Store Manager of STA Travel Cheltenham recently visited the breath-taking city of Havana. Here’s what he has to say. “Havana is everything and nothing like you expect. I flew up from Holguin with Aero Caribbean. Um…….. not the best experience. The aircraft was older than me! Very hot on board and very slow. If you are going to fly within Cuba I would highly recommend flying Cubana Air. One of the key sights into Havana is Plaza de Revolucion, which has the Jose Marti Memorial. Standing at 358ft tall it completely dominates the square. On either side you have the National Theatre, Library and the Ministry of Interior, which has Che Guevara’s image on the side of the building. “Modern” Havana is completely different to how you imagine it to be. “Modern” being from the 50’s. There is a real mix-match of buildings from the Colonial times up until the 1950’s. A whole hot pot of different architectural designs and buildings makes it one confusing area. During the civil war the Americans were evicted from their homes and the Government officials took over the buildings. Some of the most stunning colonial buildings have been left to go to ruin, but people still live in these houses. Some have been converted into restaurants, beauty parlours, offices, shops etc. One of the major attractions in this part of Cuba is the National Hotel. This is the most famous hotel in Cuba, where all the rich and famous stayed from times past. There is a hall of fame in the bar where you can see who has actually stayed at this hotel. From Winston Churchill to Leonardo di Caprio, a whole host of famous people have resided at this hotel. This hotel is pretty amazing and completely timeless. I had the best Mojito I have ever had in my life her, and I have had a few! The Castro Mojito was pretty incredible and we sat back and chilled out with a few of these just watching people go by. If you want to splash the cash a room here starts at £115 per night, which is pretty reasonable considering the prices of some of the other hotels. A visit to Tropicana is an absolute must. Cuban Cigars and Cuba Libre (rum and coke, well you get a bottle of rum and a can of coke!) are all included in the cost of the ticket for this pretty iconic show. You can watch the scantily clad dancers put on this iconic show. A visit to the old quarter of Havana is a must. This is the oldest part of Havana and the part with the most history. A visit to Las Floritas, a regular haunt by Ernest Hemmingway, and the beginnings of the Daiquiri! You also have Hotel Ambros Mundos which is where Ernest Hemmingway resided. You can see his room on floor 5 in room 511 for a small charge. There are plenty of museums, churches and cigar shops in this part of town through the small pedestrian streets. Beware of the local “ladies of the night”. They come up and kiss men on the cheek and expect one in return, and then you have to pay them! Just so “no gracias” and they leave you alone. All throughout the city you will see loads of American 50’s cars. They are everywhere. These are actually taxis and for a charge the drivers will take you around the city. You can hop in one for an hour for around 35 Cuban Convertible Peso’s. If you like a high standard of cuisine you will be disappointed in Havana. The country is still rationed so the menus at restaurants are very limited. Lots of rice, chicken and fish. Food is available on the black market but if Cuban’s get caught buying beef then they can get 5-8 years imprisonment. Hotel food is a better option with a wider range of options. Hotels are generally owned by foreign companies so they import the food in, but it’s still quite basic. Lot’s of canned veggies, yum(!) etc. The locals are very friendly and fiercely protective of their heritage, history and culture. The disdain for USA citizens is still very high in this country and they are very proud of Castro and his achievements. For an outsider it is hard to understand why, as Cuban’s are not allowed to travel without a visa to the relevant country and they also need to get an exit visa from the Cuban authorities. It is only recently that they have been allowed to own property. Wages are incredibly basic. A Doctor will earn on average around £400 per month. So many of the qualified Cuban’s are waiters and waitresses as they can earn more money in tips than wages in their chosen profession. For me, Havana gave me glimpse into times past; it toyed with my senses, emotions and conscious. It gave me one of the best times I’ve had in a city and it ranks high on my list of favourite cities. I would highly recommend a visit.” An 8 day tour of Cuba starts at £399pp. Check out our range of Cuba options in our Latin America brochure statravel.co.uk/the-world-brochure.htm
Posted on: Sat, 03 May 2014 15:59:38 +0000
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