Cuba Diary
Photos by Kiara Schwartz
Cuba is an amazing country, and I was super excited to head back to visit after traveling there a few years ago. I first headed to Cayo Santa Maria to soak up the sunshine and enjoy the beach life for a few days...The turquoise water on the Caribbean side is just so beautiful, and the sandy white beach...so lovely!
I traveled with my fried Kiara of Tobruck Ave, and we took a train (that used to be used for travel but is now mostly used for tourist transportation to the city) into the town of Remedios, which was the second Spanish settlement with buildings that date back to 1511.
When most people think of Cuba, of course they imagine Havana with the old cars and colourful walls (which we did visit later, photos to come!) but Remedios is such a special city full of bright colours & cars but with a more relaxed, small town vibe- it is a must visit in my opinion - very welcoming.
Tips about Cuba...Kiara & I discovered so many things that we wished someone had told us before we left! So I wanted to share a few the things I wished I had known heading on this trip -
1. While there is Internet available in some places, you must purchase Wifi cards and even still, it is only available in certain locations (for example, in the lobby of a hotel) and still can crash and be super slow - So, if you are planning a working holiday, don't! Wifi connection is spotty and frustrating if you really hoping to use it a lot.
2. Food - While the local food can be delicious (Rice and Beans, Chicken & Potatoes are common staples) when you find yourself in resorts or touristy places, the selection is often really odd (lots of sandwiches & cookies) so definitely always make the trip into the local towns, we had our best meal at a little local spot in Remedios) We saw a lot of travellers who were returning to Cuba bring their own snacks -
3. We heard that it would be difficult to get to and from cities, but it was so easy! Local taxi's are happy to take you (we even took a taxi on a 5 hour trip to Havana) and the roads are very safe and very new - It is easy & possible.
More coming from Cuba,
xo
