Cuba
| Cuba | |
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| Motto: Spanish: Patria y Libertad (English: "Homeland and Freedom") | |
| Anthem: La Bayamesa (The Bayamo Song) | |
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| Capital | Havana 23°8′N 82°23′W |
| Largest City | Havana |
| Official Language | Spanish |
| Government: President of the | Republic |
| Independence - Declared from Spain |
Ten Years' War |
| Area - Total - Water (%) | 110,860 km² (104th) 42,803 sq mi |
| Population - 2005 est. | 11,345,670 (70th) 11,177,743 |
| GDP - Total | 2004 estimate |
| Human Development Index | 0.817 (52nd) - high |
| Currency | Peso Convertible peso |
| Time Zone - Summer (DST) | EST (Starts April 1, |
| Internet TLD | .cu |
| Calling Code | +53 |
| ~1~ 1993–2004, the U.S. dollar was used in addition to the peso until the dollar was replaced by the convertible peso. | |
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 [(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.
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, 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."
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.
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
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).
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 -
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.
Trinidad
Trinidad - a world heritage site, the country's most perfectly preserved colonial city, and also close to the beach & mountains. tbc
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!
Varadero - Fantastic beaches, and also good for scuba diving
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
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!!!
Advice from Travellers
Advice from prandial (someone on a forum) who's been to Cuba:
- V touristy but a great thing to do: go drink mojitos at night in the garden bar at hotel nacional. And then leave the tourists and hang out with the kids dancing to Cuban and American hip hop at the big outdoor parties just down the hill to one side (not in the hotel grounds, natch)
- 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.
Oh and Havana is amazing but really crappy and grey in the rain. Sad but true. But you'll have a great time.
Suggested Itinerary
TBC!
Useful Links:
For practicalities - health, visas, climate etc. The Guardian
For geography, history & culture: Encarta