Cuba The Longboard Diary

Cuba The Longboard diary
Dec 2 and 3: Havana to Santiago de Cuba (bus)

Spent whole night in Mexico City airport, waiting for my transit flight to Havana in the
Morning. My skate tool got confiscated by airport in tijuana because I forget to put my skate tool into my check in luggage. New problem of assembling my board in Havana without a skate tool.

Before I could board the plane to Havana, I need to buy the cuba tourist card in Mexico City airport, finding where to buy is a challenge with my broken espanol. Finally, found the counter that sells the tourist card. It is at aeromexico counter between the gate 51 and 61. It cost about Mexican pesos 325, around $25. Then you have to fill the form correctly, any mistake you have to purchase another card at your own cost.

Finally board the plane to Havana, saw a guy with a bicycle helmet strapped in his backpack. He is Peter from Austria, and chatted with him, to find out that he is on a world tour now and cycled Iceland before as I did last June. His route is different from mine, he will head to pinar del rio with his friend arriving few days later. He invited me to share his hotel room with him in Havana. Why not? It is nice to have some company in my journey.

Landed at Jose marti airport. Jose marti is considered as founding father of cuba, so you will see a lot of his momentum in cuba. Most in the plane are tourists, therefore the queue to clear custom took a hour and half. I thought no ones travels to cuba. I was wrong, everyone but the Americans goes to cuba.

After exciting the arrival terminal, I looked for a moneychanger. There was an illegal changer just outside the official one. He offered way better rates but I don't trust him. After all, in cuba, there are dual currency system, Convertibles (cuc) for foreigners and national pesos for locals and both currency looked actually same except cuc has the word convertibles printed on it. It is easy money scam for unaware foreigners. Ignored the illegal one, and changed $1000 for 870 cuc. There is 13% penalty for changing usd.

Shared a taxi with Peter to his hotel in Havana, it costs 25 cuc. It was raining in Havana, I sense a bad omen for my skate. At the hotel, since my friend only booked a single room, the receptionist refused to let me share room unless I paid 60 cuc. That was crazy. What was even crazier, the receptionist recommended me a casa particular ran by his family. So I stick with my original plan to take a bus to Santiago to start my skate travel.
Before leaving, I left my luggage at the hotel to have dinner with Peter since the bus is at 10pm. They even charged me 2 cuc for the storage. Outside the hotel entrance, the doorman asked us where are we going? He recommended us to a restaurant nearby, since it was raining and dark at night, why not. He left his post to walk us to the restaurant. At the restaurant, we paid 30cuc for a hard rubbery fried chicken, what was worse. A Cuban couple Walked in to chatted with us, in fact they were actually trying to recommend us cigars and party. We suspect the hotel doorman told them that we were there. I guess this is how Cubans make their living. Through sidelines.

Grabbed my luggage after dinner and took a taxi to Viazul bus station. In cuba, you are expected to wait for everything. It is true. Even buying bus tickets is a pain in the ass, the cashier will tell you to wait, like they don't want your business.

Finally got the 15 hours bus ride to Santiago. Next day, The bus stopped for toilet and lunch, only to realise walking around with 50 cuc notes will not get you anything. Cause 50 cuc is equivalent to 1250 pesos. Getting change for a peso toilet and 5 peso sandwich is mission impossible, I paid them in 1 usd dollar, which they will profit a lot. Lesson learnt: always
get small notes.

At Santiago bus station, a Jintero in bright green tee with gold teeth hustled me to his casa particular. Probably I am attracted by his green tee. But then again, his casa particular is not too bad. 25 cuc with air con and breakfast. You can see the photos of Santiago in this album.