- Laurent & Del re invent a popular TV show: Télé Boutique Achat. Buy our cigars!!! (1 video montage)
Visiting Cuba this year was for us a dream. First on our agenda, we had to remove it due to money problems (the english pound £ lost 30% last year!). But earlier this year in Brazil and Bolivia we read the biography of Che Guevara, and our temptation to go to Cuba got too strong to bear!!! We were also aware that the Castro regime will not last forever, and that it was the time now to explore this strange island before 'it is too late'. So we changed our plans again and bought our flight tickets!!
From Havana to Trinidad while passing by Santa Clara or Cayo Coco, Cuba is an island which can satisfy any curious people thanks to its fascinating history, its current and very special political regime, and also thanks to its natural beauty (from the paradise beaches to the multicoloured paved streets and the North American cars from the 50's).
On an historical, political and economic point of view, Cuba is the most interesting country that we have so far visited. We were also very glad to meet the Cuban people, and live in Cuba 'like locals', avoiding the touristics paths and services.
In the few articles that we wrote we will try to explain our feelings and to analyse the current Cuban situation. We will also share some of our nicest pictures and experiences.
Lenght of stay: 1 month
Itinerary:
Havana -Vinales -Matanzas- Sancti Spiritus - Trinidad - Moron - Cayo Coco - Santa Clara - Remedios - Cayo Santa Maria - Santa Clara - Havana
We were told before going to Cuba that it was an expensive country for tourists. We had thus prepared ourselves to spend more than usual and exceed our minimal budgets that we used for Bolivia and Peru.
By trying to save money on every transport, lunch and dinner we managed to spend less than for all the countries we have visited so far!!! Thanks to hitch hiking, hard negotiations for accomodation, a light food budget (we bought everything in national currency), and our strive to not give away too much in activities and cocktail, we managed to get control on the costs. Also we got in Cuba with a certain sumof cash that we endeavoured not to exceed in spending. Using a bank card is in Cuba indeed expensived (very high banking commissions).
Objective achieved, then.
| CUBA | Exp (pesos) | Exp (€) | Days | Average by day for 2 people |
| Accomodation (logement) | 10 056 | 334 € | 29 | 11.5 € |
| Food (Repas) | 4 131 | 137 € | 29 | 4.7 € |
| Transport (Transport) | 4 183 | 139 € | 29 | 4.8 € |
| Activies (Activities) | 720 | 24 € | 29 | 0.8 € |
| Other (Divers) | 2 692 | 89 € | 29 | 3.1 € |
| TOTAL | 21 783 | 723 | 29 | 24.9 € |
(*) Other: Presents, souvenirs, mail...
To compare with other countries, visit the Home Pages of the concerned countries and accee ss the 'Conclusion' section.
* POSITIVE points :
- Having had the luck to travel and visit this unique island
- Relaxing on a long chair in Cayo Coco : transparent water, fine sand, wonderful natural site
- Meet very sympathetic Cubans (far from the touristy areas)
- Listen and chat with many Cubans about their daily life under the regime, their histories, their pasts.
- Understand Cuban history and the communist regime
- Havana Centro and its unique atmosphere: kids playing, the street life, the very cheap food around every corner
- Walking in old Trinidad, buy mangoes and avocadoes in the street
- The sun and the heat despite the tropical rainfalls
- The North American cars, Ford, Chevrolet, the feeling of being in a film
- Enjoy the mangos and avocadoes, the best in the world!!!
- The national restaurants in Remedios, the cheap lobster cocktail at 10 pesos cubanos
- The Che Guevara museum at Santa Clara
* NEGATIVE POINTS :
- The long hours waiting for a car under the scorching sun
- Going into overcrowded buses with our backpacks, in the middle of the Cubans pushing and nudging in every directions like fighting for their lives
- The long queues for buy bread, the shops, the restaurants reserved for locals and banished from tourists
- Delphine Tooth problem and the Cuban dentist care who made the problem 5 times worse
- The apartheid between locals and tourists
- The taxi yelling 'taxi, taxi!!' for hours despite you are showing no interest at all
- The hawkers
- The lack of local and national transport
- The relationship tourists / locals: racism, apartheid, the fact that tourists are seen as a walking wallet. Lack of true relationship. There is always an interest for money or present
- The Castro regime and its restrictions
- The almost empty shops, the inexistent service to the customers
