Cuba 7 may - 26 may 2016
Table of contents Havana_____________________________________________________________ 7 ViĂąales_____________________________________________________________ 41 Cienfuegos_________________________________________________________ 61 Trinidad____________________________________________________________ 69 CamagĂźey_________________________________________________________ 85 Santiago de Cuba___________________________________________________ 95 Baracoa___________________________________________________________ 115 Santa Clara________________________________________________________ 127 Varadero__________________________________________________________ 137 Souvenirs_________________________________________________________ 141
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“Tarjeta del Turista” or Tourist card to enter Cuba
Booked my holiday to Cuba with Shoestring
Flying with Air Europa
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HAVANA
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This is the peso convertible which is used by tourists because in Cuba there are 2 currencies, the other one is the local peso that is for the Cubans themselves
The flag of Cuba and the flag of the 26th of July movement of Fidel Castro that started the Cuban Revolution
Classic cars can be seen dominating the Cuban streetscape in Havana
Horse and wagon
USE CLASSIC AMERICAN CARS FROM THE 1950S ARE STILL WIDELY IN AND CAN BE SEEN DOMINATING HAVANA’S STREETSCAPE
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An Oldsmobile classic car
Details of an Oldsmobile classic car
A Chevrolet classic car on the Malecรณn
A Chevrolet classic car
A Chevrolet classic car on the Malecón
A Ford Thunderbird classic car
A classic car with on the background, just slightly visible next to the front windscreen in yellow, the house that Ernesto “Che” Guevara stayed in when he arrived in Havana at the end of the Cuban Revolution
Detail of the swan statue on an Oldsmobile classic car
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El Capitolio building
The most iconic image of Ernesto “Che� Guevara on a wall across the street from the Havana Club Rum Museum
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Canons are being used as posts in Havana
An impression of a street in Havana. Colorful and most of the time damaged houses with elegant fences in front of the windows.
A Cuban sitting at a bar, when a Cuban man thinks it’s hot then he tries to cool down by lifting his shirt up, revealing his lower back and belly
Besides the normal and classic car taxi’s, there are also these Coco Taxi’s
A bicycle taxi in a street in Havana
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THE MALECÓN, A WALL WITH A LENGTH OF EIGHT KILOMETRE THAT PROTECTS HAVANA AGAINST THE SEA
Malec贸n
The Malec贸n, the public meeting place for Cubans in the weekend to have a good time
The Malec贸n
Drinks for sale on the Malec贸n
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Public phones are quite common in Cuba, probably due to the fact that the Cubans generally don’t own mobile phones
Streetscape of Havana
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A Cuban flag on bricks
Cold coconut water for sale amongst other things
A Cuban woman in Havana’s streetscape
Fruit for sale on a street corner
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A look on Havana’s street from behind the fenced window
Havana’s streetscape
Cubans working on a classic Dodge
A street in Havana
A street in Havana with the El Capitolio building in the distance
Typical houses, colorful and damaged with elegant fences in front of the windows
An old woman is selling food on the street
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A store in Old Havana
A Cuban carrying a television with him inside a wheelbarrow
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A Cuban using the public phone
THE GRANMA IS THE MOST POPULAR NEWSPAPER OF CUBA, I BOU GHT THIS ONE IN HAVANA, IT FEATURES AN IMAGE OF FIDEL CASTRO ON THE FRONT PAGE
Restaurant Sia Kara, not far from the El Capitolio building
A Cuban selling pizzas using his front door as his storefront
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Having lobster at Restaurant Sia Kara, lobster is a common dish in Cuba and also reasonably cheap
Plaza Vieja as seen from on top of the Gรณmez Vila Building
Plaza Vieja
Detail of one of the buildings at Plaza Vieja
Plaza de San Francisco
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Cubans in traditional clothing at Plaza de San Francisco
Plaza de la Catedral street sign
A building at Plaza de la Catedral
Cathedral at Plaza de la Catedral
Books for sale at Plaza de Armas
Having a drink with part of the group
Going on a picture with a local Cuban that is smoking a Cohiba Behike cigar
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Cafeteria Emperio, a so-called paladar, a restaurant that is located in the homes of the Cubans themselves
Local Cuban smoking a cigar on the side of the street
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Probably the most common dish in Cuba, chicken with rice and black beans
Havana Club Rum Museum
Havana Club Rum Museum
A selection of special editions of Havana Club Rum
Architectural model of the Havana Club Distillery
Some old kettles at the Havana Club Rum Museum
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WE DID A CLASSIC CARS TOUR THROUGH HAVANA, CARS WE COULDN’T DRIVE OURSELVES BUT WE COULD POSE WITH THE
Classic cars tour
Our ride, a classic convertible, to do a two hour tour through Havana
The Cuban driving our classic convertible
Classic cars tour in Havana with a total of five cars
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The view through the side mirror
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Roland, Marloes, Me and Maartje
Me in one of the classic cars
Driving on the Malecรณn
Riding shotgun!
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Plaza de la Revolución
Ernesto “Che” Guevara on a building at Plaza de la Revolución with his quote “Hasta la victoria siempre” meaning “Until victory always”
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Fidel Castro on a building at Plaza de la Revolución with the slogan “Vas bien, Fidel” meaning “You’re doing fine, Fidel”
Salsa Lesson
Taking some salsa lesson in Teatro America
Salsa lesson in Teatro America
Frank and me having salsa lesson in Teatro America
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Playa Santa María del Mar
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Our ride to Playa Santa María del Mar
Having my first cigar, a Montecristo, in Cuba at Playa Santa María del Mar
Playa Santa María del Mar
Playa Santa María del Mar
D MOSTLY BY THE CUBA HAS TWO CURRENCIES: THE PESO OR CUP WHICH IS USE MOSTLY BY TOURISTS LOCALS AND THE PESO CONVERTIBLE OR CUC WHICH IS USED
Some farmers with oxen crossing the highway somewhere between Havana and Cueva de los Portales
Roadsign, somewhere between Havana and Cueva de los Portales, with on the right the flag of the 26th of July Movement and the text “With decision and firmness face future challenges”
Roadsign with Ernesto “Che” Guevara on it, somewhere between Havana and Pinar del Rio, saying something like “The words taught by example guide”
Pinar del Río, a city near Viñales
Cueva de los Portales
Cueva de los Portales
Cueva de los Portales, this cave was used by Ernesto “Che” Guevara as a command post during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962
Cueva de los Portales, objects used by Ernesto “Che” Guevara and his crew are still there on display
Cueva de los Portales
Fabrica de Tabaco Francisco Donatien
Fabrica de Tabaco Francisco Donatien, picture taken from the internet
Sign of the Fabrica de Tabacos Francisco Donatien
The Fabrica de Tabacos Francisco Donatien, taking pictures wasn’t allowed but I found this picture on the internet
Woman rolling a cigar at the Fabrica de Tabacos Francisco Donatien, picture taken from the internet
Roadsign with Ernesto “Che” Guevara on it, somewhere between Pinar del Rio and Viñales, saying “And my dreams will not have borders”
Cubans lifting on the back of an old truck somewhere between Pinar del Rio and Viñales
Having lunch at Balcon del Valle near Viñales with this gorgeous view
VIÑALES
Local store where a Cuban is buying something using a ration coupon
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CUBAN CIGARS ARE WORLD FAMOUS INCLUDING THE BRANDS COHIBA, MONTECRISTO, PARTAGAS, H. UPMANN AND ROMEO Y JULIETA, I BOUGHT THE SE CIGARS IN CUBA
A local bakery
Police officer checking cars
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A typical house in ViĂąales, brightly coloured with pillars, a porch and rocking chairs
A square in the small town where our group used to meet as we were all staying in casa particulieres spread throughout a couple streets
Rocking chairs on pretty much every porch in ViĂąales
Onions for sale
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Dinner in restaurant Los Amigos with my travel companions
Even an old tractor has got a swan statue on its bonnet
Casa Particular Villa Yudy
Villa Yudy, a casa patriculieres I stayed in during my stay in ViĂąales, the door on the left of the rocking chairs is my front door
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My room actually had two double beds while I was staying there alone
Breakfast was included and as always the coffee in Cuba is very strong
The shower had a switch on it with which I could get hot water, this was some kind of electrical mechanism as you can see the wire going to shower head
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There are a lot of horse and wagons being used in ViĂąales, also notice the bag to catch the poop of the horse
A bird in a cage hanging on a pole in the street
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Public phones, quite common in Cuba
MOGOTES THE VALLE DE VIÑALES IS A BEAUTIFUL VALLEY WITH TYPICAL THE WORLD AND HOME TO THE BEST TOBACCO PLANTATIONS IN CUBA AND
Valle de Viñales
Hiking through the Valle de Viñales which is an UNESCO World Heritage Site
The Valle de Viñales with the tobacco drying sheds, the red and fertile soil and the mogotes on the background
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These typical sheds are very common in the Valle de ViĂąales with inside tobacco leaves that are hanging there to dry
Horses, a common way of transport in the Valle de ViĂąales
Small pineapple growing in the Valle de ViĂąales
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An hutia, a type of rodent
Hummingbirds are also common in the Valle de ViĂąales
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Typical mogotes in the Valle de ViĂąales
There are many levels on which the tobacco leaves are hanging to dry
Inside one of the tobacco drying sheds, the best tobacco in the world comes from the Valle de ViĂąales
Drying tobacco leaves, the tobacco leaves in the Valle de ViĂąales are used for the well known cigar brands Cohiba and Montecristo
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A cigar that I got from a local tobacco farmer in the Valle de ViĂąales
Local tobacco farmer demonstrating how a cigar is made
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Me trying a cigar from the local tobacco farmer in the Valle de ViĂąales
Roadsign between Viñales and Playa Girón with propaganda on it saying “Girón, first great defeat of US imperialism in Latin America”
Roadsign between Viñales and Playa Girón with “Mercenaries came up here”
Roadsign near Playa Girón with “Here a decisive battle was fought for victory”
Roadsign near Playa Girón saying “Here was the command of Fidel Castro in the Bay of Pigs fighting”
Museo Gir贸n
Museo Gir贸n, a museum about the battle at the Bay of Pigs between the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces led by Fidel Castro and Cuban exiles trained by the CIA
A tank in front of Museo Gir贸n, here the CIA trained Cuban exiles came ashore to attempt to overthrow the Cuban government of Fidel Castro
An anti-aircraft gun in front of Museo Gir贸n
“Girón, Victory of the people and the socialism”
Heroes of Girón, a collection of photos of people that were involved in the battle at Playa Girón
Speech by Fidel Castro including: “We have made a socialist revolution under the noses of the United States” and “All men and women swear to defend the socialist revolution till their last drop of blood”
The Cuban flag
Anti-tank canon
Roadsign between Playa Girón and Cienfuegos featuring Hugo Chávez, Fidel Castro and Nelson Mandela saying “The great nation that grows”
Roadsign between Playa Girón and Cienfuegos saying “The revolution of the people is invincible”
Roadsign between Playa Girón and Cienfuegos with Hugo Chávez, former president of Venezuela and also a socialist. The quote means “Only socialism makes the impossible possible”.
Propaganda roadsign depicting Cuba knocking out “Uncle Sam” with his body build out of letters saying “Bloqueo” which means the US embargo
CIENFUEGOS
The Cienfuegos city hall
Some Cubans taking their bird with them to the park
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The Arco de Triunfo or Arc of Triumph, the only one of it’s kind in Cuba, dedicated to the Cuban Independence from Spain
Three Lada’s at Palacio de Valle
Marble statue of revolutionary and philosopher José Martí in Parque José Martí
Propaganda billboard with Ernesto “Che” Guevara saying “Knight, unblemished and without fear”
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Teatro Tomas Terro
Teatro Tomas Terro in Cienfuegos
Interior of the Teatro Tomas Terro
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Painting on the ceiling
Old style seats on the first floor of the theatre
A head carved out of wood, with a closer look you can see the eyes have actual holes through which they could see whether the audience is enjoying the show or not
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Palacio de Valle
Palacio de Valle or Valle’s Palace, an National Heritage Memorial
Beautiful architectural features
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Made by Italian architect Alfredo Colli and completed in 1917
Somewhere between Cienfuegos and Trinidad
Matching blue classic car and building in Cienfuegos
Somewhere between Cienfuegos and Trinidad
TRINIDAD
The Church of Santa Ana
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Meat for sale in this small store
THE BEAUTIFUL BRIGHTLY COLOURED HOUSES WITH A COBBLES TONE ROAD, PROBABLY A FEW OF THE REASONS WHY TRINIDAD IS AN UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE
Bird cages are hanging outside in the streets
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Cuban with a donkey posing in the street
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Fences in front of the windows is quite common
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La Canchรกnchara, a bar and drink in Trinidad
The Canchรกnchara cocktail originating in Trinidad made with honey, lemon, aguardiente, ice and water
Restaurant Sol Ananda
A bed next to our table in Restaurant Sol Ananda
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GROUP PHOTO IN TRINIDAD
The San Francisco Church or Iglesia de San Francisco
Havana Club, by far the most popular rum in Cuba
Local Cubans on a motorcycle, there’s a child in between them too
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Locals selling and buying bread
Fences in front of the windows are common in Trinidad, some of them are quite elegant
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Logo of the UJC, aka Unión de Jóvenes Comunistas, a Youth Organisation of the Communist Party in Cuba. The faces are of Julio Antonio Mella, Camilo Cienfuegos and Che Guevara, and the motto is “Study, Work, Rifle”.
A police car
A classic Chevrolet in a street with cobblestones
Disco Ayala, a club inside a cave
Inside Disco Ayala where I had a wicked time
Disco Ayala
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Parque el Cubano
Hike towards the El Cubano waterfall in Parque el Cubano
A lizard in Parque el Cubano
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The El Cubano waterfall in Parque el Cubano
Casa Particular Hostal Daysee
My casa particulieres in Trinidad called Hostal Daysee
The exterior of my room on top of the roof
My room with on the right the door to the bathroom
In the morning the owner made us breakfast
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Sancti Spíritus
A shoe-shiner at work in Sancti Spíritus
A supermarket in Sancti Spíritus in Cuba, not much choice and things like shampoo are considered a luxury product
A Cadeca in Sancti Spíritus, a currency exchange office in Cuba, where you can change currency. Here it’s also possible for a tourist to get the local peso or CUP instead of the peso convertible or CUC.
The Yayabo Bridge, a bridge across the Yayabo river with a length of about 85 meters and five arches
A common sight along the roads in Cuba, people trying to get a lift by waving with a banknote
A propaganda road sign between Sancti Spíritus and Camagüey featuring, the brothers and presidents of Cuba, Raul Castro and Fidel Castro saying “The powerful and victorious revolution goes on”
Horse and wagon are quite common in rural Cuba
CAMAGÜEY
Cuban kids and a girl with, by the looks of it, a new bicycle
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Motorcycle with a sidecar, a common appearance in Cuba
We had dinner at this restaurant
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Centro de Convenciones Santa Cecilia building and on top of the building on the right a billboard with Ernesto “Che” Guevara with his famous saying “Hasta la victoria siempre” meaning “Until victory always”
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Sculpture of Ernesto “Che” Guevara
Bicycle Taxi Tour
Bicycle taxi tour through Camagüey
Jeroen and me on a bicycle taxi
Me driving the bicycle taxi for a bit
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Jeroen driving the bicycle taxi for a bit
Me pushing the bicycle taxi
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Rafael, our driver buying some fruit on the side of the road. People selling things on the side of the road is common in Cuba, it’s mostly food but also flowers and souvenirs.
Rafael, our driver, sharing some fruit with us that he bought on the side of the road
Old trucks that are common in Cuba
A fruit store at the side of the road
Cubans lifting in a carriage behind a tractor, somewhere between Camag端ey and Santiago de Cuba
Between Camag端ey and Santiago de Cuba
Between Camag端ey and Santiago de Cuba
Cubans lifting in the back of an old truck, somewhere between Camag端ey and Santiago de Cuba
ONE FEATURES THE ROADSIGNS WITH PROPAGANDA ARE COMMON IN CUBA, THIS IL VICTORY ALWAYS” REVOLUTIONARY HERO ERNESTO “CHE” GUEVARA SAYING “UNT
SANTIAGO DE CUBA
Vegetables for sale at the house of a local
“Patria es humanidad” meaning “Homeland is humanity”, a quote of José Martí, a Cuban national hero because of his fight for independence against Spain
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Billboard on the side of the road with the text “We always wait here for that glorious 1st of January: Victory! Thank you Santiago!
Parque Cespedes
Cathedral de Santiago de Cuba
A sculpture near Plaza de la Revolución of Juan Almeida Bosque, a commander during the Cuban Revolution with the quote “Aqui no se rinde nadie” which means “Here, nobody surrenders”
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Old trucks with hitchhikers
Souvenirs, postal cards of Ernesto “Che” Guevara
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Monumento a Antonio Maceo or the Antonio Maceo Monument on Plaza de la Revolución or Revolution Square, Antonio Maceo Grajales was second in command of the Cuban Army of Independence
Propaganda billboard near Plaza de la Revolución or Revolution Square saying “Santiago is Santiago, with the effort of all, we win!”
Fidel Castro on a propaganda billboard at Plaza de la Revolución or Revolution Square with the text “Rebel yesterday, hospital today, always heroic”
Taking the boat to Cayo Granma, an island in the bay of Santiago de Cuba, to have lunch
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Cementerio Sta Ifigenia
Cementerio Sta Ifigenia
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Tomb of Compay Segundo of the Buena Vista Social Club
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RATIONING COUPONS ARE STILL IN USE IN CUBA AND HAVE BEEN FOR OVER 50 YEARS, THE COUPON BOOK IS CALLED “LIBRETA DE ABASTECIMIENTO ”
Basílica Santuario Nacional de Nuestra Señora de la Caridad del Cobre
The basilica is positioned on top of a mountain and has a beautiful view of Santiago de Cuba as well as part of the mountain range, the Sierra Maestra
The front of the Basílica Santuario Nacional de Nuestra Señora de la Caridad del Cobre or National Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Charity
The interior of the basilica
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Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca
The entrance bridge towards the castle
Rusty cannons on top of the castle
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The room where the canon balls used to be stored
Canon balls in the castle and a ramp with which they would get them to the top of the castle
Twan, NikĂŠ and Me
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Rusty cannons on top of the castle
A bell hanging on top of the castle
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The view from on top of the castle over the Bay of Santiago de Cuba
Cuartel Moncada
The Cuartel Moncada or Moncada Barracks was attacked on the 26th of July 1953 by a group of revolutionaries led by Fidel Castro, it was a failure and Fidel and Raul Castro were taken prisoner but it was the start of the Cuban Revolution
“This was the second biggest military fortress in the country, on the 26th of July the young generation wanted to gain freedom and achieve the realization of Martí’s ideas in this bold and heroic assault on the barracks”
Bullet holes are still present, in the wall and the handrail of the Moncada Barracks
Nowadays the Moncada Barracks is a school and within its walls children are playing soccer
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Roadsign near a bridge which is a National Monument saying “Fidel and his attackers past this bridge to attack the Moncada Barracks”, this would have happened on the 26th of July in 1953
Cubans using machetes to cut the grass next to the highways, somewhere between Santiago de Cuba and Baracoa
Propaganda billboard between Santiago de Cuba and Baracoa saying “With optimism and confidence we are looking towards the socialistic future of our country”
CH”, GUANTANAMO IS “WELCOME TO GUANTANAMO, THE FIRST ANTI-IMPERIALIST TREN IN GUANTANAMO BAY THE FIRST CUBAN MILITARY FRONT TOWARDS THE US NAVAL BASE
Cuban selling peanut bars, I gave him a one peso convertible or CUC coin and said that he could give me a selection of his bars. Then he gave me loads of peanut bars that I almost couldn’t carry anymore!
Some tanks near Guantanamo doing target shooting exercises, around the US naval base Guantanamo Bay there’s a lot of Cuban military activity
The result of some targeting shooting by Cuban tanks near Guantanamo, probably a show of force directed towards the US navy base in Guantanamo Bay
Mural of Fidel Castro with on the background flags of Cuba, the flag of the 26th of July Movement and the Moncada Barracks which were attacked by the 26th of July Movement, led by Fidel and Raul Castro
Big mural somewhere between Santiago de Cuba and Baracoa on the side of a building featuring the Cuban flag and a tank with soldiers
Propaganda road sign with Ernesto “Che” Guevara saying “Your example lives”
Cubans selling stuff on the side of the road somewhere between Santiago de Cuba and Baracoa
Cubans selling rice, cacao butter, bananas, mandarins and chocolate
Bought bananas on the side of the road somewhere between Santiago de Cuba and Baracoa
A Cuban going down the mountain with an unusual kind of cart, somewhere between Santiago de Cuba and Baracoa
Propaganda sign between Santiago de Cuba and Baracoa saying “Socialism: our only guarantee for freedom and independence”
Big billboard featuring Ernesto “Che” Guevara and his famous slogan “Hasta la victoria siempre” somewhere between Santiago de Cuba and Baracoa
Propaganda sign between Santiago de Cuba and Baracoa saying “We do not neglect the work of the Revolution, Fidel”
BARACOA
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School kids, they obviously have a dress code
Ernesto “Che” Guevara with the text “A gigantic moral is growing every day”
Mural featuring Cuban national hero José Martí
School kids in uniform
El Yunque Track
Our interesting ride
The road towards the El Yunque Track is a dirt and gravel road and so we needed this truck to go there
Our bus driver, Rafael, explaining, in his best English, the process of making chocolate from a cocoa bean
The exterior of a cocoa bean, there are a number of cocoa trees growing in the Baracoa area
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Cuban boy with holes in his shoes and being very happy with the piece of soap we gave him that he’s holding in his hand
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We had to cross a river as part of the El Yunque Track, this is Rafael, our driver and guide, carrying a bag across the river
Our group at the waterfall
Our final destination of the El Yunque Track, a waterfall where we had a little swim
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On the way back on the El Yunque Track we had a fruit lunch at some locals place
Plates in the kitchen
The primitive kitchen
A small television and a few bottles of liquor on the shelf above it
AS THE CUBANS ARE HITCHHIKING A LOT ON TRUCKS LIKE THE SE, I WANTED TO EXPERIENCE THE SAME THING AND SO HERE I AM!
Bought a peanut cookie at Maguana Beach in Baracoa, it was pretty good!
Maguana Beach in Baracoa
Dirty exhaust fumes are common in Cuba as there are a lot of old vehicles, this is somewhere between Baracoa and HolguĂn
Using corrugated sheet metal as the bottom and sides of the cart, somewhere between Baracoa and HolguĂn
A quote of Fidel Castro, somewhere between Baracoa and Holguín, meaning “Who is not capable of fighting for others will never be sufficiently capable of fighting for himself”
Almost blanked out propaganda billboard between Baracoa and Holguín with the text “Or free forever or always struggling to be free”
Propaganda road sign between Baracoa and Holguín featuring Camilo Cienfuegos and Fidel Castro saying “57th Anniversary, The revolution is invincible”
Propaganda billboard between Baracoa and Holguín with Raul Castro saying “All is now said to work hard”
Che Guevara Monument in Holguín
A Cuban living room in Holguín
Having dinner in Restaurant 1910 in Holguín
Restaurant 1910 in Holguín, one of the most luxurious restaurants that we’ve been to and still, when I ordered an orange juice, I got this drink carton, quite funny and common in Cuba!
On the side of the road there are these small sandy pathways automatically created by the amount of Cubans walking on the side of these roads, this is between Holguín and Santa Clara
Queso or cheese for sale on the side of the road, somewhere between Holguín and Santa Clara, they came running to us with their cheeses when we stopped
Classic car parked in the garage between Holguín and Santa Clara
Fruit for sale on the side of the road between Holguín and Santa Clara
SANTA CLARA
“Welcome to the city of Che, until always commander”
“Santa Clara. Always glorious. Faithful, victorious and united.”
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Billboard of Ernesto “Che” Guevara saying “The daily struggle to secure victory”
An image of Fidel Castro and the text “With Villa Clara and the Cuban military on their side and the Commander with you, Raul and my people look ahead”
“People”
“It was a star that put you here”
Me at the beach of Hotel Valentin Perla Blanca in Cayo Santa Marina
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MANDER AND HERO THE MOST ICONIC IMAGE OF ERNESTO “CHE” GUEVARA, A COM SANTA CLARA IN THE CUBAN REVOLUTION WITH A STRONG CONNECTION TO
Monumento a la Toma del Tren Blindado
The Tren Blindado or Armoured Train that Ernesto “Che” Guevara attacked and conquered during the Battle of Santa Clara, it is considered a decisive victory for the Cuban Revolution
“Eighteen guerilla fighters under the command of Ernesto “Che” Guevara achieved a brilliant victory against an armoured train carrying powerful weaponry and at least 350 armed soldiers by using only rifles and molotov cocktails”
A bulldozer that Ernesto “Che” Guevara used to derail the military train
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Mausoleo Che Guevara
Mausoleo Che Guevara or Che Guevara Mausoleum but also a memorial for Ernesto “Che” Guevara, he died in 1967 trying to start a revolution in Bolivia
“I feel so patriotic of any country in Latin America, I would be willing to give my life for the liberation of any Latin American country, without asking anything to anyone, without demanding anything, without exploiting anyone”
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Farewell letter from Ernesto “Che” Guevara to Fidel Castro in which he resigns his position as minister, his rank as commander and his Cuban nationality. Also thanking him and stating his wish to fight imperialism wherever it may be.
“Until victory always”
Statue of Ernesto “Che” Guevara
“One thing I learned in the Guatemala of Arbenz was that if I would be a revolutionary doctor, or just a revolutionary, first there must be a revolution”
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A wall with images sculpted in there that depict feature events in the life of Ernesto “Che” Guevara like on the bottom right the armoured train that he attacked in Santa Clara
Ernesto “Che” Guevara on a horse sculpted in the wall
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Ernesto “Che” Guevara sculpted in the wall
“Revolución with Fidel”
“Our best friend” featuring Fidel Castro of Cuba and Hugo Chávez of Venezuela
VARADERO
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A Cuban fisherman on the beach in Varadero
Discoteca Chekere in Hotel Villa Cuba
Group photo with NikĂŠ, Twan, Jasper, Jeroen, Me, Peter, Rianne, Mijke en Paul
White sand, clear light blue water and a dark sky
HAVANA CLUB IS THE MOST POPULAR RUM IN CUBA WITH WHI CH THE FAMOUS COCKTAILS “CUBA LIBRE”, “MOJITO” AND THE “DAIQUIRI” ARE MAD E
Our group at the airport in Havana in Cuba
Stamps of my stops in Madrid in Spain on the flight to and from Cuba
Entrance and departure stamps of Cuba
SOUVENIRS
CARS, CIGARS, RUM, SOUVENIRS I BOUGHT IN CUBA INCLUDING WOODEN CLASSIC H CURRENCIES THE GRANMA NEWSPAPER AND BANKNOTES AND COINS OF BOT
On the left the local peso or CUP and on the right the peso convertible or CUC, both are Cuban currencies, the value of one CUC was about 25 CUP
This is the banknote and coin of the local peso with a value of three peso. Both feature the face of Ernesto “Che” Guevara which is a famous Cuban revolutionary.
This is the Granma, the most popular newspaper in Cuba, controlled by the government, I bought this Granma from an old lady on the street in Havana
I bought cigars in various places in Cuba. There’s a thriving business in fake cigars in Cuba and so I’m pretty sure a lot of cigars I bought are actually fake.
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Classic cars made of wood, they come in various sizes, I bought these two, the one on the right in ViĂąales and the one on the left in Santiago de Cuba
Cigar tubes, the left ones are from the factories itself, the right ones are souvenir tubes with cigar labels and designs on them. The quality of cigars can be maintained for up to a year in those tubes. In the front there’s a cigar cutter.
Salsa is a popular dance in Cuba, salsa music is made using various instruments including these samba balls. I bought these at the airport in Havana in Cuba.
Havana Club, the most popular rum in Cuba, I bought a miniature package and a couple of bottles of Havana Club AĂąejo Especial that I like best. Besides that a couple of Havana Club glasses.