Cuban Playlist

I do not speak Spanish so going to a country where Spanish is the lingua franca, is an interesting choice.

Something I did was download all the Spanish songs I could find, that interested me at least if I couldn't speak the language I would be able to dance at the clubs.

Fail.

Anyway, I went to Cuba and fell in love with a bunch of  Spanish songs and now everyone hates riding with me because Spanish music is all I listen to, I don't care, if they don't like it, they can walk.


via GIPHY


 Any way here are the top 5 songs on constant repeat.

5. Wisin- Vacaciones

I came across this song in my classic car ride on the day trip to Vinales.

Like the cab driver had pimped his car so much that he had a DVD screen and all that.

And I actually watched the video and fell in love.

Hard.

4.  Widley- Tiengo Money

This one I stumbled and spluttered my drink out when I actually heard it. I was at Disco Ayala and the chorus came one.

Almost died. 0:52 till end, it gets pretty reminiscent of the barbie girl by Aqua song

Because it's the exact same melody.

Non withstanding this is on heavy rotation in my life so

3. Gente de Zona- La Gozadera

This one I heard on the night I went to cafe cantante, and let me tell you, It's not a new song but the whole club went willllld, when it came on.
Kinda like how everyone at Velvett gets super hype when a classic like Gongo Aso comes on.

2. Enrique X Friends- Subeme la Radio

This one I heard in the classic car, and fell in love instantly.
And the video was actually shot in Cuba.
So here I was, in a classic car, driving through old havana
where they shot the music video, watching the damn video
Vacation inception.

Also Enrique is sooooooooooooo hot. Like my lord. He does this flip thing at 3:18 in the video.
I'm like- Si Papi.

DRUM ROLL PLEASE.

1. Luis Fonsi X Daddy Yankee - Despacito 
The Original.

I had heard this in Lagos, but because I am crazy sometimes, I did not understand the full power this jam was packing.

EVERYWHERE I WENT
- Cab to the natural park
-Cab in Miami
-Club in Cuba
- Club in Miami
- Breakfast in Cuba
-Random radio on the street in Havana

Despacito was and is everywhere.
Keep a bit of your naïvety and do not google English translation of this song.
Also just so you know how huge this song is: it has 2.8bn views on Youtube.
There are 7 billion people in the world.
Go figure.

What is your favorite Spanish song?

Vinales X Fusterlandia.

Day three in Havana and I knew I had to sort out the trip to Vinales.

Signage from my rolled up window.

But I was nervous because
1- I do not smoke. Never ever ever (not even a single drag) tried anything smoking related.
2- I knew I had to go with a classic car but what suspension do those things have?

Sha sha, I had paid for a ticket to Cuba and there was no way I wasn't going.

After breakfast I walked to the street and haggled a classic car taxi for the trip to and fro.

It cost 80 CUC.

Side profile of the car

 Surprisingly the suspension was really good and or the roads were smooth,

 either way it was a good drive.

Notice the very recent usb stick. Renovation toh quality.

 Also the car had automatic transmission.

 I was like ahn ahn, I'm sure your mechanics here sabi all the work.

Accelerator and Brake.

 Unfortunately no A/C. but it was a rainy day so quite breezy.

Side profile of the driver/tour guide who was so sweet/efficient

 We finally get to Vinales and head straight to the tobacco farms.

Tobacco seeds.

Come closer.

the leaves being dried- and they look a lot like bats

Views of the farm

Dried leaves showing the different points and flavors.

After this tour we walked to a gazebo where we then saw the cigars rolled - not on the thighs of virgins unfortunately ( or fortunately) and we were offered sticks dipped in honey for tasting.

I think I have might have exaggerated when I said I have never smoked. I smoke shisha/hookah sparingly ( but I am looking to buy a bong, if anyone is interested ).

Turns out Cuban cigars are smoked without inhaling the smoke like you would do cigarettes.

So not too bad.

They see me rollin'

De-veining ( and hating)

Che looking on as I managed not to choke on my cigar.

Me being badass while my driver looks on approvingly.

After this, I asked the driver, what else is there to do here, in Vinales?

He said I'll take you to la cueva. aka the cave.

It's a garden with a sugar cane juice extractor and animals running around.
It also has a restaurant-that charges you to use the bathroom 🙄

and some animals running around.

There is a waiting period depending on how full the cave is and the trip costs 5CUC.

Yes, yes I know Cuba is really a tourist trap.

Scenes around the cave

Cueva del Indio

The only animals I saw

More scenes.

Sugar cane juice extractor- Why don't we have this in Lagos?

Cave entry

Trying to get into the boat.

Basically, there is a stream inside the cave and you sail through the cave. enter on one side and come out reborn via the other side, pretty basic stuff.

Except the cave is pitch black and the guide said something about no flash lights?

Exactly.

If you are claustrophobic please sit this one out.

Finished the cruise without incident, except those three seconds when the boat engine stopped.


So what else is in Vinales?

He said we can go to this hotel and there is an amazing view and I'm like LET US DO THIS.

But then my camera battery died. *sigh*

Anyway iPhone to the rescue.

Pretty dope hotel in Vinales, the most luxurious thing I saw there

This View tho. I have an amazing Panorama I plan to frame.

This I actually really like. It's a compass showing the distance from the spot to various cities.

Zoomed in.

Slightly tired, I suggested to the driver that I really want to see Fusterlandia.


All you need to know about Fusterlandia is in this article Here ( Go on click on it you know you want to).

When I got there it was closed * sad face*


But you know I'm always down for a photoshoot, the murals on the walls around are the most beautiful thing.

Agabya Status.

As an aside the art in cuba is really really really something.






Spent about 20 minutes walking around and just being in awe, like your neighbors let you put mosaic on their fences, walls, gates?

In Dolphin the person you share your twin non detached duplex with won't even let you paint the front of their house FOR FREE.



The driver so sweetly pointed out all the popping of areas as we drove back to central havana.



Oh and later in the evening I went dancing and made some "newer friends".

Havana II, Cuba

Day two found me roaming the streets of Havana looking for breakfast and ended up doing an impromptu photo shoot at the terrace of the standard hotel and eventually found at a cafe around the corner from my Casa that offered a really decent spread for 5 CUC daily.

Also ended up having breakfast there daily.

Terrace from the hotel.

Light house

Views

Look at that stunning view.

Ps: The food in Cuba is colorful but pretty bland, tabasco sauce was my best friend, I literally took it everywhere and it helped a little.

 I had planned to visit Vinales and watch Cuban cigars being rolled on the thighs of virgins but it was impossible to get  a taxi to take me so I settled for the beach instead.

I had initially planned to go to Baracoa beach but settled for Santa Maria Del Mar and it was perfect.

The beautiful Playa Santa Maria Del Mar

Issa snack. Cuban men are delicious. 💖

Views

Forward to the Islands, I'll get you gold no spray tans

Obligatory swimsuit photo.

Made new friends, shared Cuban rum on the beach and swam in the ocean.


Later in the evening, I took a walking tour of Old Havana and it was so lovely.

Tour  guide

Gorgeous!

Three hours of facts on facts on facts.

Everywhere we looked, cars

Cars

AND  more cars

Was so tired after that walk. I went back to my casa and passed out literally.

The women in Cuba were dressed with so much sex appeal. I love it.

Told you I made friends. 😎

Obligatory fancy door photo

Artist studio

Other tourists on the walking tour

The barcadi house**

**The barcadi family were said to flee Cuba before the revolution and started making rum in Puerto rico.

Cubans scoff at Barcadi because it says Cuban rum on the bottle but if its not made in Cuba- how can it be Cuban rum?

I respect the sentiment.

The locals swear by Havana club and Santiago de cuba.

Me, I just drank everything I was given.