Well my experience in Cuba was more than just salsa, rhumba, son, mojitos and music.

As expected after queing for an hour and a half at the smoke free immigration hall I realised that I was at the wrong counter so I moved to the visa free counter and stood right in front of the queue. Despite that I was still obliged to wait for another 30 minutes for my turn. Once I got my passport sorted out I went to inquire for a room in Havana at one of the information counters..........

After studying spanish on my own for 5 months I was very eager to engage in a conversation in spanish but to my surprise and my disappointment they impressed me with their spoken English. One of the counters gave me the address of a hotel that had one room left which was unusual during the peak holiday season but I turned it down after the next counter convinced me to stay in a good friend's casa in Habana Centro.

I got into a cab and headed straight for the casa but to my disappointments I refused to step down from the cab when we got there. I insisted that he had made a mistake but he said 'It is good. Very good and clean and centro'. Reluctantly I got off and walked towards the kitchen which was along the road. A big Cubana who was busy mopping the floor stopped her chore and greeted me like a long lost friend. Then she started making phone calls to locate other casas because her  casa  was occupied. Feeling uneasy and restless after 15 minutes of doubt I told her that I would go somewhere else but she refused to let me go. When I insisted she barked and said that I had to be driven by them to another place for 5 pesos and she would get me a room.

It was nearly 8 pm when we arrived at Hotel Islazul after a short drive. She ordered me and the driver to remain in the car and she left to inquire for a room. I told the driver that I prefer to be on my own so I paid him 5 pesos and left the car but there she was walking towards me and told me that it was fully booked. When she realised that I had dumped them she got really mad. As they drove past me she stuck her head out of the window and called me' Cina'.
Well I got rid of them and while I was left standing alone in front of the hotel I looked around for other possibilities but there was no sign of other hotels besides a few eateries across the road.I went back to the hotel for another chance.The receptionist was welcoming and she had impeccable false nails like every woman in Cuba. She told me that Havana was fully booked but she would try her best to get me a room. I waited at the lobby bar and got myself a mojito prepared by a suave barman who introduced me to a cuban couple and other foreign tourists. I was happy that the lady got me a room for two nights. It was very basic and simple. After a shower and little rest I went out clubbing with those people I met in the lobby bar till three in the morning.
Havana was very much like what I have seen in pictures. There were still many big vintage cars than I thought and the ambience of the city intrigued me. I t was like going back 60 years except for its lack lustre and glamour of the pre-Castro period. Most Cubans wore slippers, shorts or short skirts with singlets but most men prefer to be topless. They loved walking around the city's streets with the gait of a salsa king or queen. Unlike most cities, it seemed like the trade embargo had rescued the streets from being congested with cars. It was also very fascinating to see cabbies struggling with old black American cars going around picking up passengers  with huge cigar dangling from the driver's lips. Together  in the cab with funky hairstyle Cubans in sun shades, it could provide a good film setting for an Al Capone's movie.

The city is built in the mid 1800 by the Spanish colonialist. The buildings whose decorated facades, domes and pillars are beautiful and majestic. The glory of the city's past could be felt in a few grand old hotels. One of them is the Sevilla whose maintenance of the old tradition sets off a moody and nostalgic ambience. Bars like Floridita which is made famous by Ernest Hemingway is very gay and almost every single tourist has been there for a daiquiri or a mojito.

Old Havana has many little folk museums as well as homes of some famous European writers and poets. Restaurants are everywhere but grocery shops are hard to come by. Their half-filled shelves are dominated by Havana club rums of different sorts, beer, soft drinks, water cookies and sweets. Musicians are everywhere playing music and shaking their asses for tourists all day and all night long. One must be prepared with lots of small change as tips since their livelihood depends on it. Their average income range between 30 to 50 US a month and besides having a different currency for locals the state controls everything except 20 % of the land in the country which is privately owned, mostly by farmers. They are blessed with free education and health care.
The queue for money exchange is forever long and one had to wait outside in the hot sun or rain till one is allowed inside. It is advisable to double check your money because most of the print out copys are blurred and are indistinct due to a lack of ink. I was short changed once in a bank but since I took my time to count my money she gave me the rest of it.

Another long queue is the telecommunication shop which sells mobile phones and computers. They waited for at least two hours to get inside the store. Only a few people have access to the internet because it arrived in Cuba only about two years ago.

On new years eve I had to moved out of my hotel for a casa nearby. Nothing really worked even though it was refurbished. The air-conditioner shook violently and the doors in the room could not be closed properly.The woman who run the place was always in bad mood and unpleasant but her husband was quite the opposite. On my way out that evening he said to me. 'Come back by 3 am, no Cuban man, sufficient money in your pocket for the evening and leave your passport and visa in your room. We guaranty you your passport and visa but not your money. Its new year eve and its crowded out there'. I made the right choice on what to do even though the room door didn't lock and could be opened from outside. However I spent my evening at the Floridita where I met interesting people who have been to Cuba frequently and spent the evening listening to the insightful stories told by them, which were awesome.

Havana was quiet and peaceful on new year's day. I have heard of the Chinatown that was within walking distance from my casa so I went there on foot with the intention of savouring some roast duck for lunch but to my disappointment there were only two streets of chinese shop houses and a couple of restaurants that were run by Cubans who were busy dishing up some dishes which I could not recognised. Besides students from the P.R.C who are learning spanish in the universities, I did not see any chinese decendants from the 19th cent. They must have fled the country during the revolution.

Vinarles in Pinar Del Rio is the cigar producing region in western Cuba due to its favourable climate which is very suitable for tobacco plants. It is also cooler than the other region in Cuba. Tobacco leaves are ready for harvesting within four months of sowing but the process of drying and fermenting take years after which a connoisseur would blend the seasoned tobacco leaves to be handrolled into cigars of different calibre. Apart from a few big cigar producers in Vuelta Abajo there are many small farms that are run by small families who also grew other crops and they toil among roaming pigs, cows and sheep. Unlike the complexity of vineyards in France, they are simple yet their cigars are parallel in luxury and glamour world wide.
The scenic countryside is dotted with limestone hills and wind swept palm trees. A short boat ride on a river that runs through stone caves of eroded lime stone and grotesque walls can be quite exciting. In the foreground harnessed horses are dilligently trotting back and forth drawing up to 15 people at a time. This means of transportation is common in rural areas.

The land along the motorway back to Havana is undevelop with primary forest abound with real palma 'royal palm' their national tree. It was obvious that those trees survived the last rainy season that came with three hurricanes which caused them to bend to one direction. Many homes and crops were destroyed.

As we were approaching Havana I was surprised to see many hitch hikers along the motorway. They were hoping to get a free ride simply because they didn't have any money. It must have been very hostile during the wet season or people probably stayed home.

My overnight trip to the central of Cuba covered two provinces of which Santa clara was our first stop after several hours of rolling along scenic sugar cane plantations and fruit orchards. The centre of attraction was the Che Guevara's memorial. It was built to commemorate his heroic deeds in Santa clara in 1958. Together with other guerrillas they successfully derailed a train that was laden with arms destined for the army to fight them. This plot weakened the ruling regime and Cuba was divided by half. Memorabilia of this docter's entire life were on display. He was killed in the jungle in Bolivia in 1967. His remains that were found 20 years later were kept in the memorial alongside other compatriots. Che remains a hero and a myth in Cuba and T-shirts depicting his handsome face are sold everywhere on the island as well as in the streets of Bangkok.

The little square of S.Clara was mediocre. We ate lunch and toured the place briefly then we hurried on to our next destination towards Santa Spiritus.   
The Manaca tower of 45metres high just outside S.Spiritus stood tall in the centre of a large sugar cane plantation that was in existence during the colonial period. It was built to control slaves who toiled in the fields and in the sugar refineries. I climbed on the wooden steps to the top to have a good view of the surrounding area. It was extensive and vast but no longer a sugar cane plantation .

The city's main square was bigger and more lively than the former. Like most places, the buildings were built between 1800-1900 in the neo-classical french style whose architecture was opulent during that era.

We spent a night in a family resort motel that was situated between S.Spiritus and Trinidad. That evening I offered some of my hugh cohiba cigaros to some nice people who were at the same dinner table as me. Later on the other energetic ones enjoyed themselves in the cabaret till dawn. Two guys missed their breakfast and the entire busload of people were held up for half an hour. Despite our annoyance no one said a word.

Like Havana, Trinidad which is in the province of S.Spiritus is also a U.Nations heritage site. This small charming city in the south of the province is a historical city built in the 18-19th cent. All buildings remain unchanged except for a few abandoned or partially burnt down buildings which are roofless and is now a public dance venue for elderly people. I have never seen so many old fun loving folks having such a wonderful time in a ruin drinking and dancing away in the moonlight. It was really exotic..

In 18th century, Trinidad was the capital of the centre of Cuba. It was one of the first seven cities founded by the Spanish and being surrounded with sugar refineries, it became a colonial jewel. Palaces and grand residences with artistic balconies,windows and doors with grills were built. The colourful cobbled street-lined facades and steps have contributed to its reputation as a museum city.

Though touristy, the people of Trinidad were very friendly and were less obsessed with the tourist dollar. Street musicians and those playing in the coutyards of clubs were countless. They moved about from one club to another drowning the city with music and dance. The most spectacular concert was at the bottom of the steps in a wide open area.Several bands took turns to perform to a good crowd of 100 people or more till dawn daily. They played salsa, rhumba, cha cha cha, son and Afro -Cuban music. The dancers of the latter could really wriggle their bumps so vigorously and well. The view from the top of the steps was spectacular with action and music from below to the ever changing orange skies on the horizon at sunset.

My casa where I spent three nights was run by a former school teacher called Gisella. She was very hospitable and friendly and she loved nurturing her herbs and roses in the little courtyard where my room was located. The room included two meals at the rate of 30 euros per night.

A day out on a hobby cat with a group of tourist was really fun. It sailed swiftly and silently towards an uninhabited island on a hot and sunny day. The wind was mild and the winter sun was not so strong. Everyone was already drinking rum and beer as soon as we got on board at 10 in the morning. We bathed in the sun till we got to the island two hours later to snorkel in the coral reefs amongst colourful fishes. The water was crystal clear and refreshing.

This little island in the southern part of Cuba is known for its Komodo dragon lizards. After a heavy meal and a couple of drinks I explored the surrounding area. I took a nap in a good spot and when I opened my eyes, a hugh cute lizard looked at me ardently but harmless. It looked more like a little dinasoar to me.

The other excursion out of Trinidad was a day trip to the interior of the country in one of their reserve parks. We got there on a rigid and noisy russian truck which seemed like a military tank with seats added on. Then we had to walk for two hours to get to a beautiful water fall where we all had a good swim in this natural pool. The trail was easy and lush with sub-tropical plants and occasionally we spotted some pigs. They stopped and looked  us right in the eye and next minute they were gone.

The following day I took a bus back to Havana. I wondered around this place on my last day of Cuba before heading for the aeroporto. As expected the long queues of passengers took a long time to clear. It was raining outside and water was seeping through the roof of the airport! I waited patiently till we board the plane at about midnight and at last I have seen Cuba after all the curiosities.