I was a bit let down that the Cubana Airlines flight was not on an old 1950's plane. We flew to Cuba on your standard Airbus 320. A bit old by today's standards but it's no led zepplin.
My first glimpse of this forbidden land.
Customs and Immigration was, for the most part, a breeze. The immigration officer kept asking me
"Something something something Africa."
I'm in Cuba not Africa.
"Something something something Africa."
Uhhh why does Africa have any relevance here?
"Something something something Africa."
I am really confused.
He eventually moved on and did the whole stamping thing. Finally I was through. I'm in Cuba!
I realized right after the immigration officer was inquiring about Africa because of the Ebola outbreak.
Jackie, Anissa, and I caught a taxi to El Capitolio for $20 CUC. Riding through Havana literally was going back through time. The city looks like WWII just ended. There are lots of abandoned buildings that could be mistaken for being bombed.
Clash of old with the renovated. Classic juxtaposition in Cuba.
There are lots of abandoned buildings like this one.
Revolution propaganda in the form of statues, murals, paintings, and posters fill blank walls, bus stops, and any open space that needs more revolución. The propaganda all pay homage to the same few things: 26 de Julio, Che, La Revolución, or José Martí (mainly just those four).
Annisa, Jackie, and José.
The "26 de Julio" is the date that Castro began the revolution in 1953 by raiding a barracks in Santiago de Cuba. "Che" is short for Ernesto Che Guevara who was a key person in the Cuban revolution and who later went on to instigate rebellion and revolution throughout the rest of latin america before being assassinated by the CIA in Bolivia. "La Revolución" refers to the Cuban revolution. It is a source of pride for the nation not unlike US citizens rallying around "freedom".
We got to our Casa Particular and knocked on the door. Someone dropped a key on a string from up above and we let ourselves in. The buildings in Havana are reminiscent of buildings in San Francisco. The outside looks old and rundown but the inside is new and refurnished, at least to Cuban standards.
Not the nicest exterior but the interior is often kept up quite well.
After settling in and getting the rundown of Havana from the owner, the three of us were off to find Jackie a Casa Particular. A Casa is a room in a house that someone rents our, not unlike AirBnB. The houses must get government approval to accept guests, typically only the nicer places. Jackie knew of a place he wanted to stay at (our Casa had room but he wanted a place for no more than $10 CUC). We found the address and walked in the front door only to be greeted with a dark stairwell and a revolting smell. Piss. It reeked of piss. At least the stairwell did. The actual accommodations were habitable.
The three of us went to grab dinner at Los Nardos, a restaurant recommended by The Lonely Planet (a highly recommended book to use for anyone traveling to Cuba). Holy crap this place is fancy.
Los Nardos had a western style look going for it. A pianist was playing The Girl from Ipanema.
Holy crap this place is cheap. Drinks were no more than $2 CUC and the average dish was $5 CUC but had twice the food you would get in the states.
Well went all out. Coming from one of the most expensive cities in the world really warps your perspective on things.
I got the vegetable paella. The dish didn't particularly appeal to me. Anissa had the same but Jackie got fried chicken. Three whole chicken legs plus thigh, including potatoes and fried plantains (the best)!
I was a bit let down because it was mainly rice.
They each got three rums and I got sangria, Johnny Walker Black Label, and red wine. For dessert we shared a Tres Leches cake. Mmmmmmm soooo gooood! Total for dinner was $48 CUC.
The cake made up for my disappointment though.
I'm full and tired. Time for bed.
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