastal resort of Varadero the island remains non-commercial, and the people genuinely friendly. Well known for its musical culture, the rumba, mambo, cha cha cha, son and salsa all originated in Cuba. The Capital, Havana, founded on its present site in 1519, is one of the oldest cities in the Americas. 
 

[[Image:Cubamap.gif]]

====Things to do, when in Cuba====

- smoke Cuban cigars

- take a ride in a Vintage american car

- stay in a 'casa particular' - a common phenomenon in Cuba - for locals to rent out a room or 2 of their houses for tourists, this is the best way to gain an insight into the country

- drink 'Mojitos' - 'just the ticket after a hard day on the beach, Cuba's quintessential cocktail, a refreshing concoction of rum, limes & mint'

==Havana==

The capital, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana Havana], with its colonial architecture and ostentatious 50s and 60s cars, is the biggest Caribbean city (pop. approx. 2.2 million) and the hub of Cuban nightlife.

We will spend a good 2 or 3 days in Havana.

Havana has four main areas: La Habana Vieja (Old Havana), a World Heritage Site; and La Habana Moderna (Modern Havana), no less attractive and full of life and visitors, Miramar, and Vedado.

====Old Havana====

"Old Havana has so much charm that only by visiting it can one capture fully the contrasts, sounds and colors that coexist there."
[[Image:delmorro.jpg|left|The Castillo Del Morro]]
Old Havana has all the appearance of a Spanish colonial city. Havana is ideally situated for trade and communications, and many of the defences built to protect it from pirates and corsairs still exist, which is why it is impossible to walk in Old Havana without encountering impressive fortresses like the Castillo de la Real Fuerza, the Castillo de San Salvador de la Punta, La Cabaña, and the most unique of them all, '''El Morro (Morro Castle)''', located at the entrance to the Bay. From here each night the lighthouse guides ships passing by Havana, and by day visitors come to admire the stunning views the capital has to offer.
[[Image:Viejaplaza.jpg|right|The Vieja Plaza]]

Old Havana also has spacious and beautiful cobbled plazas (squares) such as la Plaza de San Francisco de Asís, la Plaza de Armas, la Plaza Vieja and la Plaza de La Catedral (Cathedral Square), the latter a popular choice for photos and post cards of Cuba. Here you can try out some Cuban cocktails in an open air restaurant, while enjoying the view of the surrounding buildings and the sound of Cuban music in the air.

Havana has numerous museums: the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales (Palace of the Spanish Governors) which houses the Museum of the City of Havana, the Gabinete Arqueológico (Archaeological Bureau) and the Museo del Chocolate (hmm!!)

In nearby Morro Castle there is a permanent exhibition of the fort's construction process. Also located on that side of the Bay on a hillside is the giant statue of Christ of Casablanca, which is lit nightly.

'''La Guarida restaurant''' - where the excellent food is matched by Baroque surroundings, in the location where the film Strawberry and Chocolate was filmed. Note- La Guarida is a Paledar. Paledars are privately run small restaurants in homes. The operators pay a fee to the government for the right to have up to eight tables. The food is often better than the boring, bland food offered at most official restaurants, and the prices are much better. Service, however, is frequently painfully slow, and menu items at many paledars are limited.

====Modern Havana====
[[Image:cemetary.jpg|left|Christopher Columbus Cemetary]]
There is the state-subsidised '''Coppelia ice-cream parlour''' (you have to pay in pesos) where a dollar gets you 22 scoops. Apparently not bad ice cream.

There are several night clubs that offer music programs, among them El Gato Tuerto (The One-Eyed Cat), the Jazz Café, the Cocodrilo (The Crocodile), the Habana Café and Dos Gardenias (Two Gardenias).
[[Image:Malecon.jpg|right|The Malecón]]
'''Necrópolis de Colón (Columbus Graveyard)''' - Besides its tranquility there are some amazing stories there. There is a tomb shaped like a domino piece, one surrounded by women who wanted to get pregnant, a pyramid tomb built for the professor of the school of architecture...lots of interesting things to see.

It's along '''the Malecón''' that Havana's architecture really shines. From what I can gather, the Maelcón is a promenade much cherished by the people of Havana.

====Miramar and Vedado====

'''Fabrica de Tobaco Partagas''' -[[Image:bacardi.jpg|right|Edificio Bacardi]] A famous Havana cigar factory, offers a fascinating insight into the skills behind cigar making and lays bare some idiosyncratic Cuban working practices. Pricy, but good, apparently "more interesting and less touristy than expected".

'''The Edificio Bacardi''' - A slice of dazzling art deco architecture, the former pre-revolution headquarters of Bacardí, the famous rum company, it is a fitting place for to enjoy a Cubre libre.

'''Maqueta de la Habana (Miniature Havana)''' - The realistic scale model of Havana takes up almost 88 sq. m (946 sq. ft.). You can walk around it on the ground level, or climb a narrow interior balcony that rings three walls. This is not to be confused with a similar (and much smaller) scale model of Old Havana, found in Old Havana, of course.

==Varadero==

[[image:varadero.jpg]]

There are lots of exiting tours and things to see in Varadero. Josone Park, in the center of Varadero, is a nature area with restaurants and cultural events which can be toured by horse and carriage from resort hotels.

It's more than 20 km of excellent beaches, a broad strip of fine, white sand along the shoreline, and a continental shelf that softly sinks into a warm, crystal-clear sea of the most varied of blues. These are the chief tourist attractions of Varadero, a tourist city that is presently well-positioned in the International circuits.

These natural wonders are enriched and complemented by the existence of numerous caves, cliffs, and lagoons. Varadero also has pristine, easy to reach keys and other interesting natural surroundings on the peninsula's easternmost tip, in addition to a set of cultural, historical, and environmental sites provided by the nearby cities of Matanzas and Cardenas and the Zapata Swamp Biosphere Reserve.

You won't find legal Casas Particular in the area of Varadero, it's not alowed by the government for a Cuban to start a Casa in this area. Although there are some "Red Triangle" casas, those casas are only for Cubans, tourists are not allowed to stay in these casas particulares...

Of course you can do stubborn and search out for yourself an illegal Casa Particular, and you will find them, remember that you risk getting thrown out on the streets at night by the police.

Tours in Varadero run from the three Information centres which run more or less the same excursions for similar prices, and I based the itinerary activities on these common excursions, and all-day tours include lunch, usually. One of these trips goes to the Cuevas de Bellamar.

Bellamar Cave, located at the exit of Matanzas city, is considered to be one of the wonders
of Cuban geography. Famous for its karstic crystals, stalactites and stalagmites.
Explored area of the cave is 3 km long, while its deepest part descends to 48 meters.

==Trinidad==

Trinidad is a relic of the early days of the Spanish colony. Trinidad Colonial past, unique architecture and magnificent location, between the mountains and Mexican Gulf, inspire tourist interest from around the world.
Trinidad has five main squares and four churches date from the 18th and 19th centuries the whole city, cobbled streets and tiled roofs, is a national monument and since 1988 a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

[[image:trinidad.jpg]]

==Other potential places to visit==

Maria La Gorda - approx. 5 hrs drive from Havana - this seems to be the best place in Cuba for scuba diving. And also, you don't have to know how to scuba dive already!

Caves that can be explored:

Cueva del Cable, Cueva del Simón, de Paredones, del Indio, de los Tomates, de Quintanal, Astón, de Cagagüanes, de Palmarito, de Bitirí, Revuelta de los Chinos, de la Patana, Solapos de Jaruco and Caleta del Rosario

==Transport in Cuba==

There are two types of buses that run throughout Cuba, the dirt-cheap ones that are falling apart and stop at every roof they pass; and the more direct, fast and comfortable coaches with air con that cost in dollars but still not that much (eg. $60 for the whole length of the island). The fast ones sometimes leave from a different bus station, so look out for that.

"if you do take a cab, try to take one of the government ones. I can't remember what the visual difference is, but it's worth finding out - the price is a tenth of a private hire cab."

It's apparently relatively easy to catch a ride with a friendly local car-owner willing to act as a 'taxi'.

- prandial

==Tourist Tips==

Restaurants are reportedly relatively non-existent, because the economy won't support them. If you make sure to interact, it's seems that it's not hard to find a local who'll invite or direct you to a local house where they'll be willing to cook you a meal, for a small renumeration.

Eat from street vendors.

"A cheese sandwich is a cheese sandwich and the only time my friend and I got food poisoning was when we went to a dollar restaurant instead of a peso one." -prandial

Don't dismiss the slogans that adorn billboards, storefronts and walls in Cuba as revolutionary propaganda. Many of the quotes belong to Jose Marti, and read in proper context, they're beautiful evocations of freedom and morality. Marti is one of Cuba's national heroes (he helped the country achieve independence from Spain) and is also acknowledged as one of the Caribbean's first modern poets.

Do take in the view of Havana from the rooftop bar (and swimming pool) of the 17-story Capri Hotel. Little seems to have changed there since its days as a Mafia hangout, and the view is fantastic.

Don't be shocked to hear locals get the attention of restaurant waiters or friends on the street by pursing their lips and making an animated sucking or kissing sound.

Try to get a ride in a cadillac. But they'll probably throw you out as they aren't licensed cabs.

Eating in Paladares can be fun, if you find a good one it's excellent. But it's a risk and a tricky one without speaking any Spanish.

==Tourist Traps==

A lot of the Cuban cigars sold even in Cuba are fake or inferior.

You will be hassled a lot on the streets, low grade begging, nothing dangerous.

You'll find it near impossible not to be fleeced if you don't speak any Spanish (and pretty hard not to be even if you do) - most people who speak English are those who've learnt it to work with tourists.

If you hook up with some locals, they may suggest going with you to a place that's really touristy, saying they like it. In fact it's because you'll be paying their cover charge and they'll collect their cut later. If somebody tells you to go to "Cabaret Tropicana", bear in mind that this place is expensive and you'll see a typical cabaret full of people trying to get money from you.

In Old Habana, you'll have to dodge a lot of peddlers hawking "Cohibas" , cigars, and 'herbal aphrodysiacs' and whatnot, but they aren't that pushy if you politely don't show interest. Just remember to NEVER EVER buy from these people. If these people are caught by the police selling to you they could get in serious trouble and you possibly as well. If you buy cigars make sure they have the government seal on the side of the box.

La Guarida don't bribe the taxi drivers- so if any of them tell you the restaurant is closed or has been closed for a while- don't believe them. Persist, and they will take you there.

The official money of Cuba is now the Cuban Convertible Peso, or CUC. They're called "chavitos." It's best to use the official money exchange venues as counterfeiting and theft is not unknown.
They're another type of money in circulation called "moneda nacional." If you do not have Cuban friends it's unlikely a tourist would have occasion to use the non-convertible peso, which is valued at about 20-1 to the CUC. A common scam is paying in chavitos and getting nacional in return.

Another common scam is to take a one CUC bank note and add a zero behind the one to make it look like a 10 CUC bank note. The scammer then looks for a tourist to help him (or her) to make change and the tourist gets stuck with the doctored note. ALWAYS make sure that any 10 CUC notes also say Diez on them and not UNO!!!

Old Habana is the bag-snatching capital of Cuba- so BE WARNED.

"Don't be shocked if you're approached by a prostitute (jinetera) in Havana—though this almost exclusively happens to male travelers."

Oh dear. For many years, Cuba was seen as a sexual playground for foreign men, and the expectation still lingers, especially in nightclubs.

Don't confuse 'hotel' with 'motel,' 'inn' or 'posada.' The latter three rent by the hour.

==Suggested Itinerary==

This is just Elín's suggested itinerary (edited/ added to by Matt), based on what I know of the best places to go and the most interesting things to do in Havana. It sounds good to ME, I hope you think it sounds interesting as well.

====Day 12 - Wednesday 8th Nov 2006====

Following on from [http://www.indivisibilities.com/wiki/index.php/Yucutan#Day_11.2C_Tuesday_7th_November_PM_-_Day_12.2C_Wednesday_8th_November_-_Canc.C3.BAn Cancun], I'm not sure when we will arrive at Havana on this day. The official handover time, of the rubber chicken from Marc to Matt will be: 9.15pm. We'll probably land in Havana in the evening, and won't have time to do very much. We'll have to check into our hotel, and then can spend a nice evening chilling out - with a coffee, or a beer (whatever's your poison!).

====Day 13 - Thursday 9th Nov====

The start time of this day being unknown, I will assume it to be in between 2-4pm. This should give you time to get to Cuba, get to your hotel and settle in. However, should you find yourself with time on your hands in the morning, arriving early, you should check out the very good but naturally very secluded and isolated spot of the '''Necropolis de Colon''', first and foremost. If you STILL have excess time, check out the '''Universidad de Habana''' and the student hero Julio Antonio Mella. If you get there REALLY early or my timing is really off and you end up with loads of spare time on your hands you can make a REALLY out of the way trip to Miniature Havana all the way over in Miramar, though I think it's unlikely.

2-4pm: We will start by going over the bridge to the '''Parque Historico Morro y Cabana''', and explore the two forts and various museums at this complex. Have dinner at one of the restaurants here and be sure to catch the '''Canonaza ceremony''' (ceremony of the cannon) at the '''Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro''' at 9pm, before heading back to your hotel for a good night's sleep.

====Day 14 - Friday 10th Nov====

Make sure to book ahead for a reservation at La Guarida! It's very popular.

8-8.30am: Though it's unlikely you'll be staying here, if it's breakfast you want, head to Le Veranda at the quite famous '''Hotel Nacional''', who do an English breakfast, American, continental and cereal breakfast to meet all breakfasting needs. After that, within the Hotel Nacional, you can visit the '''Tagonana cave''', for FREE! A couple of blocks away from the Hotel Nacional is the famous '''Coppelia Ice Cream shop''', where one can get 22 scoops for about 50p.

You can eat your ice cream whilst wandering along '''The Malecon''', the local 'place to be' for the Cubans, apparently. Also a good place, I believe, to change money and do that kind of thing if you need to.

Take a taxi or bus or whatever to '''Parque Central''', where you should be able to get some lunch.

12.30 - Check out the very nearby '''Edificio Bacardi''', take some snaps, it's pretty darn Art Deco. Then make your way back through Parque Centro to the '''Gran Teatro'''. Pass that and take your tour of the '''Fabrica de Tobaco Partagas'''. Don't forget it closes at 2pm!!! You can always go back and do the Edificio Bacardi if you find you're short of time. If you can, pick up some cigars for later smokage.

[[image:capitolio.jpg|right|Capitolio Nacional]]

2pm- Go to the just-next-foor '''Capitolio Nacional'''. You can go inside, be impressed, and then take a horse and carriage (ooh) to '''Plaza de Catedral'''. Look at the Catedral and take some more snaps, and think 'hmm. Cathedral.' before checking out the apparently, best plaza, Plaza Catedral.

Now, detailed instructions follow. From the plaza, it's a two minute walk along San Ignacio, and Mercaderes on your way to '''Plaza de Armas'''. Along Mercederes you will pass a '''giant mural''', portraying 67 figures from the history of arts and politics in Havana. Take a token snap, and then get your butts to the Plaza Armas, the oldest and most animated of Havana's plazas. Due North of the plaza just across O'Reilly (or 'Radar') street, is the '''Castillo de la Real Fuerza'''. There is also, near the plaza, '''El Templete''', a rather incongruous scaled down version of the Parthenon. I think it sounds cute, (a small temple, a 'templette' aw!), so you should take some pics. Unless it's rubbish.

Now, from the plaza, making your way down the busy shopping street '''Obispo''', go to '''Ambos Mundos''' and up to the '''roof garden''' for a '''mojito''' in the afternoon light. You might also want to whip out those '''cigars'''. Relax, safe in the knowledge that you have totally '''pwned Havana''' in just two days. However, your work is not yet done. No. Cigars and Mojitos are all well and good. But...

5pm: Just a short hike away is '''Museo de Fundacion Destilera Havana Club''', apparently one of the most interesting things to do in Havana, it's also known as the Museo del Ron, that's right, '''RUM!''' (Drink up me 'earties, yo ho...Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me! ok enough of that.) Check out this museum just before heading to '''La Guarida''' for your 6.30 ? reservation. Then head out to '''Macumba Habana''' for dancing, or to a '''Zorra y el Cuervo''' for a '''jaaaazzz concert'''.

====Day 15 - Saturday 11th Nov====

Ok initially I was going to say - Day 15, go to Maria La Gorda, via teh lovely countryside of Vinales. However, if you went to this side of the island you'd pretty much have to stay that side, and there's not much else to do. Otherwise, the drive to Varadero would be about 5-7 hours, and that's after the 3 or 4 hour drive to Maria La Gorda in the first place! Sadly it is just not do-able, so today we go to '''Varadero'''.

The first day you arrive in Varadero and to make up for the lack of dive-age in Maria La Gorda, I think it would be good to go diving at the Marina Varadero Gaviota. With free transfer from your hotel to the Marina, which is right at the end of Varadero, and free initiation courses for people who have never been diving before. $35 for a single dive, you can go diving at the Cuevo de Saturno (including transfers) which sounds fun.

If you go clubbing tonight, a great place to round off the day- is the disco in the cave! Cueva del Pirata- sounds groovy to me =D There's also a club on a boat moored on the Veradado canal- La Patuna, and the lively Palacio de la Rumba, one of the best designed venues. For Marc, there is 'Splash', with a "high cheeseometer rating for the watered down club and pop music is plays" xD Just kiddin. ;)

====Day 16 - Sunday 12th Nov====

Right, so you are in Varadero right? So the natural thing to do...is take a day trip to '''Trinidad'''. Well, Varadero is great for these little trips. I think you should do a day tour of Trinidad. So that's day 16. Again if you have time in the evening, check out Varadero.

====Day 17 - Monday 13th Nov====

You can either take a half-day trip to the '''Cuevas de Bellamar''', and/or you can just chill out on the apparently gorgeous beaches of Varadero, assuming the weather's nice.

====Day 18 - Tuesday 14th Nov====

Today, we go back from Veradero to Havana, (but I'm not sure when yet).

Go home! - Flight leaves at 21.15 today.
------------------------------

Thus endeth the itinerary. You can utterly disregard it, utterly follow it, mix and match bits or use some parts and not others - either way I won't be offended, just enjoy yourselves!! =)

==FAQ==

FAQ:

Feel free to add questions here!

'''''Who are Fidel Castro and Che Guavera?'''''

Fidel and Che were friends who fought guerilla style against a very corrupt dictator, Balistra Machado, who ran Cuba before Fidel managed to take over. They believe in Marxist ideals, which is why Cuba is now Communist, and America are now scared/angry/ sulking. Che was killed and is now seen as a sort of hero, though he actually was against the 'celebrity' idea, he's been turned into one.

'''''Why is ice cream so cheap at The Coppelia?'''''

Communist-> equal for everyone -> ice cream that everyone can afford. I think it's funded by the state or something. But I've heard it's not bad icecream.

'''''Who's that student hero guy again?'''''

Julio Antonio Mella enrolled at the Universidad de la Habana aged 16. He soon became one of the leading forces behind the University Student's Federation (FEU), his rousing speeches stirring a generation of students to protest university corruption. His campaign against the appointment of incompetent and unqualified professors through nepotism and political favours paid off, and in 1923 over a hundred hapless professors were dismissed. After graduation, he became famous for roaming Havana and giving lectures on Marxism to workers. In 1927 he fled to Mexico, fearful that his outspoken diatribes against Machado's goverment had earned him enemies. Sadly his fears proved corect, and in 1929 was shot in the street of Mexico City with ihs girlfriend. ='( Although never proved, it was widely assumed that Machado was responsible.

==Red tape==

Embassies and visas

UK: Cuban Embassy 167 High Holborn, London WC1 6PA; Consular section: 15 Grape Street, London WC1 (020 7240 2488).

Cuba: British Embassy Calle 34, Number 702/4, entre 7ma Avenida y 17, Miramar, Havana (53 7 241 771).

Visa requirements: Virtually all visitors need a Cuban visa or tourist card, which allows a stay of 30 days. In the UK, visas for all nationalities cost £15 and can be obtained over the counter at the embassy, or direct from your travel agent. Postal visa applications take 1-2 weeks to process. Visitors need a return ticket, and proof that they have booked a hotel room for at least three nights. The US prohibits its citizens from travelling to Cuba unless they obtain a licence, usually reserved for journalists or government officials.

==Useful Links:==

Visa - [http://www.cubaldn.com/englishFiles/consuladoin.htm Embassy of Cuba]

For practicalities - health, climate etc.
[http://travel.guardian.co.uk/countries/information/0,8766,420477,00.html The Guardian]

For geography, history & culture:
[http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761569844/Cuba.html Encarta]

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuba Wikipedia]

Cuba

2006-10-02T12:12:27Z

213.249.136.51: /* Suggested Itinerary */

<table border=1 align="right">
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> Cuba
<tr>
<td align="center">
 [[Image:CubaFlag_40_per_cent.jpg]] 
Flag
<td align="center">
[[Image:Cuba_coa_smaller.png]] 
Coat of Arms



<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> Motto: Spanish: Patria y Libertad 
(English: "Homeland and Freedom")
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> Anthem: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Bayamesa La Bayamesa] (The Bayamo Song)
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> [[Image:LocationCuba.png]]

<tr>
<td> Capital <td>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana Havana] 
23°8′N 82°23′W
<tr>
<td>Largest City <td>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana Havana]
<tr>
<td>Official Language <td>Spanish
<tr>
<td>Government: 
President of the 
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_of_State_of_Cuba Council of State of Cuba:]
<td>Republic 
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fidel_Castro Fidel Castro]
<tr>
<td>Independence 
- Declared from Spain 
- Cuban Republic declared 
- Date recognised in Cuba
<td>
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Years%27_War Ten Years' War] 
October 10, 1868 
May 20, 1902 
January 1, 1959
<tr>
<td>Area - Total - Water (%)
<td>110,860 km² ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_outlying_territories_by_area 104th]) 
42,803 sq mi 
negligible
<tr>
<td>Population 
- 2005 est. 
- 2002 census 
- Density
<td> 11,345,670 ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population 70th]) 
11,177,743 
102/km² ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population_density 73rd]) 
264/sq mi 

<tr>
<td>GDP 
- Total 
- Per Capita
<td> 2004 estimate 
$33.9 billion ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29 89th]) 
$3,000 ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29_per_capita 126th])
<tr>
<td>Human Development Index 
<td> 0.817 ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_Human_Development_Index 52nd]) - high
<tr>
<td>Currency 
<td>Peso 
Convertible peso (see ~1~)
<tr>
<td>Time Zone 
- Summer (DST)
<td>EST 
(Starts April 1, end date varies)
<tr>
<td>Internet TLD
<td> .cu
<tr>
<td>Calling Code
<td> +53
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> ~1~ 1993–2004, the U.S. dollar was used in addition to the peso until the dollar was replaced by the convertible peso.
</table>

==Cuba==

 

====Overview====

Known as the "Pearl of the Antilles", Cuba offers picturesque colonial towns, an Afro-Cuban culture, almost 300 unblemished beaches, great countryside, potent rum and excellent beer. Cuba is great for scuba diving, yachting, fishing, hiking, horseback riding and golf. Cuba has been described as a "fascinating smorgasbord [[http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=define%3A+smorgasbord&meta= (eh?)]] of nonstop discovery and experience".
 

====Timing====
November is the start of the dry season in cuba. Temperatures are normally around 27 Celsius. We will also miss the peak tourist season (mid Dec. to mid-March, & all of July & August). 

====About Cuba====

Cuba is the largest Caribbean island [16th largest island in the world :-) ]. In fact, it is bigger than all 3700 other Caribbean islands put together! Of its 11m inhabitants, 60% are of Spanish descent; there are also substantial African and mixed-race minorities. Spain colonised Cuba in 1512 and decimated its indigenous population of Arawak Indians. In 1898 the US occupied the country, but relations soured in 1959 when the charismatic Fidel Castro came to power. The ban on US tourism has its advantages: apart from the coastal resort of Varadero the island remains non-commercial, and the people genuinely friendly. Well known for its musical culture, the rumba, mambo, cha cha cha, son and salsa all originated in Cuba. The Capital, Havana, founded on its present site in 1519, is one of the oldest cities in the Americas. 
 

[[Image:Cubamap.gif]]

====Things to do, when in Cuba====

- smoke Cuban cigars

- take a ride in a Vintage american car

- stay in a 'casa particular' - a common phenomenon in Cuba - for locals to rent out a room or 2 of their houses for tourists, this is the best way to gain an insight into the country

- drink 'Mojitos' - 'just the ticket after a hard day on the beach, Cuba's quintessential cocktail, a refreshing concoction of rum, limes & mint'

==Havana==

The capital, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana Havana], with its colonial architecture and ostentatious 50s and 60s cars, is the biggest Caribbean city (pop. approx. 2.2 million) and the hub of Cuban nightlife.

We will spend a good 2 or 3 days in Havana.

Havana has four main areas: La Habana Vieja (Old Havana), a World Heritage Site; and La Habana Moderna (Modern Havana), no less attractive and full of life and visitors, Miramar, and Vedado.

====Old Havana====

"Old Havana has so much charm that only by visiting it can one capture fully the contrasts, sounds and colors that coexist there."
[[Image:delmorro.jpg|left|The Castillo Del Morro]]
Old Havana has all the appearance of a Spanish colonial city. Havana is ideally situated for trade and communications, and many of the defences built to protect it from pirates and corsairs still exist, which is why it is impossible to walk in Old Havana without encountering impressive fortresses like the Castillo de la Real Fuerza, the Castillo de San Salvador de la Punta, La Cabaña, and the most unique of them all, '''El Morro (Morro Castle)''', located at the entrance to the Bay. From here each night the lighthouse guides ships passing by Havana, and by day visitors come to admire the stunning views the capital has to offer.
[[Image:Viejaplaza.jpg|right|The Vieja Plaza]]

Old Havana also has spacious and beautiful cobbled plazas (squares) such as la Plaza de San Francisco de Asís, la Plaza de Armas, la Plaza Vieja and la Plaza de La Catedral (Cathedral Square), the latter a popular choice for photos and post cards of Cuba. Here you can try out some Cuban cocktails in an open air restaurant, while enjoying the view of the surrounding buildings and the sound of Cuban music in the air.

Havana has numerous museums: the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales (Palace of the Spanish Governors) which houses the Museum of the City of Havana, the Gabinete Arqueológico (Archaeological Bureau) and the Museo del Chocolate (hmm!!)

In nearby Morro Castle there is a permanent exhibition of the fort's construction process. Also located on that side of the Bay on a hillside is the giant statue of Christ of Casablanca, which is lit nightly.

'''La Guarida restaurant''' - where the excellent food is matched by Baroque surroundings, in the location where the film Strawberry and Chocolate was filmed. Note- La Guarida is a Paledar. Paledars are privately run small restaurants in homes. The operators pay a fee to the government for the right to have up to eight tables. The food is often better than the boring, bland food offered at most official restaurants, and the prices are much better. Service, however, is frequently painfully slow, and menu items at many paledars are limited.

====Modern Havana====
[[Image:cemetary.jpg|left|Christopher Columbus Cemetary]]
There is the state-subsidised '''Coppelia ice-cream parlour''' (you have to pay in pesos) where a dollar gets you 22 scoops. Apparently not bad ice cream.

There are several night clubs that offer music programs, among them El Gato Tuerto (The One-Eyed Cat), the Jazz Café, the Cocodrilo (The Crocodile), the Habana Café and Dos Gardenias (Two Gardenias).
[[Image:Malecon.jpg|right|The Malecón]]
'''Necrópolis de Colón (Columbus Graveyard)''' - Besides its tranquility there are some amazing stories there. There is a tomb shaped like a domino piece, one surrounded by women who wanted to get pregnant, a pyramid tomb built for the professor of the school of architecture...lots of interesting things to see.

It's along '''the Malecón''' that Havana's architecture really shines. From what I can gather, the Maelcón is a promenade much cherished by the people of Havana.

====Miramar and Vedado====

'''Fabrica de Tobaco Partagas''' -[[Image:bacardi.jpg|right|Edificio Bacardi]] A famous Havana cigar factory, offers a fascinating insight into the skills behind cigar making and lays bare some idiosyncratic Cuban working practices. Pricy, but good, apparently "more interesting and less touristy than expected".

'''The Edificio Bacardi''' - A slice of dazzling art deco architecture, the former pre-revolution headquarters of Bacardí, the famous rum company, it is a fitting place for to enjoy a Cubre libre.

'''Maqueta de la Habana (Miniature Havana)''' - The realistic scale model of Havana takes up almost 88 sq. m (946 sq. ft.). You can walk around it on the ground level, or climb a narrow interior balcony that rings three walls. This is not to be confused with a similar (and much smaller) scale model of Old Havana, found in Old Havana, of course.

==Varadero==

[[image:varadero.jpg]]

There are lots of exiting tours and things to see in Varadero. Josone Park, in the center of Varadero, is a nature area with restaurants and cultural events which can be toured by horse and carriage from resort hotels.

It's more than 20 km of excellent beaches, a broad strip of fine, white sand along the shoreline, and a continental shelf that softly sinks into a warm, crystal-clear sea of the most varied of blues. These are the chief tourist attractions of Varadero, a tourist city that is presently well-positioned in the International circuits.

These natural wonders are enriched and complemented by the existence of numerous caves, cliffs, and lagoons. Varadero also has pristine, easy to reach keys and other interesting natural surroundings on the peninsula's easternmost tip, in addition to a set of cultural, historical, and environmental sites provided by the nearby cities of Matanzas and Cardenas and the Zapata Swamp Biosphere Reserve.

You won't find legal Casas Particular in the area of Varadero, it's not alowed by the government for a Cuban to start a Casa in this area. Although there are some "Red Triangle" casas, those casas are only for Cubans, tourists are not allowed to stay in these casas particulares...

Of course you can do stubborn and search out for yourself an illegal Casa Particular, and you will find them, remember that you risk getting thrown out on the streets at night by the police.

Tours in Varadero run from the three Information centres which run more or less the same excursions for similar prices, and I based the itinerary activities on these common excursions, and all-day tours include lunch, usually. One of these trips goes to the Cuevas de Bellamar.

Bellamar Cave, located at the exit of Matanzas city, is considered to be one of the wonders
of Cuban geography. Famous for its karstic crystals, stalactites and stalagmites.
Explored area of the cave is 3 km long, while its deepest part descends to 48 meters.

==Trinidad==

Trinidad is a relic of the early days of the Spanish colony. Trinidad Colonial past, unique architecture and magnificent location, between the mountains and Mexican Gulf, inspire tourist interest from around the world.
Trinidad has five main squares and four churches date from the 18th and 19th centuries the whole city, cobbled streets and tiled roofs, is a national monument and since 1988 a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

[[image:trinidad.jpg]]

==Other potential places to visit==

Maria La Gorda - approx. 5 hrs drive from Havana - this seems to be the best place in Cuba for scuba diving. And also, you don't have to know how to scuba dive already!

Caves that can be explored:

Cueva del Cable, Cueva del Simón, de Paredones, del Indio, de los Tomates, de Quintanal, Astón, de Cagagüanes, de Palmarito, de Bitirí, Revuelta de los Chinos, de la Patana, Solapos de Jaruco and Caleta del Rosario

==Transport in Cuba==

There are two types of buses that run throughout Cuba, the dirt-cheap ones that are falling apart and stop at every roof they pass; and the more direct, fast and comfortable coaches with air con that cost in dollars but still not that much (eg. $60 for the whole length of the island). The fast ones sometimes leave from a different bus station, so look out for that.

"if you do take a cab, try to take one of the government ones. I can't remember what the visual difference is, but it's worth finding out - the price is a tenth of a private hire cab."

It's apparently relatively easy to catch a ride with a friendly local car-owner willing to act as a 'taxi'.

- prandial

==Tourist Tips==

Restaurants are reportedly relatively non-existent, because the economy won't support them. If you make sure to interact, it's seems that it's not hard to find a local who'll invite or direct you to a local house where they'll be willing to cook you a meal, for a small renumeration.

Eat from street vendors.

"A cheese sandwich is a cheese sandwich and the only time my friend and I got food poisoning was when we went to a dollar restaurant instead of a peso one." -prandial

Don't dismiss the slogans that adorn billboards, storefronts and walls in Cuba as revolutionary propaganda. Many of the quotes belong to Jose Marti, and read in proper context, they're beautiful evocations of freedom and morality. Marti is one of Cuba's national heroes (he helped the country achieve independence from Spain) and is also acknowledged as one of the Caribbean's first modern poets.

Do take in the view of Havana from the rooftop bar (and swimming pool) of the 17-story Capri Hotel. Little seems to have changed there since its days as a Mafia hangout, and the view is fantastic.

Don't be shocked to hear locals get the attention of restaurant waiters or friends on the street by pursing their lips and making an animated sucking or kissing sound.

Try to get a ride in a cadillac. But they'll probably throw you out as they aren't licensed cabs.

Eating in Paladares can be fun, if you find a good one it's excellent. But it's a risk and a tricky one without speaking any Spanish.

==Tourist Traps==

A lot of the Cuban cigars sold even in Cuba are fake or inferior.

You will be hassled a lot on the streets, low grade begging, nothing dangerous.

You'll find it near impossible not to be fleeced if you don't speak any Spanish (and pretty hard not to be even if you do) - most people who speak English are those who've learnt it to work with tourists.

If you hook up with some locals, they may suggest going with you to a place that's really touristy, saying they like it. In fact it's because you'll be paying their cover charge and they'll collect their cut later. If somebody tells you to go to "Cabaret Tropicana", bear in mind that this place is expensive and you'll see a typical cabaret full of people trying to get money from you.

In Old Habana, you'll have to dodge a lot of peddlers hawking "Cohibas" , cigars, and 'herbal aphrodysiacs' and whatnot, but they aren't that pushy if you politely don't show interest. Just remember to NEVER EVER buy from these people. If these people are caught by the police selling to you they could get in serious trouble and you possibly as well. If you buy cigars make sure they have the government seal on the side of the box.

La Guarida don't bribe the taxi drivers- so if any of them tell you the restaurant is closed or has been closed for a while- don't believe them. Persist, and they will take you there.

The official money of Cuba is now the Cuban Convertible Peso, or CUC. They're called "chavitos." It's best to use the official money exchange venues as counterfeiting and theft is not unknown.
They're another type of money in circulation called "moneda nacional." If you do not have Cuban friends it's unlikely a tourist would have occasion to use the non-convertible peso, which is valued at about 20-1 to the CUC. A common scam is paying in chavitos and getting nacional in return.

Another common scam is to take a one CUC bank note and add a zero behind the one to make it look like a 10 CUC bank note. The scammer then looks for a tourist to help him (or her) to make change and the tourist gets stuck with the doctored note. ALWAYS make sure that any 10 CUC notes also say Diez on them and not UNO!!!

Old Habana is the bag-snatching capital of Cuba- so BE WARNED.

"Don't be shocked if you're approached by a prostitute (jinetera) in Havana—though this almost exclusively happens to male travelers."

Oh dear. For many years, Cuba was seen as a sexual playground for foreign men, and the expectation still lingers, especially in nightclubs.

Don't confuse 'hotel' with 'motel,' 'inn' or 'posada.' The latter three rent by the hour.

==Suggested Itinerary==

This is just Elín's suggested itinerary (edited/ added to by Matt), based on what I know of the best places to go and the most interesting things to do in Havana. It sounds good to ME, I hope you think it sounds interesting as well.

====Day 12 - Wednesday 8th Nov 2006====

Following on from [http://www.indivisibilities.com/wiki/index.php/Yucutan#Day_11.2C_Tuesday_7th_November_PM_-_Day_12.2C_Wednesday_8th_November_-_Canc.C3.BAn Cancun], I'm not sure when we will arrive at Havana on this day. The official handover time, of the rubber chicken from Marc to Matt will be: 9.15pm. We'll probably land in Havana in the evening, and won't have time to do very much. We'll have to check into our hotel, and then can spend a nice evening chilling out - with a coffee, or a beer (whatever's your poison!).

====Day 13 - Thursday 9th Nov====

The start time of this day being unknown, I will assume it to be in between 2-4pm. This should give you time to get to Cuba, get to your hotel and settle in. However, should you find yourself with time on your hands in the morning, arriving early, you should check out the very good but naturally very secluded and isolated spot of the '''Necropolis de Colon''', first and foremost. If you STILL have excess time, check out the '''Universidad de Habana''' and the student hero Julio Antonio Mella. If you get there REALLY early or my timing is really off and you end up with loads of spare time on your hands you can make a REALLY out of the way trip to Miniature Havana all the way over in Miramar, though I think it's unlikely.

2-4pm: We will start by going over the bridge to the '''Parque Historico Morro y Cabana''', and explore the two forts and various museums at this complex. Have dinner at one of the restaurants here and be sure to catch the '''Canonaza ceremony''' (ceremony of the cannon) at the '''Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro''' at 9pm, before heading back to your hotel for a good night's sleep.

====Day 14 - Friday 10th Nov====

Make sure to book ahead for a reservation at La Guarida! It's very popular.

8-8.30am: Though it's unlikely you'll be staying here, if it's breakfast you want, head to Le Veranda at the quite famous '''Hotel Nacional''', who do an English breakfast, American, continental and cereal breakfast to meet all breakfasting needs. After that, within the Hotel Nacional, you can visit the '''Tagonana cave''', for FREE! A couple of blocks away from the Hotel Nacional is the famous '''Coppelia Ice Cream shop''', where one can get 22 scoops for about 50p.

You can eat your ice cream whilst wandering along '''The Malecon''', the local 'place to be' for the Cubans, apparently. Also a good place, I believe, to change money and do that kind of thing if you need to.

Take a taxi or bus or whatever to '''Parque Central''', where you should be able to get some lunch.

12.30 - Check out the very nearby '''Edificio Bacardi''', take some snaps, it's pretty darn Art Deco. Then make your way back through Parque Centro to the '''Gran Teatro'''. Pass that and take your tour of the '''Fabrica de Tobaco Partagas'''. Don't forget it closes at 2pm!!! You can always go back and do the Edificio Bacardi if you find you're short of time. If you can, pick up some cigars for later smokage.

[[image:capitolio.jpg|right|Capitolio Nacional]]

2pm- Go to the just-next-foor '''Capitolio Nacional'''. You can go inside, be impressed, and then take a horse and carriage (ooh) to '''Plaza de Catedral'''. Look at the Catedral and take some more snaps, and think 'hmm. Cathedral.' before checking out the apparently, best plaza, Plaza Catedral.

Now, detailed instructions follow. From the plaza, it's a two minute walk along San Ignacio, and Mercaderes on your way to '''Plaza de Armas'''. Along Mercederes you will pass a '''giant mural''', portraying 67 figures from the history of arts and politics in Havana. Take a token snap, and then get your butts to the Plaza Armas, the oldest and most animated of Havana's plazas. Due North of the plaza just across O'Reilly (or 'Radar') street, is the '''Castillo de la Real Fuerza'''. There is also, near the plaza, '''El Templete''', a rather incongruous scaled down version of the Parthenon. I think it sounds cute, (a small temple, a 'templette' aw!), so you should take some pics. Unless it's rubbish.

Now, from the plaza, making your way down the busy shopping street '''Obispo''', go to '''Ambos Mundos''' and up to the '''roof garden''' for a '''mojito''' in the afternoon light. You might also want to whip out those '''cigars'''. Relax, safe in the knowledge that you have totally '''pwned Havana''' in just two days. However, your work is not yet done. No. Cigars and Mojitos are all well and good. But...

5pm: Just a short hike away is '''Museo de Fundacion Destilera Havana Club''', apparently one of the most interesting things to do in Havana, it's also known as the Museo del Ron, that's right, '''RUM!''' (Drink up me 'earties, yo ho...Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me! ok enough of that.) Check out this museum just before heading to '''La Guarida''' for your 6.30 ? reservation. Then head out to '''Macumba Habana''' for dancing, or to a '''Zorra y el Cuervo''' for a '''jaaaazzz concert'''.

====Day 15 - Saturday 11th Nov====

Ok initially I was going to say - Day 3, go to Maria La Gorda, via teh lovely countryside of Vinales. However, if you went to this side of the island you'd pretty much have to stay that side, and there's not much else to do. Otherwise, the drive to Varadero would be about 5-7 hours, and that's after the 3 or 4 hour drive to Maria La Gorda in the first place! Sadly it is just not do-able, so today we go to '''Varadero'''.

The first day you arrive in Varadero and to make up for the lack of dive-age in Maria La Gorda, I think it would be good to go diving at the Marina Varadero Gaviota. With free transfer from your hotel to the Marina, which is right at the end of Varadero, and free initiation courses for people who have never been diving before. $35 for a single dive, you can go diving at the Cuevo de Saturno (including transfers) which sounds fun.

If you go clubbing tonight, a great place to round off the day- is the disco in the cave! Cueva del Pirata- sounds groovy to me =D There's also a club on a boat moored on the Veradado canal- La Patuna, and the lively Palacio de la Rumba, one of the best designed venues. For Marc, there is 'Splash', with a "high cheeseometer rating for the watered down club and pop music is plays" xD Just kiddin. ;)

====Day 16 - Sunday 12th Nov====

Right, so you are in Varadero right? So the natural thing to do...is take a day trip to '''Trinidad'''. Well, Varadero is great for these little trips. I think you should do a day tour of Trinidad. So that's day four. Again if you have time in the evening, check out Varadero.

====Day 17 - Monday 13th Nov====

Now you are leaving Day Five, and I don't know when. You can either take a half-day trip to the '''Cuevas de Bellamar''', or you can just chill out on the apparently gorgeous beaches of Varadero, assuming the weather's nice. There is an airport in Varadero, so you can get your flight home from there.

Thus endeth the itinerary. You can utterly disregard it, utterly follow it, mix and match bits or use some parts and not others - either way I won't be offended, just enjoy yourselves!! =)

====Day 18 - Tuesday 14th Nov====

Go home! - Flight leaves at 21.15 today.

==FAQ==

FAQ:

Feel free to add questions here!

'''''Who are Fidel Castro and Che Guavera?'''''

Fidel and Che were friends who fought guerilla style against a very corrupt dictator, Balistra Machado, who ran Cuba before Fidel managed to take over. They believe in Marxist ideals, which is why Cuba is now Communist, and America are now scared/angry/ sulking. Che was killed and is now seen as a sort of hero, though he actually was against the 'celebrity' idea, he's been turned into one.

'''''Why is ice cream so cheap at The Coppelia?'''''

Communist-> equal for everyone -> ice cream that everyone can afford. I think it's funded by the state or something. But I've heard it's not bad icecream.

'''''Who's that student hero guy again?'''''

Julio Antonio Mella enrolled at the Universidad de la Habana aged 16. He soon became one of the leading forces behind the University Student's Federation (FEU), his rousing speeches stirring a generation of students to protest university corruption. His campaign against the appointment of incompetent and unqualified professors through nepotism and political favours paid off, and in 1923 over a hundred hapless professors were dismissed. After graduation, he became famous for roaming Havana and giving lectures on Marxism to workers. In 1927 he fled to Mexico, fearful that his outspoken diatribes against Machado's goverment had earned him enemies. Sadly his fears proved corect, and in 1929 was shot in the street of Mexico City with ihs girlfriend. ='( Although never proved, it was widely assumed that Machado was responsible.

==Red tape==

Embassies and visas

UK: Cuban Embassy 167 High Holborn, London WC1 6PA; Consular section: 15 Grape Street, London WC1 (020 7240 2488).

Cuba: British Embassy Calle 34, Number 702/4, entre 7ma Avenida y 17, Miramar, Havana (53 7 241 771).

Visa requirements: Virtually all visitors need a Cuban visa or tourist card, which allows a stay of 30 days. In the UK, visas for all nationalities cost £15 and can be obtained over the counter at the embassy, or direct from your travel agent. Postal visa applications take 1-2 weeks to process. Visitors need a return ticket, and proof that they have booked a hotel room for at least three nights. The US prohibits its citizens from travelling to Cuba unless they obtain a licence, usually reserved for journalists or government officials.

==Useful Links:==

Visa - [http://www.cubaldn.com/englishFiles/consuladoin.htm Embassy of Cuba]

For practicalities - health, climate etc.
[http://travel.guardian.co.uk/countries/information/0,8766,420477,00.html The Guardian]

For geography, history & culture:
[http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761569844/Cuba.html Encarta]

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuba Wikipedia]

Nerd Olympics

2006-09-26T12:35:47Z

213.249.136.51: /* Venues */

[[Image:NerdOlympics.png|center|The Nerd Olympics. Any resemblance to any real events is entirely coincidental.]]

== Nerd Olympic Board ==

As many of you will know, we have decided to form an executive committee to decide the nature, content and venue of the Nerd Olympics, known as the Nerd Olympic Board, or NOB for short.

What we haven't discussed yet is a leader and forgive me if I am speaking out of turn, but I would like to nominate Marc as the head of this board. Would other nerd members please indicate if you think Marc is a NOB-head as well.

<center>
{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
! Marc should be the NOB-head !! Marc should not be the NOB-head
|-
| Marc ||
|-
| Abi ||
|-
| Neil (Marc is a natural) ||
|-
|Lee||
|-
|}
</center>

== Participants ==

We need a list of definite competitors for the Nerd Olympics. It seems as though we may have a few new additions. All competitors should be willing to participate in the whole competition. The list of definitely competitors is as follows:

* Marc
* Lee
* Neil
* Abi
* Matt
* Elín
* Tim
* Sissy

Although this is the finalised list, we are allowed guest competitors. The guest competitors are allowed to win prizes but will not earn any points or affect the score of the main participants

== Venues ==

The Nerd Olympics will be held at a variety of stadia around England. Each host should aim to hold about four medium sized events. People willing to host events are as follows:

* Neil / Abi - Hemel Hempstead
* Marc - Milton Keynes
* Lee - Birmingham
* Tim / Sissy - Leatherhead
* Elín / Matthew - East Claydon

== [[Round 1 - Hemel Hempstead Stadium]] - 9 & 10 September 2005==

Is any-one interested in having round 1 of the nerd olympics this weekend? At our flat (Neil & Abi)? It'd just be a good excuse to play SingStar. Abi's working on Saturday but people could come round Saturday evening and have some events on Sunday morning? I'll have to hunt out a good pool pub. We could formulate a final list of events for round 1 in the meantime via the Wiki.

'''Note''': Tim can't make this weekend, and doubtless other people won't be able to too, so we'd have to think of another date. Any ideas?

'''Note''': Lee also can't make this weekend as she is moving house!!!!! Her room is now a moving mess, but it is all very exciting.

Next weekend is proms in the park

Maybe the weekend after that (22nd & 23rd) or in six weekends time?

22nd & 23rd is good for me - ''Neil''

'''Note''': Please don't have it without Lee. She really wants to play too...

'''Note''': Can I play? - ''Elín''

Yeah, of course! - Neil

'''Note''': ^_^ - ''Elín''

Elín will have to get bonus nerd points before even starting the competition for going through all the effort of typing that funny unicode character in her name everytime! - Neil

'''NEWS FLASH''' - What about having the first round on the 9th September? It is also my bifday weekend so we can have a piss up for that (and Elin's and Lee's bifdays as well if they want). Whaddya fink? ''Abi''

'''POSTMORTEM''' - Please note that the wrong scores were read out at the end of this round. I had forgotten to include the extra point for coming first. The positions, however, remain the same. ''Marc''

=== Events ===

* Sudoku
* The Minute Game
* Death Tank
* Sing Star
* Typing

== [[Round 2 - Birmingham Stadium]] - 23 & 24 September 2006==

=== Events ===

* Tetris
* Jelly Baby and Spaghetti challenge
* Hearts
* Cranium (oh yeah! Thanks)
* Paper aeroplane?? -oops
* Getting really tetchy when people don't know how to spell 'aeroplane'...
* Success with the Ladies??

== [[Round 3]] ==

== [[Round 4]] ==

== [[Round 5]] ==

== Scoring ==

I propose three different methods of getting points in the olympics: main rounds, bonus rounds and bonus points.

=== Main Rounds ===

The main rounds score the most points and everyone competing will get a point.

As Marc suggested it'd be nice if everyone gets some points for each round so I propose that for each round you should get 1 point for coming last, 2 for coming 2nd to last and so on up to the number of competitors, but then you should get one extra bonus point for winning the round. If there are any ties then all people who finished at the same rank get the same number of points which is the higher score, (eg, if there are five competitors and two people place joint second then the winner gets 6 points and the two second place people get 4 points each). If anyone doesn't take part in a round then they get zero points but the other players still score as if everyone was taking part. So for example if there are 5 total competitors but only 4 take part in a particular round, with two people placing equal third then the scoring would be as follows:

{|
|-
| 1st place
| 6 points
|-
| 2nd place
| 4 points
|-
| 3rd place
| 3 points
|-
| other 3rd place
| 3 points
|-
| Non-partaker
| 0 points
|}

As an additional twist I think that each competitor should be allocated one joker card (like they do in pub quizzes). Any player can adopt to play their joker card for any round, although it can only be played once. After playing the card the competitor will get double points for that round, but the competitor must choose to play the card ''before'' the round commences. So for example if Abi thinks she will do particularily well in the SingStar round, she can use her joker card then and get twelve points instead of six.

'''Note''': Marc: I agree with most of this (and like the joker card idea), but I think it might be best for the winner to get 10 points and count down to 1. If few people participate in the event, it's not fair for the maximum amount of points scored to be less than they otherwise would be.

'''Reply''': Neil: I think that was what I was trying to describe, eg "but the other players still score as if everyone was taking part". So if there are 8 total competitors in the whole olympics and one doesn't take part in a particular round then the winner of that round will still get 9 points, 2nd place would get 7 and so on but the person who didn't take part would get zero instead of the free 1 point they could have gotten for just taking part and coming last. I guess it doesn't really make any difference if you count down from 10 instead of counting down from the number of competitors (unless there are more than 10 of course..) except that it would be slightly more of a punishment if you didn't take part because you would be down more than one point.

'''Query''': What if someone is taking part in the overall Nerd Olympics but can't make it to that particular round? - ''Lee''

I guess as there are only eight competitors we could avoid hosting a round unless everyone can attend? Otherwise as the competiton gets more serious someone will organise an event during a weekday just so that no-one can turn up and they'd get all the points :) - ''Neil''

=== Bonus rounds ===

For smaller rounds, such as the water tasting test or the Brain Training test, the winner gets two points and nobody else gets any.

=== Bonus points ===

Bonus points can be awarded by the NOB-head whenever he sees fit although if this is perceived to be unfair there may be a mutiny.

'''Comment''': I like the idea of bonus points, for natural displays of nerdiness. (points to be allocated by the NOB-head) for instance: 'Elín' - typing her name in that way, 1 bonus point, Neil - going on about the scoring system for ages - 2 bonus points. etc. - ''Matt''

== Rough Event Ideas ==

=== Main Events ===

; [[Specialist round]] : We could have a short quiz where everybody answers questions on somebody else's special chosen subject. We could agree the subjects beforehand to prevent people from picking stupid topics. We'd have to think of someway to stop people picking impossible to answer questions that nobody would ever know though.

;: ''Now that we've abandoned the joker cards, can we incorporate them into the specialist quiz round instead? You could get points for each quiz, but you could get double points if you play your joker card. Then the ranks could be taken from the total points. It'd be a lot easier to have joker cards just for this round because all of the categories are known before-hand.'' - Neil

; Pool : Standard knock-out tournament, à la the world cup? I think the hotel across the road has pool but I'd have to investigate prices.

* Sudoku - Hemel Hempstead
* The Minute Game - Hemel Hempstead
* Death Tank - Hemel Hempstead
* Singstar - Hemel Hempstead
* Typing - Hemel Hempstead

* Tetris - Birmingham
* Spaghetti and Jelly Baby - Birmingham
* Hearts - Birmingham
* Cranium - Birmingham
* Paper airoplane - Birmingham?

* Dancing game - Milton Keynes
* Swerve (fun, four-player computer, high-paced game) - Milton Keynes
* Bop it extreme 2- Milton Keynes?
* Calculator speed relay - Milton Keynes?
* Geocaching time trial! - Milton Keynes?

* Lung capacity - East Claydon?

* Pool competiton - Leatherhead?

; The following rounds are up for grabs:
* Arm wrestling
* Pin the tail on the donkey
* Variety of runs
* Cycle race
* Long jump (Long jump????????? - you what?)
* Spelin'
* IQ (or something like Raven's Matricies)- I must be very thick, what are raven matricies?
* Downing a pint - draught
* Not downing a pint and liking your ale in little sips test
* General grammmar and punctuation test (with extra points for the vehemency of your convinctions)
* Taste test (is this before or after the curry taste test?)
* Curry taste test (if you can handle a vindaloo test)
* Middle C
* Specialist round (like on Mastermind)
* Pictionary
* Table tennis
* Table football
* Darts
* Spot the dots
* The biscuit game
* Internet fact search
* Mallet's Mallet
* Name game
* Stop watch
* Banzai
* Guess the song
* Skimming (boing boing boing - not with my phone)
* Staring
* Eating doughnuts (no licking lips)
* Classing game, e.g. Street Firhget 2
* Lighting a fire
* Classic nerdy rock song lyric test
* ASAP
* Synonym game for rude body parts
* Super Mario Brothers on the Gameboy Color (remember that?)
* Scrabble! (so Abi can get some points..) - oi! I can get points! Maybe not in the biscuit game...
* Make a rocket like they did on Beauty and the Geek
* Complete the Red Dwarf quote
* Weight to height ratios (skinniest wins)
* Worst eyesight
* 'Success with the ladies' test
* Odd habits / phobias / general anti-social behaviour test
* Testo de povo kompreni esperantajn frazojn (A test of ability to comprehend Esperanto sentences? Facile! =D )
* The great "can you taste the difference between bottled water, tap water and filtered water?" test - wot like they did on BBC Breakfast News?
* The guitar game
*: ''What is the guitar game? Does that mean Tim is going to bring his guitar? Yay'' - Neil
*: ''The guitar game is on the PS2, it is so so so much fun! Like dance mat style, but with a guitar (Tim should bring his guitar anyway though)'' - Lee
*: ''Does the guitar game have real strings or is it just normal PS2 buttons in the shape of a guitar? Does Tim get extra points if he brings his guitar?'' - Tim
*: ''YES'' - Lee (but must be confirmed by the NOB head)
*: ''Is [http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000FGGSGE/026-9851399-7981242?v=glance&n=300703 this] the guitar game?'' - Neil
*: ''YES!!!'' - Lee
* Krypton Factor style game
* Monopoly/ Psionopoly
* Some kind of sci-fi quiz?

=== Bonus rounds ===

* Cracker eating test

* Mental arithmetic: timing on Dr. Kawasomething's Brain Training on the Nintendo DS (go matt!)

* Powerball

* Chubby Bunnies - what is this? Sounds fun...
*: - See how many grapes you can fit in your mouth
*: ooh err...

== Results ==

A spreadsheet, in [http://www.openoffice.org/ OpenOffice.org/OASIS] format is available here: [[Media:Nerd_Olympics_Scores.ods]].

Overall results so far:
{| border=1
! Rank !! Name !! Points
|-
| 1 || Marc || 31
|-
| 2 || Tim || 30
|-
| 3 || Lee || 27
|-
| 4 || Matt || 26
|-
| 5 || Elín || 24
|-
| 6 || Abi || 21
|-
| 7 || Neil || 18
|-
| 8 || Sissy || 9
|}

Detailed results are available under each stadium's page.

Nerd Olympics

2006-09-26T12:32:31Z

213.249.136.51: /* Venues */

[[Image:NerdOlympics.png|center|The Nerd Olympics. Any resemblance to any real events is entirely coincidental.]]

== Nerd Olympic Board ==

As many of you will know, we have decided to form an executive committee to decide the nature, content and venue of the Nerd Olympics, known as the Nerd Olympic Board, or NOB for short.

What we haven't discussed yet is a leader and forgive me if I am speaking out of turn, but I would like to nominate Marc as the head of this board. Would other nerd members please indicate if you think Marc is a NOB-head as well.

<center>
{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
! Marc should be the NOB-head !! Marc should not be the NOB-head
|-
| Marc ||
|-
| Abi ||
|-
| Neil (Marc is a natural) ||
|-
|Lee||
|-
|}
</center>

== Participants ==

We need a list of definite competitors for the Nerd Olympics. It seems as though we may have a few new additions. All competitors should be willing to participate in the whole competition. The list of definitely competitors is as follows:

* Marc
* Lee
* Neil
* Abi
* Matt
* Elín
* Tim
* Sissy

Although this is the finalised list, we are allowed guest competitors. The guest competitors are allowed to win prizes but will not earn any points or affect the score of the main participants

== Venues ==

The Nerd Olympics will be held at a variety of stadia around England. Each host should aim to hold about four medium sized events. People willing to host events are as follows:

* Neil / Abi - Hemel Hempstead
* Marc - Milton Keynes
* Lee - Birmingham
* Tim / Sissy - Leatherhead
* Elín / Matthew - The East Claydium

== [[Round 1 - Hemel Hempstead Stadium]] - 9 & 10 September 2005==

Is any-one interested in having round 1 of the nerd olympics this weekend? At our flat (Neil & Abi)? It'd just be a good excuse to play SingStar. Abi's working on Saturday but people could come round Saturday evening and have some events on Sunday morning? I'll have to hunt out a good pool pub. We could formulate a final list of events for round 1 in the meantime via the Wiki.

'''Note''': Tim can't make this weekend, and doubtless other people won't be able to too, so we'd have to think of another date. Any ideas?

'''Note''': Lee also can't make this weekend as she is moving house!!!!! Her room is now a moving mess, but it is all very exciting.

Next weekend is proms in the park

Maybe the weekend after that (22nd & 23rd) or in six weekends time?

22nd & 23rd is good for me - ''Neil''

'''Note''': Please don't have it without Lee. She really wants to play too...

'''Note''': Can I play? - ''Elín''

Yeah, of course! - Neil

'''Note''': ^_^ - ''Elín''

Elín will have to get bonus nerd points before even starting the competition for going through all the effort of typing that funny unicode character in her name everytime! - Neil

'''NEWS FLASH''' - What about having the first round on the 9th September? It is also my bifday weekend so we can have a piss up for that (and Elin's and Lee's bifdays as well if they want). Whaddya fink? ''Abi''

'''POSTMORTEM''' - Please note that the wrong scores were read out at the end of this round. I had forgotten to include the extra point for coming first. The positions, however, remain the same. ''Marc''

=== Events ===

* Sudoku
* The Minute Game
* Death Tank
* Sing Star
* Typing

== [[Round 2 - Birmingham Stadium]] - 23 & 24 September 2006==

=== Events ===

* Tetris
* Jelly Baby and Spaghetti challenge
* Hearts
* Cranium (oh yeah! Thanks)
* Paper aeroplane?? -oops
* Getting really tetchy when people don't know how to spell 'aeroplane'...
* Success with the Ladies??

== [[Round 3]] ==

== [[Round 4]] ==

== [[Round 5]] ==

== Scoring ==

I propose three different methods of getting points in the olympics: main rounds, bonus rounds and bonus points.

=== Main Rounds ===

The main rounds score the most points and everyone competing will get a point.

As Marc suggested it'd be nice if everyone gets some points for each round so I propose that for each round you should get 1 point for coming last, 2 for coming 2nd to last and so on up to the number of competitors, but then you should get one extra bonus point for winning the round. If there are any ties then all people who finished at the same rank get the same number of points which is the higher score, (eg, if there are five competitors and two people place joint second then the winner gets 6 points and the two second place people get 4 points each). If anyone doesn't take part in a round then they get zero points but the other players still score as if everyone was taking part. So for example if there are 5 total competitors but only 4 take part in a particular round, with two people placing equal third then the scoring would be as follows:

{|
|-
| 1st place
| 6 points
|-
| 2nd place
| 4 points
|-
| 3rd place
| 3 points
|-
| other 3rd place
| 3 points
|-
| Non-partaker
| 0 points
|}

As an additional twist I think that each competitor should be allocated one joker card (like they do in pub quizzes). Any player can adopt to play their joker card for any round, although it can only be played once. After playing the card the competitor will get double points for that round, but the competitor must choose to play the card ''before'' the round commences. So for example if Abi thinks she will do particularily well in the SingStar round, she can use her joker card then and get twelve points instead of six.

'''Note''': Marc: I agree with most of this (and like the joker card idea), but I think it might be best for the winner to get 10 points and count down to 1. If few people participate in the event, it's not fair for the maximum amount of points scored to be less than they otherwise would be.

'''Reply''': Neil: I think that was what I was trying to describe, eg "but the other players still score as if everyone was taking part". So if there are 8 total competitors in the whole olympics and one doesn't take part in a particular round then the winner of that round will still get 9 points, 2nd place would get 7 and so on but the person who didn't take part would get zero instead of the free 1 point they could have gotten for just taking part and coming last. I guess it doesn't really make any difference if you count down from 10 instead of counting down from the number of competitors (unless there are more than 10 of course..) except that it would be slightly more of a punishment if you didn't take part because you would be down more than one point.

'''Query''': What if someone is taking part in the overall Nerd Olympics but can't make it to that particular round? - ''Lee''

I guess as there are only eight competitors we could avoid hosting a round unless everyone can attend? Otherwise as the competiton gets more serious someone will organise an event during a weekday just so that no-one can turn up and they'd get all the points :) - ''Neil''

=== Bonus rounds ===

For smaller rounds, such as the water tasting test or the Brain Training test, the winner gets two points and nobody else gets any.

=== Bonus points ===

Bonus points can be awarded by the NOB-head whenever he sees fit although if this is perceived to be unfair there may be a mutiny.

'''Comment''': I like the idea of bonus points, for natural displays of nerdiness. (points to be allocated by the NOB-head) for instance: 'Elín' - typing her name in that way, 1 bonus point, Neil - going on about the scoring system for ages - 2 bonus points. etc. - ''Matt''

== Rough Event Ideas ==

=== Main Events ===

; [[Specialist round]] : We could have a short quiz where everybody answers questions on somebody else's special chosen subject. We could agree the subjects beforehand to prevent people from picking stupid topics. We'd have to think of someway to stop people picking impossible to answer questions that nobody would ever know though.

;: ''Now that we've abandoned the joker cards, can we incorporate them into the specialist quiz round instead? You could get points for each quiz, but you could get double points if you play your joker card. Then the ranks could be taken from the total points. It'd be a lot easier to have joker cards just for this round because all of the categories are known before-hand.'' - Neil

; Pool : Standard knock-out tournament, à la the world cup? I think the hotel across the road has pool but I'd have to investigate prices.

* Sudoku - Hemel Hempstead
* The Minute Game - Hemel Hempstead
* Death Tank - Hemel Hempstead
* Singstar - Hemel Hempstead
* Typing - Hemel Hempstead

* Tetris - Birmingham
* Spaghetti and Jelly Baby - Birmingham
* Hearts - Birmingham
* Cranium - Birmingham
* Paper airoplane - Birmingham?

* Dancing game - Milton Keynes
* Swerve (fun, four-player computer, high-paced game) - Milton Keynes
* Bop it extreme 2- Milton Keynes?
* Calculator speed relay - Milton Keynes?
* Geocaching time trial! - Milton Keynes?

* Lung capacity - East Claydon?

* Pool competiton - Leatherhead?

; The following rounds are up for grabs:
* Arm wrestling
* Pin the tail on the donkey
* Variety of runs
* Cycle race
* Long jump (Long jump????????? - you what?)
* Spelin'
* IQ (or something like Raven's Matricies)- I must be very thick, what are raven matricies?
* Downing a pint - draught
* Not downing a pint and liking your ale in little sips test
* General grammmar and punctuation test (with extra points for the vehemency of your convinctions)
* Taste test (is this before or after the curry taste test?)
* Curry taste test (if you can handle a vindaloo test)
* Middle C
* Specialist round (like on Mastermind)
* Pictionary
* Table tennis
* Table football
* Darts
* Spot the dots
* The biscuit game
* Internet fact search
* Mallet's Mallet
* Name game
* Stop watch
* Banzai
* Guess the song
* Skimming (boing boing boing - not with my phone)
* Staring
* Eating doughnuts (no licking lips)
* Classing game, e.g. Street Firhget 2
* Lighting a fire
* Classic nerdy rock song lyric test
* ASAP
* Synonym game for rude body parts
* Super Mario Brothers on the Gameboy Color (remember that?)
* Scrabble! (so Abi can get some points..) - oi! I can get points! Maybe not in the biscuit game...
* Make a rocket like they did on Beauty and the Geek
* Complete the Red Dwarf quote
* Weight to height ratios (skinniest wins)
* Worst eyesight
* 'Success with the ladies' test
* Odd habits / phobias / general anti-social behaviour test
* Testo de povo kompreni esperantajn frazojn (A test of ability to comprehend Esperanto sentences? Facile! =D )
* The great "can you taste the difference between bottled water, tap water and filtered water?" test - wot like they did on BBC Breakfast News?
* The guitar game
*: ''What is the guitar game? Does that mean Tim is going to bring his guitar? Yay'' - Neil
*: ''The guitar game is on the PS2, it is so so so much fun! Like dance mat style, but with a guitar (Tim should bring his guitar anyway though)'' - Lee
*: ''Does the guitar game have real strings or is it just normal PS2 buttons in the shape of a guitar? Does Tim get extra points if he brings his guitar?'' - Tim
*: ''YES'' - Lee (but must be confirmed by the NOB head)
*: ''Is [http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000FGGSGE/026-9851399-7981242?v=glance&n=300703 this] the guitar game?'' - Neil
*: ''YES!!!'' - Lee
* Krypton Factor style game
* Monopoly/ Psionopoly
* Some kind of sci-fi quiz?

=== Bonus rounds ===

* Cracker eating test

* Mental arithmetic: timing on Dr. Kawasomething's Brain Training on the Nintendo DS (go matt!)

* Powerball

* Chubby Bunnies - what is this? Sounds fun...
*: - See how many grapes you can fit in your mouth
*: ooh err...

== Results ==

A spreadsheet, in [http://www.openoffice.org/ OpenOffice.org/OASIS] format is available here: [[Media:Nerd_Olympics_Scores.ods]].

Overall results so far:
{| border=1
! Rank !! Name !! Points
|-
| 1 || Marc || 31
|-
| 2 || Tim || 30
|-
| 3 || Lee || 27
|-
| 4 || Matt || 26
|-
| 5 || Elín || 24
|-
| 6 || Abi || 21
|-
| 7 || Neil || 18
|-
| 8 || Sissy || 9
|}

Detailed results are available under each stadium's page.

Nerd Olympics

2006-07-27T11:17:31Z

213.249.136.51: /* Rough Event Ideas */

== Nerd Olympic Board ==

As many of you will know, we have decided to form an executive committee to decide the nature, content and venue of the Nerd Olympics, known as the Nerd Olympic Board, or NOB for short.

What we haven't discussed yet is a leader and forgive me if I am speaking out of turn, but I would like to nominate Marc as the head of this board. Would other nerd members please indicate if you think Marc is a NOB-head as well.

<center>
{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
! Marc should be the NOB-head !! Marc should not be the NOB-head
|-
| Marc ||
|-
| Abi ||
|-
| Neil (Marc is a natural) ||
|-
|Lee||
|-
|}
</center>

== Participants ==

We need a list of definite competitors for the Nerd Olympics. It seems as though we may have a few new additions. All competitors should be willing to participate in the whole competition. The list of definitely competitors is as follows:

* Marc
* Lee
* Neil
* Abi
* Matt
* Elín

We need to get this list finialised A.S.A.P.

== Venue ==

The Nerd Olympics will be held at a variety of stadia around England. Each host should aim to hold about four medium sized events. People willing to host events are as follows:

* Neil / Abi
* Marc

== Round 1 - Hemel Hempstead Stadium ==

Is any-one interested in having round 1 of the nerd olympics this weekend? At our flat (Neil & Abi)? It'd just be a good excuse to play SingStar. Abi's working on Saturday but people could come round Saturday evening and have some events on Sunday morning? I'll have to hunt out a good pool pub. We could formulate a final list of events for round 1 in the meantime via the Wiki.

'''Note''': Tim can't make this weekend, and doubtless other people won't be able to too, so we'd have to think of another date. Any ideas?

'''Note''': Lee also can't make this weekend as she is moving house!!!!! Her room is now a moving mess, but it is all very exciting.

Next weekend is proms in the park

Maybe the weekend after that (22nd & 23rd) or in six weekends time?

22nd & 23rd is good for me - ''Neil''

'''Note''': Please don't have it without Lee. She really wants to play too...

'''Note''': Can I play? - ''Elín''

Yeah, of course! - Neil

'''Note''': ^_^ - ''Elín''

Elín will have to get bonus nerd points before even starting the competition for going through all the effort of typing that funny unicode character in her name everytime! - Neil

=== Events ===

; Specialist round : We could have a short quiz where everybody answers questions on somebody else's special chosen subject. We could agree the subjects beforehand to prevent people from picking stupid topics. We'd have to think of someway to stop people picking impossible to answer questions that nobody would ever know though.

; Pool : Standard knock-out tournament, à la the world cup? I think the hotel across the road has pool but I'd have to investigate prices.

; Death-tank : Simple - depending on number of players, everyone can just play at once

Neil, do you have Death Tank available at your house? How many players max? -- Marc

Yup, despite Abi's protesting my Saturn is still cluttering up the flat. I've got six controllers but I think it can do it up to 7 if anyone knows a place to get cheap Saturn controllers. Ooh, actually there's one on [http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SEGA-SATURN-OFFICIAL-CONTROLE-PAD-CONTROLLER-UK-PAL_W0QQitemZ110006400435QQihZ001QQcategoryZ3654QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem ebay]. Yay, I've won a different one for £1! So if we ever do one day hold the olympics (sob sob) then death tank will be a nice quick round with everyone simoultaneously -- Neil

; Singstar : Some kind of complicated system where you have home and away matches so that you get to choose the song on home matches or something

BTW - Abi is obsessed with SingStar and she's bought the Rocks! disc again despite taking two of them back for not working. This one seems ok for now though so with we've now got all of them. -- Neil

; Typing : Take it in turns typing up a letter and deduct marks "according to the level of" accuracy?

Deduct marks for accuracy? How ironic -- Marc

Is that ok? -- Neil

I"ll b grate, woo hoo! - bAi

- ooh actually could we have an accurate punctuation test as well? We could combine it with spelling bee idea. I'll get Esty to set the questions.

; Tetris : The original GameBoy version, most lines in 10 minutes or something? - how about some sort of tournament involving head-to-head matches, as we did in A-levels?

I think we could do both types - a knock out tournament and most lines in x minutes -- Marc

We could collect points for each round with points for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.

Let's give everyone who participates points wherever possible. It'll encourage everyone to join in everything. -- Marc

Is this too anal to bother with? No. It'll be fun.

Matt's gonna win this one- I have an original gameboy with Tetris and Matt was obsessed with it for months! Thought I'd never get it back! --Elín

Tim and Lee are pretty good at tetris too though, it's a tough call. Hrmm... I wonder if we should take bets or have a sweepstake on the side? - Neil

Okay, I'll give you some odds - Tim and Lee 3/1
Matt 5/1
Marc and Neil 10/1
Elín 13/1 (haven't studied her form but could be a dark horse)
Tom and everyone else 15/1 (no idea about their Tetris credentials)
Abi 100/1 (I'm crap...)

Honest Abi's Bookies pays out in spirit shots so roll up roll up!

Matt's obsession with tetris was short-lived. Whereas Lee's was ongoing. But Matt can't be bothered to argue, so yes Matt's odds really are 5:1 - Go Matt Go!

== Scoring ==

As Marc suggested it'd be nice if everyone gets some points for each round so I propose that for each round you should get 1 point for coming last, 2 for coming 2nd to last and so on up to the number of competitors, but then you should get one extra bonus point for winning the round. If there are any ties then all people who finished at the same rank get the same number of points which is the higher score, (eg, if there are five competitors and two people place joint second then the winner gets 6 points and the two second place people get 4 points each). If anyone doesn't take part in a round then they get zero points but the other players still score as if everyone was taking part. So for example if there are 5 total competitors but only 4 take part in a particular round, with two people placing equal third then the scoring would be as follows:

{|
|-
| 1st place
| 6 points
|-
| 2nd place
| 4 points
|-
| 3rd place
| 3 points
|-
| other 3rd place
| 3 points
|-
| Non-partaker
| 0 points
|}

As an additional twist I think that each competitor should be allocated one joker card (like they do in pub quizzes). Any player can adopt to play their joker card for any round, although it can only be played once. After playing the card the competitor will get double points for that round, but the competitor must choose to play the card ''before'' the round commences. So for example if Abi thinks she will do particularily well in the SingStar round, she can use her joker card then and get twelve points instead of six.

'''Note''': Marc: I agree with most of this (and like the joker card idea), but I think it might be best for the winner to get 10 points and count down to 1. If few people participate in the event, it's not fair for the maximum amount of points scored to be less than they otherwise would be.

'''Reply''': Neil: I think that was what I was trying to describe, eg "but the other players still score as if everyone was taking part". So if there are 8 total competitors in the whole olympics and one doesn't take part in a particular round then the winner of that round will still get 9 points, 2nd place would get 7 and so on but the person who didn't take part would get zero instead of the free 1 point they could have gotten for just taking part and coming last. I guess it doesn't really make any difference if you count down from 10 instead of counting down from the number of competitors (unless there are more than 10 of course..) except that it would be slightly more of a punishment if you didn't take part because you would be down more than one point.

== Rough Event Ideas ==

* Typing
* Arm wrestling
* Pin the tail on the donkey
* Swerve (fun, four-player computer, high-paced game)
* Variety of runs
* Long jump (Long jump????????? - you what?)
* Tetris
* Spelin'
* IQ (or something like Raven's Matricies)- I must be very thick, what are raven matricies?
* Downing a pint - draught
* Not downing a pint and liking your ale in little sips test
* Dancing game
* Bop it
* Lung capacity
* General grammmar and punctuation test (with extra points for the vehemency of your convinctions)
* Pool competiton
* Taste test
* Curry taste test (if you can handle a vindaloo test)
* Count to 100 (one, two, miss a few, ninety-nine, a hundred)
* Middle C
* Specialist round (like on Mastermind)
* Pictionary
* Table tennis
* Table football
* Darts
* Spot the dots
* Sudoku
* Calculator speed relay
* The biscuit game
* Internet fact search
* Mallet's Mallet
* Name game
* Stop watch
* Banzai
* Guess the song
* Death Tank
* Skimming (boing boing boing - not with my phone)
* Staring
* Eating doughnuts (no licking lips)
* Eating crackers (no liquid allowed)
* Classing game, e.g. Street Firhget 2
* Lighting a fire
* Classic nerdy rock song lyric test
* The calcultor game
* ASAP
* Synonym game for rude body parts
* Super Mario Brothers on the Gameboy Color (remember that?)
* Scrabble! (so Abi can get some points..) - oi! I can get points! Maybe not in the biscuit game...
* Make a rocket like they did on Beauty and the Geek
* Complete the Red Dwarf quote
* Weight to height ratios (skinniest wins)
* Worst eyesight
* 'Success with the ladies' test
* Odd habits / phobias / general anti-social behaviour test
* Testo de povo kompreni esperantajn frazojn
* Geocaching time trial!
* The great "can you taste the difference between bottled water, tap water and filtered water?" test - wot like they did on BBC Breakfast News?
* Singstar
* The guitar game
*: ''What is the guitar game? Does that mean Tim is going to bring his guitar? Yay'' - Neil
*: ''The guitar game is on the PS2, it is so so so much fun! Like dance mat style, but with a guitar (Tim should bring his guitar anyway though)'' - Lee
*: ''Does the guitar game have real strings or is it just normal PS2 buttons in the shape of a guitar? Does Tim get extra points if he brings his guitar?'' - Tim
*: ''Is [http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000FGGSGE/026-9851399-7981242?v=glance&n=300703 this] the guitar game?'' - Neil
* Krypton Factor style game
* Monopoly/ Psionopoly

== Singstar song list ==

In case anybody wants to practice, here's the list of songs in Singstar.

{| border=1
! Artist !! Song !! Game
|-
|A-Ha
|Take On Me
|Singstar
|-
|Alice Cooper
|Poison
|80s
|-
|Alicia Keys
|Fallin'
|Party
|-
|Annie
|Heartbeat
|Pop
|-
|Ashford & Simpson
|Solid
|Party
|-
|Ashlee Simpson
|Pieces of Me
|Pop
|-
|Atomic Kitten
|Eternal Flame
|Singstar
|-
|Avril Lavigne
|Complicated
|Singstar
|-
|Avril Lavigne
|Sk8er Boi
|Pop
|-
|Belinda Carlisle
|Heaven Is A Place On Earth
|80s
|-
|Beyonce
|Crazy in Love
|Pop
|-
|Bill Withers
|Ain't No Sunshine
|Party
|-
|Billy Joel
|Uptown Girl
|80s
|-
|Black Eyed Peas
|Shut Up
|Pop
|-
|Blink-182
|What's My Age Again
|Pop
|-
|Bloc Party
|Banquet
|Rocks
|-
|Blondie
|Atomic
|80s
|-
|Blondie
|Heart of Glass
|Singstar
|-
|Blu Cantrell
|Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)
|Party
|-
|Blue
|One Love
|Singstar
|-
|Blur
|Song 2
|Rocks
|-
|Bob Marley
|No Woman No Cry
|Party
|-
|Bowling for Soup
|1985
|Rocks
|-
|Buggles
|Video Killed The Radio Star
|Party
|-
|Busted
|Crashed the Wedding
|Singstar
|-
|Busted
|Year 3000
|Party
|-
|Carl Douglas
|Kung Fu Fighting
|Singstar
|-
|Coldplay
|Speed of Sound
|Rocks
|-
|Culture Club
|Karma Chameleon
|80s
|-
|Cyndi Lauper
|Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
|Party
|-
|Dandy Warhols
|Bohemian Like You
|Pop
|-
|Daniel Bedingfield
|If You're Not the One
|Singstar
|-
|Deee-Lite
|Groove is in the Heart
|Singstar
|-
|Deep Purple
|Smoke On The Water
|Rocks
|-
|Destiny's Child
|Survivor
|Party
|-
|Dexy's Midnight Runners
|Come On Eileen
|80s
|-
|Dido
|Thank You
|Singstar
|-
|Dido
|White Flag
|Party
|-
|Dolly Parton
|Nine To Five
|80s
|-
|Duran Duran
|Hungry Like The Wolf
|Party
|-
|Duran Duran
|Rio
|80s
|-
|Elton John & Kiki Dee
|Don't Go Breaking My Heart
|Party
|-
|Elvis
|Suspicious Minds
|Singstar
|-
|Elvis
|Way Down
|Party
|-
|Erasure
|A Little Respect
|80s
|-
|Erik B. and Rakim
|Paid in Full
|Pop
|-
|Europe
|The Final Countdown
|80s
|-
|Fairground Attraction
|Perfect
|80s
|-
|Foreigner
|I Want To Know What Love Is
|80s
|-
|Fountains of Wayne
|Stacy's Mom
|Pop
|-
|Frankie Goes to Hollywood
|The Power of Love
|80s
|-
|Franz Ferdinand
|Do You Want To
|Rocks
|-
|Franz Ferdinand
|Take Me Out
|Party
|-
|George Michael
|Careless Whisper
|Singstar
|-
|George Michael
|Faith
|Party
|-
|Girls Aloud
|Love Machine
|Pop
|-
|Good Charlotte
|Girls and Boys
|Singstar
|-
|Good Charlotte
|I Just Wanna Live
|Pop
|-
|Gwen Stefani
|What You Waiting For?
|Rocks
|-
|Hard-Fi
|Hard To Beat
|Rocks
|-
|Hole
|Celebrity Skin
|Rocks
|-
|Hoobastank
|The Reason
|Pop
|-
|Jamelia
|Stop
|Pop
|-
|Jamelia
|Superstar
|Singstar
|-
|Jamiroquai
|Cosmic Girl
|Party
|-
|Javine
|Real Things
|Party
|-
|Jay Sean
|Eyes on You
|Pop
|-
|Jet
|Are You Gonna Be My Girl?
|Rocks
|-
|Joss Stone
|Super Duper Love (Are You Digging On Me?)
|Pop
|-
|Kasabian
|Club Foot
|Rocks
|-
|Kate Bush
|Running Up That Hill
|80s
|-
|Katrina And The Waves
|Walking on Sunshine
|80s
|-
|Keane
|Everybody's Changing
|Rocks
|-
|Keane
|Somewhere Only We Know
|Pop
|-
|Kings of Leon
|The Bucket
|Rocks
|-
|KT Tunstall
|Black Horse and the Cherry Tree
|Rocks
|-
|Kylie Minogue
|I Should Be So Lucky
|Party
|-
|Kylie Minogue
|In Your Eyes
|Pop
|-
|Lemar
|50:50
|Singstar
|-
|Liberty X
|Just A Little
|Singstar
|-
|Little Richard
|Tutti Frutti
|Party
|-
|Madness
|Our House
|80s
|-
|Madonna
|Like a Virgin
|Singstar
|-
|Madonna
|Material Girl
|80s
|-
|Manfred Mann
|Do Wah Diddy Diddy
|Pop
|-
|Marillion
|Kayleigh
|80s
|-
|Marilyn Manson
|Personal Jesus
|Pop
|-
|Maroon5
|This Love
|Party
|-
|Maximo Park
|Apply Some Pressure
|Rocks
|-
|McFly
|Obviously
|Pop
|-
|Mis-Teeq
|Scandalous
|Singstar
|-
|Motörhead
|Ace of Spades
|Singstar
|-
|Natasha Bedingfield
|Single
|Party
|-
|Natasha Bedingfield
|These Words
|Pop
|-
|Nena
|99 Red Balloons
|80s
|-
|Nirvana
|Come as You Are
|Rocks
|-
|Outkast
|Roses
|Pop
|-
|Petula Clark
|Downtown
|Singstar
|-
|Pink
|Get The Party Started
|Singstar
|-
|Pink
|Just Like A Pill
|Party
|-
|Queen
|Don't Stop Me Now
|Rocks
|-
|Queens Of The Stone Age
|Go With The Flow
|Rocks
|-
|Razorlight
|Somewhere Else
|Rocks
|-
|Rick Astley
|Never Gonna Give You Up
|Singstar
|-
|Ricky Martin
|Livin' La Vida Loca
|Singstar
|-
|Robbie Williams
|Let Me Entertain You
|Pop
|-
|Robbie Williams & Kylie Minogue
|Kids
|Pop
|-
|Ronan Keating & Yusuf Islam
|Father and Son
|Pop
|-
|Roy Orbison
|Pretty Woman
|Singstar
|-
|Run DMC
|It's Tricky
|80s
|-
|S Club
|Don't Stop Movin'
|Singstar
|-
|Scissor Sisters
|Take Your Mama
|Party
|-
|Simple Minds
|Don't You (Forget About Me)
|80s
|-
|Sister Sledge
|We Are Family
|Pop
|-
|Snow Patrol
|Run
|Rocks
|-
|Soft Cell
|Tainted Love
|80s
|-
|Sonny & Cher
|I Got You Babe
|Party
|-
|Sophie Ellis-Bextor
|Murder on the Dancefloor
|Singstar
|-
|Spandau Ballet
|Gold
|Party
|-
|Spice Girls
|Who Do You Think You Are
|Party
|-
|Starship
|We Built This City
|80s
|-
|Steppenwolf
|Born to be Wild
|Pop
|-
|Stereophonics
|Dakota
|Rocks
|-
|Sugababes
|Round Round
|Singstar
|-
|Survivor
|Eye Of The Tiger
|80s
|-
|Tears For Fears
|Everybody Wants To Rule The World
|80s
|-
|The Beautiful South
|A Little Time
|Party
|-
|The Bravery
|An Honest Mistake
|Rocks
|-
|The Cardigans
|My Favorite Game
|Rocks
|-
|The Clash
|Should I Stay or Should I Go?
|Pop
|-
|The Cure
|Just Like Heaven
|80s
|-
|The Darkness
|I Believe in a Thing Called Love
|Singstar
|-
|The Foundations
|Build Me Up Buttercup
|Party
|-
|The Hives
|Hate To Say I Told You So
|Rocks
|-
|The Hives
|Main Offender
|Pop
|-
|The Killers
|Somebody Told Me
|Rocks
|-
|The Offspring
|Self-Esteem
|Rocks
|-
|The Police
|Every Breath You Take
|Party
|-
|The Pretenders
|Brass In Pocket
|80s
|-
|The Rolling Stones
|Paint It Black
|Rocks
|-
|The Scorpions
|Wind of Change
|Rocks
|-
|The Undertones
|Teenage Kicks
|Rocks
|-
|Thin Lizzy
|The Boys Are Back In Town
|Rocks
|-
|Tiffany
|I Think We're Alone Now
|Party
|-
|Tina Turner
|Simply The Best
|80s
|-
|Tom Jones
|It's Not Unusual
|Pop
|-
|Vanilla Ice
|Ice Ice Baby
|80s
|-
|Village People
|YMCA
|Singstar
|-
|Westlife
|World of Our Own
|Singstar
|-
|Wham!
|Wake Me Up Before You Go Go
|80s
|}

Nerd Olympics

2006-07-18T11:47:10Z

213.249.136.51: /* Round 1 */

== Nerd Olympic Board ==

As many of you will know, we have decided to form an executive committee to decide the nature, content and venue of the Nerd Olympics, known as the Nerd Olympic Board, or NOB for short.

What we haven't discussed yet is a leader and forgive me if I am speaking out of turn, but I would like to nominate Marc as the head of this board. Would other nerd members please indicate if you think Marc is a NOB-head as well.

<center>
{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
! Marc should be the NOB-head !! Marc should not be the NOB-head
|-
| Marc ||
|-
| Abi ||
|-
| Neil (Marc is a natural) ||
|-
|Lee||
|-
|}
</center>

== Venue ==

Is any-one interested in having round 1 of the nerd olympics this weekend? At our flat (Neil & Abi)? It'd just be a good excuse to play SingStar. Abi's working on Saturday but people could come round Saturday evening and have some events on Sunday morning? I'll have to hunt out a good pool pub. We could formulate a final list of events for round 1 in the meantime via the Wiki.

'''Note''': Tim can't make this weekend, and doubtless other people won't be able to too, so we'd have to think of another date. Any ideas?

'''Note''': Lee also can't make this weekend as she is moving house!!!!! Her room is now a moving mess, but it is all very exciting.

Next weekend is proms in the park

Maybe the weekend after that (22nd & 23rd) or in six weekends time?

22nd & 23rd is good for me - ''Neil''

'''Note''': Please don't have it without Lee. She really wants to play too...

'''Note''': Can I play? - ''Elín''

Yeah, of course! - Neil

'''Note''': ^_^ - ''Elín''

Elín will have to get bonus nerd points before even starting the competition for going through all the effort of typing that funny unicode character in her name everytime! - Neil

== Round 1 ==

; Specialist round : We could have a short quiz where everybody answers questions on somebody else's special chosen subject. We could agree the subjects beforehand to prevent people from picking stupid topics. We'd have to think of someway to stop people picking impossible to answer questions that nobody would ever know though.

; Pool : Standard knock-out tournament, à la the world cup? I think the hotel across the road has pool but I'd have to investigate prices.

; Death-tank : Simple - depending on number of players, everyone can just play at once

Neil, do you have Death Tank available at your house? How many players max? -- Marc

Yup, despite Abi's protesting my Saturn is still cluttering up the flat. I've got six controllers but I think it can do it up to 7 if anyone knows a place to get cheap Saturn controllers. Ooh, actually there's one on [http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SEGA-SATURN-OFFICIAL-CONTROLE-PAD-CONTROLLER-UK-PAL_W0QQitemZ110006400435QQihZ001QQcategoryZ3654QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem ebay] -- Neil

; Singstar : Some kind of complicated system where you have home and away matches so that you get to choose the song on home matches or something

BTW - Abi is obsessed with SingStar and she's bought the Rocks! disc again despite taking two of them back for not working. This one seems ok for now though so with we've now got all of them. -- Neil

; Typing : Take it in turns typing up a letter and deduct marks "according to the level of" accuracy?

Deduct marks for accuracy? How ironic -- Marc

Is that ok? -- Neil

I"ll b grate, woo hoo! - bAi

- ooh actually could we have an accurate punctuation test as well? We could combine it with spelling bee idea. I'll get Esty to set the questions.

; Tetris : The original GameBoy version, most lines in 10 minutes or something? - how about some sort of tournament involving head-to-head matches, as we did in A-levels?

I think we could do both types - a knock out tournament and most lines in x minutes -- Marc

We could collect points for each round with points for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.

Let's give everyone who participates points wherever possible. It'll encourage everyone to join in everything. -- Marc

Is this too anal to bother with? No. It'll be fun.

Matt's gonna win this one- I have an original gameboy with Tetris and Matt was obsessed with it for months! Thought I'd never get it back! --Elín

Tim and Lee are pretty good at tetris too though, it's a tough call. Hrmm... I wonder if we should take bets or have a sweepstake on the side? - Neil

Okay, I'll give you some odds - Tim and Lee 3/1
Matt 5/1
Marc and Neil 10/1
Elín 13/1 (haven't studied her form but could be a dark horse)
Tom and everyone else 15/1 (no idea about their Tetris credentials)
Abi 100/1 (I'm crap...)

Honest Abi's Bookies pays out in spirit shots so roll up roll up!

Matt's obsession with tetris was short-lived. Whereas Lee's was ongoing. But Matt can't be bothered to argue, so yes Matt's odds really are 5:1 - Go Matt Go!

== Rough Event Ideas ==

* Typing
* Arm wrestling
* Pin the tail on the donkey
* Swerve (fun, four-player computer, high-paced game)
* Variety of runs
* Long jump (Long jump????????? - you what?)
* Tetris
* Spelin'
* IQ (or something like Raven's Matricies)- I must be very thick, what are raven matricies?
* Downing a pint - draught
* Not downing a pint and liking your ale in little sips test
* Dancing game
* Bop it
* Lung capacity
* General grammmar and punctuation test (with extra points for the vehemency of your convinctions)
* Pool competiton
* Taste test
* Curry taste test (if you can handle a vindaloo test)
* Count to 100 (one, two, miss a few, ninety-nine, a hundred)
* Middle C
* Specialist round (like on Mastermind)
* Pictionary
* Table tennis
* Table football
* Darts
* Spot the dots
* Sudoku
* Calculator speed relay
* The biscuit game
* Internet fact search
* Mallet's Mallet
* Name game
* Stop watch
* Banzai
* Guess the song
* Death Tank
* Skimming (boing boing boing - not with my phone)
* Staring
* Eating doughnuts (no licking lips)
* Eating crackers (no liquid allowed)
* Classing game, e.g. Street Firhget 2
* Lighting a fire
* Classic nerdy rock song lyric test
* The calcultor game
* ASAP
* Synonym game for rude body parts
* Super Mario Brothers on the Gameboy Color (remember that?)
* Scrabble! (so Abi can get some points..) - oi! I can get points! Maybe not in the biscuit game...
* Make a rocket like they did on Beauty and the Geek
* Complete the Red Dwarf quote
* Weight to height ratios (skinniest wins)
* Worst eyesight
* 'Success with the ladies' test
* Odd habits / phobias / general anti-social behaviour test
* Testo de povo kompreni esperantajn frazojn
* Geocaching time trial!
* The great "can you taste the difference between bottled water, tap water and filtered water?" test - wot like they did on BBC Breakfast News?
* Singstar
* The guitar game
*: ''What is the guitar game? Does that mean Tim is going to bring his guitar? Yay'' - Neil
*: ''The guitar game is on the PS2, it is so so so much fun! Like dance mat style, but with a guitar (Tim should bring his guitar anyway though)'' - Lee
* Krypton Factor style game

== Singstar song list ==

In case anybody wants to practice, here's the list of songs in Singstar.

{| border=1
! Artist !! Song !! Game
|-
|A-Ha
|Take On Me
|Singstar
|-
|Alice Cooper
|Poison
|80s
|-
|Alicia Keys
|Fallin'
|Party
|-
|Annie
|Heartbeat
|Pop
|-
|Ashford & Simpson
|Solid
|Party
|-
|Ashlee Simpson
|Pieces of Me
|Pop
|-
|Atomic Kitten
|Eternal Flame
|Singstar
|-
|Avril Lavigne
|Complicated
|Singstar
|-
|Avril Lavigne
|Sk8er Boi
|Pop
|-
|Belinda Carlisle
|Heaven Is A Place On Earth
|80s
|-
|Beyonce
|Crazy in Love
|Pop
|-
|Bill Withers
|Ain't No Sunshine
|Party
|-
|Billy Joel
|Uptown Girl
|80s
|-
|Black Eyed Peas
|Shut Up
|Pop
|-
|Blink-182
|What's My Age Again
|Pop
|-
|Bloc Party
|Banquet
|Rocks
|-
|Blondie
|Atomic
|80s
|-
|Blondie
|Heart of Glass
|Singstar
|-
|Blu Cantrell
|Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)
|Party
|-
|Blue
|One Love
|Singstar
|-
|Blur
|Song 2
|Rocks
|-
|Bob Marley
|No Woman No Cry
|Party
|-
|Bowling for Soup
|1985
|Rocks
|-
|Buggles
|Video Killed The Radio Star
|Party
|-
|Busted
|Crashed the Wedding
|Singstar
|-
|Busted
|Year 3000
|Party
|-
|Carl Douglas
|Kung Fu Fighting
|Singstar
|-
|Coldplay
|Speed of Sound
|Rocks
|-
|Culture Club
|Karma Chameleon
|80s
|-
|Cyndi Lauper
|Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
|Party
|-
|Dandy Warhols
|Bohemian Like You
|Pop
|-
|Daniel Bedingfield
|If You're Not the One
|Singstar
|-
|Deee-Lite
|Groove is in the Heart
|Singstar
|-
|Deep Purple
|Smoke On The Water
|Rocks
|-
|Destiny's Child
|Survivor
|Party
|-
|Dexy's Midnight Runners
|Come On Eileen
|80s
|-
|Dido
|Thank You
|Singstar
|-
|Dido
|White Flag
|Party
|-
|Dolly Parton
|Nine To Five
|80s
|-
|Duran Duran
|Hungry Like The Wolf
|Party
|-
|Duran Duran
|Rio
|80s
|-
|Elton John & Kiki Dee
|Don't Go Breaking My Heart
|Party
|-
|Elvis
|Suspicious Minds
|Singstar
|-
|Elvis
|Way Down
|Party
|-
|Erasure
|A Little Respect
|80s
|-
|Erik B. and Rakim
|Paid in Full
|Pop
|-
|Europe
|The Final Countdown
|80s
|-
|Fairground Attraction
|Perfect
|80s
|-
|Foreigner
|I Want To Know What Love Is
|80s
|-
|Fountains of Wayne
|Stacy's Mom
|Pop
|-
|Frankie Goes to Hollywood
|The Power of Love
|80s
|-
|Franz Ferdinand
|Do You Want To
|Rocks
|-
|Franz Ferdinand
|Take Me Out
|Party
|-
|George Michael
|Careless Whisper
|Singstar
|-
|George Michael
|Faith
|Party
|-
|Girls Aloud
|Love Machine
|Pop
|-
|Good Charlotte
|Girls and Boys
|Singstar
|-
|Good Charlotte
|I Just Wanna Live
|Pop
|-
|Gwen Stefani
|What You Waiting For?
|Rocks
|-
|Hard-Fi
|Hard To Beat
|Rocks
|-
|Hole
|Celebrity Skin
|Rocks
|-
|Hoobastank
|The Reason
|Pop
|-
|Jamelia
|Stop
|Pop
|-
|Jamelia
|Superstar
|Singstar
|-
|Jamiroquai
|Cosmic Girl
|Party
|-
|Javine
|Real Things
|Party
|-
|Jay Sean
|Eyes on You
|Pop
|-
|Jet
|Are You Gonna Be My Girl?
|Rocks
|-
|Joss Stone
|Super Duper Love (Are You Digging On Me?)
|Pop
|-
|Kasabian
|Club Foot
|Rocks
|-
|Kate Bush
|Running Up That Hill
|80s
|-
|Katrina And The Waves
|Walking on Sunshine
|80s
|-
|Keane
|Everybody's Changing
|Rocks
|-
|Keane
|Somewhere Only We Know
|Pop
|-
|Kings of Leon
|The Bucket
|Rocks
|-
|KT Tunstall
|Black Horse and the Cherry Tree
|Rocks
|-
|Kylie Minogue
|I Should Be So Lucky
|Party
|-
|Kylie Minogue
|In Your Eyes
|Pop
|-
|Lemar
|50:50
|Singstar
|-
|Liberty X
|Just A Little
|Singstar
|-
|Little Richard
|Tutti Frutti
|Party
|-
|Madness
|Our House
|80s
|-
|Madonna
|Like a Virgin
|Singstar
|-
|Madonna
|Material Girl
|80s
|-
|Manfred Mann
|Do Wah Diddy Diddy
|Pop
|-
|Marillion
|Kayleigh
|80s
|-
|Marilyn Manson
|Personal Jesus
|Pop
|-
|Maroon5
|This Love
|Party
|-
|Maximo Park
|Apply Some Pressure
|Rocks
|-
|McFly
|Obviously
|Pop
|-
|Mis-Teeq
|Scandalous
|Singstar
|-
|Motörhead
|Ace of Spades
|Singstar
|-
|Natasha Bedingfield
|Single
|Party
|-
|Natasha Bedingfield
|These Words
|Pop
|-
|Nena
|99 Red Balloons
|80s
|-
|Nirvana
|Come as You Are
|Rocks
|-
|Outkast
|Roses
|Pop
|-
|Petula Clark
|Downtown
|Singstar
|-
|Pink
|Get The Party Started
|Singstar
|-
|Pink
|Just Like A Pill
|Party
|-
|Queen
|Don't Stop Me Now
|Rocks
|-
|Queens Of The Stone Age
|Go With The Flow
|Rocks
|-
|Razorlight
|Somewhere Else
|Rocks
|-
|Rick Astley
|Never Gonna Give You Up
|Singstar
|-
|Ricky Martin
|Livin' La Vida Loca
|Singstar
|-
|Robbie Williams
|Let Me Entertain You
|Pop
|-
|Robbie Williams & Kylie Minogue
|Kids
|Pop
|-
|Ronan Keating & Yusuf Islam
|Father and Son
|Pop
|-
|Roy Orbison
|Pretty Woman
|Singstar
|-
|Run DMC
|It's Tricky
|80s
|-
|S Club
|Don't Stop Movin'
|Singstar
|-
|Scissor Sisters
|Take Your Mama
|Party
|-
|Simple Minds
|Don't You (Forget About Me)
|80s
|-
|Sister Sledge
|We Are Family
|Pop
|-
|Snow Patrol
|Run
|Rocks
|-
|Soft Cell
|Tainted Love
|80s
|-
|Sonny & Cher
|I Got You Babe
|Party
|-
|Sophie Ellis-Bextor
|Murder on the Dancefloor
|Singstar
|-
|Spandau Ballet
|Gold
|Party
|-
|Spice Girls
|Who Do You Think You Are
|Party
|-
|Starship
|We Built This City
|80s
|-
|Steppenwolf
|Born to be Wild
|Pop
|-
|Stereophonics
|Dakota
|Rocks
|-
|Sugababes
|Round Round
|Singstar
|-
|Survivor
|Eye Of The Tiger
|80s
|-
|Tears For Fears
|Everybody Wants To Rule The World
|80s
|-
|The Beautiful South
|A Little Time
|Party
|-
|The Bravery
|An Honest Mistake
|Rocks
|-
|The Cardigans
|My Favorite Game
|Rocks
|-
|The Clash
|Should I Stay or Should I Go?
|Pop
|-
|The Cure
|Just Like Heaven
|80s
|-
|The Darkness
|I Believe in a Thing Called Love
|Singstar
|-
|The Foundations
|Build Me Up Buttercup
|Party
|-
|The Hives
|Hate To Say I Told You So
|Rocks
|-
|The Hives
|Main Offender
|Pop
|-
|The Killers
|Somebody Told Me
|Rocks
|-
|The Offspring
|Self-Esteem
|Rocks
|-
|The Police
|Every Breath You Take
|Party
|-
|The Pretenders
|Brass In Pocket
|80s
|-
|The Rolling Stones
|Paint It Black
|Rocks
|-
|The Scorpions
|Wind of Change
|Rocks
|-
|The Undertones
|Teenage Kicks
|Rocks
|-
|Thin Lizzy
|The Boys Are Back In Town
|Rocks
|-
|Tiffany
|I Think We're Alone Now
|Party
|-
|Tina Turner
|Simply The Best
|80s
|-
|Tom Jones
|It's Not Unusual
|Pop
|-
|Vanilla Ice
|Ice Ice Baby
|80s
|-
|Village People
|YMCA
|Singstar
|-
|Westlife
|World of Our Own
|Singstar
|-
|Wham!
|Wake Me Up Before You Go Go
|80s
|}

Cuba

2006-06-05T11:53:27Z

213.249.136.51:

<table border=1 align="right">
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> Cuba
<tr>
<td align="center">
 [[Image:CubaFlag_40_per_cent.jpg]] 
Flag
<td align="center">
[[Image:Cuba_coa_smaller.png]] 
Coat of Arms



<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> Motto: Spanish: Patria y Libertad 
(English: "Homeland and Freedom")
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> Anthem: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Bayamesa La Bayamesa] (The Bayamo Song)
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> [[Image:LocationCuba.png]]

<tr>
<td> Capital <td>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana Havana] 
23°8′N 82°23′W
<tr>
<td>Largest City <td>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana Havana]
<tr>
<td>Official Language <td>Spanish
<tr>
<td>Government: 
President of the 
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_of_State_of_Cuba Council of State of Cuba:]
<td>Republic 
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fidel_Castro Fidel Castro]
<tr>
<td>Independence 
- Declared from Spain 
- Cuban Republic declared 
- Date recognised in Cuba
<td>
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Years%27_War Ten Years' War] 
October 10, 1868 
May 20, 1902 
January 1, 1959
<tr>
<td>Area - Total - Water (%)
<td>110,860 km² ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_outlying_territories_by_area 104th]) 
42,803 sq mi 
negligible
<tr>
<td>Population 
- 2005 est. 
- 2002 census 
- Density
<td> 11,345,670 ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population 70th]) 
11,177,743 
102/km² ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population_density 73rd]) 
264/sq mi 

<tr>
<td>GDP 
- Total 
- Per Capita
<td> 2004 estimate 
$33.9 billion ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29 89th]) 
$3,000 ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29_per_capita 126th])
<tr>
<td>Human Development Index 
<td> 0.817 ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_Human_Development_Index 52nd]) - high
<tr>
<td>Currency 
<td>Peso 
Convertible peso (see ~1~)
<tr>
<td>Time Zone 
- Summer (DST)
<td>EST 
(Starts April 1, end date varies)
<tr>
<td>Internet TLD
<td> .cu
<tr>
<td>Calling Code
<td> +53
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> ~1~ 1993–2004, the U.S. dollar was used in addition to the peso until the dollar was replaced by the convertible peso.
</table>

==Cuba==

 

====Overview====

Known as the "Pearl of the Antilles", Cuba offers picturesque colonial towns, an Afro-Cuban culture, almost 300 unblemished beaches, great countryside, potent rum and excellent beer. Cuba is great for scuba diving, yachting, fishing, hiking, horseback riding and golf. Cuba has been described as a "fascinating smorgasbord [[http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=define%3A+smorgasbord&meta= (eh?)]] of nonstop discovery and experience".
 

====Timing====
November is the start of the dry season in cuba. Temperatures are normally around 27 Celsius. We will also miss the peak tourist season (mid Dec. to mid-March, & all of July & August). 

====About Cuba====

Cuba is the largest Caribbean island [16th largest island in the world :-) ]. In fact, it is bigger than all 3700 other Caribbean islands put together! Of its 11m inhabitants, 60% are of Spanish descent; there are also substantial African and mixed-race minorities. Spain colonised Cuba in 1512 and decimated its indigenous population of Arawak Indians. In 1898 the US occupied the country, but relations soured in 1959 when the charismatic Fidel Castro came to power. The ban on US tourism has its advantages: apart from the coastal resort of Varadero the island remains non-commercial, and the people genuinely friendly. Well known for its musical culture, the rumba, mambo, cha cha cha, son and salsa all originated in Cuba. The Capital, Havana, founded on its present site in 1519, is one of the oldest cities in the Americas. 
 

[[Image:Cubamap.gif]]

====Things to do, when in Cuba====

- smoke Cuban cigars

- take a ride in a Vintage american car

- stay in a 'casa particular' - a common phenomenon in Cuba - for locals to rent out a room or 2 of their houses for tourists, this is the best way to gain an insight into the country

- drink 'Mojitos' - 'just the ticket after a hard day on the beach, Cuba's quintessential cocktail, a refreshing concoction of rum, limes & mint'

==Havana==

The capital, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana Havana], with its colonial architecture and ostentatious 50s and 60s cars, is the biggest Caribbean city (pop. approx. 2.2 million) and the hub of Cuban nightlife.

We will spend a good 2 or 3 days in Havana.

Havana has four main areas: La Habana Vieja (Old Havana), a World Heritage Site; and La Habana Moderna (Modern Havana), no less attractive and full of life and visitors, Miramar, and Vedado.

====Old Havana====

"Old Havana has so much charm that only by visiting it can one capture fully the contrasts, sounds and colors that coexist there."
[[Image:delmorro.jpg|left|The Castillo Del Morro]]
Old Havana has all the appearance of a Spanish colonial city. Havana is ideally situated for trade and communications, and many of the defences built to protect it from pirates and corsairs still exist, which is why it is impossible to walk in Old Havana without encountering impressive fortresses like the Castillo de la Real Fuerza, the Castillo de San Salvador de la Punta, La Cabaña, and the most unique of them all, '''El Morro (Morro Castle)''', located at the entrance to the Bay. From here each night the lighthouse guides ships passing by Havana, and by day visitors come to admire the stunning views the capital has to offer.
[[Image:Viejaplaza.jpg|right|The Vieja Plaza]]

Old Havana also has spacious and beautiful cobbled plazas (squares) such as la Plaza de San Francisco de Asís, la Plaza de Armas, la Plaza Vieja and la Plaza de La Catedral (Cathedral Square), the latter a popular choice for photos and post cards of Cuba. Here you can try out some Cuban cocktails in an open air restaurant, while enjoying the view of the surrounding buildings and the sound of Cuban music in the air.

Havana has numerous museums: the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales (Palace of the Spanish Governors) which houses the Museum of the City of Havana, the Gabinete Arqueológico (Archaeological Bureau) and the Museo del Chocolate (hmm!!)

In nearby Morro Castle there is a permanent exhibition of the fort's construction process. Also located on that side of the Bay on a hillside is the giant statue of Christ of Casablanca, which is lit nightly.

'''La Guarida restaurant''' - where the excellent food is matched by Baroque surroundings, in the location where the film Strawberry and Chocolate was filmed. Note- La Guarida is a Paledar. Paledars are privately run small restaurants in homes. The operators pay a fee to the government for the right to have up to eight tables. The food is often better than the boring, bland food offered at most official restaurants, and the prices are much better. Service, however, is frequently painfully slow, and menu items at many paledars are limited.

====Modern Havana====
[[Image:cemetary.jpg|left|Christopher Columbus Cemetary]]
There is the state-subsidised '''Coppelia ice-cream parlour''' (you have to pay in pesos) where a dollar gets you 22 scoops. Apparently not bad ice cream.

There are several night clubs that offer music programs, among them El Gato Tuerto (The One-Eyed Cat), the Jazz Café, the Cocodrilo (The Crocodile), the Habana Café and Dos Gardenias (Two Gardenias).
[[Image:Malecon.jpg|right|The Malecón]]
'''Necrópolis de Colón (Columbus Graveyard)''' - Besides its tranquility there are some amazing stories there. There is a tomb shaped like a domino piece, one surrounded by women who wanted to get pregnant, a pyramid tomb built for the professor of the school of architecture...lots of interesting things to see.

It's along '''the Malecón''' that Havana's architecture really shines. From what I can gather, the Maelcón is a promenade much cherished by the people of Havana.

====Miramar and Vedado====

'''Fabrica de Tobaco Partagas''' -[[Image:bacardi.jpg|right|Edificio Bacardi]] A famous Havana cigar factory, offers a fascinating insight into the skills behind cigar making and lays bare some idiosyncratic Cuban working practices. Pricy, but good, apparently "more interesting and less touristy than expected".

'''The Edificio Bacardi''' - A slice of dazzling art deco architecture, the former pre-revolution headquarters of Bacardí, the famous rum company, it is a fitting place for to enjoy a Cubre libre.

'''Maqueta de la Habana (Miniature Havana)''' - The realistic scale model of Havana takes up almost 88 sq. m (946 sq. ft.). You can walk around it on the ground level, or climb a narrow interior balcony that rings three walls. This is not to be confused with a similar (and much smaller) scale model of Old Havana, found in Old Havana, of course.

==Varadero==

[[image:varadero.jpg]]

There are lots of exiting tours and things to see in Varadero. Josone Park, in the center of Varadero, is a nature area with restaurants and cultural events which can be toured by horse and carriage from resort hotels.

It's more than 20 km of excellent beaches, a broad strip of fine, white sand along the shoreline, and a continental shelf that softly sinks into a warm, crystal-clear sea of the most varied of blues. These are the chief tourist attractions of Varadero, a tourist city that is presently well-positioned in the International circuits.

These natural wonders are enriched and complemented by the existence of numerous caves, cliffs, and lagoons. Varadero also has pristine, easy to reach keys and other interesting natural surroundings on the peninsula's easternmost tip, in addition to a set of cultural, historical, and environmental sites provided by the nearby cities of Matanzas and Cardenas and the Zapata Swamp Biosphere Reserve.

You won't find legal Casas Particular in the area of Varadero, it's not alowed by the government for a Cuban to start a Casa in this area. Although there are some "Red Triangle" casas, those casas are only for Cubans, tourists are not allowed to stay in these casas particulares...

Of course you can do stubborn and search out for yourself an illegal Casa Particular, and you will find them, remember that you risk getting thrown out on the streets at night by the police.

Tours in Varadero run from the three Information centres which run more or less the same excursions for similar prices, and I based the itinerary activities on these common excursions, and all-day tours include lunch, usually. One of these trips goes to the Cuevas de Bellamar.

Bellamar Cave, located at the exit of Matanzas city, is considered to be one of the wonders
of Cuban geography. Famous for its karstic crystals, stalactites and stalagmites.
Explored area of the cave is 3 km long, while its deepest part descends to 48 meters.

==Trinidad==

Trinidad is a relic of the early days of the Spanish colony. Trinidad Colonial past, unique architecture and magnificent location, between the mountains and Mexican Gulf, inspire tourist interest from around the world.
Trinidad has five main squares and four churches date from the 18th and 19th centuries the whole city, cobbled streets and tiled roofs, is a national monument and since 1988 a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

[[image:trinidad.jpg]]

==Other potential places to visit==

Maria La Gorda - approx. 5 hrs drive from Havana - this seems to be the best place in Cuba for scuba diving. And also, you don't have to know how to scuba dive already!

Caves that can be explored:

Cueva del Cable, Cueva del Simón, de Paredones, del Indio, de los Tomates, de Quintanal, Astón, de Cagagüanes, de Palmarito, de Bitirí, Revuelta de los Chinos, de la Patana, Solapos de Jaruco and Caleta del Rosario

==Transport in Cuba==

There are two types of buses that run throughout Cuba, the dirt-cheap ones that are falling apart and stop at every roof they pass; and the more direct, fast and comfortable coaches with air con that cost in dollars but still not that much (eg. $60 for the whole length of the island). The fast ones sometimes leave from a different bus station, so look out for that.

"if you do take a cab, try to take one of the government ones. I can't remember what the visual difference is, but it's worth finding out - the price is a tenth of a private hire cab."

It's apparently relatively easy to catch a ride with a friendly local car-owner willing to act as a 'taxi'.

- prandial

==Tourist Tips==

Restaurants are reportedly relatively non-existent, because the economy won't support them. If you make sure to interact, it's seems that it's not hard to find a local who'll invite or direct you to a local house where they'll be willing to cook you a meal, for a small renumeration.

Eat from street vendors.

"A cheese sandwich is a cheese sandwich and the only time my friend and I got food poisoning was when we went to a dollar restaurant instead of a peso one." -prandial

Don't dismiss the slogans that adorn billboards, storefronts and walls in Cuba as revolutionary propaganda. Many of the quotes belong to Jose Marti, and read in proper context, they're beautiful evocations of freedom and morality. Marti is one of Cuba's national heroes (he helped the country achieve independence from Spain) and is also acknowledged as one of the Caribbean's first modern poets.

Do take in the view of Havana from the rooftop bar (and swimming pool) of the 17-story Capri Hotel. Little seems to have changed there since its days as a Mafia hangout, and the view is fantastic.

Don't be shocked to hear locals get the attention of restaurant waiters or friends on the street by pursing their lips and making an animated sucking or kissing sound.

Try to get a ride in a cadillac. But they'll probably throw you out as they aren't licensed cabs.

Eating in Paladares can be fun, if you find a good one it's excellent. But it's a risk and a tricky one without speaking any Spanish.

==Tourist Traps==

A lot of the Cuban cigars sold even in Cuba are fake or inferior.

You will be hassled a lot on the streets, low grade begging, nothing dangerous.

You'll find it near impossible not to be fleeced if you don't speak any Spanish (and pretty hard not to be even if you do) - most people who speak English are those who've learnt it to work with tourists.

If you hook up with some locals, they may suggest going with you to a place that's really touristy, saying they like it. In fact it's because you'll be paying their cover charge and they'll collect their cut later. If somebody tells you to go to "Cabaret Tropicana", bear in mind that this place is expensive and you'll see a typical cabaret full of people trying to get money from you.

In Old Habana, you'll have to dodge a lot of peddlers hawking "Cohibas" , cigars, and 'herbal aphrodysiacs' and whatnot, but they aren't that pushy if you politely don't show interest. Just remember to NEVER EVER buy from these people. If these people are caught by the police selling to you they could get in serious trouble and you possibly as well. If you buy cigars make sure they have the government seal on the side of the box.

La Guarida don't bribe the taxi drivers- so if any of them tell you the restaurant is closed or has been closed for a while- don't believe them. Persist, and they will take you there.

The official money of Cuba is now the Cuban Convertible Peso, or CUC. They're called "chavitos." It's best to use the official money exchange venues as counterfeiting and theft is not unknown.
They're another type of money in circulation called "moneda nacional." If you do not have Cuban friends it's unlikely a tourist would have occasion to use the non-convertible peso, which is valued at about 20-1 to the CUC. A common scam is paying in chavitos and getting nacional in return.

Another common scam is to take a one CUC bank note and add a zero behind the one to make it look like a 10 CUC bank note. The scammer then looks for a tourist to help him (or her) to make change and the tourist gets stuck with the doctored note. ALWAYS make sure that any 10 CUC notes also say Diez on them and not UNO!!!

Old Habana is the bag-snatching capital of Cuba- so BE WARNED.

"Don't be shocked if you're approached by a prostitute (jinetera) in Havana—though this almost exclusively happens to male travelers."

Oh dear. For many years, Cuba was seen as a sexual playground for foreign men, and the expectation still lingers, especially in nightclubs.

Don't confuse 'hotel' with 'motel,' 'inn' or 'posada.' The latter three rent by the hour.

==Suggested Itinerary==

This is just Elín's suggested itinerary, based on what I know of the best places to go and the most interesting things to do in Havana. It sounds good to ME, I hope you think it sounds interesting as well.

====Day One====

The start time of this day being unknown, I will assume it to be in between 2-4pm. This should give you time to get to Cuba, get to your hotel and settle in. However, should you find yourself with time on your hands in the morning, arriving early, you should check out the very good but naturally very secluded and isolated spot of the '''Necropolis de Colon''', first and foremost. If you STILL have excess time, check out the '''Universidad de Habana''' and the student hero Julio Antonio Mella. If you get there REALLY early or my timing is really off and you end up with loads of spare time on your hands you can make a REALLY out of the way trip to Miniature Havana all the way over in Miramar, though I think it's unlikely.

2-4pm: We will start by going over the bridge to the '''Parque Historico Morro y Cabana''', and explore the two forts and various museums at this complex. Have dinner at one of the restaurants here and be sure to catch the '''Canonaza ceremony''' (ceremony of the cannon) at the '''Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro''' at 9pm, before heading back to your hotel for a good night's sleep.

====Day Two====

Make sure to book ahead for a reservation at La Guarida! It's very popular.

8-8.30am: Though it's unlikely you'll be staying here, if it's breakfast you want, head to Le Veranda at the quite famous '''Hotel Nacional''', who do an English breakfast, American, continental and cereal breakfast to meet all breakfasting needs. After that, within the Hotel Nacional, you can visit the '''Tagonana cave''', for FREE! A couple of blocks away from the Hotel Nacional is the famous '''Coppelia Ice Cream shop''', where one can get 22 scoops for about 50p.

You can eat your ice cream whilst wandering along '''The Malecon''', the local 'place to be' for the Cubans, apparently. Also a good place, I believe, to change money and do that kind of thing if you need to.

Take a taxi or bus or whatever to '''Parque Central''', where you should be able to get some lunch.

12.30 - Check out the very nearby '''Edificio Bacardi''', take some snaps, it's pretty darn Art Deco. Then make your way back through Parque Centro to the '''Gran Teatro'''. Pass that and take your tour of the '''Fabrica de Tobaco Partagas'''. Don't forget it closes at 2pm!!! You can always go back and do the Edificio Bacardi if you find you're short of time. If you can, pick up some cigars for later smokage.

[[image:capitolio.jpg|right|Capitolio Nacional]]

2pm- Go to the just-next-foor '''Capitolio Nacional'''. You can go inside, be impressed, and then take a horse and carriage (ooh) to '''Plaza de Catedral'''. Look at the Catedral and take some more snaps, and think 'hmm. Cathedral.' before checking out the apparently, best plaza, Plaza Catedral.

Now, detailed instructions follow. From the plaza, it's a two minute walk along San Ignacio, and Mercaderes on your way to '''Plaza de Armas'''. Along Mercederes you will pass a '''giant mural''', portraying 67 figures from the history of arts and politics in Havana. Take a token snap, and then get your butts to the Plaza Armas, the oldest and most animated of Havana's plazas. Due North of the plaza just across O'Reilly (or 'Radar') street, is the '''Castillo de la Real Fuerza'''. There is also, near the plaza, '''El Templete''', a rather incongruous scaled down version of the Parthenon. I think it sounds cute, (a small temple, a 'templette' aw!), so you should take some pics. Unless it's rubbish.

Now, from the plaza, making your way down the busy shopping street '''Obispo''', go to '''Ambos Mundos''' and up to the '''roof garden''' for a '''mojito''' in the afternoon light. You might also want to whip out those '''cigars'''. Relax, safe in the knowledge that you have totally '''pwned Havana''' in just two days. However, your work is not yet done. No. Cigars and Mojitos are all well and good. But...

5pm: Just a short hike away is '''Museo de Fundacion Destilera Havana Club''', apparently one of the most interesting things to do in Havana, it's also known as the Museo del Ron, that's right, '''RUM!''' (Drink up me 'earties, yo ho...Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me! ok enough of that.) Check out this museum just before heading to '''La Guarida''' for your 6.30 ? reservation. Then head out to '''Macumba Habana''' for dancing, or to a '''Zorra y el Cuervo''' for a '''jaaaazzz concert'''.

====Day Three====

Ok initially I was going to say - Day 3, go to Maria La Gorda, via teh lovely countryside of Vinales. However, if you went to this side of the island you'd pretty much have to stay that side, and there's not much else to do. Otherwise, the drive to Varadero would be about 5-7 hours, and that's after the 3 or 4 hour drive to Maria La Gorda in the first place! Sadly it is just not do-able, so today we go to '''Varadero'''.

The first day you arrive in Varadero and to make up for the lack of dive-age in Maria La Gorda, I think it would be good to go diving at the Marina Varadero Gaviota. With free transfer from your hotel to the Marina, which is right at the end of Varadero, and free initiation courses for people who have never been diving before. $35 for a single dive, you can go diving at the Cuevo de Saturno (including transfers) which sounds fun.

If you go clubbing tonight, a great place to round off the day- is the disco in the cave! Cueva del Pirata- sounds groovy to me =D There's also a club on a boat moored on the Veradado canal- La Patuna, and the lively Palacio de la Rumba, one of the best designed venues. For Marc, there is 'Splash', with a "high cheeseometer rating for the watered down club and pop music is plays" xD Just kiddin. ;)

====Day Four====

Right, so you are in Varadero right? So the natural thing to do...is take a day trip to '''Trinidad'''. Well, Varadero is great for these little trips. I think you should do a day tour of Trinidad. So that's day four. Again if you have time in the evening, check out Varadero.

====Day Five====

Now you are leaving Day Five, and I don't know when. You can either take a half-day trip to the '''Cuevas de Bellamar''', or you can just chill out on the apparently gorgeous beaches of Varadero, assuming the weather's nice. There is an airport in Varadero, so you can get your flight home from there.

Thus endeth the itinerary. You can utterly disregard it, utterly follow it, mix and match bits or use some parts and not others - either way I won't be offended, just enjoy yourselves!! =)

==FAQ==

FAQ:

Feel free to add questions here!

'''''Who are Fidel Castro and Che Guavera?'''''

Fidel and Che were friends who fought guerilla style against a very corrupt dictator, Balistra Machado, who ran Cuba before Fidel managed to take over. They believe in Marxist ideals, which is why Cuba is now Communist, and America are now scared/angry/ sulking. Che was killed and is now seen as a sort of hero, though he actually was against the 'celebrity' idea, he's been turned into one.

'''''Why is ice cream so cheap at The Coppelia?'''''

Communist-> equal for everyone -> ice cream that everyone can afford. I think it's funded by the state or something. But I've heard it's not bad icecream.

'''''Who's that student hero guy again?'''''

Julio Antonio Mella enrolled at the Universidad de la Habana aged 16. He soon became one of the leading forces behind the University Student's Federation (FEU), his rousing speeches stirring a generation of students to protest university corruption. His campaign against the appointment of incompetent and unqualified professors through nepotism and political favours paid off, and in 1923 over a hundred hapless professors were dismissed. After graduation, he became famous for roaming Havana and giving lectures on Marxism to workers. In 1927 he fled to Mexico, fearful that his outspoken diatribes against Machado's goverment had earned him enemies. Sadly his fears proved corect, and in 1929 was shot in the street of Mexico City with ihs girlfriend. ='( Although never proved, it was widely assumed that Machado was responsible.

==Red tape==

Embassies and visas

UK: Cuban Embassy 167 High Holborn, London WC1 6PA; Consular section: 15 Grape Street, London WC1 (020 7240 2488).

Cuba: British Embassy Calle 34, Number 702/4, entre 7ma Avenida y 17, Miramar, Havana (53 7 241 771).

Visa requirements: Virtually all visitors need a Cuban visa or tourist card, which allows a stay of 30 days. In the UK, visas for all nationalities cost £15 and can be obtained over the counter at the embassy, or direct from your travel agent. Postal visa applications take 1-2 weeks to process. Visitors need a return ticket, and proof that they have booked a hotel room for at least three nights. The US prohibits its citizens from travelling to Cuba unless they obtain a licence, usually reserved for journalists or government officials.

==Useful Links:==

Visa - [http://www.cubaldn.com/englishFiles/consuladoin.htm Embassy of Cuba]

For practicalities - health, climate etc.
[http://travel.guardian.co.uk/countries/information/0,8766,420477,00.html The Guardian]

For geography, history & culture:
[http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761569844/Cuba.html Encarta]

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuba Wikipedia]

Cuba

2006-06-05T11:50:43Z

213.249.136.51: /* Useful Links: */

<table border=1 align="right">
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> Cuba
<tr>
<td align="center">
 [[Image:CubaFlag_40_per_cent.jpg]] 
Flag
<td align="center">
[[Image:Cuba_coa_smaller.png]] 
Coat of Arms



<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> Motto: Spanish: Patria y Libertad 
(English: "Homeland and Freedom")
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> Anthem: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Bayamesa La Bayamesa] (The Bayamo Song)
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> [[Image:LocationCuba.png]]

<tr>
<td> Capital <td>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana Havana] 
23°8′N 82°23′W
<tr>
<td>Largest City <td>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana Havana]
<tr>
<td>Official Language <td>Spanish
<tr>
<td>Government: 
President of the 
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_of_State_of_Cuba Council of State of Cuba:]
<td>Republic 
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fidel_Castro Fidel Castro]
<tr>
<td>Independence 
- Declared from Spain 
- Cuban Republic declared 
- Date recognised in Cuba
<td>
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Years%27_War Ten Years' War] 
October 10, 1868 
May 20, 1902 
January 1, 1959
<tr>
<td>Area - Total - Water (%)
<td>110,860 km² ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_outlying_territories_by_area 104th]) 
42,803 sq mi 
negligible
<tr>
<td>Population 
- 2005 est. 
- 2002 census 
- Density
<td> 11,345,670 ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population 70th]) 
11,177,743 
102/km² ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population_density 73rd]) 
264/sq mi 

<tr>
<td>GDP 
- Total 
- Per Capita
<td> 2004 estimate 
$33.9 billion ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29 89th]) 
$3,000 ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29_per_capita 126th])
<tr>
<td>Human Development Index 
<td> 0.817 ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_Human_Development_Index 52nd]) - high
<tr>
<td>Currency 
<td>Peso 
Convertible peso (see ~1~)
<tr>
<td>Time Zone 
- Summer (DST)
<td>EST 
(Starts April 1, end date varies)
<tr>
<td>Internet TLD
<td> .cu
<tr>
<td>Calling Code
<td> +53
<tr>
<td colspan=2 align="center"> ~1~ 1993–2004, the U.S. dollar was used in addition to the peso until the dollar was replaced by the convertible peso.
</table>

==Cuba==

 

====Overview====

Known as the "Pearl of the Antilles", Cuba offers picturesque colonial towns, an Afro-Cuban culture, almost 300 unblemished beaches, great countryside, potent rum and excellent beer. Cuba is great for scuba diving, yachting, fishing, hiking, horseback riding and golf. Cuba has been described as a "fascinating smorgasbord [[http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=define%3A+smorgasbord&meta= (eh?)]] of nonstop discovery and experience".
 

====Timing====
November is the start of the dry season in cuba. Temperatures are normally around 27 Celsius. We will also miss the peak tourist season (mid Dec. to mid-March, & all of July & August). 

====About Cuba====

Cuba is the largest Caribbean island [16th largest island in the world :-) ]. In fact, it is bigger than all 3700 other Caribbean islands put together! Of its 11m inhabitants, 60% are of Spanish descent; there are also substantial African and mixed-race minorities. Spain colonised Cuba in 1512 and decimated its indigenous population of Arawak Indians. In 1898 the US occupied the country, but relations soured in 1959 when the charismatic Fidel Castro came to power. The ban on US tourism has its advantages: apart from the coastal resort of Varadero the island remains non-commercial, and the people genuinely friendly. Well known for its musical culture, the rumba, mambo, cha cha cha, son and salsa all originated in Cuba. The Capital, Havana, founded on its present site in 1519, is one of the oldest cities in the Americas. 
 

[[Image:Cubamap.gif]]

====Things to do, when in Cuba====

- smoke Cuban cigars

- take a ride in a Vintage american car

- stay in a 'casa particular' - a common phenomenon in Cuba - for locals to rent out a room or 2 of their houses for tourists, this is the best way to gain an insight into the country

- drink 'Mojitos' - 'just the ticket after a hard day on the beach, Cuba's quintessential cocktail, a refreshing concoction of rum, limes & mint'

==Havana==

The capital, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana Havana], with its colonial architecture and ostentatious 50s and 60s cars, is the biggest Caribbean city (pop. approx. 2.2 million) and the hub of Cuban nightlife.

We will spend a good 2 or 3 days in Havana.

Havana has four main areas: La Habana Vieja (Old Havana), a World Heritage Site; and La Habana Moderna (Modern Havana), no less attractive and full of life and visitors, Miramar, and Vedado.

====Old Havana====

"Old Havana has so much charm that only by visiting it can one capture fully the contrasts, sounds and colors that coexist there."
[[Image:delmorro.jpg|left|The Castillo Del Morro]]
Old Havana has all the appearance of a Spanish colonial city. Havana is ideally situated for trade and communications, and many of the defences built to protect it from pirates and corsairs still exist, which is why it is impossible to walk in Old Havana without encountering impressive fortresses like the Castillo de la Real Fuerza, the Castillo de San Salvador de la Punta, La Cabaña, and the most unique of them all, '''El Morro (Morro Castle)''', located at the entrance to the Bay. From here each night the lighthouse guides ships passing by Havana, and by day visitors come to admire the stunning views the capital has to offer.
[[Image:Viejaplaza.jpg|right|The Vieja Plaza]]

Old Havana also has spacious and beautiful cobbled plazas (squares) such as la Plaza de San Francisco de Asís, la Plaza de Armas, la Plaza Vieja and la Plaza de La Catedral (Cathedral Square), the latter a popular choice for photos and post cards of Cuba. Here you can try out some Cuban cocktails in an open air restaurant, while enjoying the view of the surrounding buildings and the sound of Cuban music in the air.

Havana has numerous museums: the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales (Palace of the Spanish Governors) which houses the Museum of the City of Havana, the Gabinete Arqueológico (Archaeological Bureau) and the Museo del Chocolate (hmm!!)

In nearby Morro Castle there is a permanent exhibition of the fort's construction process. Also located on that side of the Bay on a hillside is the giant statue of Christ of Casablanca, which is lit nightly.

'''La Guarida restaurant''' - where the excellent food is matched by Baroque surroundings, in the location where the film Strawberry and Chocolate was filmed. Note- La Guarida is a Paledar. Paledars are privately run small restaurants in homes. The operators pay a fee to the government for the right to have up to eight tables. The food is often better than the boring, bland food offered at most official restaurants, and the prices are much better. Service, however, is frequently painfully slow, and menu items at many paledars are limited.

====Modern Havana====
[[Image:cemetary.jpg|left|Christopher Columbus Cemetary]]
There is the state-subsidised '''Coppelia ice-cream parlour''' (you have to pay in pesos) where a dollar gets you 22 scoops. Apparently not bad ice cream.

There are several night clubs that offer music programs, among them El Gato Tuerto (The One-Eyed Cat), the Jazz Café, the Cocodrilo (The Crocodile), the Habana Café and Dos Gardenias (Two Gardenias).
[[Image:Malecon.jpg|right|The Malecón]]
'''Necrópolis de Colón (Columbus Graveyard)''' - Besides its tranquility there are some amazing stories there. There is a tomb shaped like a domino piece, one surrounded by women who wanted to get pregnant, a pyramid tomb built for the professor of the school of architecture...lots of interesting things to see.

It's along '''the Malecón''' that Havana's architecture really shines. From what I can gather, the Maelcón is a promenade much cherished by the people of Havana.

====Miramar and Vedado====

'''Fabrica de Tobaco Partagas''' -[[Image:bacardi.jpg|right|Edificio Bacardi]] A famous Havana cigar factory, offers a fascinating insight into the skills behind cigar making and lays bare some idiosyncratic Cuban working practices. Pricy, but good, apparently "more interesting and less touristy than expected".

'''The Edificio Bacardi''' - A slice of dazzling art deco architecture, the former pre-revolution headquarters of Bacardí, the famous rum company, it is a fitting place for to enjoy a Cubre libre.

'''Maqueta de la Habana (Miniature Havana)''' - The realistic scale model of Havana takes up almost 88 sq. m (946 sq. ft.). You can walk around it on the ground level, or climb a narrow interior balcony that rings three walls. This is not to be confused with a similar (and much smaller) scale model of Old Havana, found in Old Havana, of course.

==Varadero==

[[image:varadero.jpg]]

There are lots of exiting tours and things to see in Varadero. Josone Park, in the center of Varadero, is a nature area with restaurants and cultural events which can be toured by horse and carriage from resort hotels.

It's more than 20 km of excellent beaches, a broad strip of fine, white sand along the shoreline, and a continental shelf that softly sinks into a warm, crystal-clear sea of the most varied of blues. These are the chief tourist attractions of Varadero, a tourist city that is presently well-positioned in the International circuits.

These natural wonders are enriched and complemented by the existence of numerous caves, cliffs, and lagoons. Varadero also has pristine, easy to reach keys and other interesting natural surroundings on the peninsula's easternmost tip, in addition to a set of cultural, historical, and environmental sites provided by the nearby cities of Matanzas and Cardenas and the Zapata Swamp Biosphere Reserve.

You won't find legal Casas Particular in the area of Varadero, it's not alowed by the government for a Cuban to start a Casa in this area. Although there are some "Red Triangle" casas, those casas are only for Cubans, tourists are not allowed to stay in these casas particulares...

Of course you can do stubborn and search out for yourself an illegal Casa Particular, and you will find them, remember that you risk getting thrown out on the streets at night by the police.

Tours in Varadero run from the three Information centres which run more or less the same excursions for similar prices, and I based the itinerary activities on these common excursions, and all-day tours include lunch, usually. One of these trips goes to the Cuevas de Bellamar.

Bellamar Cave, located at the exit of Matanzas city, is considered to be one of the wonders
of Cuban geography. Famous for its karstic crystals, stalactites and stalagmites.
Explored area of the cave is 3 km long, while its deepest part descends to 48 meters.

==Trinidad==

Trinidad is a relic of the early days of the Spanish colony. Trinidad Colonial past, unique architecture and magnificent location, between the mountains and Mexican Gulf, inspire tourist interest from around the world.
Trinidad has five main squares and four churches date from the 18th and 19th centuries the whole city, cobbled streets and tiled roofs, is a national monument and since 1988 a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

[[image:trinidad.jpg]]

==Other potential places to visit==

Maria La Gorda - approx. 5 hrs drive from Havana - this seems to be the best place in Cuba for scuba diving. And also, you don't have to know how to scuba dive already!

Caves that can be explored:

Cueva del Cable, Cueva del Simón, de Paredones, del Indio, de los Tomates, de Quintanal, Astón, de Cagagüanes, de Palmarito, de Bitirí, Revuelta de los Chinos, de la Patana, Solapos de Jaruco and Caleta del Rosario

==Transport in Cuba==

There are two types of buses that run throughout Cuba, the dirt-cheap ones that are falling apart and stop at every roof they pass; and the more direct, fast and comfortable coaches with air con that cost in dollars but still not that much (eg. $60 for the whole length of the island). The fast ones sometimes leave from a different bus station, so look out for that.

"if you do take a cab, try to take one of the government ones. I can't remember what the visual difference is, but it's worth finding out - the price is a tenth of a private hire cab."

It's apparently relatively easy to catch a ride with a friendly local car-owner willing to act as a 'taxi'.

- prandial

==Tourist Tips==

Restaurants are reportedly relatively non-existent, because the economy won't support them. If you make sure to interact, it's seems that it's not hard to find a local who'll invite or direct you to a local house where they'll be willing to cook you a meal, for a small renumeration.

Eat from street vendors.

"A cheese sandwich is a cheese sandwich and the only time my friend and I got food poisoning was when we went to a dollar restaurant instead of a peso one." -prandial

Don't dismiss the slogans that adorn billboards, storefronts and walls in Cuba as revolutionary propaganda. Many of the quotes belong to Jose Marti, and read in proper context, they're beautiful evocations of freedom and morality. Marti is one of Cuba's national heroes (he helped the country achieve independence from Spain) and is also acknowledged as one of the Caribbean's first modern poets.

Do take in the view of Havana from the rooftop bar (and swimming pool) of the 17-story Capri Hotel. Little seems to have changed there since its days as a Mafia hangout, and the view is fantastic.

Don't be shocked to hear locals get the attention of restaurant waiters or friends on the street by pursing their lips and making an animated sucking or kissing sound.

Try to get a ride in a cadillac. But they'll probably throw you out as they aren't licensed cabs.

Eating in Paladares can be fun, if you find a good one it's excellent. But it's a risk and a tricky one without speaking any Spanish.

==Tourist Traps==

A lot of the Cuban cigars sold even in Cuba are fake or inferior.

You will be hassled a lot on the streets, low grade begging, nothing dangerous.

You'll find it near impossible not to be fleeced if you don't speak any Spanish (and pretty hard not to be even if you do) - most people who speak English are those who've learnt it to work with tourists.

If you hook up with some locals, they may suggest going with you to a place that's really touristy, saying they like it. In fact it's because you'll be paying their cover charge and they'll collect their cut later. If somebody tells you to go to "Cabaret Tropicana", bear in mind that this place is expensive and you'll see a typical cabaret full of people trying to get money from you.

In Old Habana, you'll have to dodge a lot of peddlers hawking "Cohibas" , cigars, and 'herbal aphrodysiacs' and whatnot, but they aren't that pushy if you politely don't show interest. Just remember to NEVER EVER buy from these people. If these people are caught by the police selling to you they could get in serious trouble and you possibly as well. If you buy cigars make sure they have the government seal on the side of the box.

La Guarida don't bribe the taxi drivers- so if any of them tell you the restaurant is closed or has been closed for a while- don't believe them. Persist, and they will take you there.

The official money of Cuba is now the Cuban Convertible Peso, or CUC. They're called "chavitos." It's best to use the official money exchange venues as counterfeiting and theft is not unknown.
They're another type of money in circulation called "moneda nacional." If you do not have Cuban friends it's unlikely a tourist would have occasion to use the non-convertible peso, which is valued at about 20-1 to the CUC. A common scam is paying in chavitos and getting nacional in return.

Another common scam is to take a one CUC bank note and add a zero behind the one to make it look like a 10 CUC bank note. The scammer then looks for a tourist to help him (or her) to make change and the tourist gets stuck with the doctored note. ALWAYS make sure that any 10 CUC notes also say Diez on them and not UNO!!!

Old Habana is the bag-snatching capital of Cuba- so BE WARNED.

"Don't be shocked if you're approached by a prostitute (jinetera) in Havana—though this almost exclusively happens to male travelers."

Oh dear. For many years, Cuba was seen as a sexual playground for foreign men, and the expectation still lingers, especially in nightclubs.

Don't confuse 'hotel' with 'motel,' 'inn' or 'posada.' The latter three rent by the hour.

==Suggested Itinerary==

This is just Elín's suggested itinerary, based on what I know of the best places to go and the most interesting things to do in Havana. It sounds good to ME, I hope you think it sounds interesting as well.

====Day One====

The start time of this day being unknown, I will assume it to be in between 2-4pm. This should give you time to get to Cuba, get to your hotel and settle in. However, should you find yourself with time on your hands in the morning, arriving early, you should check out the very good but naturally very secluded and isolated spot of the '''Necropolis de Colon''', first and foremost. If you STILL have excess time, check out the '''Universidad de Habana''' and the student hero Julio Antonio Mella. If you get there REALLY early or my timing is really off and you end up with loads of spare time on your hands you can make a REALLY out of the way trip to Miniature Havana all the way over in Miramar, though I think it's unlikely.

2-4pm: We will start by going over the bridge to the '''Parque Historico Morro y Cabana''', and explore the two forts and various museums at this complex. Have dinner at one of the restaurants here and be sure to catch the '''Canonaza ceremony''' (ceremony of the cannon) at the '''Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro''' at 9pm, before heading back to your hotel for a good night's sleep.

====Day Two====

Make sure to book ahead for a reservation at La Guarida! It's very popular.

8-8.30am: Though it's unlikely you'll be staying here, if it's breakfast you want, head to Le Veranda at the quite famous '''Hotel Nacional''', who do an English breakfast, American, continental and cereal breakfast to meet all breakfasting needs. After that, within the Hotel Nacional, you can visit the '''Tagonana cave''', for FREE! A couple of blocks away from the Hotel Nacional is the famous '''Coppelia Ice Cream shop''', where one can get 22 scoops for about 50p.

You can eat your ice cream whilst wandering along '''The Malecon''', the local 'place to be' for the Cubans, apparently. Also a good place, I believe, to change money and do that kind of thing if you need to.

Take a taxi or bus or whatever to '''Parque Central''', where you should be able to get some lunch.

12.30 - Check out the very nearby '''Edificio Bacardi''', take some snaps, it's pretty darn Art Deco. Then make your way back through Parque Centro to the '''Gran Teatro'''. Pass that and take your tour of the '''Fabrica de Tobaco Partagas'''. Don't forget it closes at 2pm!!! You can always go back and do the Edificio Bacardi if you find you're short of time. If you can, pick up some cigars for later smokage.

[[image:capitolio.jpg|right|Capitolio Nacional]]

2pm- Go to the just-next-foor '''Capitolio Nacional'''. You can go inside, be impressed, and then take a horse and carriage (ooh) to '''Plaza de Catedral'''. Look at the Catedral and take some more snaps, and think 'hmm. Cathedral.' before checking out the apparently, best plaza, Plaza Catedral.

Now, detailed instructions follow. From the plaza, it's a two minute walk along San Ignacio, and Mercaderes on your way to '''Plaza de Armas'''. Along Mercederes you will pass a '''giant mural''', portraying 67 figures from the history of arts and politics in Havana. Take a token snap, and then get your butts to the Plaza Armas, the oldest and most animated of Havana's plazas. Due North of the plaza just across O'Reilly (or 'Radar') street, is the '''Castillo de la Real Fuerza'''. There is also, near the plaza, '''El Templete''', a rather incongruous scaled down version of the Parthenon. I think it sounds cute, (a small temple, a 'templette' aw!), so you should take some pics. Unless it's rubbish.

Now, from the plaza, making your way down the busy shopping street '''Obispo''', go to '''Ambos Mundos''' and up to the '''roof garden''' for a '''mojito''' in the afternoon light. You might also want to whip out those '''cigars'''. Relax, safe in the knowledge that you have totally '''pwned Havana''' in just two days. However, your work is not yet done. No. Cigars and Mojitos are all well and good. But...

5pm: Just a short hike away is '''Museo de Fundacion Destilera Havana Club''', apparently one of the most interesting things to do in Havana, it's also known as the Museo del Ron, that's right, '''RUM!''' (Drink up me 'earties, yo ho...Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me! ok enough of that.) Check out this museum just before heading to '''La Guarida''' for your 6.30 ? reservation. Then head out to '''Macumba Habana''' for dancing, or to a '''Zorra y el Cuervo''' for a '''jaaaazzz concert'''.

====Day Three====

Ok initially I was going to say - Day 3, go to Maria La Gorda, via teh lovely countryside of Vinales. However, if you went to this side of the island you'd pretty much have to stay that side, and there's not much else to do. Otherwise, the drive to Varadero would be about 5-7 hours, and that's after the 3 or 4 hour drive to Maria La Gorda in the first place! Sadly it is just not do-able, so today we go to '''Varadero'''.

The first day you arrive in Varadero and to make up for the lack of dive-age in Maria La Gorda, I think it would be good to go diving at the Marina Varadero Gaviota. With free transfer from your hotel to the Marina, which is right at the end of Varadero, and free initiation courses for people who have never been diving before. $35 for a single dive, you can go diving at the Cuevo de Saturno (including transfers) which sounds fun.

If you go clubbing tonight, a great place to round off the day- is the disco in the cave! Cueva del Pirata- sounds groovy to me =D There's also a club on a boat moored on the Veradado canal- La Patuna, and the lively Palacio de la Rumba, one of the best designed venues. For Marc, there is 'Splash', with a "high cheeseometer rating for the watered down club and pop music is plays" xD Just kiddin. ;)

====Day Four====

Right, so you are in Varadero right? So the natural thing to do...is take a day trip to '''Trinidad'''. Well, Varadero is great for these little trips. I think you should do a day tour of Trinidad. So that's day four. Again if you have time in the evening, check out Varadero.

====Day Five====

Now you are leaving Day Five, and I don't know when. You can either take a half-day trip to the '''Cuevas de Bellamar''', or you can just chill out on the apparently gorgeous beaches of Varadero, assuming the weather's nice. There is an airport in Varadero, so you can get your flight home from there.

Thus endeth the itinerary. You can utterly disregard it, utterly follow it, mix and match bits or use some parts and not others - either way I won't be offended, just enjoy yourselves!! =)

==FAQ==

FAQ:

Feel free to add questions here!

'''''Who are Fidel Castro and Che Guavera?'''''

Fidel and Che were friends who fought guerilla style against a very corrupt dictator, Balistra Machado, who ran Cuba before Fidel managed to take over. They believe in Marxist ideals, which is why Cuba is now Communist, and America are now scared/angry/ sulking. Che was killed and is now seen as a sort of hero, though he actually was against the 'celebrity' idea, he's been turned into one.

'''''Why is ice cream so cheap at The Coppelia?'''''

Communist-> equal for everyone -> ice cream that everyone can afford. I think it's funded by the state or something. But I've heard it's not bad icecream.

'''''Who's that student hero guy again?'''''

Julio Antonio Mella enrolled at the Universidad de la Habana aged 16. He soon became one of the leading forces behind the University Student's Federation (FEU), his rousing speeches stirring a generation of students to protest university corruption. His campaign against the appointment of incompetent and unqualified professors through nepotism and political favours paid off, and in 1923 over a hundred hapless professors were dismissed. After graduation, he became famous for roaming Havana and giving lectures on Marxism to workers. In 1927 he fled to Mexico, fearful that his outspoken diatribes against Machado's goverment had earned him enemies. Sadly his fears proved corect, and in 1929 was shot in the street of Mexico City with ihs girlfriend. ='( Although never proved, it was widely assumed that Machado was responsible.

==Useful Links:==

Visa - [http://www.cubaldn.com/englishFiles/consuladoin.htm Embassy of Cuba]

For practicalities - health, climate etc.
[http://travel.guardian.co.uk/countries/information/0,8766,420477,00.html The Guardian]

For geography, history & culture:
[http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761569844/Cuba.html Encarta]

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuba Wikipedia]

Isle Of Wight

2006-05-16T11:08:21Z

213.249.136.51:

[[Image:Isle_o13.gif|center]]

== Holiday Brief ==

For the bank holday at the end of May, we should go to the Isle of Wight off the south coast of England. We can go from Saturday to Monday if it's possible. There are a few things that need to be organised, but it shouldn't be too hard, wight?!

== Who's coming ==

*Marc - definite
*Mildred - definite
*Rebecca (Ben's Cookies flavoured) - definite
*Caz - 99.4% probability
*Tom - definite (if Lee's going)
*Matt - definite
*Lee - definite (if Tom's going)
*Tim - may have to book assuming not coming
*Sissy - may have to book assuming not coming
*Definitely - Maybe
*Dr Sloan - too busy

Definites - 7, Maybes - 2

== Transport there and back ==

[[Image:Dinghy_2a.jpg|left]]

This has now been booked -

[http://www.redfunnel.co.uk/redfunnel/travel/html/main2.shtml Red Funnel] - 2 x (Car + 3 people) = £139

Out-bound: Saturday 27/05/06 - 4pm from Southampton to East Cowes

Return Journey: Monday 29/05/06 - 1.30pm from East Cowes to Southampton

check-in time: at least 30 mins before departure time. We just have to present our booking no.s: 2906126, 2906215

transit time: 55 mins

Our vehicle ferry terminal in Southampton (Terminal 1) can be found at Dock Gate
7 on Town Quay Road, S014 2AQ - follow signs to Southampton Waterfront. Our Isle
of Wight vehicle terminal is at Trinity Yard, East Cowes PO32 6RF.

== Where we'll stay ==

[[Image:Sandown.jpg|right]]

We're staying in Sandown now in the [http://www.chesterlodgehotel.co.uk/ Chester Lodge Hotel]. The cost is £28ppn and two car parking spaces are available for us. There will be three single rooms and one triple room.

The hotel blurb is as follows:

"We are a friendly family run 16 bedroom hotel. Our detached residence stands in its
own grounds and is situated in an ideal position in the best part of Sandown. just
minutes to shops and facing the sea - many of our rooms are sea view!

Sandown has a lovely climate, having held the "All England" sunshine record for many
years. Safe, sandy beaches, pier, picturesque wooded roads, fantastic views from
"The Downs" and extensive attractions all make for a perfect holiday or short break.

Sandown is a family resort. There are nightclubs, pubs, restaurants and cafes. The
kids will have hours of fun on Browns Pitch and Putt whilst close by is the Zoo with
tiger sanctuary. Sandown also has an 18-hole golf course, small airport where you
can take a pleasure flight and even a Dinosaur Museum where you can wonder at the
Prehistoric Visitors that the Island used to cater for.

We are easily accessible to all amenities and have a bus stop 100 yards away with
links to all areas of the Island and the Sandown tour."

There's a pretty cool webcam at http://www.camvista.com/england/other/isleofwight_sandown.php?pageMode=nonjava .

==The Natives==

[[Image:monkeyisland3cannibals.PNG|right|Natives]]

The earliest known inhabitants of the island are dinosaurs, some of whose bones have been discovered in recent times. Dinosaur Isle is a museum in Sandown which displays many of these relics.

The native-born islanders have a very strong sense of local identity, sometimes thinking of the Island almost as though England were a separate country.

The natives were formerly cannibals, later reforming into vegetarians who look after the island.

At first you may feel out of place, but the islanders are mainly friendly, and will make you feel at home.

== What we'll do ==

=== On The Way Down ===

==== Shakeaway ====
[[Image:Image-Dick2.jpg|right|Ryde]]
Buy an aero ® mint ~ after eight ® (v) ~ amaretti (ng) ~ apple (v) ~ apple & blackberry (v) apple pie (ng) ~ apricot (v) ~ bakewell tart (ng) ~ banana (v) ~ banoffee muffin (ng)battenburg (nv) (ng) ~ blackcurrant (v) ~ blackcurrant cheesecake (ng) ~ black jacks ® (nv)blueberry nutrigrain ® (ng) ~ boost ® (ng) ~ bounty ® dark ~ bounty ® milk bourbon biscuit (ng) ~ bournville ® (ng) ~ butterscotch ~ cadbury's caramel ® cadbury's chocolate mini roll ® (ng) ~ cadbury's creme egg ® ~ cadbury's fruit & nut ® (ng) cappuccino muffin (ng) ~ caramel shortbread ~ caramel snack-a-jacks ® carrot cake (ng) ~ cherry (v) choca mocha ~ chocolate ~ chocolate & cherry ~ chocolate chip cookie (ng) chocolate fudge brownie (ng) ~ chocolate digestive ® milk (ng) ~ chocolate digestive ® plain (ng)
chocolate hob nob ® milk (ng) ~ chocolate hob nob ® plain (ng) ~ chocolate muffin (ng) chocolate & peanut butter ~ chocolate pop tart ® (nv) (ng) ~ coco pops ® (ng) ~ coconut (v) coffee (v) ~ crunchie ® ~ crunchy nut corn flakes ® ~ cucumber (v) ~ curly wurly ® custard ~ custard creams (ng) ~ dime bar ® ~ dolly mixtures ® (nv)
double decker ® ~ egg custard tart (ng) ~ farley's rusk ® (ng)
ferrero rocher ® ~ fig roll ® (ng) ~ flying saucers ® (nv) (ng) ~ fondant fancies ® (nv) (ng) fruit salad chews ® (nv) ~ fry's orange cream ® (v) ~ fry's peppermint cream ® (v)fudge ~ ginger (v) ~ ginger nuts (v) (ng) ~ gooseberry (v) & custard
grapefruit (v) ~ haribo starmix ® (nv) ~ hazelnut choc chip cookie (ng)
hershey's cookies 'n creme ® (ng) ~ honey ~ humbug mints (v) ~ iced gems ®
jaffa cake ® (ng) ~ jam doughnut (ng) ~ jam tart (ng) ~ jamaica ginger cake (ng)
jammie dodger ® (ng) ~ jammie wagon wheel ® (nv) (ng) ~ jelly babies ® (nv)
jelly beans (nv) ~ jelly tots ® (v) ~ kinder bueno ® (ng) ~ kit kat chunky ® (ng)
lemon & lime (v) ~ lemon curd ~ lemon drizzle cake (ng) ~ lemon meringue ~ lime (v)
lion bar ® (ng) ~ liquorice allsorts (nv) ~ love hearts ® (nv) ~ malted milk biscuits (ng)maltesers ® (ng) ~ mandarin (v) ~ maple syrup (v) ~ mars ® (ng) ~ marshmallow (nv) melon (v) ~ milky bar ® ~ minstrels ® (ng) ~ m&m ® peanut (nv) (ng) ~ nutella ® orange marmalade ~ oreo cookie ® (ng) ~ parma violets ® (nv) ~ passion fruit (v) peach (v) ~ peanut butter (v) ~ pear (v) ~ pineapple (v) ~ raspberry (v) ~ reeces cups ® refreshers ® (nv) ~ revels ® (ng) ~ rhubarb (v) & custard ~ rolo ® ~ sesame snaps ® (v) sherbet fountain ® (v w/o liquorice) (ng) ~ skittles ® (nv) ~ smarties ® (nv) (ng) snickers ® ~ snowball ® ~ special k bar ® (ng) ~ spotted dick (ng) ~ starburst ® (v) strawberries (summer only) (v) ~ strawberry cheesecake (ng) ~ strawberry laces (nv) (ng) strawberry trifle (ng) ~ sugar puffs ® ~ syrup sponge (ng) ~ terry's choc orange ® milk (ng) ~
tic tacs lime & orange ® ~ tic tacs mint ® (v) ~ toblerone ® ~ toffee cheesecake (ng) toffee popcorn ~ treacle tart (ng) ~ trebor extra strong mints ® (nv) ~ turkish delight ® twix ® (ng) ~ vanilla (v) ~ walnut whip ® OR weetabix ®
flavour milkshake at Southampton branch of 'Shakeaway' if we get the ferry from there.

=== While We're There ===
==== Matt's ideas ====
* play volleyball on the beach?

==== Tom's Ideas ====

* Go for a walk along the beach / cliffs
* Go and have a look at the needles and the lighthouse
* Make sand castles
* Faff about a bit

==== Marc's Ideas ====

* Album Bay (coloured sands)
* The WW II fort built into the cliff (either on the east or west point of the island)+
* The old ballistic missile testing range
* Blackgang Chine (incredible trippy theme park with gnomes and life size giants etc)+
* Cowes (if it's the right time of the year)

+ - if they are still there; the sea has been eroding the cliffs and making them fall into the sea

Other places to visit are:

* Cowes - Large town, you can get the ferry over from Southampton.
* Newport - Large town in the centre of island.
* Sandown - Typical seaside resort. Amusement arcades/crazy golf/pier/zoo etc. Plenty of B&Bs.
* Shanklin - Just down the coast from Sandown, again lots of B&Bs.

Nightclubs are mainly in the 'holiday' areas of Shanklin / Ventnor

==== Caroline's Ideas ====

Only preferences are extreme sports/activities, as follows:

* scuba diving/snorkelling and surfing
* water skiing
* visit Branston farm (ok not so extreme, but we'll need a break and there might be baby animals there!!!)
* Robin Hill Country Park (Boasts the island's three biggest rides - The Tobaggan Run, The Time Machine and Colossus plus MUCH MUCH MORE)
* Isle of Wight Horse Riding (let me know in advance so that I can bring my horse riding outfit, helmit included!)

* Butterfly Paragliding Ltd (Tandem flights: Soar the cliffs one on one with an instructor. Usually around twenty minutes airborne.
Same day bookings and gift vouchers, free upgrades.
Allow enough time for a full afternoon on site.
An unforgettable 'learning to fly' experience)

* Vectis Gliding Club: Gliding may be an activity that you have always wanted to try but have never had the opportunity to do so. Well, why not come and experience the thrill of silent flight by visiting the Vectis Gliding Club on the Isle of Wight.
The sensation of flight differs from that of any other activity and the view from 2000 feet above the ground provides an interesting and quite different view of the Islands natural beauty.

*Island Offroad Adventure. Experience adrenaline at 5mph! 4X4 driver training and corporate entertainment. Open to all, whatever your experience. Fantastic white knuckle site. Qualified instructors.

* Goodleaf Tree Climbing Adventures. Based in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Goodleaf Tree Climbing Adventures offers you the opportunity to enjoy a fantastic couple of hours climbing ancient trees on private land. Under full supervision from a qualified arborist you will soon be swinging between the branches and seeing the Island from a new perspective!

==== Rebecca's Ideas ====

*1. Crazy golf tournament
*2. Beach football and volleyball and frisbee
*3. Surfing +
*4. Wakeboarding +
*5. Sea kayaking +
*6. Horse riding
*7. Country walk or cycle with Bens picnic cookies lunch bens
*8. Tennis - no yellow 'tennis outfits' allowed
*9. The WW2 Fort and Blackgang Chine ++
*10. Old fashioned country pubs
*11. Funfair (or theme park if there is one, I'll believe it when I see it)
*12. 2 pence machines at the amusement arcade
*13. Day out at the public lending library

+ If weather conditions allow
++ If they have fallen into the sea - sounds funny!

=== On The Way Back ===

==== Zorbing ====

[[Image:Zorb.JPG|left|Ryde]]

[http://www.zorbsouth.co.uk/vouchers.htm Zorbing] is possible in theory, but we'd have to make an early start :-( ie. leaving at 9am! and also, it's a bit expensive -

* £35 for 1 person/ ride
* £55 for 2 people/ ride
* £65 for 3 people/ ride

But I'm up for it though. Again, we'd have to book this quite quickly.

-- Matt

Actually there is 2 for 1 on Zorbing at the moment [http://www.zorbsouth.co.uk/zorb-gift-vouchers.htm Spring special] so it's a bargainous 2 for £35! But we'd hav to do it on the way back because the offer excludes saturdays.

-- The Great Thumbholio

Zorbing is booked, I found a better deal - the [http://zorbsouth.co.uk/half-term.htm half-term special]- £30 for 2 people/ zorb. So I booked us all in for the hydro zorb at around 4pm, on Monday on the way back.

--Matt

== Budget ==

=== Marc's Spend! ===

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
! Item !! Cost
|-
| Hotel deposit || £168 (£168 still to pay)
|}

=== Matt's Spend! ===

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
! Item !! Cost
|-
| Zorbing || £91.94
|-
| Ferry || £139
|}