Trip Report Cuba 2002

Saturday 26^th October

Strange day I guess, didn’t get up till about 8am much to my disgust. The best part of the morning is very early as it’s such a manageable temperature for me.  Dave was hung over and cocooned in his bed.  Me however, I had one thing on my mind and that was food.

Pancakes and cheese rolls, I am getting a taste for these pancakes, but I do have my concerns about the coffee and am now favouring OJ.  The coffee is getting sweeter each morning; I don’t have sugar in my coffee.

David and I had planned an easy day of walking about just checking out the atmosphere.   We had our usual drink in the bar, which set’s us up for the morning.  The best place I like to sit is smack bang in front of the air con system.  David was feeling a touch poorly this morning and was complaining of a stiff neck and back and had the odd occasion when he went all quiet.  I just waffled on anyway even if he wasn’t listening.   

So we headed off to the old part of habana.  It was about half way down when Dave tripped and landed funny on the side of his ankle.  He managed to limp to the Plaza des Armes where a young man (tout) decided to walk with us, asking us various questions, which is okay I guess but Dave just wanted to sit down and take the weight off his feet.  Eventually the bloke went so we headed off towards the bar where the big Cuban woman sings.  In the bar we met another bloke, it turned out that this man worked in the tobacco factory just behind the Capitol building.  He told us how his father lived in Canada and how he cannot leave Cuba to visit him.  He also explained how many cigars he made in a day (149).  He was a prime example of how friendly Cubans are.  David had decided that he wanted to rest his ankle, as it was throbbing. I agreed that it would be a good idea as there were lots of faces he kept pulling  For the first time I had to relax, which felt weird as I felt like I should have been doing something.  I sat all afternoon drinking cola – feed the addiction my friend!

NOTE: There are 3 types of cola in Cuba 1. Coca Cola  (in the Hotel Bar – very expensive)

2. Ti cola (My favourite – not too sweet and good price) 3. Tacola cola (not bad – sold nearly everywhere).  I am not usually an expert but Ti cola is much nicer, it’s not fizzy hence it does not make me burp so much. 

Talking of obsessions, I have an annoying habit of trying to figure out what time it is in the UK. Every so often I will announce that ‘it would be 6o’clock in the morning if I was at home’.  It is driving me nuts, so I guess it must be really getting on Dave’s nerves as well. (YES!!!)

We saw the sweetest old man ever today, he was selling Granama Papers.  Infact, he was also selling the ‘Juventyd Rebelde’ newspaper as well (technically they should only sell one newspaper brand.)  We stopped and asked if he had any English version papers, as we had bought one on Tuesday.  He checked all his papers Spanish, French, Dutch and the local one but no English. He had a little chat with us saying that America makes them a very poor country and that he has to make a living selling newspapers.  He showed us the national headlines, which read the President of Mozambique was visiting Cuba, to which he gave David a coin and told us it was a very rare coin. (It was a local currency coin with Che on).  We gave him a $1 for being so honest and lovely.  He shook our hands and we said goodbye.  Changing the subject a little, the number count to Ali G references is now 3 people (Cubans) all with the hand movements in tact.

It would be nearly 9 o’clock in the UK now!!!!

 Today I have learn’t a couple of things.  The first is what a Jineterismo is, basically it’s a young Cuban woman who hangs on the arm of a western middle-aged man (or otherwise known as an escort).  She gets wined and dined and he usually buys them gifts and nice clothes.  On learning this, when I was in the café de Paris I spotted two couples who looked liked this arrangement above.  It was funny because the women are all dolled up to the nines and the men are trying so hard to look cool and suave.

The second thing I have learnt is how to flush the toilet.  Apparently I had been pulling the lever the wrong way.  David gave me a tutorial and I can now flush with confidence J (Possibly the oddest lecture I’ve ever had to give)

This evening we went to Café de Paris again.  It was good night, but I was over heating and felt uncomfortable, my arm started to ache. 

Sunday 27^th October

No problems with breakfast as we had both got up at around 8am.  The heat is starting to get to me and if I spend too much time outside, I start feeling uncomfortable.  Even the locals are finding it hot.  Today we headed for the Automobile museum, which was full of vintage cars and motorbikes.  We also saw the presidents cars and that where the guide tried selling us a coin like the one that the old fella had given to us.   Nice try lady!!!!!!!

Missed the market, which we had wanted to do today.  We had been told it was MON – SUN, I guess you win some you lose someL.

I have found a new game, its called dodge the touts.  We walked up O’Reilly Street this afternoon and the heat was sufforgating.  The heat does not help when people are asking you all sorts of questions, and they are always the same ones.  So I thought I just can’t be bothered I just wanna get into the shade and have a nice cold cola.  Thing is they wait on the side of the street and watch you walking up and then as you walk past they start following alongside.  Earlier that day an Elderly gent had told me that I was the women of off the TV and that I was very good in that show???? I know strange but I couldn’t help think showbiz darling showbiz……. Anyway dodge the tout is where you have to walk really fast and keep you eyes on who’s in front and who behind.  Weave in and weave out, making it look as if you are on your way to work.  I managed to do a clear run but at the same time left Dave half way down the street.

Points the remember

-         A woman ‘Jineterismo’ wearing a stripy ‘spandex’ creation in the form of a fetching cat suit.

-         Something that made both Dave and I look twice, was a little sausage dog in a red string vest wearing sunglasses and a sports cap.  The funny thing is that we only mentioned it to each other until we got back to the Hotel

-         The clocks went back today and we didn’t realise until 2.30pm (old time). So I guess that meant that I got up at 7am

-         Some middle-aged bloke (with a Des O’Connor Tan) asking us if we wanted to go to the Ballet with him and his girlfriend?

Monday 28^th October

I woke up at 6.30am. I know this as I called over to David to find out what the time was.  Then went back to sleep as there wasn’t really much point getting up too early.  I did a quick final pack and had breakfast.  My last day of pancakes in the morning, so I popped a couple extra on my plate for the road. I also figured out why my coffee tasted so sweet.  The reason was that I would eat my pancakes first and then finish off with my coffee.  But today I had drunk my coffee first and then my pancakes and had noticed that the coffee was okay. ( I don’t know if it’s just me but I violently object to being woken up just to be asked what time it is)

We had saved the Capitol Building till today, we didn’t have to check-out till 12noon so we were okay for time.  The Capitol building was unreal.  In the entrance there is this huge bronze statue (the 3^rd biggest in the world).  We walked round the building checking out several conference rooms and fine state meeting rooms, as well as a huge mahogany library which was very grandeur and was very much the wow factor.  When we were ready to leave we contemplated venturing out in to heat, but instead decided to have a drink instead.

I had one of my last ti-colas and David had a really strong coffee (eek). We where there a good half an hour when a middle aged man, smartly dressed (with a brief case) came and sat on the table next to us. It wasn’t long till he had pulled up a chair and was running David though a cigar pamphlet which was detailing all the different types of cigar.  Whilst this was all happening I was contently sipping my ti-cola and watching the traffic in central parc.  It got to the stage where the bloke had pulled out a piece of card and was saying $370 = 25 Monte Cristos at factory prices and then he wrote down the figure 100.  David shook his head ‘No habanos’ which to be fair he had said about five or six times previously. The guy then said ‘so how much would you pay me?’ David shook his head firmly ‘I don’t want any cigars, no grazias amigos,  adios’ we both smiled at him to kind of ease the blow.  David turned to me and said ‘Jee’s that guy should sell double glazing he’d be good’ I did agree as his sales technique was very professional, (the pamphlet clinched it for me).  After that however we decided to check out and have a bite to eat.

We had planned to visit to cigar factory at around 2pm.  It was on our way to the cigar factory that we spotted one of the badest spandex crimes of all time.  I had my sunglasses on, so that’s why I had not noticed it immediately as it was David that had pointed the offence out first.  He had turned round to me and said ‘I can’t see it’s too bright’ I looked at him puzzled; as the sun wasn’t actually in that direction we were walking. I replied back to him without thinking ‘Put your sunglasses on then’  he carried on saying ‘But it’s so bright, I can’t see straight ahead’.  My main thought was Jesus my new sunglasses must be bloody good, so I took them off to see what he was on about.  Standing in front of us was a lime green, bright yellow and bright orange pair of leggings.  The brightest I’ve seen in a long time! (Not since the late 80’s).

-         The cigar factory was better than the one in Vinales, and the tour was a lot more detailed.  The people seemed more accustomed to tourists watching them work.  It’s really weird being shown round the factory whilst everyone is so busy working.  In the big room where they actually roll and cut the cigars, there stands a member of staff at the front who sits and reads out loud the daily newspaper or a classic novel such as ‘Romeo and Juliet’ or ‘The count of Monte Cristo’, I couldn’t imagine that happening back where I work.  It was even funnier to see old man sitting at a table just smoking the biggest cigar I had ever seen, apparently he was part of the Quality Control team!.  A good way to finish my Holiday.

-         Finding out at 3.30pm that the taxi that was taking us to the airport would be picking us up at 6.00pm and that our flight was due to take off at 7.00pm – and having to rebook the taxi for 4.30pm – yikes

-         On the way to the airport, in the taxi I was sad that I was going home. Cuba had been such an experience for me. I wonder if I had of stayed in one of those all-inclusive resorts if I’d of felt the same.

-         The flight was long and everyone on the way home near enough slept all the way.

(The flight back was OK but the 2 Hr layover at Norman Manley in Jamaica wasn’t much fun)

Julia’s Final Thought

I had a really good holiday, and have found a place, which will always be a favourite of mine.  Got a feeling I will be back there again. 

I am glad that I went and I think that I will have difficulty choosing my next holiday destination.  I would love to go to Costa Rica, guess I will have to save my pennies.

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