Alberto Korda. A name familiar to few, but whose most famous piece of work has been seen by millions. You may have seen it on a t-shirt, on a souvenir mug or on a poster adorning the wall of some student digs. Those eyes staring into the middle distance, the single-star crested beret and the thin whiskers.
Fifty years ago, Alberto Korda captured the iconic image of Che Guevara that came to symbolise a new chapter in Cuba’s history. That chapter, half a century later, is nearing an end and the future of Cuba is difficult to predict.
This uncertainty is inspiring many travellers to visit the island “before it changes”. Time will tell what these changes will mean for the people of the island, and their families living abroad, but it is likely that this tropical Communist time-bubble is soon to pop.
With all this in mind, I suggested to my father that we really should seize the opportunity to explore Cuba and we should do so, sotto voce, by car. The first part of the suggestion registered delight on the face of this academic lefty. However, the second part of the sentence elicited a look of quiet resignation – for my father knows perfectly well that I cannot drive.
And, lo, he found himself pulling out of the car rental offices and driving westbound along Havana’s malecón. Past the strolling couples dodging the cascading sea spray, past the rusting but beautiful cadillacs and through the affluent suburbs. And straight past the turn-off for the supermarket that was ear-marked for picnic supplies. This was the first sign, or not as the case may be, that I was going to need to pay extra attention when navigating our way around Cuba.
At this stage however, the route we needed to take was relatively easy. As long as I could see the Caribbean on my right then we were on course.
The first place of interest that we came to was Mariel. This exceptionally ugly town boasts the island’s largest cement factory and a thermal electricity plant – not a place that features on many Journey Latin America itineraries. The joy of independent travel, however, is that you stumble upon these little places that have a history that far outweighs their current status. For it was from here over a few months in 1980 that some 125,000 Cubans embarked for Miami during what became known as the Mariel Boatlift.
Our aim for the first night was Las Terrazas and a stay at the La Moka hotel. This small town (or large village) sprung up in 1971 as a forestry and soil conservation centre within the Biosphere Reserve. Today the area offers wonderful walking opportunities, good food from the lake-side restaurant and natural pools in which to relax after your first day on the Cuban roads.
The second day began with breakfast at the hotel restaurant. It was difficult to pull ourselves away from the views out over the forest, but we had a long drive ahead of us and an early start was essential.
The drive, after negotiating the ring road of Havana, could not have been easier. The motorway that ran down towards Cienfuegos, our next stop, resembled an extended airport runway that stretched out towards the horizon. Once again, navigation was simple (“Straight on, for five hours!”) as we drove past field after field after field. Lunch was taken at a small service station, whose ham and cheese bap offered the same culinary experience that one expects from service stations the world over – Michelin tyres everywhere (some burning), but not a star to be seen.
Arriving at the pre-arranged casa particular in Cienfuegos, we had just enough time to eat our wonderfully prepared dinner before popping over to the yacht club for a sundown beer. Boats bobbed in the ocean as the sunset lit the sky with colourful rays – for the tourist, the harder life of the islanders can seem disconcertingly far away.
The next morning ushered in more sunshine and an hour’s drive to Trinidad. We had planned to spend three nights around this UNESCO World Heritage site, the nearby white-sand beaches and the surrounding countryside. The first test of the day, however, was to negotiate the atmospheric streets of eighteenth and nineteenth-century buildings in varying states of crumbling splendour. The second test, slightly more stressful, was to manoeuvre the large car into the garage of our casa particular. Once the latter was completed we soaked up the colonial ambiance of this beautiful town, the distinctive sounds of local music and an undisclosed number of cuba libres.
Trinidad offers some of the best opportunities to enjoy a range of Cuban music and the restaurants here are of a good standard. They can be found, eventually, tucked away in the hidden gardens of pretty colonial mansions.
Furthermore, having a car affords you the opportunity to explore the places that are usually a little trickier to visit. These places abound near Trinidad; the “locals’” beach of La Boca, the birdlife of the surrounding forested hills and several interesting historical sites, such as the Torre de Manaca Iznaga. The torre (tower) was originally built to keep watch on the slaves working in the surrounding sugar mills. Today, the tourist attraction allows you unobstructed views of the countryside from its 43.5m-high lookout.
All of these places can be found by employing good map skills or, even easier, by picking up one of the friendly locals who wait by the side of the road for lifts. By doing this, you are not only playing the Good Samaritan but you’ll also get directed towards your destination and perhaps learn some local history en route. This route may have slight detours, such as past the house of your passenger’s cousin, but you will get there eventually!
Dropping the car off in Havana, I thought back over the previous few days. It is true that for driving in Cuba you will require a little more patience, some directional confidence and, in my case, a father willing to do all the driving - thanks, Dad. But you will leave the country richer for your experiences; those little villages that the buses would have avoided, the hidden Caribbean coves and the wide ranging conversations that you can have with the locals as you cruise down the motorway. Best get there “before it changes”.
Comments
It's interesting that your greatest fear is crime, because, in my three separate experiences of Cuba, it's the thing that featured quite low down on my concerns before going, and indeed after going.
One of these experiences was car hire, and the biggest issue is finding a decent map, and not getting lost, because there are very few roadsigns, and there's a certain skill in learning how to use the few that there are.
My wife and I never even considered that it might not be safe to leave things in the boot when doing a bit of on-foot exploring, or parking outside a hotel. Nor that the tyres might get pinched or slashed. They didn't...
CP
362 DAYS AGO
I don't remember insurance being particularly expensive (but the paperwork was a real faff). Nor was petrol very expensive, and it was much more available than I expected.
But I did get caught by a scam, when trying to find my way out of Havana - a helpful man offered, very kindly, to show me the way. Of course, I should have been more suspicious about his conveniently being on hand to do this.
Getting out of Havana to find the start of the motorway eastward is a real problem. Either there never were any signs, or they've been stolen by the likes of my passenger.
So picking up hitch-hikers is a really good way of getting to the heart of Cuba, especially if you speak a bit of Spanish. But don't give lifts to people in Havana, especially if your being lost appears to be why he's asking for a lift in the first place. Better to find a taxi driver, and pay him in advance an agreed sum to show you where the motorway starts.
CP
362 DAYS AGO
To drive around Cuba at ones own pace and explore the villages and coves sound idyllic. My great worry is crime. One person needs to be left in the car when going to the supermarket. Think of the cases in the back! Did Mr and Miss Korda stay for two or three days in one place leaving cases in their hotel? Were the tyres safe or did they park in busy places! Is insurance horrendous? What price petrol? etc.
Valerie Alford
over a year ago