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CUBA TRAVEL SECTION - Havana Journal > Individual Journeys
By Ben Ross | Independent.ie (Ireland)
Salsa, socialism and sophistication share the faded magnificence of the Cuban capital. Ben Ross prescribes a revolutionary city break.
Why go now?
If President Barack Obama carries out his pre-election promise to liberalize relations with the only communist country in the West, millions of US tourists currently barred from entry will descend on Cuba. Now, then, is the ideal time to enjoy one of the most alluring capitals while its idiosyncrasies are still intact.
Havana’s tropical climate is a welcome contrast to our midwinter, with current temperatures reaching 30°C. Intellectual pursuits are also available…
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Lydia Bell | Telegraph.co.uk
An old man, with a warm smile decorated by a single tooth, is our hitchhiker of choice for the morning. His wiry grandson helps him haul a bulky package into our rented car. The package emits a loud grunt. “El Puerco,” the old man announces, “es para mis cumpleaños 80 el jueves.” The pig is for my 80th birthday on Thursday.
We are in the heart of Cuba, the middle of this long streak of island, and in search of the country’s provincial face and a gentler pace than urban Havana. In a country where a…
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Rob Sequin | Havana Journal
To the west of the city of Havana is the Almendares river which divides the municipalities of Plaza de la Revolucion (containing Vedado) and Playa (containing Miramar). The article will describe what you will see as you drive West on First Avenue from Havana.
When you arrive at the Almendares river (as Vedado ends), you will come to the first of several beaches of the West, known locally as the Playas del Oeste.
Coming out of the tunnel under the Almendares river you will first come to “La Puntilla” beach which is really…
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John A. Webster | Founder and Commodore of Cuba Run 2010
A few years ago, two cat sailors - one British and One Australian, were being pounded by waves during a leg of the Great Texas 300 race. On that day, in between grunts and over the roar of the wind, an idea took hold: Why not race beach cats to Havana? The Cuba Run was born that day.
We put the basic concept on paper late last year, and work began in earnest to see what could be done to…
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By Mark Harvey | Canwest
A family road trip can be stressful. But a driving holiday in Cuba? That could be a recipe for family breakup. It starts as a compromise between the women of the family who want a sunny break from an Edmonton winter, and my desire to see one of the most intriguing countries in the Western Hemisphere before it changes forever.
We decide to split our two weeks in half: a week in all-inclusive resorts and a week in private B&Bs (called casas particulares in Cuba).
Evora Rodriguez’s casa occupies the top floor of a nine-story…
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Studying the Spanish language is all about immersion and Spanish courses in Cuba revolve around this very concept. Immerse yourself in the language, spoken in a native context, and achieve the best progress conversing with a local family in a home stay program or just settle for immersing yourself in the vivid blue Caribbean waters of this stunning island!
It’s your pick when it comes to Spanish courses in Cuba!
A study abroad program is a valuable way to gain a lived experience of a language, while discovering all about a new culture at the same time.…
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Cycling Cuba: If its not over 35 degrees, humid, uphill and into a headwind I´m not interested
Met up with the cycling group and we headed out of Havana to get the bikes. Interesting start to the cycling, as a dog started chasing me after 5 minutes. It obviously decided it didn’t like the look of me as it suddenly just went for me. It wasn’t foaming at the mouth but I certainly wasn’t hanging about to see if it just wanted to play ball and I managed to outrun it.
But then after 10 minutes I got a puncture.…
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BY ANDREA GOLLIN | Miami Herald
WALKING TO GUANTANAMO. Richard Fleming. Commons. 351 pages. $27.
With great clarity, Richard Fleming describes the people he meets and the conditions he finds on a walk-about.
First-time author Richard Fleming chose a novel method of fighting depression: He self-medicated by traveling across Cuba. An unusual decision, maybe, but it’s a lucky choice for us, because Fleming has produced a fascinating, wry, vividly detailed and elegantly written account of a trip that no one else is likely to take.
Walking to Guantánamo is the narrative of his trip; The Road to Guantánamo: Images from…
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from Leon Neal an English press photographer (Please visit this link for great photos and links.
Going on holiday to Cuba during the hurricane season may not have been the wisest move but Kirsten and I always enjoy a challenge. As the holiday got closer and the news channels talked of the damage from Hurricane Gustav and the impending impact of Hurricane Ike, we duly packed out flip-flops and headed to Havana.
First of all, Air France to Cuba. Old planes, no in-seat screens for the 9.5 hour flight and tiny seats. Traveling in cattle class on most…
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Number one reason for people going on holidays to Cuba is still its beautiful beaches.
There is perfect coherence among the 200 beaches from which it is worth mentioning the renown Varadero; or the ones from the east of the Capital city, that are a series of sand extensions, above all, Santa Maria del Mar, near the city (20 minutes a ride), which make it easier when you have little time to swim, or for a long Sunday overnight.
But there are many more distinguished ones: Santa Lucia, in the central-eastern province of Camaguey (north); Maria Aguilar in…
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