CUBA

Location - Caribbean; Capital - Havana; Population - 12 million; Currency - Cuban Peso & Cuban Convertible Peso

I managed to get a charter flight from Dominican Republic to Santiago de Cuba in eastern Cuba, in June 2001.

In 2001 the US Dollar was the main currency for tourists in Cuba, but was replaced by the Convertible Peso. The Dollar was withdrawn in 2004.

To the right is Cuba's national currency, the Cuban Peso, which westerners can use for items such as street food and newspapers

Parque Cespedes in the centre of Santiago de Cuba

The Moncada Barracks are the site of Castro's failed attack on President Batista's troops in 1953, Santiago de Cuba. The bullet holes still remain.

Looking down on the town of Baracoa

Baracoa's market

Lots of rum stalls are set up in the evening and Havana Club dominates, Baracoa

This is a local currency supermarket in Baracoa. It was sparse to say the least. The US dollar supermarkets had a lot more to offer, as long as you had dollars. Maybe things have changed now..

The countryside around Baracoa

Playa Duaba is a bicycle or minibus ride from Baracoa

The cobbled streets of Trinidad

Colonial houses in Trinidad. I stayed in a casa particular (private home) similar to these

There was a fiesta happening in Trinidad

Playa Ancon, just over 10kms outside Trinidad

1950's (?) American car in Trinidad

Poster of Ernesto 'Che' Guevara, Cienfuegos

The Motorcycle Diaries DVD 

The cathedral and Government Palace, Parque Jose Marti, Cienfuegos

'Tren Blindado' - the train containing many Batista troops that was attacked by Che Guevara just after Christmas 1958, Santa Clara.
Batista fled Cuba on January 1 1959

Ernesto Che Guevara is buried here, at the monument in Santa Clara

Horse and carts near the bus station in Santa Clara

Site of the Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961, Giron

More info from Wikipedia

CIA documents relating to the Bay of Pigs invasion

Playa Giron in the Bahia de Cochinos (Bay of Pigs)

View from the Capitolio Nacional, Havana

The government Capitolio Nacional, Havana

The tank and launch boat were used in the Bay of Pigs invasion, 1961
The missile dates back to the Cuban Missile Crisis
Museo de la Revolucion, Havana

More info on the Cuban Missile Crisis

Fortaleza de la Cabana, with Castillo del Morro in the background, Havana

A spruced up part of old Havana

But the decaying parts of old Havana have so much more character

The old town of Havana

I was lucky enough to stay at a stunning 'casa particular' in a very grand colonial house in old Havana, for about $20/night.
This was the view from my balcony

Cuban band plays in Havana

Live music and dance at the Plaza de la Catedral, Havana

Monument to Jose Marti, a leader of the Cuban independence movement, Havana

'Hasta la Victoria Siempre' - Che Guevara's image on the side of a government building in Vedado, Havana

Headquarters of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, Havana

Restaurants in Chinatown, Havana

A cafe built into a Vinales cave

Mural de la Prehistoria, Vinales

Beautiful views of Vinales

The countryside close to Vinales, west of Havana

The Cuban family I stayed with in Vinales

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LINKS

www.cubatravel.cu -

www.supercubatravel.com - Cuban holidays and info

http://havanajournal.com - Cuban news and holiday info

I am not responsible for the content of external websites.