Cuba 27th June

HAVANA

Well I guess i will start with Customs, I thought the US are strict, Cuba is on another level. There was a point where i thought they weren't going to let me in the country. I think i was just picked out because i was white and looked like an American. I walked up to get my passport checked and stamped, about 5 meters from the desk i got pulled up and stood aside by a guy in casual clothes. he had asked for my passport, i thought it was really strange with him not wearing a uniform, not even the slittiest badge or anything, just a plain orange polo with cargo pants, i didn't know how to take him because i couldn't judge how important he was. He asked me about 50 different questions, i eventually convinced him i was just here for travel and will be returning to Mexico within 15 days, doing my best to talk spanish, it is difficult at times. I walked up to the desk, by that stage they were all free because everyone from my flight had already cleared customs. The lady was really nice, so i asked her to stamp my passport which they don't usually do because it can effect entering the US.. I passed through the black door with no window, not knowing what to expect on the other side, it was the baggage claim, so i walked over, there were only a few bags left circling on the carousel, i grabbed mine then went to the corner to rearrange my camera bag and put my backpack on properly, before doing that i tore the bag tags off that were hanging from it everywhere, i continued walking towards the (salida) exit, before long i was stopped again by a women, that said i needed to follow her. My heart sunk and the first thing i thought in my head was drugs, because i remembered at check in back in Cancun, Mexico, nearly every person on my flight had there bag security wrapped. My heart was pounding, to ease it slightly the lady seemed super calm and was trying to make conversation in English. I followed her to this door, when she opened it, i panicked because it was a small interview room and i had never seen one before, only on tv. She asked me to take my bag off and then went on asking me lots of questions such as, Laptop? Camera? iPod? She just wanted to know about all my electronics and wrote down all the details of each item, then continued to ask what i do back home for work, how long am i travelling for, why i am travelling for so long, where i had been so far, how long ago i left, where I'm going next, how long I'm in Cuba, when will i return home, why i will return home and the list went on and on. By this stage it would have been at least an hour and a half after my flight had landed, this was the point where i thought i wasn't getting into Cuba, a few times she needed assistance on my answers, not being able to understand what i was saying. Then all of a sudden she just said "pack your bags, welcome to Cuba". Haha i laughed at her and she smiled. Little while later, i walked out of the room and towards the exit and there was another lady at the exit door that said "removed your bag sir" i said "I've just had my bags chec…….". She repeated her self louder this time with more of a tone in her voice "Bag Off Sir" i did what she said she looked at my bag saying "tag tag" pointing at my bag handle. Little did i know i needed those tags i had torn off early and put in the bin back at the baggage claim area. I explained i had torn it off and needed to go back to get it from the bin. Then every guard between the exit and back to the baggage claim was stopping me from going back through the wrong way. By that stage i had had enough it was just ridiculous. I finally got the baggage sticker and returned back to the exit door, she checked them and smiled. I walked through the big exit door after around 2 hours. There where people everywhere saying taxi taxi haha i wasn't really in the mood, i had to organise my Cuban peso so i did all that, then finally got a taxi. He was a great guy spoke little English but was very hopeful. The drive from the airport is like any third world country i guess CRAZY and exciting at the same time, except Cuba is a lot weirder haha crazy cars, they are so old its not funny. They all drive old cars like 50s and 60s models, all puffing black smoke out the back, creating a cloud  of fumes for the following cars. We finally arrived at my (hotel) which what i had booked online was advertised as a Hostel. I guess it is kind of like a holiday away from a holiday, i have my own room with toilet, shower, double bed, tv (not that i have even turned it on) and also AC which is a must here, it is super hot. It is central and buffet breakfast daily also, $28 per night so i can't complain, the next day i woke early had some breakfast and went for a look around. Its very different to Mexico, the people don't see many tourist here I'm guessing, because every person stares at you whilst walking around the streets. 

The next day i went for a walking around the area to have a look around, later on I went back to the hotel about mid morning to grab my camera and a few things, i got a taxi from the front of the hotel, Prier to coming i had researched the top 10 beaches in Cuba and 2 of them are only 30 minutes from Havana City. It cost me $30 dollars return, he waited for the 4 hours while i was there haha. Coming from Havana to this beach was like one extreme to the absolute other. It was just amazing i would have to say the nicest beach i have ever seen, the water is that crystal blue it just doesn't look real. It was steaming hot and i was super thirsty so i skulled a bottle of water and after taking a few photos i jumped in the water, it is barely refreshing because the water is just so warm, it would have to be at least 27 / 28 degrees, i kept a close eye on my camera bag and swam away from anyone else. I then walked the entire length of the beach to the other end, which was even more spectacular. Palms down to the water, bright white sand and the highlight blue turquoise water. I had 2 beers down that end and just relaxed in the sun dipping into the water when ever i got to hot. I didn't even realise the time, the taxi driver and myself had agreed to meet at 2:30 and it was 2:15 and i was about 3km up the beach, i knew he wouldn't mind so i didn't really rush back, everyone is pretty chilled out here. It was an amazing day at the beach, in my element taking photos, swimming, laying in the sun and having a couple of beers. 

Later that night i went to a really nice place for dinner which i would have to say is still the only good meal i have eaten in Cuba. sadly the food isn't very good. They also lack on internet, being stuck in old times i guess that will happen, I'm in Havana which is the capital of Cuba and there is only one hotel with internet, its not wifi just PC's and its $15 an hour which is ridiculous, also no fast food places, its a whole different world. I guess its because of the rivalry between the US and Cuba and they can't get any supplies from anywhere other than the US who wouldn't supply them with anything. Thats my guess on why they are so far behind with times. Also its a very poor country

Today i had some breakfast downstairs and then set off to walk the whole city, it was basically the complete opposite of what i did yesterday with going to the beaches. Now i was walking with 5 story buildings either side of me, only a single oneway road separating them. It almost looked like the buildings where closer at the top than the bottom, it wouldn't surprise me if they were. I don't even understand how some of them are still standing. Its so strange you see half collapsed buildings, with people just happily living in the rooms that are still holding together. I seen a guy working today, i counted 6 storeys high, standing on 2 planks and not a single rail stopping high from falling, it must have been more than 14 meters high. As i headed for the big city Cathedral the heat from the mid day sun was taking effect, i could feel the drips of sweat running down my back getting more consistent, as i felt the warmth of my camera bag sticking my shirt to my back i diciced to try and find a little cafe or store with aircon where i could get a bottle of water. The heat in the middle of the city is intense, you have to drink a lot of water here its really humid steamy weather, nice if you have a beach close by. But walking in the hot sun gets to you. I reached the Cathedral about 12:30, spent a while there looking around and taking some pics, then got something for lunch. I decided to walk back a different way along the water where i seen a lot of kids swimming and jumping of the rocks. I stood there for a while and had some home made Cuban Rum that Junior (spelt Yonior) was selling out of his little kart, a few of the kids wanted me to take photos of them jumping off the rocks doing flips and dives. 

Most of the day i didn't really get my camera out to much because i didn't feel safe with everyone watching me. I only seen a few other tourist for the whole day. It's so strange you get a lot of people coming up to you feeding you a bullshit story about them being a teacher at the local university and that they want to practice there english, so can you go with them to this university building to help them. I don't really know what they are up to, but its happened 3 times since I've been here. They don't look very trust worthy. Everyone is just after your money. 

My first experience on the street in Cuba, i left the hotel once first checking in about 2 minutes down the road i had a guy come up and introduce himself and wanted to help me out, he showed me around because i had explained i had just arrived. He took me to this place, explaining its a good place to eat and told me about the home stay's here in Cuba and how its cheaper than the hotels. Then next thing you know we are having a drink at a bar, he wanted me to buy his beer for him, for helping me out he said haha, so i said one beer thats it. Next 2 girls come in the bar and sit right next to me trying to flirt with me and grabbing me, telling me to come with them. I said to them in Spanish "sorry but no thanks" then they said "you can have both of us for 13 peso" i laughed and said "no gracias'. I'd only just arrived not long before and already felt in a really uncomfortable situation, so i put 5 pesos on the bar to cover the drinks and stood up and left. 

So yeah that was my first impression of Cuba, i was a little unsure after that. I now know to ignore  people that want to talk to you because all they want most of the time is your money. Besides that I'm liking Cuba. I leave Havana tomorrow morning to catch the bus to Varadero, my hotel is on the beach there so it should be good. I'm hoping to catch up with Ari one of the Argentinean girls from Holebox Island Because she flew in today. So it would be good to hang out with someone I'm kinda missing the hostel life, at least in hostels there are always people to chat to your own age who are also backpacking. I'm hoping to play a game of golf at Varadero, the golf course is supposed to be really good. 

As i said Wifi is unheard of here so it may be a while before i can post this with the pics. But the date today is 27th June. I will write as i go so i can remember everything, other wise it gets hard to remember it all in detail.