Havana I, Cuba

On Monday, I woke up and took an art walk around Trinidad visited a bunch of art studios and bought the one piece of art that spoke to me.

Anyway I hired a collectivo ( which is a shared taxi) and headed to Havana.

Journey took exactly 4 hours and the driver was reminiscent of an Oko ashawo taxi driver.
I shared the collectivo with an American Algerian who told me to make sure I stayed in Old Havana by the central park, and that is exactly what I did.

From what I understood, Havana was supposed to be the main city in Cuba.
Think like the Lagos of Nigeria and it was exactly that and more.

Since I didn't have casa reservations, when I got to the park, I dragged my suitcase, hired a Bici-Taxi -think like keke, and he took me to a casa and it was perfect except the host said she had only 3 nights and I had 4 nights left in Havana.

Whatever I took it like that.

Settled in, and took a nap. Woke up at 11pm and decided to explore the city.

On the corner of the malecon.

Started walking at ended up at the Museum of the revolution.

Sidebar: The Revolution is HUGE in Cuba and even till date the tales of Che, Fidel and Camino are everywhere. The Cubans are fiercely patriotic. I have not even see anything like it.

Five minutes into the walk I met two people, a Cuban guy and Mexican girl, that became my unofficial tour guides for the night.

Capitol building with my new friends.

She spoke a bit of English, between that and my google translate we were able to communicate.

Hasta la Victoria Siempre and Me.

These statues/monuments are everywhere in Havana

Museum of the Revolution 

This tank is "rumored" to be the one that Che used in the major invasion.

Camino, Fidel and Che. on a random building

Vas Bein Fidel

 After a 20 minute walk they decided to take me dancing, but first, we went to her house to drop off her things.

Boarded a mini bus think danfo, hopped in the back and headed off

Drivers Back view in the mini cab.

 
On a Monday evening/Tuesday morning, we ended up at Club Cantante, it's in the lobby/underground Teatro Nacional.

Anyway let me just say that it was LITTTYYYY. I walked in and there was some dance competition and it was so funny, my hosts were so kind to let me just watch and soak up the madness that was Cantante.

Live band and the crowd.

Another thing I found so strange, where did all of you come from?
Like is there no work tomorrow?
Apparently not.


Dragged myself out of there, got in a cab and went back to my Casa.

That was how I spent my first night in Havana.





 

Trinidad II, Cuba

Disco Ayala.

This is what Trip Advisor says about Disco Ayala

Disco Ayala Review


It is true what it says. Everything.

After obtaining detailed directions from everyone I saw in Spanish, I set out to find La cuevas.

On my way I stumbled into an art studio.

Met the artist who was really lovely and let me come in look around and was so gracious to take photos with me and let me photograph his art.

Spanish Harlem Mona lisa.

Art Dealer Chic

Then I continued my journey that seemed like something out of a nollywood movie.

Eventually at the top of a hill, I followed a bunch of American tourists who seemed like they knew where they were going and boom:

Disco Ayala Entrance

Payed the cover charge and proceeded to dance the night away with strangers in a cave.

FunFact: The club has projectors so while the music is playing you get to watch the video concurrently.  Which really works out perfectly if you are like me and just decided to download all the Spanish music you heard in Cuba.

Drinks are included in the cover charge and you are allowed to take as many photos as you want.
There is no food in the club unfortunately BUT I'm assuming you had a long meal before you embarked on the journey to la cuevas.

Cuban men are so touchy feely want to be in your photo constantly.

 This and Elcubano were the two things asides museums and art galleries that I got up to in Trinidad.

Trinidad I, Cuba

Trinidad ( not to be mistaken with the country Trinidad & Tobago )was the first city in Cuba that I visited.

As I had previously stated I flew into Cienfuegos and Trinidad is an hour away.

After realizing that no one spoke any English I managed to change some money, get in a cab and find our way to my booked Casa particular.

I arrived and the previous occupants  were sick and couldn't move out (or that is what my host said) so said host relocated me to another Casa across the road, then invited me to lobster dinner the next evening to make it up.

Again, none English speaking hosts meant

more sign language and Google translate app.

Slept like a baby lamb because rain, because tired and because Jet lagged from Lagos.

Sunday.

I woke up to take a walk, watch the sun rise and scope the city out.

and the city is precious. Just precious.

Fence free Casa's painted the most beautiful colors.

City Map ( in Spanish)

City Square center thingy watching the sun rise

Random alley way with horse and carriage

So many pretty doors

Cobble stone roads ( aka leave your heels in Lagos)

Keep it real

Brightly colored Bistro

Bar top

Roof top

Mint leaf garden ( #Mojitolife)

Then I went back to my hotel and decided to get ready to hike at El Cubano see the water fall and swim in it.

Plot twist- I can't swim. 

But I did not let that little fact stop me from wearing a two piece and taking fire photos.

Drop Top and this gorgeous sky view

El-Cubano Natural park

Water fall. The photos do not convey how amazing it looked

Water fall

Random: Cuba is full of good looking men ( That I will hereafter refer to as snacks)

After Swimming and hiking back. Hike was a total of 3 hours  total sweat fest by the way but sooo good.

Decided to try out this restaurant that one of my American passport wielding friends told us to check out.

After getting lost, eventually arrived and discovered that they had closed for lunch but reopened for dinner at 6pm. 

Hashtag Fail.

Ended up stumbling into some random place and having lunch and finding my way home for a well deserved nap.

Woke up and went to have lobster dinner with my original host. And I had the most delicious cocktail. Canchanchara? (spelling is most likely wrong because non spanish speaking Nigerian girl) but it had honey, rum and lemon. Don't ask me it worked.

Went home showered and got ready to hit Disco Ayala.

Disco Ayala is a club in an actual cave. I know.

My mother's prayers working over time because children of God the walk to the cave is something out of a nollywood movie.
 

Bonus photo of me in a bikini because- what is the point of being catfish on a travel blog?

Destination: Cuba

So I went to Cuba.

It had been on my radar for a while and the minute Obama lifted the embargo and Fidel died I saw a window.

I had planned to go to Miami for two weeks and turns out Cuba is an hour away so  I goggled all the possible airlines and settled for American Airlines.

Then I had to get a Cuban visa.

*Nigerian passport wielding citizens, you might want to lean in and pay extra attention here*.

Most countries have superb diplomatic relations with Cuba and so their citizens can obtain a tourist card at the airport and fly to Cuba if they plan to fly out of USA.

Tip: Some airlines (Delta) even arrange the tourist card for passengers for $50.
If you fly out of Mexico, the tourist card is $20.

But because that passport is green, I had to apply for a visa at the Cuban Embassy in Nigeria.

And because I relied heavily on the internet for Cuban travel information and American passport wielding friends I did not realize this till it was a month to the trip.

After detailed investigation aka furious direct messaging with a Nigerian in Abuja who had visit Cuba last year, I reached out to the only travel agent whom the Cuban embassy in Nigeria would accept applications from*.

Tip: You do not have to go to the embassy physically. All you need to do is send your documents to his office and he would sort it out. It takes an average of 5 days

I received the passport with my visa without a photo and panicked.
Don't.
The technology at the embassy is so ancient they do not even give you visa's with photos included.

The visa costs roughly N30,200 inclusive of the agency premium. It is valid for a month but is only single entry.

Passport. Ticket and Visa all ready.
I flew into Cuba from Miami.

My Ticket cost $230.52 and it was  from Miami to Cienfuegos and Havana back to Miami.


Tip: American Airlines fly out of Miami International but charges $25/bag on flights to Cuba for economy seats.
Southwest Airlines fly out of Fort lauderdale and lets you check in two bags free. (So all your fire IG posts can get the work)

Since I had just one week, I had to pick the cities I want to visit and Cuba is the largest Caribbean Island so there are lotssss of cities.

Settled on Trindad and Havana and a day trip to Vinales.

Now that we have gotten all the boring but necessary paper work talk out of the way, look out of the next few posts with the photos and all that jazz.

*Send me a message if you need his details.

Calabar!

I know I said I was going to curate a playlist for my Calabar trip.

I did not. But only because all the forces in the world conspired against me.

My internet at home stopped working, my sound cloud was doing a madness and other stories.

Anyway so Calabar was amazingggg. ( With 4g's yes)

I was there for a friends wedding and Lordy Lord!

The Efik culture is so rich.

What I really liked about the city was just how much greenery was available.

Everywhere I turned had trees, shrubs, everything.

And it was quiet too. Minimal traffic and a sane escape from the madness that is Lagos.

Lots of wavyness and gentle gra-gra went down and I can not wait to return and do more touristy things.

Excuse I told at work: I had to go see a doctor.
Vacation days used: None