Hasta la victoria siempre! Memories of a travel to the wonderful island of Cuba

December 27, 2007: The flight from Milan to Havana is with Iberia via Madrid, we come to Havana around 20h30. Practices at the airport are very quick and efficient. There are as many as 23 police officers at passport control and things get really handles in minutes. The second surprise is the exit from the airport, an imposing Lord entrusts our taxi, informs us the price we pay and away we go.The lights on the roads are poor and dim, a great contrast with the waste we are used on European roads. We start the first encounters with the legendary Cuban car. It's like being in a prehistoric park vehicles, these are American cars dating now for 60 years or more. Some are incredibly well preserved. In our journey toward the center of Havana, a first look at Plaza de la Revolucion, with its statue of Marti el'effige of Che.
The first two nights we will be at the Hotel Nacional, Havana's historic monument, where they stayed all the famous people passing in Havana, including the American mafia gangster. The ground floor a couple of rooms are dedicated to all the famous people who have stayed in the hotel. Leave your luggage in the room and suffered a first Mojito in the garden of Nacional, with spectacular views of the Malecon and just in time to greet a first quarter-moon going down behind El Castillo de la Real Fuerza.
December 28, 2007: Havana
The breakfast is truly a sight Nacional, a huge buffet with a little of everything. Are we really ready for the attack on the Habana Vieja.
But before we move to confirm the car that we booked for the next day, the garage is strangely empty and the controller anticipates "we have big problems with the car, however, come tomorrow." This cryptic sentence leaves us a little to the spine, but for now we leave in "Coco Taxi" to the old city.
We start the tour from the Plaza de la Catedral, this part of town is a true delight, the old restored colonial homes retain a charm indescribable. Turning to Plaza de Armas, Plaza S. France and arrived at the Plaza Vieja in time for a skewer of shrimp and a meter of beer at the tavern de la Muralla. Here the beer is sold by the meter, they are glass cylinders with ice in an internal room and beer on the outside. A meter of beer is about seven pitchers.
Just outside the restored streets of Habana Vieja, one enters the real Habana, degraded and crumbling houses, men in the street playing dominoes, which almost disappear in the mechanics of old trunks Buick. After we arrive at the Capitol in the Museo de la Revolucion in the garden you can admire the Granma, the boat in which Fidel in 1956 along with 81 other comrades leaves Mexico to reach Cuba
December 29: Havana - Vinales
The car booked and paid for by Italy, not there! It seems that there are more cars available until mid-February. Take siege to the rental car agency and heeled all staff, after a couple of hours appears Atos, not what we expected, but better not miss the opportunity. Let's go, or rather the square Nacional do the test load. Enter into a 5 Atos might be easy for a group of slim, but we have 2 heavy gauge, not to mention the luggage. Incredibly manage to cram everything and get in in 5. Way to Vinales.
The highway that leads to Pinar del Rio, three to four lanes in each direction, has the appearance of a Pharaonic work unfinished. Began in the late 80s, with Soviet support, was never completed, most of the overpasses were suspended in a vacuum and carts, bicycles and pedestrians safely cross the highway at each point. In some places, they did throw the Atos, the crazy speed of 120 km per hour. At the edge vendors garlic, grilled chicken and who is more hungry there is the possibility of buying a quarter of a pig on the grill. "Nature and Revolucion" and the phrase of welcome in the valley of Vinales. Prior to joining Vinales you can enjoy an excellent view over the valley from the terrace of the Hotel Los Jazmines. We have the address of a particular house "Casa de Lucy", located on a parallel main road, and excellent accommodation. Unfortunately for us the two rooms are occupied, but Bartolo us into a friend's house. The casas particulares are an excellent solution for accommodation in Cuba, more affordable and comfortable hotel room, let you make direct contact with Cuban families and have in most cases, a formidable host. Cuban families can have a maximum of two bedrooms and accommodate 2 adults per room. However, it admitted an extra bed for children.
December 30: Vinales - Cayo Jutias - S. Diego los Baños
Walking through the valley of Vinales studded "Mogotes" (basalt formations) we reached Cayo Jutias and the first approach to the Caribbean beaches of white sand. Cayo Jutias is little known and there are virtually no tourist facilities. These are tens of kilometers of white beaches with dense vegetation which makes them almost unattainable. Nights at Hotel Mirador, the chain Isla Azul in San Diego de Los Baños, an old spa town, now thin (the baths are closed).
December 31: S. Diego los Baños - Cienfuegos - Trinidad
Let S. Diego los Baños in the morning, so to speak because it's already 9:30, but the pace is to leave! Our goal now is to reach Trinidad. We must therefore return to Havana and continue east. Stop in Cienfuegos, visit the Parque Jose Marti with the Tomas Terry Theater, La Catedral and the Palacio del Gobierno. A jump in Punta Gorda and then off to Trinidad. Upon the recommendation of Bartolo di Vinales we arrange the house of Juan Carlos Orbea y la China, Calle Francisco Pettersen # 183, Trinidad, an old colonial house with courtyard very welcoming. At 18 we celebrate the New Year Italian (6 hours difference) with the ubiquitous mojito. Dinner is at the Plaza Restaurant, 31 majors, including live music. After dinner everyone in the square until midnight on Cuba. Beside the cathedral, a number of bands playing live music, a short distance in the "House of Music" other groups and dancers.
January 1, 2008: Trinidad
The city of Trinidad, declared World Heritage City, deserves its fame largely due to the splendid colonial houses with large courtyards. A visit to the Romantic Museum, the Municipal Museum, but it is especially nice to stroll through the pretty pebbled path. In the afternoon relax on Playa Ancon, sunset and fantastic mojito at Caribe Grill that puts us almost KO. For now this mojito is largely in the head of the list!
January 2: Trinidad-Sancti Spiritu - Santa Clara - Remedios
Let Trinidad and time begins to change, a strong north wind lowers the temperature of several degrees, along the valley dos Ingenios, there seems to be that much interesting. Brief stop in Sancti Spiritu, visit the Museo de Arte Colonial, it rains and is very cold. In Santa Clara lunch at the restaurant La Concha, cheap and with a pretty good pizza. We end the stage where I was staying at Remedios Las Chinitas, Calle Independencia No. 21-A, Remedios (tel 53-42) 395,784 to 395,846. No doubt the house where we received the best welcome. The owner is Gregory Fong's son mother and Chinese father, arrived in Cuba.
January 3: Remedios - Cayo Santa Maria - Remedios
The first beaches of Cayo Santa Maria is available only to villages all-inclusive, but towards the end of the road you reach Perlas Blancas, an area not yet exploited and which hosts a nature reserve. Too bad the weather is still rainy, with strong wind and quite cold. We just have to take refuge in the restaurant in Las Brujas. The first mojito is not bad and to see if he can beat that of Playa Ancon, are we to make another pair. The assessment is not easy, but the result remains clear! True Mari? We go back to Remedios chanting, very tight within our Atos, it's raining outside!

 

Remdios - Varadero

January 4 Remedios - Varadero
We walk up to the Carretera Central Coliseu, then cut right toward Cardenas and then joins Varadero. Nothing in this locality highly casa particular tourism. We have to adapt in an all-inclusive hotel, chock full of Canadians. At the reception we entered all of them and we weld the terrifying blue bracelet on his wrist, with our identification number. Fortunately it is still a little cold and I can hide it under the sleeve of his sweater, but the next morning the sun is scorching and there is no escape! In this village where everything is included, we are not even able to take our inalienable mojito, amazingly had no mint!