What is Cuba like?

Cuba is just very ODD!  Mainly because of the transition from Communism to Capitalism, and also the proximity to the USA but the endless sanctions/blockade –  with the huge wealth in the US and such poverty in Cuba, and the legacy of the Spanish culture.  But hey, that MUSIC!

12 things that are odd about Cuba

1. There are pretty much no shops, and the ones there are have almost nothing in them.  Maybe just three tins of peaches, a hose pipe, five bottles of shampoo, and three hats.  However much money you have, if you want to buy something, you won’t be able to. Not at all like for example India, where they’ll find you anything you want if you have the money.
2. There appears to be no crime at all – no pick pockets, no muggers, even in the really rough-looking areas.  I’m not guaranteeing it, but certainly you don’t need to be paranoid, just sensibly careful as always.  I didn’t take my posh watch, but I needn’t have worried – all the Cubans had great big blingy ones!  They mostly have metal bars on all their windows and doors so their houses look like cages, so maybe burglary is an issue, or maybe they leave door and windows open to let the cool air in when they are out?  There were no disabled beggars in the street etc – I guess the communist-type health system is working pretty well.
3. Everything is early – taxis even our dinner was served up 45 minutes early!
4. I was unable to tell what was a private house and was a public place.  People have restaurants in their houses, they have bars, and shops, but they also just hang out with friends with their front door open.
5. The 1950s cars everywhere – really cool, but also strange to see
6. Prices vary a lot, and with no logic so the posh hotel was cheaper than the little bar, the supermarket (we found one!) was more expensive for water than the kiosk on the street, and people sell phone cards illegally in the parks for less than you can buy them for if you queue up for ages and then usually get told they don’t have any in stock.  In the case of food just shop around – it’s the same everywhere, just the prices vary hugely!
7. The internet is only available in the parks – people don’t have it in their houses at all.  You need a card and then you go to the park to log on.
8. If you do find a shop, or a bank, you have to queue OUTSIDE, and a guard unlocks the door and lets people in one at a time.
9. It’s VERY noisy.  Cars, people blowing whistles to say they are selling stuff, horse and carts going by, people with loud voices, …and most of all music.  Often one house blaring out music into the street.  Do they take it in turns, is it the job of one house to entertain the tree, are they just anti-social – or mad?  Who knows!  But I rather liked it!
10. The mopeds are mostly electric rather than petrol, so they are SILENT.  Very nice, and not smelly, but of course you have to look out for them when you cross the street.  They were the only modern thing we saw.
11. They aren’t bothered about the US, the way the US is obsessed with Cuba.  You can wear a US t-shirt etc, in fact many of the Cubans were.  They’ll change dollars easily, they Arne’t as interested in Euros or pounds.
12. There were lots of tourist shops in Trinidad (a brilliant town on the south coast of Cuba) but hardly any in Havana – to the point where it was really hard to buy a correctly sized t-shirt with the flag on.

See my next blog for my top tips in case you go.