Cuba - Seafood, Cigars and Rum
For the love of Cuba..
We backpacked in Cuba twice (yes backpacking is possible in Cuba). Stayed in resorts for couple days each visit (don’t recommend if you’re serious about getting to know the People and culture of the country) and for the rest of our travels we stayed with locals, they are called casa Perticulars – locals renting rooms in their homes with AC, attached bath and private entrance etc.
This country is amazing! We immediately fell in love (this is still on the top 5 of my 18 or so countries that I have been to). Let me tell you a bit about Cubans: I’m talking about the people, because Cuba is not just beaches & resorts. Real Cuba is about the food, music and its people. Cubans are peaceful, inviting and honest.
Just like the Cubans, Cuba in general is a peaceful country, it enjoys the lowest crime rate in the region. It is a slow paced destination with deep roots in ‘Island mentality’. When in Cuba, everything is in slow motion, including the internet.
Internet here is not what we are used to. Being a programmer, without internet, I am lost and here I was lost. WIFI is only available in designated areas in each town – usually the town square. You buy minutes of internet and enter you code and you have internet for that duration. Its funny to see 100’s of people gathered in the town square with there devices open, moving around for the sweet spot, chatting and typing with friends in far away places.
Happiness without the freedom!
People here are pretty happy, they are provided with housing and food, if they don’t have them. Being a communist country freedom is limited, you need Gov. permission for almost everything. But the Cubanos have figured out how to be happy regardless.
Cuba is a fascinating survivor, a large communist island just 100 mils off the biggest capitalist nation in the world (US), with native people ranging from blue eyed blonds to typical afro and all shades in-between. It’s culture, food and religion are similarly diverse (we discovered a new religion while in Cuba: Santeria). Communities here are tightly knit, sharing one telephone or one clothes line. It is fun to watch a telephone conversation via one phone and multiple households (yelling from door-to-door).
On Our Arrival…
We landed in Varadero on a direct flight out of Toronto, a modest airport, none of the fancy crap you find in most airports. You get out of the flight, walk to the terminal, get in the line to get passport stamped and picture taken, and you’re out. Simple! As soon as you get out, there’s a stand, a man selling ice cold beer :). There is also a bank where you can exchange your money to CUCs. Hint: Its best to exchange most of your money at the airport, will save you time standing in line at the bank to exchange. Also a 10% service charge applies to US$ exchanges, so take other currency like CDN$.
Getting around..
Getting around in Cuba is pretty straight-forward. You have several options:
Colectivo – These are mini vans that operates between major cities. This is the least expensive option. Do remember though, they pack these vans pretty tight, 10-15 passengers in one mini-van.
Viazul – This is a state owned luxury bus service (pictured here). They are on time, clean and comfortable. You will need to go to the bus station the day before and register. Then you come a little early the next day pay for the ride and board the bus. Once all the registered passengers are on-board the bus leaves, even if it is earlier than scheduled. This service is not cheep (30$ US for Varadero – Havana).
Car Hire – There are plenty of cars for hire. We found that this is the fastest way to get from A to B. if you are 3 or more people this option is cheaper than Viazul bus. If you are a couple, you can also go to the bus station and ask other passengers if they want to share a car hire, we did this several times and it saves money and time. Check out the car before you agree to the ride, to see if its in good shape, you don’t want it to breakdown. We paid 80$ US Varadero – Havana, for comparison with Viazul.
Lodging
We spent our time in Casa particulars – locals renting out beautiful rooms. So clean, AC and attached bathrooms. Cubans love to feed people! They remind me so much of my own country – Sri Lanka. They hug you hard! They hold your hand and welcome you to their homes.
One of our best memories was the hostess feeding us icing cake at 5am! (With many other things), before our check out at 6am – that was the included breakfast.
Average cost per room was about 15US$ with AC, attached and breakfast included (2017).
We also stayed 2 nights each time at Malia Varadero a fantastic all inclusive hotel ($+).
Dinning
If someone tells you that Cuban food is blanch or tasteless, then they have not had the real thing. Probably ate resort food, same thing, over and over, for seven or ten days. For real Cuban food, you need to go to the Cubans or local restaurants and food stalls.
Our memorable dishes include, Jambalaya, all kinds of sea-food, Chorizo’s, and Paella to mention a few.
Pit Stops
