And off we go...1st stop: Cuba!

First report from Cuba - belatedly, as internet is very scarce on the island: we have arrived safely in the loud and hot capital and are allowed to be guests in Martha's house, where she lives with her family and Kitty, a very lively and extremely friendly Chihuahua lady. Thanks to her hospitality and her delicious and vitamin-rich breakfast, we feel very comfortable here. We do like Havana with all its decaying colonial buildings, colorful old cars, loud music, and talkative residents, but we haven't fully developed a true sense of the country and its people in the first few days. Apart from the tourist shopping streets, we sometimes find delicious Cuban food, otherwise it's mostly greasy and fried. But we can't say no to a bag of Churros either. For vegetarians, there is rice with beans, for everyone else mainly chicken and ham sandwiches. We explore the small streets of Habana Vieja - the old town - and stroll along the Malecon, the waterfront, towards Vedado, where we admire the university. We spend the quietest minutes in the city at the huge Necropolis Cristobal cemetery. It is very humid this afternoon, and the raindrops that fall on us from the clouds are very refreshing.

From Havana we continue to Trinidad - our Viazul bus reaches the small town in the midday heat, but thanks to Martha's help, we are picked up by a bicycle taxi and taken to the pre-booked hostel. After various services of the 6-room hostel are offered to us (in a hotel-like atmosphere), which we politely decline, the next morning at the breakfast table there is a sales show of various types of blankets (as we know them from grandma's coffee party). The two rooftop terraces offer a magnificent view of the city, while Cuban rhythms echo over the roofs. Trinidad is a beautiful colonial town with many small alleys that all look very similar. This, however, leads to walking in circles one or more times and feeling a bit like in a maze. With Victor, our personal taxi driver, we take a trip to the Vale de los Ingenios, where the old sugar mill valley is located. The landscape is simply picturesque. Actually, we would like to skillfully gallop through the lush green valleys on horses, but the intense heat prevents us from doing so. Instead of falling off the horse, we prefer to postpone it...perhaps to Mexico?

*If you feel like partying, you should go to a cave above the town - we only learned this later in conversation with other backpackers.

Now we head to the center of the island and explore the cities of Sancti Spiritus and Santa Clara. We quickly succeed in finding accommodation in Sancti Spiritus and book a room, much to the delight of the husband of the guesthouse operator, who is a huge fan of German history and, after quickly guessing our nationality, cannot stop talking about historical events in our country and GDR politicians. The town is small but we like it. Like almost every town, there is a theater here too. After a young man loitering at the entrance has turned down the volume of his loud ghettoblaster playing Cuban rhythms, he shows us the theater hall, whose stage is full of plush animals - there will be children's theater in the morning. In the evening, we walk to the river, which meanders between houses, horses, and chickens. Unfortunately, it seems to serve as a garbage disposal site - what a pity.

In Santa Clara, it is pouring rain when we arrive, but we find refuge with two older ladies. Elsa, the owner of the casa, is nice but also quite assertive. The second lady is really sweet, a dear granny straight out of a storybook. There is not much to see, but the town is pretty and above all known for the grave of the national hero Che Guevara.

After our city trips, we decide to take a few days off: vamos a la playa! After a very bumpy ride with Viazul, we reach the Caribbean coastline of Varadero in the midday heat. Despite the threatened difficulties from Elsa regarding the spontaneous search for accommodation, we quickly find a place to stay. The beach actually looks like it does in a travel brochure! Turquoise blue water, white sand, palm trees, and a huge bathtub called the sea. We can stay here for a few days before heading back to Havana and from there to Mexico. We meet Aline and Verena, from near Giessen, and take walks on the beach, eat and drink Ding Dong - rum with mango juice.

Cuba is an exciting country with many beautiful places, but we feel like we are in a different world. Questions about politics and the population constantly occupy our minds, so we can never completely switch off. The many dilapidated roads and buildings, as well as the poor conditions of many residents, are probably reasons why we can't relax as much as in other countries. However, the stay was still beautiful and full of exciting impressions. Now we are looking forward to Mexico!