Grinder backpacking Cuba

Quote: speedycrap

How and where did you find the casa please?

I used Hostelworld.

August trip to Cuba with no spanish and no tylenol...sounds like a dream trip. :)

I have visited Cuba twice. It is definitely not a place for everyone, but I would love to go back again. Cuba is a country where shopping/looking for things is part of the adventure. The only items I would recommend bringing back are cigars and rum.

Just a couple of questions:
Did people on the plane clap when you landed in Havana?
Did you do most of the touristy things in Old Havana?
Would you go back?

Thank you for posting about your trip, I enjoyed it.

Quote: Keeneone

August trip to Cuba with no spanish and no tylenol...sounds like a dream trip. :)

I have visited Cuba twice. It is definitely not a place for everyone, but I would love to go back again. Cuba is a country where shopping/looking for things is part of the adventure. The only items I would recommend bringing back are cigars and rum.

Just a couple of questions:
Did people on the plane clap when you landed in Havana?
Did you do most of the touristy things in Old Havana?
Would you go back?

Thank you for posting about your trip, I enjoyed it.

No clapping.

We did a bunch of tourist stuff, Havana just didn’t excite us like other cities we have been to.

I wouldn’t go back to Havana, I’ve heard that the east coast of Cuba is better but I would be surprised if I’m ever in Cuba again. Not saying I wouldn’t but I like to see new places.

I agree about Havana. It is good for maybe 2-3 days, but getting out into the countryside was more interesting. Cuba outside of the cities is very undeveloped. If I ever return I would want to see more in the east. I do remember walking into a train depot in Havana and seeing the schedule. It was a "quick" 20+ hours to get to Santiago de Cuba (860km/540miles). That train trip would make for an interesting trip report. You seemed to spend quite a bit of time looking for massages for Eric. Was he hurt or is he just a massage enthusiast?
About your first meal. I laughed when you described the "purple" rice. It does look purple in the photo. It is black beans and white rice mixed together and is called "moros y christianos" or "moros" for short. The "potato" was likely yuca. It is stringy and starchy. I also do not care for yuca. I was trying to figure out the mystery fruit (blood red flesh) you had for breakfast one day. I would guess it was "mamey". I like mamey, mostly as a smoothie or milkshake. Cuba does have a good variety of fruit to eat and it seemed like mango trees were everywhere.
Mamey

I don’t remember why Eric wanted massages so bad but I think it had something to do with the fact that he hated Cuba lol. It was something nice to do while he was irritated. He gets massages in countries all over the world.

good idea wearing the sox shirt in the land of el tiante.