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Cuba

Cuba picture gallery

The 2 girls in Trinidad, in Central Cuba, asked me for 1 or 2 Cuban Convertible Pesos (CC), as many people do and I was getting a bit tired of.  They said they would use it to buy food.  I took them to the supermarket and bought them 2 liters of vegetarian oil and some soap.  It costed 1,75 CC which equals like 1/10 of a monthly salary for a worker! They were very grateful for this and the candy I gave them as well.

General 

The following account is from a 2 week trip to Cuba in late January and early February of 2007. I bought only a flight ticket from Iceland, and then traveled on my own in Cuba. The flight was a 9 hours charter flight from Iceland (Heimsferdir travel agency), with a stopover in Halifax - Canada for fuel.   The information here is based on that experience, on knowledge from books, a lot of knowledge from other interesting travelers the author met as well, and most importantly, from the locals themselves. The text here should widen the knowledge and give insights, some of which are not found in the main travel books which are an important companion when traveling in Cuba.  The island Cuba is 111.000 Sq km. and has some 11 million inhabitants of whom 2,500,000 live in Havana.

On the whole the travels in Cuba were very good, offering adventure and informative, and would offer some ideological remedy both for fundamental left wingers in politics, as well as those furthest to the right. What mainly stands out is how good, cheerful, smiling and helpful most Cubans were that I met. 

Travel story - roughly

The first 3 nights were at a 5 star resort in Varadero, then 5 nights in 2 private homes in Havana,  4 nights in Trinidad and finally 2 nights on a 3 star hotel in Varadero. The stay at the hotels in Varadero was “all inclusive”, i.e. all food and drinks were included.  I took the bus to Havana and went on excursion tours from Havana and Trinidad. During those I met a lot of people, the most interesting of which were those travelers who were traveling on their own. You could say you are never completely on your own in Cuba.  Many travelers I met were going to South America afterwards.   

Currency

An important thing to understand in Cuba is their currency, their monthly salaries and the low purchasing power. The national currency is Cuban pesos, but it is of limited use as the tourists and those who want to buy proper things need to use the currency for tourists which are the Cuban Convertible (dollars). The Cubans created their own dollar to counter against the overflow of US dollars! Tourists have to use the CC, as it is the currency in all places for tourists. 

1 CC equals around 1,15 US dollars  
1 CC equals around 25 Cuban Pesos.

A common monthly salary is 500 Cuban pesos, or around around 20 CC or 23 US dollars.  A worker in a plant makes around 250 Cuban pesos, and engineer around 630 Cuban pesos and a doctor 750 Cuban Pesos.  These salaries equal only around 13– 35 US dollars a month!    They get through though every month, from the government hands out a few kilos of rice, beans, wheat, milk for babies, etc.   

It is possible to use a little Cuban Pesos to buy things on the street, like pizzas, sandwiches, local bus rides and maybe ice cream, which is quite good so expect a queue.  For their 500 Cuban Pesos the local can buy 100 low quality pizzas on the street, and most probable more bananas than you get for you monthly salary in western Europe. By changing their monthly salary into CC, they could buy only 15-20 beers at a bar!  Therefore you seldom see the locals spend money in bars, except if some tourists invite them, which I would recommend.  Because of this it is easy to invite some locals for dinner and drinks where in one good evening you would spend almost their monthly salaries on a dinner for one person.

Not surprisingly, many like to stay around tourists and try to help them, but would often expect 1 CC in exchange. Those who work in tourism are often better off, as they often receive tips and gifts.

It is best to bring Euros or Canadian Dollar to Cube, rather than US dollars. Most banks take an extra 10% commission fee for changing US dollars.  Credit Cards are not widely used and an extra 12% charge is put on all payments or withdrawal with credit cards.

Accommodation and food

There are hotels in all cities but most independent travelers stay with Cuban families in the so called “Casa Particular”.  The price is usually around 25 CC for a double room, with 2 single or one double bed.  Breakfast costs 3 CC pr. person.  It usually contains 2-3 kinds of fruit, eggs, a rather poor bread, and coffee.  You can usually also buy dinner at casa particular for 7-10 CC.  Many Cuban families have obtained license for those “guesthouses” from the government, and have to pay tax which is around 400 CC a month.  Each house is only allowed to rent out max 2 rooms for guests. You will be asked for passport in these houses as you are registered. 

This site gives tips and reviews for hotels among else in Cuba http://www.tripadvisor.com/

The food I got ranged from low quality to quite good meals, although they are usually very basic.  The locals eat a lot of rice and beans so it comes with most meals.  In the resorts all food is included and the food is ok, at least a lot of it, but you might get a little tired of it after a few days.  The very best meal I had was in Trinidad, a lobster meal, served by a family where I stayed. It was very, very good and cost 10 CC.  Do try lobster if staying in Trinidad many houses would serve it. 

See the Lonely planet or other travel books for more information about food.

The best things to buy in Cuba are some souvenirs, like paintings, rum and of course Cuban cigars. For big paintings you need a special receipt which you might have to show at the airport, for the artist has to pay a 37% tax to the government.

Places -  in progress

Havana
I came with a bus from Varadero after 2 ½ hours bus ride an instant Icelander and very soon hustled by a guy “yes I show you very good casa particular in the center”.  That home was ok, but of course I paid too much there but moved to “Mama” (see pic. above) after one night there, as it was in the same building.  The city has quite a charm although most of the buildings are in disrepair and the city in many places quite dirty.  So expect some time to get use to it until you get over the “shit threshold” (skítaþröskuldur in Icelandic) and you start get used to it.  One could say that you have to unfreeze and get out of the box of what you are used of, mingling with the locals will help you to do so. 

Varadero
Trinidad

Pina del rio – Vinales
Santa Clara
Santiago di Cuba

Politics

The revolutionary Che Guevera is the main national hero.  Everywhere you go you see big postages of him, pictures on walls, books about him, and not to forget all the t-shirt for tourists.  One could say that almost all Cubans seem to have a very favorable attitude towards him, as their hero. Many seem to like Castro, though one could rather say that most people have a respect for him. The “brainwashing” has been going on for half a century.

I once asked a girl if she was a communist? – She said no I am a Fidelist – Castro gave me good education.  This is in line with how proud many Cubans I met where of their free education and health system, not necessarily realizing that in some western worlds this is almost the case as well. 

Of course many dream of a changed and freer society, especially the young people and those who are in much contact with tourist. They see the western world in a shining luster.  The old people who experienced much times of inequality before the revolution in 1959, is not as eager for changes and seem to be more content with the current situation, as they remember the old times.  I often used the phrase viva Cuba to locals which they liked and sometimes viva Castro or Che.  The third phrase “viva Bush” did not score high at all, as the US leader has been demonized in the media.

Of course Cuba is for us westerners an intolerably closed country with heavy bureaucracy and like a prison in many ways.  But maybe if you don’t know anything else it is a good place to live, where all the races, white, black and mulattos live together without any discernable tension, forever dancing to the Cuban rhythm you hear on every street corner.

Recommendation

• It is good to know some Spanish if you are traveling around, especially if you are alone. For instance, take some tourist dictionary with you, like the Lonely Planet Guide to Spanish.
• It is good get to know some locals who can show you around and tell you about various things in that place which otherwise you would miss. Expect though to show them the courtesy that you pay for meals and drinks, and you might also be asked for some few pesos as well, especially if you don’t know the person well.
• Bring some pens, small things for children, notebooks, old watches, clothes etc. to give people. It is much appreciated.  Don’t get surprised being asked for the t-shirt you are wearing or it changed for something else.
• Bring Euros or Canadian dollars.
• Buy some candy in supermarket like caramels and give children on street and adults.
• It might be a good idea to start and or end the trip in Varadero for 1-3 nights to get accustomed to Cuba, and to cool down and rest before the trip home.
• I recommend hiring a vesper (approx. 25 CC for 24 hours).
• It is better that you choose people yourself to ask for directions and information, rather than you being picked out by someone, for it is more likely that the latter expects money or will bring you to a friend’s restaurant or guesthouse, getting a commission that will be added to your bill.

Author: Hakon Thor Sindrason