Blogs from Cuba, Central America Caribbean

3.5.2012 We arrived Santiago de Cuba, no problems, flight was about one and half hours, though the plane wasn't great got here safely. It is quite hot here 3-4 degrees hotter than Havana and a bit more humid, countryside quite hilly around Santiago de Cuba. Hotel is very clean and comfortable, all built I reckon in the 50's then JUST maintained from there, all hotels are state run and most of the restaurants are too! Very hard to find decent restaurants down here. Spent arvo visiting museums etc all very interesting. After dinner watched a baseball game with our guide JJ, a few rums later retired for the night. 4.5.2012 Went to visit very museum to do with revolution, also had a tour of a cigar factory, no bags, cameras etc allowed in the factory. Santiago ... read more

1.5.2012 Met up with other crew last night, we are 3 aussies and 3 New Zealanders, all 45 plus, nice bunch. Then had dinner together at a gorgeous restaurant we found on HGT prices fantastic – 2 mains, 2 starters, 2 Mojitas, 2 coffees $26. Today was May Day here as well hundreds of thousands of people marched on Revolution Square, very interesting, took us 1.1/2 hrs to walk to the square just to see the end of it. No tours today as our tour guide JJ was day off because of May day, most things closed but a lot opened after 12.00. We have walked for hours in this city and it has such a good feel about it. 2.5.2012 Walking tour in the morning with JJ, to the old Havana, many buildings are condemned ... read more

29.4.2012 As planned up 4.30 to catch flight from San Juan to Panama City with Copa Airlines, was a smallish plane but all good arrived Panama City 8.20a.m. for 11.52a.m. flight to Havana (3.1/2 layover). When checking our bags through in Panama City the check in girl put a standby sticker on our luggage, John questioned this and she said you have to go to the gate to get seating allocation. Our 5 STAR experience was just about to crash to about a 2, were told at gate plane fully booked and unless they could get volunteers to take another flight we would have to catch a much later flight, we did not leave that counter until that flight boarded, NO GO for us, you can imagine John, blood pressure sky high and the COPA Airlines ... read more

There is much more to say about Cuba than old cars, cigars, salsa, Che, Fidel, Raul and socialism. I LOVED CUBA. It’s not all that scary, oppressed, and poor as some media, blogs, and tourists make it seem. It was very save and I could actually walk on the streets in the middle of the night. I don’t have to lock three doors and hide the keys in my bra like I did it in Costa Rica. It all reminded me of Ukraine: apartments, old architecture, theatres, Lada cars, white chock walls, collection of empty perfume bottles, gas stoves, and water on schedule. Instead of “Coca-Cola,” “Samsung,” “AT&T” you can see “Socialism Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow,” “Live Fidel,” and “Revolution.” Kids wear uniform with little red scarves. People wash bags from milk and reuse them. There ... read more

There are two biggest challenges that really make me get out of my comfort zone: buying and riding. It involves taking to local strangers to get places and to eat. On my second day of living in Havana, I took a public transportation and bought a loaf of bread in a National Cuban Bakery! ATACA!!!! PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION It’s the most challenging system in Central and Latin America. There are rarely schedules or exact routes. YOU JUST HAVE TO ASK. In Cuba, the buses are overloaded with crowds and you have to ask where they go. The best way is to take one of those old Chevrolets for 10 pesos. I just love it! When I climb one of those I feel like back in the days when we had old cars. I am not sure how ... read more

The first day of classes I met a French guy Fabian walking down the stairs from the University. I said I spoke French (not sure if I should have since I don’t really speak it that much anymore). We started talking and ended up getting a sandwich for ¢75 and strolling along random streets and buying bananas on the market. It was funny to know that he also had a blog and carried a little notebook along. His blog was “Where Is Fabian” and mine is “Where is Marina.” I guess I wasn’t that original when I thought of the name. I am thinking of changing it to “Scoop of Rice and Beans.” Any thoughts? He also took two years off because didn’t want to get into a routine, was traveling by himself, and thought that ... read more