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Michael Johnson
I’m writing this blog because it’s easier than facebooking everyone, and it might be quite funny. It is mainly a diary for me and Ian Bennett to look back on afterwards and also gives me a chance to be a bit pretentious (in an ironic way, of course). Remember, I only got an A in English Lit and comma placement is complete guesswork, so don’t be too harsh.Moje
For those of you who don’t know him, Ian and I have been best friends since we were 9. He’ll be with me for the first 3 weeks of this little adventure – It seems getting permission from his girlfriend, Ruth, was a lot easier than getting permission from Marg Johnson. The itinerary is pretty straightforward: for the first 2 weeks we are travelling from Mexico City to Cancun, and for the last week we are enduring Havana and the west of Cuba. After that I take a 2-week return trip to Santiago de Cuba and fly out to Colombia to make a difference in Medillin.
Travel Blog Posts
Day 19 - Ian, Monte and I
Published: December 19th 2011Central America Caribbean » Cuba » Oeste » La Habana
October 17th 2011
It was our last day in Cuba before Ian had to leave and we absolutely smashed it. In the morning it was straight to Casa del Habano, the official cigar shop of Cuba, to purchase some Cubans. Found hidden behind the Capitolio, it is attached to the still-functioning cigar factory, Real Fábrica de Tabacos Partagás, founded by Jaime Partagás in 1985. We didn’t do the tour of the factory – apparently it’s a bit rushed and expensive. Instead, we mooched around the shop, breathed in the Cedar wood aroma (the wood used to maintain the cigars at exactly the right humidity) and mulled over boxes and boxes of different sizes, strengths and tastes of cigars. From the lite Romeo & Juliets to the more famous Monte-Christoes. From bite-size Caribas, which pack a real a punch at ... read more
Day 18 - Lazy Sunday
Published: December 19th 2011Central America Caribbean » Cuba » Oeste » La Habana
October 16th 2011
Not much happens on a Sunday in Habana. Most museums are closed by 2, if open at all. We wanted to do Casa de Africa – which isn’t even open on a Monday – and some Salsa. We did neither. Around the Plaza de Armas area there is a daily book stall selling all sorts of books in Spanish. I don’t want to spoil the surprise, but I bought a little present for Sparky while I was there; the book is over a hundred years old and I bartered the guy down to $10 from $12. I could have, and arguably should have got him down to $8 – just to make him think twice about capitalism – but what’s an extra $2 to a fat cat, like me? Right next to the Plaza de Armas, ... read more
October 15th 2011
Today, it was all about Julio Ceaser, our guide who took us hiking through Vinales’ fields and limestone, pin-cushion hills. Julio was an intelligent guy, with a degree in English and German, and an English accent that sounded like he’d spent four years at Bristol University and another year travelling in Perarrr. He was so interesting, and talked with so much poise, that we almost forgot to take in the views – which were stunning, by the way. We talked about Vinales itself, post revolution, and agreed that life is generally ‘better’ for its 4000 inhabitants. It’s always been a pretty self-sufficient town due to the fertile valley plains, with most people able to grow some food and keep pigs, chickens, goats etc. Now any privately owned land has been distributed amongst the people and they ... read more
October 14th 2011
Valle de Vinales is to Cuba as Pai is to Thailand. It’s a hub for travellers rather than tourists and its not-so-attractive town centre is surrounded by rural, self-sustainable dwellings with some of the country’s most spectacular views. Undulating fields of lush greens and deep red terracotta plots surround the steep walls of the towering, limestone mogotes. It’s different to Pai, though. The people seem better off. The houses are bigger and made of concrete rather than wood and mud huts. The plots of land seem more organised. And there’s a serious lack of marijuana. Maybe I’m just reading too much in to it already, but it seems here, for the rural, poor people that Che wanted to help so much – the campesinos – socialism has improved their lives. With half a day left, we ... read more
Day 15 - Idiots abroad
Published: November 3rd 2011Central America Caribbean » Cuba » Oeste » La Habana
October 13th 2011
October is Cuba’s wettest month so today we tried to make the most of some good weather at Playa del Santa Maria. It’s one of the beaches in Habana’s Playas del Este region. The sand isn’t as white, and sea not quite as crystal, as the beaches of Veradero, but it was amazingly peaceful. You could pick your own 100m stretch all to yourself, if you wanted. The only other people there were a few Cuban families and the occasional old, hairy, white guy splashing about with his beautiful, black, Cuban girlfriend. I would love to show you some pictures of this charming stretch of beach, but the only one we have is obscured by Ian’s big toe. I was slightly annoyed, but I didn’t say anything. He was already struggling enough. Really struggling. Despite functioning ... read more
Day 14 - Thank Christ
Published: November 3rd 2011Central America Caribbean » Cuba » Oeste » La Habana
October 12th 2011
La Esquina Caliente, at the corner of Parque Central, was buzzing this morning. This is the place Havana’s baseball-mad fans come to talk and argue about anything baseball. Last night, a nation hunched around their TVs to watch Cuba wrap up a comfortable 4-0 series whitewash against the USA in the World Series – baseball’s version of the World Cup. Although it’s mostly an amateur competition, with the MLB’s biggest stars staying away for insurance reasons, it didn’t seem to matter to these fellas; they’d got one up on public enemy number one. Completely out of our depth, we congratulated an old guy beaming into his plastic cup of rum and moved on. It was time to immerse. Cuba has hundreds and hundreds of art museums and galleries so we thought we’d start with the Cuban ... read more
October 11th 2011
After the comfort and luxury, we knew Cuba would be tough, but I was pretty glad we didn’t stagnate any longer in Playa. We landed safe enough, around 4pm, but I had my doubts we would. The jet was pre-revolutionary spec and clearly hadn’t been upgraded since. If the passenger seats did recline, they did so at random times, straight on to the lap of the person behind them. Embarrassing for everyone involved, really. In fact, by about 11pm that night, Ian was thankful he was only staying a week and I was starting to wonder if I would have to check myself in one of the hotels at Veradero – a mega resort, an hour north east of Havana that has become a symbol of the degenerate westerners Fidel refers to. First thing we did ... read more
October 10th 2011
The Thai Island of Koh Toah is supposed to have the best prices in the world but this is pretty much the same. $99 USD for two discovery dives is pretty good and, if anything, there’s more fish here and a lot more chance of seeing turtles, eels and stingrays. Once Ian had mastered equalising his ears, we were good to go and find some. There were no turtles but we saw some rays, manteray eels (which have a pretty scary grid on them), lionfish (don’t touch), clams and plenty of angels swimming around our heads. Two 45-minute dives later, we were done and, looking back, it was an amazing way to spend a sunny Monday afternoon. But, as someone not that interested in naming slightly different patterned fish I think the novelty of coral dives ... read more
October 9th 2011
I was ready for a big hangover Sunday in our new digs at the Hostel Playa, with only a small wall-fan to blow my headache away. Ian, however, was having none of it. I’ll remember this. He got up early and went souvenir shopping for the girlfriend and family, because he’s nice like that. (My mum always tells me not to spend my money on her, so I don’t.) He came back with a bag full of noisy souvenirs and, thankfully, managed to avoid getting his ear pierced. One of the pushy shopkeepers in Playa tried to sell him a silver earing with an inscription of his birthday in the Mayan calendar. He walked out when the guy offered to ‘throw in the piercing for free’. I reckon it would have clashed with his gold chain ... read more
October 8th 2011
48 hours of binging was starting to catch up. After checking out we were asked to keep our wristbands and ‘use their facilities until we left for the airport’. Replace ‘use’ with ‘milk’ and ‘airport’ with ‘Coco Bongo’ and that is pretty much how the day panned out. More sunshine, more beach time. By 11am, we had resumed the potato position, only getting up twice all day. The first was for a good-bye, buffet lunch with Luis. He told us how much he enjoyed meeting us and was kind enough to give us two of his favourite hats as a leaving present. He gave me his ‘very special’ hat and, to be fair, I did feel very special wearing it. However, I am somewhat suspicious as to why he owns a hat like this. In case ... read more
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