The next morning we took a short trip to “Punta Gorda”, there was supposed to be a “Carnival on the water” down there, that’s what Pedro had told us anyway, God knows what it was supposed to be. We took a taxi (eight dollars one way). As usual, Y just couldn’t keep her hands to herself.

I had a different impression of a carnival, there were just a few small boats sailing around in the bay. They had all been decorated with all sorts of garlands, palm branches and “Socialism or Death” placards, was quite nice really, especially because of the fact that Y had accompanied me to take a look what was going on. For the first time I tried out various types of real rum, but only small glasses. After all, we hadn’t had anything to eat again.

During the evening, we went down to the Casa de la Trova again to listen to some of the music, they also have a bar…

This is a thing of it’s own. So, another problem. One can completely forget the public transport. Public transport runs very irregularly and one should only expect oneself to use it if the only other alternative was walking to where one wants to go in the burning heat. The Cubis travel with everything that has wheels, and I mean it as well. This ranges from lorries with platform to horse and cart (in Santiago there is a sort of horse and cart service down at the harbour). Of course, for the likes of us, there are taxis. There are the special tourist taxis with the appropriate identification. For the price of 1 – 2,5 dollars it is possible to get anywhere one wants in Santiago, that’s the fare for just one way.

There are also some old-timer taxis, we once took one down to the beach (fix price), conked out on the way down there. Later more on the subject. If wanting to make a longer journey, it is no problem to come to agreement with the driver on a fix price, he will then turn the clock off. The old bangers are cheaper than the newer ones with air conditioning. We paid between 16 and 25 dollars for the journey down to Siboney, took about 30 minutes. The driver waited for us, or came back to pick us up (one price). Then there are the illegal taxis. I travelled back from Punta Gorda in one with Y, cost me five dollars. The driver had to take a secret route, the police always waved us through, they had to make sure that they weren’t seen at any official checkpoints, that was the impression I had anyway. Y told me that it is dangerous to take an illegal taxi during the night. Then we have t he hire cars, very recommendable but not very cheap.

They start off at about 50 dollars when one hires one for a week. We paid 65 dollars for our slowcoach. Had it for four days, all-inclusive. If I happen to travel to Cuba again, I’m going to hire one for the whole stay, and I will book it from home, that’s cheaper. One is able to arrange hire cars at all travel agents, or on the web. Oh yeah, in Santiago it is also possible to hire a moped.

The food… in Cuba is not what one would call a highlight. Ok, in the Paladares (private restaurants) one can get a good meal for fewer than ten dollars, that’s just something I need once a day. Apart from that, there is only filth to be found, and that all over the place. Sorry, but I have to make that quite clear. There is at least one “Rapido” in each larger town; this is a sort of fast food restaurant. In these places, one can get either, pizza with salami, pizza with ham, or pizza with mortadella. I know all variations. One is also able to get spaghetti. One day I arrived from the beach, was very hungry, and fancied a plate of spaghetti and a pizza. Unfortunately, this doesn’t seem to be possible. One of the Rapido’s has spaghetti, the other pizza…. At first I didn’t even want to go into the one Rapido.

Le Baron was able to convince me though; he told me that the pizzas there weren’t that bad at all. So, I went in, but against my will. The pizza was done in the microwave (at least it had been covered in plastic foil), looked a bit like a plastic pizza baked in the microwave. I plucked up all my courage and took a bite, great!!! I nearly even ordered a second one. Ok, to tell the truth, after a few days one can’t face them anymore, that’s the reason why one should have a proper meal once a day, preferably during the evening in the Paladar.

Photo above: We can be seen here twice in a Rapido, on the beach once. At least one is able to get a good beer from a carafe and a cabbage salad (shiver).

Then one night, I went with Y to a sort of fast food restaurant down the old part of town. There is a special name for such place, has slipped my mind. I had Pollo (chicken) done in the chip pan, and chips to go with it. What I mean is that I tried to eat it – to tell the truth I didn’t really manage. Was very fatty and oily. The chips were swimming in old brown chip pan fat, was simply disgusting. As I said, couldn’t eat the crap. Ate Bokadillo quite often down the Casa Granda, this is a type of sandwich. If one has an empty stomach, then it is just about possible to shove one down ones throat.

Santiago de Cuba lies next to the Caribbean Sea, Baracoa next to the Atlantic. Altogether, the journey takes about four hours. First of all one has to travel towards the east up to Guantanamo (there where the “Guantanamera” come from, those are girls from Guantanamo), then one must turn off towards the north in the direction of Baracoa. Once in Guantanamo (a small dump) one has completed about half of the journey, however, there are a few serpentines to be encountered. All in all a nice drive. Mariachi had done the tour before, this was a good thing because we didn’t have to ask the way all that often. The signposting isn’t all that good at all.

One has to travel along the “motorway” great; hardly any traffic at all, but one does have to keep ones eyes open all the time, cows, horses and goats amongst other things, are seen now and again running around on the carriageway…. There are also a hell of a lot of cyclists and horse and carts, well, in general, everything is possible. We also saw a lot of hitchhikers trying to hitch a lift, but our car was full of luggage, which was a great pity. We could have had a good bit of luck…. Anyway, there was a nice varying view of the landscape.

One nice afternoon I saw a good-looking negra sat in front of the hairdressers. The hairdresser waved me in. My hair needed cutting anyway so I went in and told him what I wanted: Three millimetres were to be left on my nut, ok, they were very people nice there. One of them wanted to swap his old straw hat for my baseball cap, ha-ha; I paid two dollars for the trim. During the cutting, the hairdresser wanted to get me off with the hen, but this wasn’t necessary at all, I was already arranging things myself. We take a few photos (she’s the red one). We then went out for a drink, a Mojito, but she had to go to school and didn’t want her friends to see her with me, Ok, I’m an old bastard. We arrange to meet at the same place at seven in the evening.

So far so good. Outside on the street, I noticed a young chica, quite thin, tarted up, the slag type I would say, bitch type, my type!! She noticed my glance from the other side of the road and came over. I told her that I had a date that day and didn’t have any time, but we could meet the next day, came to an agreement, same place at four.

The hen from the hairdressers arrived on time. We went to my Casa where I called Pedro, he was to register her. BTW, Pedro hat told me to ALWAYS register ALL hens with him, better for me, better for him, Ok; she didn’t have a carnet (ID card) with her. So this was starting to stink already, in Cuba, everyone has their ID with them, unless a tourist or under 18 years of age. The chica wanted to go home and get her carnet, asked me if I could give her a bit of cash for the taxi.

I gave her a dollar, she asked if she could have two because one would not be enough, I only had five in small change – and handed them over to her. Another lesson learned. The five bucks were gone of course. I should have put her in a taxi, and paid when she had returned, I’m a lot wiser now, that won’t happen to me again. Hope it doesn’t happen to you!! What a pity, I was really looking forward to a screw with the chick. Bye bye.