Havana Cuba Libre!

I know it has been a while but you will have to excuse as the internet access in Cuba is not the best and is somewhat expensive. I arrive in Havana a week ago now after about an hour of more of questions by three different people I was allowed to leave the airport, I think Australia may be the only other country this hard to enter.

I stayed in an Apartment I sublet in Havana, an old lady lives there and her nephew who lives below, Jimmy decided to take it upon himself to be my personal Havana tourguide and body guard. With his limited english and my limited Spanish we manage to some how effectively communicate. For the last week we have been wandering around the various areas of Havana Visiting the Capitol building, museum of art cuban, museum of the revolution, walking along the Malceon, visiting the Marti Museum and the Plaza de la Revolution. Also went to the beach for a day and when to visit a old castle/fort the other side of the bay to watch a canon firing ceremony, from the times where english actually captured Havana, it did not last for very long. We spend a day walking around old Havan which is lovely full of cobbled streets and beautiful buildings.

One night I went to the Theatre with Pavel, Yeni, Jimmy and his uncle, I did not understand a lot of what was said however I managed to get the main idea of what was going on. Communicating here is a little more difficult that it was in Costa Rica, the people speak about 4 times as fast and use some slightly different words.

Eating is another challenge, everyone either looks stunded or laughs when I say that I am a vegetarian. They do not believe me, mainly I have been cooking for myself, Pavel and Yeni helped me buy vegies from the market. Most food here is pizza fried meats and rice and beans.

Travelling solo in Cuba is quite difficult the absence of youth hostel accomodation makes it more expensive as your options are either hotels or homestays. The double economy does not help much either Jenny and Pavel had to help me buy food at the market because you need cuban pesos and tourists are only meant to use the convertible peso. This differece puts off a range of transport and food services to visitors. I understand why this is in place it just makes things a little frustrating at times.

Cubas one saying food grace is the fantastic icecream! Hooray!! Did you know if you kill a cow here it is illegal and you can go to jail, maybe that is why the icecream is so good happy cows.

Most tourists here are the packaged variety arriving on buses, everytime I say I am alone people again think that it is very strange. Especially the fact that I am a woman as well, occasionally people bother you, guys make hissing or kissing noises the best thing to do is ignore it. The lady who I rented the apartmet from was so worried about me being alone that she took it upon herself to sleep on the couch outside my room, in case something happened in the night. Nothing would happen anyway but even if it did given that she is 85 and blind I am not sure what she could do, probably sit them down and force some food or drink on them as she does to me. I guess I just do not like that idea of making old ladies sleep on sofas but she is very persistent.

Right now I have left Havana and am in Santa Clara, keep watching out for another post soon, the conections here are slow so photos may have to wait.

Love Alicia