CUBA LIBRE

I made one of the beautiful trip of my life this summer, and I will never forget the kindness of the people that we met and the beautiful landscapes. I went with my brother in Cuba this summer. That may be one of the most beautiful trip I made but we got many adventures.

First the trip started directly at the airport, when I saw the plane I thought, "Oh God, keep us alive!" If I have one recommendation: do not take local companies , unless you like to scare you! We had a lot of turbulences, the hostesses were there without really being there ... and after a journey of more than 13 hours in this conditions, the maximum stress, we're just happy to touch the Cuban floor and say we are FINALLY arrived! Thanks God!

The first stop of this trip was La Havana, all tourists go in this city, we will say that we forces your hand a little to get there. First of all  when you go to Cuba you must be prepared for a big change, no food, no running water, no luxuary object... We left the luxury of Paris and our cozy life in Paris! It is hot and humid, we don't know how to dress, and the most frustrating in all  is that the Cubans used to watch us, and laugh. I just wanted to say "Men that's not funny, I'm gonna die! "But I didn't. We can't stay more than two hours outside, so we make the plan to return to the hotel as often as possible. Speaking of the hotel, the Cubans cleaners , they don't clean it, they watch  TV in your room, they watch their TV novelas! It's a true story, I saw her! Cuba is a very poor country, since it's the United States embargo on the island. It is a country poorer day by day and we can not help. I didn't expect to see so much poverty. First day in Havana, we have barely set foot outside that we're accosted by two Cubans who takes us into the depths of the city but we can't say no. We mix with the population, but one of our problem was that we didn't speak Spanish very well, my brother I we look to each other and say: "What are we doing here?!" 

We are still in the city, the capital of the country, and we feel that there has been war, the roads are potholed, the water is stagnant in some places, people walk barefoot, children play with plastic bottles, and dogs are skinny ... What impresses us the most was the rationing, people have ration cards, they have the right to five eggs per week and per family! It's hard to believe for us we are French, who have everything we want "You want eggs,  go to the super market and you will get the number of eggs that you want" It's hard to believe that things like that still exist. The shops have nothing on display, only one pair of shoes, one size, which costs more than a year's salary for them. We do not really feel confortable. After more than two hours walking in the streets of La Havana, we decided to go for a drink, the choice was quickly made, you have to know that they don't have American drinks, so if you want a Cola do not even think about it! Despite this poverty and we will see worse in the days that followed, people are happy to live, there's music everywhere, people drink and dance.

Cuba for me was the land of dance, music, rum and cigars! We visited the Partagas cigar factory, where the photos and videos were forbidden, as indeed we saw the conditions, we immediately understood why they did not want us to take pictures. They work in a heat that we can not describe, and everything is manual. They must be efficient!
We could also see a replica of the roof of the Capitol in Washington.

And Cuba is also famous for the old cars, old American and Russians cars . We wonder how they can still roll. But they are very well maintained.

We left La Havana after a two days of visit, direction Trinidad, a small town, where there is only one hotel and  it's a palace! we feel even more embarrassing. People don't have cars, they walk on donkeys or on their horses. The roads are not concrete, there is a small square with a church that is beautiful. We realize they don't have the same priorities as us. They live in a completely different pace. The thing that impress us the most in this city was the restaurants. We went to the traditional Cuban restaurant,the host was a real mama cuban, we have a chance to eat in the guest room of the house, restaurants can only have 10 tables (the law that imposes it). We were all distributed in different rooms. My brother decided to take a chicken wing with vegetables. But what we did not know is that by chicken wings they mean a WHOLE chicken! He ended up with a whole chicken on his plate, and he failed to eat it all. He was like: "What the hell is this?!"
We also went on a beach near the city, an idyllic beach and there was only Cuban families, no tourists, but we had barely put a foot in the water we got bitten by a jellyfish ! we quickly exited the water I tell you.

1. After this short stop of two days we went to St. Clara, a city that you can't missed, indeed is the city of Che Guevara. Just enough time to take some pictures and we left right away to Varadero, the Miami of Cuba, the Cubans describe this part of the island like that. Indeed, they can't get there, only tourists are allowed. It is part of the island and there are only hotels. We arrive at the Palace Paradicious, we immediately understood the name of the hotel, it was paradise, the blue sea, cocktails at will, a giant swimming pool and relaxed people! We spent a week over there, away from the bustle of the city. The beaches are really beautiful, the water is warm, the lobster is a will, can we still complain? I do not think so.

We are back in Paris, with lots of memories that are engraved in our heads for life. If you want to see beautiful landscapes and friendly people is THE PLACE TO BE!