Viva Cuba

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January in Oxford Street can only mean one thing - sale shopping. As I joined the stampedes and elbow my way to that elusive size 10, 70% off jacket - to join the other six jackets in my wardrobe - I felt a small sense of guilt about my excessive consumerism.

Fast forward two weeks and I've just landed in Havana, which couldn't really be farther from our cookie monster consumer driven society. In a country where everyone earns the same wage - disposable income and "I wonder which brand of toothpaste I should buy" just doesn't exist. People are resourceful, nothing is wasted and it seems that through the forced hand of trade embargoes Cuba has achieved the current biggest western buzz word - sustainability.

Driving into town and the road from the airport was oddly empty - almost like driving at 4am in London. But it wasn't 4am it was 4pm and the reason for the desertion was simply that people don't really have the means to have a car. The few Ladas and the classic American cars that Cuba is famous for were mainly in a state of bonnet up with patient owner wielding a spanner near-by.

Havana is literally falling to bits. The stunning architecture is crumbling and I'm sure if there was an earthquake 90% of the building would fall down. But it's so beautiful and almost like a frozen in time film set. The Hotel Lincoln were I was staying was also frozen - actually paused in a scene from Fawlty Towers. The air con unit was wedged into the wall with newspaper, the breakfast consisted of bread sticks and even the permanently pissed off lady on reception had Basil Fawlty facial hair. But this is Cuba and in a land of where monthly rations would feed most people for a week, I was glad of the bread sticks.

Leaving Havana I headed west into the countryside to the tobacco growing country around Vinales. Vinales is a town of rocking chairs on porches and stetson wearing farmers. The countryside is made up of lush tobacco fields and karsk lime mountains. The atmosphere is ten paces more relaxed than Havana. I stayed in Casa Particular - which is a bit like a B&B. The house belonged with Mario and Tito and the accommodation was of the highest standard. Tito cooked up huge three course meals, while Mario pottered around plumping cushions and re-arrange ornaments at right angles. Each Casa has to be registered by the government and the rules and regulations are tight - it was hard to get a sense of what Mario and Tito felt about anything. There were lots of smiles, but I really wanted to know what it's like to live in Cuba!

I then trundle on from Vinales to Maria La Gorda, which is a deserted beach resort consisting of one hotel, right on the tip of Cuba. There are miles and miles of empty beach and it's worth the five hour drive. Heading back towards Havana I stopped in Las Terrazes and visit an old coffee plantations high in the mountains. Lastly I went east to Trinidad and Santa Clara - which is really where the revolution began. In Santa Clara Che Guevara fought the battle which won the Revolution and ultimately made Cuba what it is today. The Che museum is definitely worth visiting to learn more about his life story. In the adjacent room are his remains and an eternal flame flickers.

I couldn't help wondering what Che would make of the tourist invasion? Somehow the fact that tourist are even in Cuba goes against the principles of the revolution. Doctors are giving up their jobs to works as waiters (because they can earn tips) and from the number of street hustlers in Havana personal gain seems to be very much alive. It was always my aim to get to Cuba before Castro dies and it changes forever, but something tells me that happened the moment the door to tourism opened.

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Photos

Malacon Havana
Malacon Havana

Havana
Havana

Vinales
Vinales

Maria La Gorda
Maria La Gorda