TRAVEL CUBA
Autentica Cuba
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You enter into a colourful world of antique cars and bright brickwork. Shop owners smile at you, and the sun beats down pleasantly, but what lies beneath this dreamy vision of Cuba? On arrival in Havana, we are surrounded by the happy chattering of tourists eager to begin their vacation. Still, strangely nobody can get out of the airport because not only do you need 'another' exit document, but they are non-available, and when you ask where to find them, the customs staff are hostile and indifferent. Moreover, this is an example of the difficulties we experienced when dealing with officialdom throughout my stay in Cuba and, in some ways, undoes all the right things and kind hospitality of the Cuban people I met during my travel.
As my dear and wise friend described it, Cuba is a place where tourists are not welcome, but their money is. It is funny and maybe shocking to some people to put it this way, but the reality is that Cuba is a communist country ruled by leaders who want to segregate the outside world from their society and, at the same time, make money from tourism. So what happens? They create a façade for people coming from abroad to show how beautiful Cuba is and hide the daily struggles of the Cuban people.
I want to share my experience with you and give you some valuable tips about the country and things to do in Cuba:
Travel Havana
Havana, the capital of Cuba. A word recently sung through our radios, the reality is far from glamorous. The city centre is filled with contrast; fancy hotels and pastel buildings denote a false booming economy, where nearby, half-destroyed buildings like the remnants of a storm are overcrowded with locals. Shiny and bright 50s cars whiz around like a Baz Luhrmann production, but these are tour-cars, meanwhile, the cars of the locals are falling apart and stuck together with duct tape.
Be aware of the ‘Jineteros’ or street jockeys, who specialize in swindling tourists, they hide in many forms: selling ‘discounted’ cigars, asking for money, pretending to be tour-guides or overcharging you for the taxi.
Despite this, Havana is an extremely safe city with delicious cuisine and beautiful to walk through.
Where to stay?
‘Casas Particulares’ are homes of Cubans transformed into small hotels and owned by families that have special approval to accommodate guests at their houses. Due to a lack of technology on the island, and the government’s interference, you can recognise these houses by this sign:
I stayed at the lovely house of Mercy in ‘Vedado’, a part of the city, which is close to the centre but far enough from ‘jineteros’. You can ask her for a double room or a 2 single bedroom, each room has a private toilet, and her family will make you feel at home, making you a big tasty breakfast in the morning and help you with taxis arrangements, dance teachers and even finding other places to stay in other cities. Feel free to drop her an email at: merking1@nauta.cu
Where to eat?
Eating great in Cuba is easy but sometimes pricey. I recommend staying away from the pizza and pasta instead of enjoying the culinary experience of Cuban cuisine.
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Esto no es un Cafe
Located in the Old Havana city centre, Esto no es un café is a small cafe that provides high-quality Cuban food exclusively for tourists. That's right; it is a crime for Cubans to consume lobster, beef and seafood, sad but true. The delicious 'Ropa Vieja' is a highly recommended traditional dish with shredded meat found in many tourist restaurants. The other suggested words are lobster and ribs, as shown in the pictures.
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Karma
Located in Vedado, Karma is a highly affordable restaurant with a large variety of food. Here, you can try different delights of Cuban cuisine. It is a more prominent restaurant partially outdoors with a great atmosphere.
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Fonda la Paila
Discovering this restaurant while walking out of Old Havana was a hidden treasure. It is not located in the tourist areas, Fonda la Paila is a large terrace with delicious food and dishes that are so big they can easily feed two people.
Where to exchange money?
Since every financial institution is owned by the government, the rates are the same wherever you go in the city. The best places to exchange money are either directly at the Bank or at a Cadeca (money exchange shop). Just ask at the place where you are staying for the nearest one, they are open only the weekdays from 8 am to 4 pm with a lunch break from 12 to 1 pm.
If you have a travel card, you can use it at the ATMs of the main banks of the city, and save yourself time from queuing up. Sometimes, the ATMs do not have money, so do not rely on them completely, and in case of emergency, ask people where to find more.
Where to dance?
If you like dancing salsa and want to experience an authentic Cuban party with live music, dance performances and animations, '1830' is the right place for you. This was the best place I found in West Cuba to have a night out dancing, attracting the best dancers for both tourists and locals. 1830 is located in the Malecon, Vedado zone. A refreshing change from my other experiences: due to difficulties in the cross-over between locals and tourists, it is not easy to find an authentic dance scene, and you may find yourself dancing with fellow visitors, as you are disallowed from the local venues.
Internet in Cuba
4G is non-existent in Cuba, so the only way to get Internet access is through WiFi, although not all cities have it. WiFi is usually located around main squares, but if you see lots of people on phones and tablets, the chances are this is a WiFi zone. To access WiFi, you need to purchase a WiFi card available at the reception of big hotels and ETECSA stores, which is a usually big blue building that sells internet cards for 1CUC the hour. Meanwhile, hotels sell it for 4CUC the hour for faster internet, but sometimes they run out of them, so it is better to buy more than one.
When I arrived back in Havana and already had my Internet card, I could find reception at the 'Floridita' bar in Old Havana and in the WiFi park a bit further from the Old Havana centre, but it is a walkable distance from 'Floridita' bar. You can ask for directions from local people if they say it's too far to walk and suggest you take a taxi, tell them you rather walk as it is pretty near and they probably want you to pay for a cab.
Do not expect the Internet to be fast or reliable, as sometimes it doesn't work. Keep patient and keep in mind that the connection is a lottery. If you get it, it is excellent, but do not rely on it as Cuban families, and some tourists go to his spots to communicate with their family using video calls, which limits their access to other people. So, I would highly suggest being mindful of other people needing to use the Internet for urgent matters, and keep the contact with your family members to short text and let them know that you won't get Internet on the island.
Another essential piece of advice is to download the offline maps of the cities you want to visit before arriving in Cuba; you will need them.
TRAVEL CIENFUEGOS
Agreeing with the famous Cuban singer Benny Moré; Cienfuegos is the city that I like most. It has a fascinating French colonial history that is still reflected in the city centre's architecture, it is far from 'jineteros', it's clean, there are fewer tourists, and you can wander around in a more relaxed and less intrusive atmosphere.
 Enjoy the architecture of the Parque José Martí and the pedestrian roads around it |  Enter the magnificent 'Palacio Ferrer', and discover the best views of the city |  Take a bicycle taxi across the Paseo del Prado strip |
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 Have the world's best Mojitos at 'La Punta' |  End the day at Rancho Luna Beach |  Visit the Flamencos at Guanaroca Lagoon |
 Cueva de los peces: Take a taxi to the Bay of Pigs to do Scuba Diving or Snorkeling |  Relax in the peaceful and crowd-free beach at Playa de los Cocos |  WiFi spots, people around the Parque Marti sell the cards |
Eat great & listen to live music
After taking a bicy-taxi around the city, we were recommended a few restaurants to have dinner. After visiting them we soon realised how overly expensive they were, so we asked the cyclist to take us to a place with the same standard but cheaper. He took us to this place:
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Restaurante Casa Prado
Calle 37 #4626, Restaurante Casa Prado consists of two floors, with a beautiful terrace at the top where a live band enthusiastically plays on request of their audience. The food will not only blow your mind but also will save you a lot of money to do more fun things in the area. I highly recommend the grilled shrimps main dish with arroz moro , which is the typical Cuban dish based on spiced rice and black beans.
TRAVEL TRINIDAD
'Taxi? Taxi? ... Restaurant?" every minute you'll get asked these kinds of questions while walking down the streets. Hence, is not advisable for people that don't like overly touristic places.
The city once affluent for its Sugar Plantations and the slave trade now survives mainly from tourism. As you walk you can find that almost every house is a guest house for tourists, and people convert their living rooms into restaurants, art galleries and mini stores. If you are thinking about buying souvenirs and crafts, Trinidad is the best place to do so.
This graceful city reminds me of Cartagena, Colombia, in a less attractive kind of way and with fewer things to offer.
 Take Salsa Lessons |  Have the largest selection of coffe at the magical Café Don Pepe |  Visit 'Galería de Arte Universal Benito Ortiz' |
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 Visit La Cachanchara and try its famous drink |  Take a walking architecture tour |  Discover the beautiful sand beach of Playa Ancón |
Where to eat?
It is hard to pick a restaurant to eat when there is so much choice in the city. I recommend eating around Plaza Carrillo, where you can enjoy delicious food at reasonable prices.
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Ranchón Ancón
In the stunning Ancón beach, there are a few restaurants you can visit. However, this restaurant offers a broad range of homemade and traditional food, while the others only offer fast-food. Also, it has a fun and young atmosphere with reggaeton music.
Night Out
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Casa de la Música
Although it is quite expensive if you are thinking about buying food and drinks, Casa de La Musica is the perfect place to see live performances and salsa bands. It is not great for dancing as 99% of people are tourists and the rock floor is quite uneven.
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Rincón de la salsa
El Rincón de la Salsa is the best place for dancing, make sure to ask for the agenda of the week, as every night they have a different schedule of music, some are salsa nights, while others are reggaeton club nights. Some days the party is from 9 pm until midnight, and other nights the party starts after 11 pm, so make sure you get the days right.
Where to stay?
The Hostal Manuel y María is a lovely house at the centre of Trinidad, where this welcoming family will make your stay very pleasant and are always open to having a chat about the history of the city. Feel free to write Manuel, who speaks English, at borgesrenta@gmail.com
WiFi
There are two spots in the city for the Internet: in front of Casa de La Música and Plaza Carrillo. Some people around the Casa de La Música sell the cards, but the best place where you can get them is at ETESCA in front of Plaza Carrillo, there is usually a line of people outside waiting to come in, as they don't allow more than 5 people inside. Be sure to ask the guard if there is someone selling them inside, as they person inside might be on their lunch break, and ask the people waiting outside who is the last one to arrive, since Cubans don't make lines, they rather know who has the last turn in order for them to know theirs.
TRAVEL MATANZAS
To escape from tourists and to understand the real Cuba we head north to Matanzas, which was a reality check for us. The city that once was the Athens of Cuba is now what in South America would be considered a poor destroyed city.
With a rich cultural history, Matanzas was the birthplace of the Afro-Cuban 'Rumba', by the African slaves brought by Spanish settlers in the 16th century to work on the sugar plantations. Rumba was a form to express oppression, in a combination of music, poetry and dance
Currently, some roads and main buildings in the city centre are being reconstructed for the city's 250 anniversary, with the hope to attract some tourists from Varadero.
Where to eat?
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La Casona
Offering both quality and quantity of delicious food at affordable prices, I highly recommend La Casona. As a foodie, I was overjoyed that the meals came in very large portions. This restaurant opens from 10am-10pm. Ask any local for directions and they will happily guide you.
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Hotel Velasco
The Hotel Velasco combines tasty food with an ambience to match. However, the menu has less variety than La Casona, and the portion sizes are smaller while being more expensive. You can get Wi-Fi reception here if you have already an Etesca internet card previously purchased.
WiFi
✓ Hotel
✓ parque de la libertad
✓ plaza de la vigía
Internet cards can be bought in the ETESCA at Calle 83 in front of the Cathedral de San Carlos Borromeo. Ask at the doorman about the Internet card before making the line, as they are 2 different entrances for different purposes and also to make sure that the person in charge of selling the cards is there at that time.
What to do?
Since it is not a touristic city (yet), there isn't much you can do and there aren't many places where travellers are welcome. In half a day you can walk to the centre of the city. The nightlife is quite limited as foreigns are not allowed to enter local bars, and the clubs where we are welcome are only open during the weekend.
It is a nice place to stay if you are thinking of saving some money and experience the real Cuba. At the bus station, you can get shared taxis to go to Varadero for a day trip or other snorkelling sites and beaches nearby.
TRAVEL VARADERO
Disguised behind a pleasant facade, Varadero hides a dark secret. Though tourists swim without concern until recently this place was banned to all Cubans. It is a bubble made only for tourists. Nowadays, even though that Cubans are no longer restricted, the high prices make it unaffordable for them, and taxis need a special authorisation from the government to transit there, which is not only hard to get but expensive for the drivers. This city is nothing like the rest of Cuba, it's a false facade for foreigners to enjoy the beautiful beaches with pricy hotels running through the peninsula. As small as any store looks, it's government owned, which explains the high prices.
The atmosphere of the place is more American than Cuban, and so does the buildings. Unlike the other cities, it is very well maintained; you can see how much money the government puts into tourists, but sadly not their people. This explains why many Cubans resent this place and people who come here, and you feel that resentment in the hostile hospitality. For example, every restaurant and bar that I went to, when I noticed their toilets were locked and asked them for the key, they would say that is broken, even if you see one of their staff just coming out from it.
The beaches are white sand, and the colour of the water is one of the most beautiful you'll find in the world (Although, snorkelling is much better in the Bay of Pigs). The water has a beautiful baby blue colour, but there isn't much to see besides the few fish attracted by the bread that the guides carry with them.
Socialist or Capitalist?
There is a clear division of tourist-cities and non-tourist. The tourist cities are a false facade of Cuba, super expensive and a bubble. The real Cuba is where tourists are not as welcomed. They are very poor, dirty, on decay, and with lots of restrictions. We tried going inside a bar on our final night where Cubans go, however, they did not let us in for being foreigners, telling us that the bar was full even though there were only a few people in it. In touristic cities, there are police everywhere, keeping an eye on everyone to make sure Cubans are not mingling with travellers (unless they work within tourism, which is their main industry, ironically).
So what we have found is that their socialism and their ideologies of socialism, only work for those outside of the tourist industry. It's all fake. The people with medical degrees, architectural degrees or any other kind of degree, end up working as tourist guides or taxi drivers for tourists because they can make more money.
We went to a hotel, looking for some internet reception, a bottle of water there was 4CUC, meanwhile in a Cuban store around the corner was 0.70CUC. I also found out that seafood, fish and beef are only produced for tourists, with the penalty of 10 years jail time if a Cuban eats them. That's not socialism, it's capitalism. Where is the equality ideology there?
You can make your own mind out from it.
Describe your image.
Describe your image.
Conclusion
A beautiful country with an exquisite coastline along the Caribbean; Cuba offers a delicious cuisine and rich culture full of music and dance. However, beyond the happy footsteps of salsa lies a strict censorship and poverty that is continued under the familial face of Che. You may not agree with everything that I have written, but this is my viewpoint and hope it serves to make your stay in Cuba better.
If you enjoyed this article, found out more about my different travels here.