Hot weather and cool cars in the hero city of Cuba

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Santiago de Cuba...home of the best Cuban music...but could we find any?!

We were met off the bus from Trinidad by a hospitality club contact, Lianne, who had found us a lovely casa particular a few minutes walk from the centre of the old historic district of Santiago. We had to clamber up a small spiral staircase, with our packs, to get to our room. Getting up was way easier than when we tried to come back down again a few days later! Our first ride in a classic old car was to the casa in a 1948 Dodge with suicide doors in the rear. As battered as they come, but still working just fine.

We met up with Lianne every night that we were there. We didnt hit the clubs or anything - those who know us know that isnt what we are about - but we did listen to some music, eat some food and have a good time. We tried the usual CUC restaurants and a peso place. The CUC restaurants dont seem to mind if you turn up in shorts and jandals, but the peso places wont open the door to you if you are not in long trousers and shoes, and no singlets either. These rules apply mainly to the guys, girls can dress a bit skimpier! We were refused entry first time round to a restaurant and a peso bar because of the way Colin and Liannes male friend were dressed.

Lianne gave us a fascinating insight to life in Santiago. And the rules regarding contact with foreigners. We went round to her house, met some of her family and friends, and generally were made to feel welcome. Except when sitting chatting in a park with her and a friend when the police came up. Politics hadnt even come up, at least not until after the police visit. You see, Cubans arent meant to talk to foreigners. Why? Not sure exactly, we never did get a definitive answer to that question, everyone we asked told us something a bit different. Is it so that Cubans dont get a good idea of what the rest of the world is like and compare it to what they have? Is it so we cant push capitalist ideas onto them? Is it to protect us foreigners from being hassled (this doesnt work!!)? What kind of control is it? Anyway, Lianne and her friend had their ID´s scrutinised carefully, details radioed back to somewhere for checking. Their cards were handed back and nothing was said, so they seemed to be allowed to keep talking to us. But then... we left for five minutes to get some food, agreeing to meet back at the same place. When we got there, no sign of either of them. Surely Lianne wouldnt desert us, she had seemed so nice every other evening we had met. But no, after a minute or two they came back and got us, taking us out of the park. Apparently as soon as we left, the police came back and told them they had to leave the park (a public place) as the tourists had now left. Didnt matter that we were with them and that they were far from hassling us. What we thought didnt matter, we werent asked at any point in the whole ïncident¨ if there was a problem. Other than that, we had no problems hanging out with Lianne, except when the movie she wanted to see had ended and we had to see something else instead. ¨Los Reyes de la Calle¨ something with Keanu Reeves and Forrest Whittaker in, full of violence and corruption, shows the US in a great light!! No chance of converting anyone to capitalism with that movie.

The first night in Santiago we just joined in with the locals, and the few other tourists, hanging out in Parque Cespedes and Plaza Dolores. Every few steps we seemed to meet someone Lianne knows, and it was busy out on a Sunday evening.

Monday most of the museums are closed, so we just had a good look around, a bit like when we were in Havana but without the hurricane! Most places are either from when the Spanish invaded or are newer relics from the last revolution. We went from the oldest house in Cuba (1522) to places Fidel Castro and his revolutionaries were either held prisoner or celebrated their successes almost by just crossing the road. One place that was open that first day with the Rum Museum, so now we are better acquainted with the process of producing rum, and know what brands and ages we should be buying. More exciting maybe was finding a guy on the street selling tamales for 1 peso MN and a window selling small cheese pizzas for 4 peso MN. Did we explain the money system here before? Basically there are two currencies, the CUC (convertible tourist money) and the peso (moneda nacional / national money). As tourists we are expected to pay for everything in CUC, but that makes it all pretty expensive. One CUC is about NZ$2. Accomodation ranges from 15 - 25CUC, and dinner can cost 2CUC upwards depending on what you have. ie a simple bowl of spaghetti is usually about 2CUC. Beers are 1.15 - 1.50CUC and soft drinks about 1CUC, in bars. The small supermarkets (more like the size of a small dairy!) sell them for cheaper of course. So, MN, there are 24MN to 1CUC. So getting lunch for 5MN each was a bargain! All the drinks we have found so far have either been dodgy looking in MN (not sure about the water!) or in CUC. Everything in the supermarkets is in CUC.

We met Lianne again that evening, spending some time at her house before again trying to find something for dinner. This is when we met a friend of hers, got refused entry to a peso restaurant and had Lianne and her friend hassled by the police. Sounds like we were a bunch of suspect people out for a drunken night on the town, but we werent really. Its just the way things work here.

The following day we were out at El Morro - Castillo de San Pedro de Morro - what is supposed to be the best preserved 17th century Spanish military complex in the Caribbean. It was pretty neat, and well preserved. The bit Colin probably enjoyed the most was the ride out there. Instead of taking a tour bus or a proper taxi, we did what a lot of people do and hired a Cuban with a car. Without wanting to sound like we are doing something illegal, if the driver gets caught he could get into trouble for picking up tourists. Not really bad trouble or anything, but we would find ourselves without a ride! This car was a slightly battered 1953 Chev. One window winder shared between all the windows, but at least the V6 sounded good. The fort was good, as was the trip up the nearby working lighthouse. There was very little explanation about the different parts of the fort, but it doesnt take much imagination to work out what was what. Plenty of cannons all over the place, including one very rusty one at the bottom of several sets of steps leading down to right by the water. Awesome views from everywhere, and the air was so much cleaner and fresher than in the city.

We also went round a small but interesting museum all about the underground struggle against Batista, and another small museum about the carnaval. All the museums so far have been really small.

Another museum we went to while in Santiago was in the old Moncada Barracks. The buildings are now a school but this is where thre was a failed attempt in 1953 to take over the barracks as a precursor to the revolution. The museum is in the part where the main attack took place, and if I understand correctly, 29 people were killed. We had to walk past a classroom to get into this museum, and a later map shows that some of the heroic rebels died in that room. Spooky, being taught in a room where people were shot.

We visted San Juan Hill where the Spanish, Cuban and US armies fought in 1898. There are monuments and memorials to all sides, some left over cannons and enough trees to keep the place cool. Of course that also meant that the views of La Gran Piedra and the city were obscured! Nearby was a Santeria "museum", more like an old neglected house with a few shrines and painted walls than a museum, no explanations for anything, but it did keep us out of the rain for a bit.

Our last night there, Lianne arranged to have Marilyn, our casa owner, to make us some traditional Cuban food, kind of more working class or country folk food than food for the tourists. We had a really nice soup whose name will remain anonymous as we cant remember, some boniato which is like sweet potato, avocado salad and yuca. I´m not sure if the small slice of flan for dessert was as a treat as the other food, although good, was a bit plain, or if it really is a traditional Cuban dish. Whatever, it was nice, but very sweet.

Marilyn also arranged for us to stay with a relative in Baracoa and gave us some addresses for casas in other cities. She was a really friendly and helpful lady, so if anyone wants her address, let us know. We certainly recommend her.

More about the hero city later. And more old cars.

Oh yeah, the music. We didnt pay to go in anywhere to see any bands, you can hear them in the street easily enough. There are street musicians too, who will stop and play to all the tourists, trying to get a few CUC off them. These guys are usually ok but nothing special. Being right out of season, there wasnt a lot on offer in the casa de la trova or casa del estudiante. Despite advertising afternoon bands, these often didnt turn up either. So no big discoveries of new talent, just some pleasant listening to a mix of styles.

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Photos

Colin and his taxi
A nice 1953 Chev

One of Cubas fine cars
This one is an official taxi, rather than the unlicensed car we used. These cars seemed to be in better condition, necessary for the license maybe?