Blogs from La Habana, Oeste, Cuba, Central America Caribbean - page 6

8 months, 18 countries, 74 cities (and those are just the ones I stayed overnight in) and approximately 18,729km travelled and my journey through Latin America is complete. It is so far the longest trip I have yet undertaken and it's hard to believe that this is just partof a journey that is not even halfway through! Just like I did following my European sojourn in 2007 and my time living and travelling in London, I think it is appropriate that after a trip of such length, with so many different and unique experiences, that I should revisit and relive some of the highlights (lowlights) of the journey. Also as before, this will be done in a list form - lists of the best, the worst and my favourites... read more

Back in Habana I find myself here a bit earlier than expected. Tattoo shop found and appointment made I am most definitely a happy camper. Had enough time and no plans to check out a cigar factory. Too bad I got there at about 3pm cuz they closed at 1:30. Not open sat, sun, or mon because of an observed holiday….blurg. But I did purchase a few stogies for the states to help me remember the great times I had in Cuba. Hopefully customs is cool about it! Its totally legal now, but who knows…anyways. There was a girl from Malaysia in the hostal and we went to Habana vieja to find the original bars of La Bodeguita del Medio and Floridita (the ones in Trinidad were franchised out and now there are a bunch of ... read more

Ola to all! I realize this blog has not been updated in a while, but apparently it's hosts have been busy going to school/working/saving the world (the last one may not be entirely accurate, but we're working on it). So please pardon the brief interruption, but travelling has commenced again, hence this blog will be updated! Peter, and his buddy Luke, both decided they wanted to see Cuba before it opened up to tourism so they managed to find a crazy seat sale and hopped on a plane to the sunny Caribbean. The plane arrived in Toronto in the middle of the night and, after been given directions by a very nice flight attendant (with the longest and pointiest fingers nails either of them had ever seen), Peter and Luke found a couple of nice benches ... read more

It didn't matter that there were no seat belts in the taxi because it turns out everyone in Cuba is really protective of their cars. In a country that was cut off from most of the rest of the world, keeping cars running despite all the odds has become a source of national pride. The cars on Havana's roads give a potted history of its last century: Around thirty percent of them reflect the legacy of their former close relations to the USA, huge pristine 1940's and 1950's Buicks, Chevvies and Cadillacs gleaming in all colours of paint. Around thirty percent are much smaller, more subdued, often rusting imports from the former Soviet Union, generally Ladas. The remainder are more modern imports, familiar across the world, which represent the recent thawing of diplomatic relations and resumption ... read more

Sunday 10th January 2016 The four and a half hour car journey from Havana to Trinidad was exacerbated by the fact that we had to stop four times to find a garage selling diesel and twenty times for the boot which kept popping open - nothing to do with our oversized cases. Roads in Trinidad very quickly became cobbled streets and dilapidated buildings. Please don't stop here we thought and right on cue the car stopped. Horror at the surroundings quickly became embarrassment at our ridiculously large cases as we hauled them into the casa. Our hostess took us through her front room to the rooms at the back and now we're feeling smug at such a good choice! The rooms are clean and basic with towels but no soap! Two minutes along cobbled streets (all ... read more