The Republic of Cuba is an island country surrounded by thousands of islands, islets and cays in the northern Caribbean Sea between Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean. The main island, named Cuba, consists mostly of flat to rolling plains apart from the Sierra Maestra mountains in the southeast, whose highest point is 1974 m. The local climate is tropical shaped by the Caribbean current, which brings in warm water from the equator. Cuba is 1250 km long and has officially about 10-11 million inhabitants.
Cuba, January 2025
Cuba was in many ways what I had expected with lots of American 1940-50th cars (mostly with small Russian or other engines), street musicians playing salsa music; friendly people, farmland with sugar cane and tobacco, white beaches, etc.
When I booked this tour I had decided to visit Cuba “before the country is overflowed with tourists”, but it turned out that the country is on a decline. I was told that more than a million people has emigrated or fled during the last two years. Because of the US and international embargo Cuba has traded mostly with China and Russia, but now they don’t get much from Russia because of the war there. There were power black-outs in cities for days, even in our hotels, and mile-long petrol queues. Some people even sleep in their cars to keep in line for petrol that may be delivered once a week – or not at all. The central highway west to east has up to 2-4 lanes each way, but there were hardly any traffic and lots of potholes. People try to get USD or EUR cash, because that is the currency they can use to buy goods like refrigerators, TVs, AC, etc. which private persons manage to import and sells in their “dollar shops” (to enable them to import more). Many people live far from the places they work. All cars, trucks and buses are obliged to stop for hitchhikers, except the tourist buses, and we saw people along all roads offering cash, cigars, corn cobs, etc. to tempt drivers to stop. We took onboard two nurses who had been waiting for two hours. They said they spend several hours each morning and afternoon to get transport.
However – all in all it was an interesting tour with lots to see, beautiful old buildings, good but simple food, friendly people, and nice and warm climate with a few lazy days at the beach.
Day 1: Norway to Cuba – Arrival in Havana
Short video from our arrival in Havana in the evening. We stayed at the famous Hotel Nacional de Cuba, where several celebrities had stayed in the glory days before the revolution.
Day 2: Sightseeing in Havana, Cuba
We started our sightseeing with a stop at the Revolution Square, but it was the vintage American cars parked there that interested us most. Next was a tour in a cigar factory where we could watch the workers through windows. The bus let us out near Plaza del Armas next to the old Havana fort from 1577. From there we walked the streets to Plaza de San Francisco de Asís, Plaza Vieja, passing Ernest Hemingway’s favorite places. We had our lunch at the famous La Bodeguita del Medio. On theway to our bus we passed Plaza de la Catedral. Before heading back to our hotel we had a salsa dance course for beginners on a rooftop terrace. In the afternoon I had a dip in the hotel’s pool before relaxing on the hotel’s garden terrace in the evening.
Day 3: Cruising with Vintage American Cars in Havana
We woke to a rainy and windy morning. Fortunately the rain stopped minutes before a row of convertible vintage cars arrived to pick us up for an hours drive through Havana. I chose to ride with a 1957 Chrysler Windsor. The other cars our group had was a 1959 Buick, a 1959 Ford Fairlane and a 1956 Mercury.
We drove with blowing melodious compressor horns through the outskirts of the city and parked in a park area by a river. There we had a long break with time to ask the drivers about their cars, and we took a lots of pictures. On the way back it started raining again so we had to stop to put up the canvas top. We all enjoyed the tour very much.
Day 3: Havana to Viñales
After our morning tour with vintage cars we packed the bus and headed south-west for the city of Viñales. The landscape was said to be beautiful, but on an overcast windy day with a little rain it was not much to look at. The highway was almost empty – just a few cars and trucks, and several horse carts and bicycle taxis. At intersections people waited for transport. We stopped for a break with Mojito and salsa music at what must be a really beautiful place, by a lake in a forested hill area, before we had lunch in Las Terrazas. After a coffee break nearby we continued along the highway to Viñales on smaller roads in poor condition, with sugar cane and tobacco fields alongside. We arrived at our Hotel Horizontes La Ermita around 5 pm. The rooms were basic but had all I needed, except Internet. (Video in progress)
Day 4: Sightseeing in Viñales
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Day 5: Viñales to Cienfuegos via Havana
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Day 6: Cienfuegos to Trinidad
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Day 7: Trinidad – trekking in the mountain
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