Throwback to Cuba

I wanted my first travel post to be my first real solo travel experience.  Even though it is a bit of a throwback (I went 10 years ago), it helped to solidify my love of travel and allowed me to get comfortable about travelling to far flung destinations alone. I know that travel isn’t at the top of the agenda right now, but I still wanted to share the experience and share some inspiration for when we are able to travel safely again. 

I researched extensively where it was safe to travel alone as a black woman, and Cuba came up as a good option and when I arrived I understood why.  People were generally friendly and helpful, crime in general is quite low and my trip to Cuba was the first time in my life that people had looked at my skin as being beautiful.  Having spent most of my life in the UK living on the outskirts of London, when I was in generally the only black girl in any given circumstance; a strange state of being where you are simultaneously hyper visible and invisible, it was a revelation for me to have people, stop me in the street and tell me how beautiful my skin was. I wanted to share my highlights and the places I recommend.  It is important to research every travel destination and see what people have said, and what you need to do, should you encounter any problems, and of course, make sensible choices.  Having said that, the saying ‘feel the fear and do it anyway’ definitely resonates with me, and I’ve had some of my best life experiences when I’ve done just that.  

When I say ‘feel the fear and do it anyway’,  I had a mini breakdown at Heathrow Airport when I reached security.  There were floods of tears and I was so distressed that security wouldn’t let me pass until I had calmed down – I really considered not getting on the plane, but I managed to calm down, and regain my composure and made it onto the flight.  After a change in Madrid and long flight next to an older gentleman who didn’t speak any English but was so petrified of flying that he held tightly to both my arm and the armrest for comfort throughout the whole flight (his wife refused to switch seats with me so she could be next to him).  I finally arrived in Havana!!

When I travelled, I needed a visa and to have a confirmed address for my arrival, so I stayed at a hotel for my first night, but for the rest of my stay, I stayed at various Casa Particulares (somewhat similar to a Bed and Breakfasts).  You previously needed a visa if travelling from the UK but having checked the latest information, you are now able to enter Cuba as a UK citizen with a tourist card which seems to be easy to obtain from the Cuban Tourism office. 

In total, I travelled to Havana, Santa Clara, Cienfuegos, Trinidad, Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo and Baracoa. To this day, this is one of the best travel experiences of my life! I went from being so petrified at the airport in London that I considered not getting on the flight, to absolutely loving solo travel and in the subsequent 10 years, travelling extensively by myself.  I learnt that even if you are travelling alone, it is possible to meet people and make friends easily, that communication isn’t always about language (though being able to speak the language definitely helps – at the time I spoke no Spanish whatsoever), and I learnt so much about people and about myself.  Cuba was the start of my enduring love for South and Central America and I’ve travelled to many places in that part of the world since.  Before I went to Cuba, many people told me not to, saying that it wasn’t worth it as it had changed so much due to foriegn influence, or because it is dangerous to travel alone or because I didn’t speak Spanish.  I am so glad I didn’t listen.  I am just going to highlight a few of my favourite places to visit.  Needless to say, I highly recommend sampling lots of rum, either on its own or as part of rum cocktails, (Cuba Libre and Mojitos being my favourites), but be aware that the portions are much more generous than in the UK – a Cuba Libre in Cuba is basically run with a splash of cola and soda – it is not a mixer!!!

Some of My Favourite spots

Trinidad  

I think Trinidad was my favourite place to visit in Cuba – there is so much history there, and it is the perfect mix of history, culture, beach and fun. Trinidad is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a colonial city which became rich through its production of sugar cane, tobacco and cattle.  The wealth that Spanish colonists or conquistadores enjoyed, was at the sacrifice of African slaves, and the history of this is clear to see across the makeup of the city and the people you encounter. Trinidad became one of Cuba’s richest cities and it’s 1850s architecture and  tobacco plantations are still there to see today, although now Trinidad mostly makes money from tourism.

Recommended places to visit in Trinidad:

Plaza Mayor – this perfectly shows Spanish colonial architecture and is typical of what you see when you see images of Cuba

Topes de Collantes National Park – There is an amazing waterfall nearby where you can swing from the rocks into the water.  I was not a confident swimmer so took the safer route of just climbing down into the water, but it was so beautiful

Playa Ancon – this is one of the most beautiful beaches, with white sands and a great views all around. It is absoultely stunning

Santiago de Cuba 

Closely following Trinidad as one of my highlights, was Santiago de Cuba and I absolutely loved it there.  I heard before I got there that it was impossible to avoid dancing salsa with someone and that is absolutely true!  One of the reasons I loved Santiago de Cuba so much is because it reminded me so much of Ghana and West Africa in general.  From the food, to the people and the vibe… it all reminded me that even though there are differences between us, on a fundamental level there are more similarities, and many of our feelings and experiences are similar.  Santiago de Cuba is known as the centre of Cuba’s Afro Cuban heritage and it has some amazing and enriching history to witness as well as amazing nightlife and friendly and kind people. 

Recommended places to visit in Santiago de Cuba:

Plaza de la Revolución – here there is a statute to Antonio Maceo surrounded by 23 raised machetes – it is interesting to learn about the history and his impact on Cuba

Sierra Maestra National Park – there is a hike you can do with a guide and it is really worth the journey

Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca – this is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it a fortress which guards the entrance to Santiago de Cuba Bay. It is pretty cool if you can time your visit for the evening ceremony

Baracoa

Baracoa is different to many of the other places I saw in Cuba in that it is not a big city or town; it is more of a rural environment. Here, you can visit coffee and cacao farms in the forest while learning how chocolate is made.  Being in a more rural setting, you can see that contrary to what you see in other parts of the world, most manual labour roles tend to belong to women. For example, women often work in tobacco factories because their hands tend to be smaller and it makes it easier for women to roll cigars. Something that challenged my perception is that women were often out working while men stayed at home.  Baracoa also gave me more insights into the indigenous people of Cuba.   As I travelled further down the country, and met more Cuban people, I was so happy I made the choice of Cuba being my first solo trip.  I had so many mishaps, and incidents that really could’ve gone badly, but people were generally kind, warm and generous. 

Recommended Places to visit in Baracoa:

Maguana Beach – stunning beach with white sands and turquoise waters and Coconut, Almond and Palm trees

Casa de Cacao – Baracoa is famous for it’s cacao farms given that it is at the heart of Cuba’s chocolate industry and this museum and cafe is the perfect to taste some of the best chocolate and learn all about the cultivate and history of chocolate in Cuba

El Yunke – even just to see the mountain is amazing