Feb 10, 2005 - Return to Capitalism

We made it back safely from the land of cigars and classic Chevys. My parents were worried that I would find myself in a sugar cane field, but the most danger we encountered was the pollution from the old cars and people puffing on their stoagies. As much as I wanted to find the idealistic Cuba that I dreamed about for many years, I found myself disenchanted and bummed by the Socialist surroundings and outcomes of a dictatorship. I must admit as we made it through immigration and entered the forbidden land, it was quite exciting. The...

Feb 4, 2005 - Flog ond Aakonft en Habana - El viaje y la llegada a la Habana

Wie scho gseit, eusi Reis nach Habana esch scho zemlech Action gsi...euses Flogzueg wo Kerosin verlore het...die 3-stoendigi Warteziit em Flogzueg ond denn die Schwerigkeite om es Zemmer z'fende, aber mer woesse jetzt dass es sech glohnt het!! Zemlech mued ond abekaempft, aber voller Lost ond Neugier das foer eus neue Land zerkonde semmer de so gaege di 3 am Morge e euses Bett gheit ond haend gschlofe wie 2 Aengeli - aber am 10ni am morge weder uf, mer waend jo nuet verpasse:) haette der ned daenkt, he, dass d'Montsita ofs Uusschlofe...

Jan 27, 2005 - Hobart to Havana, via Sydney, Los Angeles & Montego Bay

Thurs 27th Jan 2005. Days 113-119: Hobart to Havana, Cuba. Tasmania to Havana took 4 flights and 48 hours, because of long times between flights at Los Angeles and Montego Bay. By the time I got to Havana, I was really tired, and this might have helped the stomach bug take hold. Luckily, I had reached the hotel before it got too bad, but I then had to stay in my room for the next 36 hours till it had passed. On the last day of the 3 that I had in Cuba, I felt a bit stronger so arranged to have a private Salsa lesson, but the instructor...

Jan 11, 2005 - Havana

We spent our last few days in Havana, seeing the sights, buying cigars and rum and drinking lots of mojitos. We were staying with a really nice couple near the centre of town, but the continual hustles and ripoffs were really beginning to bug me by now. We were almost without exception overcharged so I'd have to haggle over every single bar or restaurant bill- and I was twice insulted by guys who didn't like being turned down when they tried to pick me up, a pretty impressive record considering I only went out on my own three times. I find...

Dec 19, 2004 - Cuba

Another nasty early morning check-in assures I arrive in Havana by midafternoon where I check into the Ambos Mundos, where Hemingway used to stay, shower, change and head out to have a look around. The hotel is smack in the middle of old Havana and it only takes me a few minutes to discover a couple of the things other travellers had told me about. The first is peso pizza. They´re sold through people's windows and cost 5 pesos for the basic cheese and tomato version. That's 5 Cuban pesos, not Convertible pesos. The latter are worth one US...

Dec 3, 2004 - Cuba

From Cancun, I flew to Havana Cuba with Cubana Airlines. Flying Cubana was one of the more intense experiences of the trip and made the experience of diving with sharks a few days earlier in Belize seem like a relaxing Sunday stroll through the park. Cubana's state of the art fleet is comprised of Russian jets from the 60s that were probably sold as scrap by the Russians about two decades ago. When you get on the plane, the cabin crew gives you a lolly, which is about the extent of the cabin service; I think the lolly is their way of saying...

Jul 10, 2004 - Havana, Cuba

Made it through customs after lots of questions and spent a couple of nights in Havana. Currently at a beach resort 20 kms outside the city called Playa del Este. All Cubans here so very lively. Hotel has regular powercuts and water shortages so keeps us on our toes. Will try to add photos soon. Internet is bit slow here so will need to wait until Hawaii. More soon.