Next stop Cuba

Cuba - unique and completely different. 

After six days in Cuba, we have arrived back in Mexico and can now write about our experiences. 

In Cuba, it is not as easy to be online as in other countries because there are no SIM cards to buy, which you can simply top up to surf the Internet. There is only the option to buy a Wi-Fi card, go to an official Wi-Fi spot, and hope to be able to log into the network. Since we were only there for six days, it's not a problem, but you have to get used to not being able to quickly Google something like you normally would. 

The flight from Cancun to Cuba - La Habana - was quite cheap. In just under an hour, you're already there. There are two currencies in Cuba - the tourist currency CUC (1€ = 1.25) and the local currency CUP (1 CUP = 24 CUP) - a bit complicated, but somehow it always works. 

We met up with two friends, Phil and Sheila, in Cuba. They booked our first accommodation in Havana. We stayed right in the center and had a great apartment with a roof terrace. Just the right thing to settle in. We used the first day to get settled and sat relaxed in a restaurant by the sea, admired the vintage cars, and had our first Cuba libre. In Havana, many houses are damaged, which gives it a rundown and impoverished look. On the other hand, other areas look very pompous - unique and contrasting.

We decided to stay another night in Havana and, among other things, took a city tour in a vintage car. We also visited the old town. Havana is very busy with many tourists but also many locals living there. There is also a lot of poverty, and it often happens that people approach you to beg for something. You also have to get used to the fact that it is very different from Germany or other countries, as you have to first look for a store to get what you need, such as water. The stores are often well hidden, so you can't recognize them at first glance. You get used to everything, even that Cubans love to bargain 😉.

On the third day, we headed to Vinales. It is about 200 kilometers west of Havana. We took a taxi and arrived relaxed and cheaply. Vinales was completely different from Havana. It seemed much more relaxed and, at first glance, much more beautiful because all the houses were intact and very colorful. Everything seemed very inviting. 

We hadn't booked any accommodation, but when you arrive by taxi or bus, you meet several people waiting for you and offering you accommodation. Cubans have the option to offer their homes to accommodate tourists - that is called Casa Particular. We did that on-site. You can often add breakfast and dinner. Our family was very nice and helped us organize a tour for the next day. We booked a tour where we visited different stations on horseback - tasting coffee, rum, and honey, watching cigar production, and exploring a cave. It was incredibly interesting to do it this way since none of us had really ridden a horse before, and it was totally relaxed, allowing us to enjoy everything in peace. Afterwards, we also walked to the Mural de la prehistoria - a mountain with an artwork that has been worked on for several years. The son of the family we stayed with accompanied us there - our tour guide 😊.

After two days, we returned to Havana as Phil flew back home. On our second-to-last day, we went to Santa Maria Beach again and both got a nice sunburn. 

Time flew by quickly, and now we're back in Mexico, ready for the next adventure.