Cuba - Havana

After a short flight from Cancun to Havana, we arrived in Cuba. You immediately immerse yourself in a different world and feel like you're on a time travel. Havana is of morbid beauty and the former magnificent colonial architecture is visibly affected by the passage of time. In contrast, there are old American cars from the 1950s, some of which are perfectly restored. But at the same time, the other half of the cars are old Ladas and Moskvichs, there are pictures of Fidel Castro, Che Guevara, and Camilo Cienfuegos everywhere, and signs praising the advantages of the revolution and the ruling political system never let you forget that real existing socialism is still in power here. A truly bizarre mixture. The people are visibly not rich, but very friendly. All shades live together here and there is no racism. That is very pleasant.

Often you feel reminded of the former German Democratic Republic. Queuing is omnipresent, public institutions are bureaucratic monsters (we had the pleasure of having to extend our visa and got to know banks and registration offices) and a lot of improvisation is necessary. On the other hand, the cohesion among the people seems to have a different meaning. But the biggest downside so far is the food. Not that it is bad, on the contrary, Cubans can cook quite well. It's just very very one-sided. The menus mostly consist of spaghetti, pizza, and sandwiches. Rather, spaghetti with cheese or spaghetti with ham. Or spaghetti with ham and cheese. The same goes for pizzas and sandwiches. And for breakfast, there is bread with ham, alternatively of course with cheese, or both. And we eat at least two eggs every day, in whatever form. But we already knew that from Central America. We better not know our cholesterol levels. Being a vegetarian is difficult here, and vegans are advised against the trip.

Internet is also very difficult to find, if not non-existent, but you also get used to it. The Cuban network is connected to the Venezuelan network via a fiber optic cable. In addition, there are only public points in larger cities where you can connect to the internet for a pretty expensive price. But back to the actual trip:

In Havana, you can stroll for hours or days and always be overwhelmed by new impressions. The colorful life on the streets, the architecture of the once wealthy city, the music on every corner, the kilometer-long promenade... But we also visited the huge Museum of the Revolution in the former Presidential Palace and the Plaza José Marti, where the grand speeches and parades took place. All very exciting.

Since our arrival, we have been living in so-called Casas Particulares, rooms that private individuals are allowed to provide for travelers. This way, you always have contact with the population, and we find that very helpful and pleasant. Furthermore, you can peek behind the crumbling facades, where well-kept apartments reveal the whole beauty of the colonial style. It is also cheaper than a hotel (we were a bit afraid because Cuba is considered very expensive for tourists).