Cuba

This trip was inspired by my Mexican amigos. All of them told me that Cuba is so wonderful, and I learnt from practically everyone that been there say Cuba is like the paradise in the world...

I intended to visit this place alone, however when i shared this to my friends (exchange students in ITAM), there are like more than 10 express interest to go with me, and I was shocked. I felt that they are not really interested in visiting there but they are more interested in visiting a "cool" place. So as the date draw nearer, one by one pulled out, and finally the last one pulled out 2 days before the trip, but I was already expecting myself to be alone since the day they proclaimed their interest.

These ang mohs, only know how to talk, allwaiz NATO, cannot stand. Oh well, moving on, now for the dirt about Cuba...

I went to Cuba withou having a map and literally not knowing what I should do and where I should go. Other than Castro, Salsa and Cigars, my knowledge about Cuba is almost Zero, but I'm glad that I leave Cuba knowing so much more about Cuba. I have the chance to experience Cuban way of life and Cuban Spanish and many many more....

During my 6 days in Cuba, I stayed in a Casa (aka House) with a local family. They were nice initially because business was bad, they are willing to offer a price that practically no other Casa are able to offer, which is why I accepted it. It was half the price of the published rate. I got a big room with 2 beds, all to myself. They were very nice as they sufficient tips on traveling in Cuba. Notice that I mentioned sufficient because alot were discovered by myself. The husband scolded me because I on the air-con and i was outside, because I was trying to cool my room. Sigh, they get so tense up when it comes to $$$. They dun belong to the poor group, but on the other hand, they are like one of the few fortunate people that get to travel out of Cuba, nobody else could.

The first day, I walked along Malecon (Sea-side walk) from Vedado down towards Old Havana. On my way, I met this black guy who was swimming in the Carribean Ocean. He called me and I stopped and chatted with him. He only knows Espanol and I tried to converse with him, is hard, but is not impossible, in the end, we hit off quite well. He took me on a bus ride, paid for me because I do not have any small change. Until someone told me that he was crazy. And in the end i followed another group of guys who knows English. They brought me to a place where the Chocolate Factory was filmed. Saw the place, colonial buildings and it was not really preserved well.

These guys asked me if I want to get cigars and I told them no. I told them I'm hungry and I only have 10CUC on me, and they took me to a resturant and ordered 4 beers for 3 of them and me. I asked them how much is the food there, and they told me is 6CUC and I asked them how much is the beer, they say 2 each. So great, i can have a meal, then one of the guy thank me for treating them into drinks, I was like when did i treat treat u to drinks. I can't believe for the fact that I'm starving hungry, and they even want me to treat them to drinks when I have not even satisfy my own hunger. I was quite disappointed with them, that they care so much about their beer than my hunger. I know how is it to feel poor, but I thought they should at least have some dignity. Being the nice guy, obviously i didn't put up a big fuss and i treated them to beer, and I obviously skipped my lunch. Sigh... and thats the end of being together, they are just after my money, so after the drink they just told me that they have to leave.

And I continue my walk, there are so many nice buildings and monuments, at first I was busy taking photos of each of them, then I realized there are simply too many to take.

This is the picture of the famous fort in Havana, and it used to be the HQ for Che Guevara.

Then quite near the fort, there is this huge Statue of Jesus. Just like the one in Rio De Janerio in Brazil. It was impressive and amazing, too bad I can only take it across the harbour.

Along the way, so many people talked to me. All sounded so nice, ask me if I want to get cheap cigars or want to try the best Mojito in town. When the underlining intention is that they want to rip me off for the cigars and get me to treat them to drinks. So after they bring me around and ready to order a drink, I will tell them I have no money, then they will bring me out and they will say they have to go. That is so funny....

Everyone on the streets sees me will taut at me or other than that they will ask if Im a japanese or chinese. I will just say japan and their pick up line will be, " i have friends in japan, japan is very nice...." so if u tell them ur a chinese, they will substitute japan to china. hahaha. Their normal pick up line.

Met a swedish traveler during the sunset, and he brought me to the streets where the Cubans lived. It was also the eve before Castro's party's anniversary, so the people are having a party. They are cooking on the streets and food will be served at mid night.

It is really very nice, because people are dancing salsa everywhere. And I tell you, their salsa is so good, lotsa cool moves that I have never seen before. I made an agreement with the best salsa instructor in town to teach me on Friday. Which unfortunately he played me out, i waited outside his place for him, but he never turned up and it rained. And this nice lady invited me to her place. She is 50 plus, and she is really nice, offer to make coffee for me and offer me food. She told me she got diabeties thats why the biscuit that I eat has no sugar. Imagine I got to know all these when she is speaking spanish to me, i think going out of your comfort zone really make u work hard enough, esp when it cums to learning a new language.

I visited the Cemetry on the 2nd day, it was like the best cemetry that I have seen in my whole life. It is not a war cemetry, although there are like war heros there. But the whole cemetry was impressive. Their coloborium is so much more sophisicated and bigger than that of sg. Anyway, does anyone of u know the place where war heroes are buried in sg? haha, will show u when im bac, and if u ask. =) It is the cemetry that I 'grew' up in. I'm pretty confident people my age or younger will not know of this place. This cemetry in Havana has lotsa nice statues of Mary, Jesus and Angels. Plus the sky is like totally blue, gosh, is hard to explain, but it is really very nice. u need to pay 1cuc to visit the cemetry. In whatever ways, they will try to milk every cent off u.

I also visited the ministry of defence where Che Guevara was supposed to be the minister before he left to fight the war in Bolivia. They got a nice picture of him in the whole building...look!!!

The 3rd day, i ventured to Havana and Old Havana again, but this time, I literally walked there. It is a 2.5hours walk - ONE WAY. I visited Chinatown which have NO CHINESE, how ironic. And went to see the countless national monuments and buildings. Then I met this couple from Australia. I saw them a day ago too. I helped them bargained and get really good price for their paintings. Though I still feel they are cheated, but that is the price that they are willing to pay, so it really ok. We agreed to hang out that night for dinner, and to watch the canon live-firing.

The canon thingy was way too cool. We get to see them firing the olden canon from the fort. They building a tunnel under the harbour. How cool is this? Then saw the preparations to the actual firing of the canon. I was trying to make my way to the front and i encounter a Chinese national. I was trying to get my new found friends in front, so I told him in Mandarine that this girl is short, allow her to come forward. Then guess what he said to me, that my Chinese is very good, and I should have also answered yours too. Argh, how bad can a Chinese when it comes to speaking Mandarine.

Went to La Bodeguita de Medios to try their Mojitos. It was created there, and so it was kinda pricey but absolutely worth it.

The 4th day, we went to the beach, it was Playa de Esta, with many cool beaches. It was really cool. To see nice and soft sands and crystal clear water which ranges from green to dark blue in colour of the Carribean Ocean. Swam in the waves and have a great tanned, I'm back to my usual "shining" ways.

We spend the night chilling at the Australians' Casa. It was a nice balacony which overlook some part of Havana. We had rum and coke and chilled our nite away accompanied by his trusty ipod and the mild breezy on the 5th story.

So now I meet a friend from Sydney, it gives me more reason to go Australia now. =p

The last day was spend lazing around the Carribean and mingling with the locals.

There are like 1001 takeaways from this trip. It is reallie sad to see a socialist state like Cuba, even though when I ask them what they think of Castro, all of them tell me they like Cuba, because if they say they dun like, they probably get killed. And since Castro is seriously ill now and that his younger brother has taken over, it is rumoured that things might change.

The Cubans will always have food to eat. Remember that the government gives them food to eat, so all of them will never go hungry, please do not get tricked by them. There are like 1001 ways they can come up with reasons how desperate they are.

The Cubans are very friendly people, but most of the time, they are friendly because they are eyeing on your $$$, but nonetheless, there are also nice people around like the lady who ask to go to her house since it is raining.

The Cubans does not own their homes and cars. Everything is owned by Castro. Everyone is allocated a place to stay. They earn an average of US$15/month. They have to conned tourist in order to live a better live. Since they do not own anything, they do not bother maintaining anything, everything is really run down. But is because it is so run down that is why it is so unique, to the tourist of course.

Cuba have a dual economy, the locals pay in Cuban Pesos and the tourists pay in Cuban Dollars. I was fortunate to eat what the locals eat and get lotsa things in Pesos. If i were to eat like a toursit, I will probably be spending the amount like in Tokyo or London. It is that expensive.

You will be surprised how developed in terms of architecture they are. They have really nice buildings. And Cuba is has the best medical technology in the whole of Latin America. People from all over Latin America would go to Cuba to seek specialised medical attention.

At night, during the weekends, every 5-8 houses u walk, u will be able to see salsa parties. And the way they dance salsa is really really cool and great. I'm so inspired to learn salsa now.

There are lotsa black people but there are also quite alot of spanish who came to Cuba to settle down when the Spanish rule here. So do not get the misconception that Cubans are supposed to be black. Unfortunately, the spanish are living better even though Fidel promised no discrimination. Fortunately, there is no discrimination amongst the Cubans. Dating between blacks and spanish are really common.

Everywhere u go, u see couples making out, it is really romantic, or rather, they have been taught sex education since 3-4years old, so they revolved everything about sex. So for guys, it is EASY to hit off any girls on the streets. NO SWEAT at all.

The local will always try to talk to the locals, unfortunately, in a socialist's state, they are not allowed to do so. Every junction have a policeman. There are 1 million police in a 11 million population in Cuba. Casa need to have permit before they can rent their house out and cars have to have permit in order to carry foreigners. When you talked to them, they will always be keeping a look out for police.

Cubans are generally very lazy. They would try to rip off the tourist instead of working. U can see Cubans just sit outside their house and chat or wait for people to come and chat with them. U will never be alone even in the middle of the night.

The tempreature is not as hot as Singapore but the humidity is worst, it almost killed me. But i guess the ang mohs will feel much worst than me. =p

My biggest take away is that, it reinforces that I'm still very very lucky despite bad things constantly happening to me. Thank God for that.

To all of u Amigos, if you are plan on traveling Cuba, have a splendid time there. You will definitely LOVE it.