THE AUTHOR’S NOTE:
When I started this blog, I wrote a few travelogues. So, if you’re interested in those, by all means—keep reading! 😊 However, as time went on, I shifted my focus towards travel stories and witty guide-like posts to help you plan your adventures. If you wanna know more, check out my homepage!
Our first impressions of Cuba?
Hmm, a mixture of surprise and disbelief. But not in a bad way at all 🙂
We landed in Cuba an hour early, which felt odd considering the usual delays in SE Asia.
The airport had no queues, our luggage arrived quickly, and no one questioned our one-way tickets (though we were advised to have an onward ticket, which we did but didn’t need to show).
The forms we dutifully filled out during the flight went unread.
And, for the first time, someone awaited me at arrivals with a sign reading ‘Senora Stanisa’—kind of cool, I’m telling ya‘ 😛 We were picked up by a “casa particular” owner’s friend, who doubled as a taxi driver in her spare time.
For those who do not know – a ‚casa particular‘ is the most common type of accommodation in Cuba (aside from hotels). Casa particular means a “private home” – locals rent out a room in their apartment (and the government takes a hefty cut, duh). AMAZING breakfast is usually included. You’ll find more about casas particulares in this article.
But let’s get back to the cab…
It’s hard to describe the condition of the old Lada Niva (a Russian car), which was probably imported during the heyday of the communist regime. In Europe, such a vehicle wouldn’t be deemed ‘road-worthy,’ and you could only dream of passing the technical exam.
o sum it up, the car did have a sturdy metallic frame, four wheels, and an engine – but this was more or less it. In my naive optimism, I tried to buckle up – of course, there were no seatbelts, I don’t know what I was thinking!
Just a few turns from the airport, and we arrived… in the past.
No photo of Cuba can prepare you for the moment you feel you have been just transported to 1950.
Old trucks, American Chevrolets driven by grandpas in straw hats smoking cigars, and spotless cabriolets in pastel hues and ancient upholstered seats, blaring the latest Latino hits.
Old colonial buildings, decorated with fabulous colorful facades, standing alongside grey Soviet-style blocks, make it seem like the entire place is shrouded in the fog of the past.
Although we know what Cuba looks like, it’s hard not to half expect someone to shout, “Haha, this was just a joke; it’s not real!” and for the mirage to vanish.
But no – welcome to Havana. 😊
Want to read more travelogues? Then check these out:
- Havana, ooh na-na
- Our yearlong honeymoon
- Wales – a land of sheep, rain, and grandpas
- Hiking in Ushuaia – do’s and definite don’ts
