The Transport Crisis and Tourism Apartheid?

Nowhere else in the world is the phrase tourism apartheid more appropriate than in Cuba. Which is strange as the country suffers little, if any, abject poverty (people have homes, food and there is an enviable employment rate). However, the double economy is very evident in all parts of life, and straying from your place as a tourist is extremely difficult, and nowhere is this more apparent than in transport. There is a crisis of transport in Cuba, basically there isn't anywhere near enough for what is needed.

The empty six/eight lane autopista in the centre of the island, the occasional overcrowded horse cart, cram packed flat bed trucks, huge ques and waiting lists in public bus stations, lines of would be hitch hikers at every junction and bridge (all government vehicles have to pick up hitch hikers), and then the half empty Viazul “public” bus and countless tour buses, all passing exasperated looking ques of locals trying to get somewhere, looking at tourists lounging with seats reclines in air-conditioned comfort. In all of this there's interesting observations about tourism: the tourists who grow their “Che” beards and hair for the Cuba holiday, but get impatient and pushy after queing more than a minute for a bus ticket, who won't let a pregnant woman pass, or give up their seat for an elderly woman (there are surprisingly many of these young individuals). Tourism's a funny thing, especially when people often state their main reason for travel is to “experience local culture”?!

Trinidad and El Boca

Another semi-ruinous town, this time in the vaguely Spanish style, Trinidad was our next call. Staying at the small town of El Boca just out of town and by the beach in a very kitschy Casa, this would be the closest to a beach resort we'd be staying in Cuba. Actually the town is home to one of those wonderful trade union hotels that are popular in Vietnam, again crumbling soviet blocks with murky looking swimming pools. In fact on our Cuban travels, we've come across quite a few of these monsters, and it's never clear if they are derelict, closed, or open for business, and if so, who on earth stays at these places?

So, a day exploring the cobbled streets of the town, a lovely day on the beach (with resplendent red shoulders and sleeping on my front for days after) and back to La Habana before onward to Peru!

And the pics are here.

Cienfuego

Cienfuego is described as a town having significant French influence... must say it looks very similar to any of the other old towns we've driven through, with the streets filled with crumbling buildings and the restored town centre. We're staying in a casa in the old middle class neighbourhood, on a spit of land that runs out into the bay, we have the sea to the front, and our own “private” beach access at the back, we have the upstairs, which consists of a small room and huge terrace. Saturday afternoon is spent playing dominoes and epic chess with the 87 year old grandad of the house.

In the distance we can see Cuba's never to be finished nuclear powerstation, and other remains of industries that stopped once the Soviet money ran out. Very tranquil nonetheless!

Hired another of those wonderful scooters (the hire guy did tell us that all his bikes were rubbish Chinese imports) and off to the Cuban (ie where Cubans go to the beach) resort of Rancho del Luna for a day of greasy cheese sandwiches, soviet architecture and sunshine!

More pics of Cienfuego here.

Vinales

Troi oi! Ve Vinh Ha Long... Vinales is one of those many places that can be dubbed a Ha Long Bay on land, in fact, it's almost bizarre how much the place resembles the interior of Cat Ba Island, just without any rice paddies and Vietnamese people. Found a small casa to stay at – Isabelle and Lusito, our home for the following four days. Took a day hike into the countryside and tobacco plantations which was stunning, passing the cheers of a cock-fight in the distance. Had a day on horseback, visiting tobacco plantations and some gorgeous scenery (though I couldn't sit down the following day), and just sat in our rocking chairs and enjoyed the world and slow pace of life!

Cuba is a country that begs to be explored by motorbike. It's warm and sunny, full of places difficult to reach by bus, and there's hardly any traffic. Renting a bike is of course hugely difficult, as only government businesses can rent bikes, and they seem to have acquired a load of tiny 50cc mini-scooters that are deemed suitable for tourists. So off we went on our voyage of discovery on our little bone shaker (it rattled and wobbled even on the smoothest of surfaces)... off to the small town of Puetro Esperanza, a very quiet fishing village. Perhaps the clouds at the start of the day weren't a good omen, but back to biking in the rain, not too bad, however, as the bike had an effective maximum cruising speed of 25kph. Alas, a small hill on the way back to town proved too much for the little contraption and the auto-clutch broke, meaning a long push to find a phone. Now this is Cuba. Apart from tourist rental cars, there really isn't any traffic other than the occasional truck or ox-cart...

anyhow, making use of gravity we jumped on the bike to roll

down a hill, just as Cuban's glorious all serving people's police force

traffic patrol drove past and promptly gave us a ticket for riding without a helmet... and that's where the sympathy ended – they wouldn't help us in our broken down state, and dove off quickly... In the end, we decided not to pay the ticket, perhaps they'll be waiting for us at the airport?!

And the pics are here!

Havana

Havana is just like the pictures... a fabulously decaying city, saved from the architectural destruction of the 60s, 70s and 80s that just about all other urban centres worldwide have suffered. The whole city is almost like a museum, both architecturally and in some ways culturally, as there are refreshingly few signs of capitalism.

The cars and transports are of course, legendary, and yes, the roads are filled (OK, the traffic is incredibly light for a compact city of 2 million) with US Cars from the 1950s, all still working (makes you think about how wasteful producing and disposing generations of cars is, and how wasteful the motor industry is), as well as glorious soviet creations, including the home made stretched Ladas. The only modern vehicles are the tourist taxis, tour buses and hire cars (ah yes – and the Chinese urban buses too).

The streets in the old own (where we're staying) are filled with grand, crumbling buildings, though many have now been, or are being restored. Street life is filled with people sitting from balconies having conversations up and down the street, balcony to balcony, balcony to street and so on.

Went to the ballet one evening and saw Carmen, which was fabulous. Theatre is considered a right of the people, and locals can get a ticket for 12cents.

More pictures of Havana here!

¡Viva Cuba! (10th to 27th March)

Cuba is a country that I've always wanted to visit... legendary, different, and importantly, relatively easy to get to in South America. We were also looking for something different in our itinerary, to probably the last county in the world that clings on to ideals of socialism and “the new man” as invented by Che. Socialism is still very much the system here, there is now free market like in Vietnam, and the state controls all aspects of trade and business. With the exception of possibly North Korea, it's likely the last example of a just about functioning command economy in the world.

Cuba is very different. Not just the country, but in how we, as foreigners, are allowed to visit it and partake in the culture. As a tourist, it can be very difficult to scratch beneath the surface and see what the real Cuba and Cubans are like. Tourism, like all business and trade, is controlled by the government. It's of course possible to visit independently, but in Cuba you are always the tourist. You pay in Cuban “Convertible Pesos” and rarely in the local currency. There are few places outside of tourism facilities where it is actually possible to spend money: shops don't really exist (except in the tourist zones), there is no advertising (in fact, there's very few billboards or party slogans around the place Vietnam style). People have ration cards for basic foods and necessities, though there is a small free market here and there, though very small and limited. It's a command economy where free trade is allowed only in a few very tightly controlled areas – casa paticulares (renting rooms in private houses, similar to B&Bs, where we're staying), a very few food outlets (even the very few eateries that exist outside of the tourist restaurant are government owned) and the occasional farmer's market.

This is the land of the all-inclusive resort, where independent travel is tolerated but not exactly officially encouraged as this (apart from the transport) almost exclusively uses and thus encourages the rather anti-socialist free market. Now, if I had PhD funding, this would make a fabulous study!

I imagine life in Cuba to be similar to what it used to be like in the old Soviet sphere countries in many ways. Everyone is employed, but not overly busy or particularly efficient. Dealing with bureaucracy (which is surprisingly common here) can be a bizarre process. To buy a bus ticket, for example, means a long journey to the bus station, queing at one window to first enquire and make a reservation, then joining another queue to actually buy your ticket, then joining another queue to confirm your travel date and seat... and if you want to change your date like we did in Vinales... “sorry, can't do that here, it has to be done in Havana”, and the ensuing hours of phone calls to Havana to actually make the people in Vinales change the ticket...

Staying in the casa particulares is probably the best way to see Cuba. The casas are only allowed to have a maximum of two rooms (most have just one), and are more akin to homestays than B&Bs, and also provide far better home cooked food than is available from the state restaurants. The food is fabulously fresh, and almost always is from a family member's veggie garden (everyone grows their own organic veggies – infact, just about all the food produced in Cuba is organic). The chicken would likely have just been sacrifices or the fish acquired locally too... including the lobster that was liberated from the state (the government owns all lobsters as they are reserved for hard currency exports).

Taking local transport is difficult as there's pretty much a crisis in transport here. There really isn't enough transport for everyone, and under every roadside bridge is a gaggle of hitchers waiting for a lift, or to squeeze onto a truck- there certainly aren't any free spaces, so joining as a tourist isn't really a viable option. Tourists are expected to travel in the government appointed Viazul service (most tourists will take excursions on chartered tourist buses).

Cuban culture – the music and dance we all know Cuba is famous for, almost always seems exclusively in the domain of the tourism industry. Walk in any of the towns we've visited, the tourist restaurants, cafés and bars have the bands playing lively Buena Vista Social Club music and dance. Walk anywhere outside of these places, into the towns and cities at large, there's very little music to be heard at any time of day. There are few bars as such, hole in the wall places where you can buy a drink and talk. If there is music, it's likely to be Cuban style hip-hop and rap. It's hard to say exactly, but there is a sadness that is behind people's smiles and friendliness, and the legendary culture, sadly seems like a creation for the tourists.

Buenos Aires

A mere 12 hours by bus to Buenos Aires, this time by executive sleeper class with fold flat beds and meal service, all very plush! A busy two days ahead of us as we prepare for our Cuba and Peru visit, which will include trips on the trundly and impossibly hot metro system to the Cuban embassy to find that they only accept US dollars, and in actual fact, you don't really need a visa, you just buy a tourist card (similar to a museum ticket) just before you board the aircraft; a search for a guidebook in English, and a yellow fever vaccination. BA seems like a fabulously run down city, grungy and fun to explore... which we shall do on return in a month or so... Ah yes, the riot police were getting ready to do battle with Malvinas veterans demanding pensions in Plaza de Mayo, things don't change!

And a few pics of BA here!

Mendoza (from 27th February to 7th March)

Mendoza is a relaxed sort of city, just across the Andes from Santiago. We arrived the day after the huge earthquake in Chile, and to the news of a complete break down of law and order as well as widespread looting in Conception and the surrounding areas. The thin veneer of civilisation, watching people on the news escaping with Plasma screen TVs, and the plethora of consumer products that people evidently cannot do without these days. Slightly surreal to watch all this unfold via the news, and the ensuing transport chaos in Santiago, while we're just across he border in a town that is happily preparing for it's annual wine festival, for the region is Argentina's largest wine producing areas.

The week is spent enjoying much of this wine, and watching the build-up for the parades on the Saturday, where floats fill the streets from the districts surrounding the city.

After much deliberation we decided that as this is our designated year travelling, and who knows when we'd be able to travel like this again, to extend our visit to South America... only where else could we visit? So many places... off the beaten track? Established places? Somewhere we knew about? We could pick two countries... Cuba and Peru. Why? Why not! Cuba is the probably the last bastion of any vague links to socialism left on the planet (and will undoubtedly change in the future) and Peru, well, Peru is amazing after all!

More pics here!

Mullets

Argentina undeniably puts to shame Western Australia's claim to having the highest mullets per head of population. In fact, our friends from Perth would be considered as having some of the most sophisticated hairstyles in the world when compared to cities like Mendoza, a mullet spotter's paradise. Here are just a few to marvel at (sorry, the pictures aren't great as we went mullet hunting at night – these are from the win festival when most were being worn with the utmost pride).

The Renault 12

What a fabulous piece of beauty and purposefulness combined. These, and other glorious machines with innovative names such as 4, 6, 11, 504 and so on are still filling the roads of Argentina. These aren't all 60s left-overs either, most of them being produced well into the late 90s and beyond in Brazil.

Bariloche, Seven Lakes and the Dinosaurs (From 19th to 26th February)

A mere 36 hour bus journey from Ushuaia is the lake district town of Bariloche, where we'd base ourselves for there about two weeks before heading to the wine festival in Mendoza.

What can we say about Bariloche – urban planning gone oh so wrong. Gorgeous lakeside setting, though with no lake access and a busy road at the lake font, totally misuses it. Come on guys, tear up the road and develop the lake front!!!

Hired a VW Gol. No, not a Golf, a Gol. And kind of like reject Golf – rattly and decidedly un-VW like. But it works and is suitable transport for out week's camping expedition in the lake district. Yes, it's tent time again, and in search of adventure!

The trip to Neuquen and the Dino-Project

Argentina is a huge, huge country. The centre is filled with rolling plains, and not much else. Really, the country is vast, and the all day drive, mostly in a straight line to Villa Chocon really emphasized that! We were in search of dinosaur remains that the area is famous for, including the fabled Megasaurus, which makes Tyrannosaurus look like a a pet iguana.

Villa Chocon is a wonderfully downbeat middle of the nowhere place which has the rather unlikely attraction of an excellent museum on dinosaurs, funded by the national hydro-electric company. Stayed for two nights in the town campsite as he following day we visited the Dino-Project, a sort of student run excavation site in the middle of native South American country, filled with the occasional oil wells and dirt roads. With virtually no funding, a group of volunteers hacks through the rock in the search of fossils – the whole area is littered with them.

Parque Nacional Lanin and the Seven Lakes road

Back into the Andes and the less visited Parque Nacional Lanin, which is dominated by Volcan Lanin, standing tall over all other mountains. It's a really beautiful mixture of lakes and mountains and simple campsites.

Ahhh, camping in Argentina... a camp fire and Parilla – grill. Steaks and potatoes cooked over the fire, what more could you want?!

Spent the rest of the week leisurely touring, camping and enjoying the occasional day hike (there very few hiking trails in any of the parks, and free access is not allowed). Back to Bariloche and an exploration of the mountains surrounding the town... up a ski-lift and cable car for an aborted attempt at a rough mountain crossing, and two more days camping before a quick 17 hour bus trip to Mendoza... and the wine!

And all the pics are here!

Mendoza et la fete du vin (du 27 fevrier au 7 mars)

Apres les parillas et le camping, nous avons fait route pour Mendoza et sa celebre fete du vin, la Vendimia. Cette derniere commence par la benediction du raisin pour finir par la Via Blanca, defile de chars a la tombee de la nuit, puis El Carroussel, le meme defile mais de jour! Avant d'arriver, nous avions sans doute tous les deux une idee des defiles de notre enfance avec pour moi les majorettes et le papier crepon....bon ok ca remonte a un bout de temps et quelle surprise de decouvrir qu'aujourd'hui c'est que de la technique, ce sont des camions qui tirent des chars gigantesques qui rivalisent de modernite et sont tous alimentes par des generateurs! Chaque region ou comte est represente et a elu sa reine, qui participera, le dernier jour des festivites, a l'election de la Reine de la Vendimia. Spectacle payant dont les tickets se sont vendus en 3 jours avant meme notre arrivee a Mendoza, nous nous sommes contentes du defile nocturne...bien suffisant! Toutes les boutiques et restaurants pendant cette semaine-la affichent les posters des miss...du grand kitsch dans toute sa splendeur! Nous avons profite de notre sejour a Mendoza pour deguster quelques bonnes bouteilles, notre preference allant au final vers les vins chiliens.

Enfin, l'Argentine ressemblant d'un peu trop pres au Chili a divers niveaux et lasses un peu des pays developpes, nous avions envie d'un peu d'exotisme. Alors on s'est demande ou on pouvait bien aller, n'etant pas encore prets a faire route vers l'Europe. Nous avions d'abord l'envie d'aller visiter des amis a Cali en Colombie, mais l'aeroport de Santiago etant encore sous le choc du tremblement de terre, les vols en partance y etaient difficiles, et nos dates ne coincidaient pas vraiment. N'etant pas si loin finalement et en manque de communisme (!) nous avons decide de faire route pour Cuba! Et apres des heures passees a nous organiser et quelques aller-retours entre la piscine de notre B&B, la petite agence de voyage trouvee par hasard en ville et l'agence de LAN pour changer les dates de notre billet tour du monde, nous sommes donc partis de Mendoza pour la capitale Buenos Aires histoire d'obtenir notre visa a l'ambassade de Cuba. Et comme Cuba ne suffisait pas, nous avons decide d'ajouter a notre itineraire: le Perou. C'est donc avec egalement un vaccin contre la fievre jaune en poche, enfin dans le bras, que nous avons quitte l'Argentine, pour la Havane, via Panama.

Pour la petite histoire, il faut savoir que malgre l'embargo americain, les cubains de l'ambassade de Buenos Aires n'acceptent que des dollars, et rien d'autre! Apres avoir tout lu sur la possibilite d'obtenir son visa a l'entree dans le pays, dans l'avion, nous avions par securite prefere nous rendre a l'ambassade et apres avoir traverse toute la ville, couru pour arrivee avant la fermeture de l'ambassade, nous nous sommes fait refoules gentiment etant a court de 3$! On croit rever, et de s'entendre dire que Copa Airlines, vend de tout de facon les visas avant meme de monter dans l'avion! Alors, pour tout ceux que ca interesserait, non il n'est pas possible d'obtenir son visa a l'arrivee a La Havane et oui Copa les fournit en echange de 20$, contre 18$ a l'ambassade a Buenos Aires, et seulement 15 a Santiago pour ceux qui passeraient par le Chili! Allez comprendre!

Mais avant de nous envoler pour Cuba, nous avons fait une petite visite-eclair de Buenos Aires, histoire de dire bonjour a Mafalda, de trouver les guides touristiques en anglais, mission quasi impossible mais accomplie apres avoir fait le tour...a pied et en metro de toutes les librairies de la ville, dont l'une des plus celebres pour sa ressemblance avec l'Opera Garnier!

En attendant Cuba, les photos de notre sejour a Mendoza sont ici, et celles de notre visite-eclair de Buenos Aires sont la.

Bariloche et la region des lacs (du 19 au 26 fevrier)

Apres la froideur de la Terre de Feu, et pas moins de 36h de bus, nous avons fait route vers le nord pour la ville de Bariloche. Situee pres d'un lac et tres prisee par les autochtones en hiver car tout pres des pistes de ski, Bariloche se transforme en station balneaire en ete, et c'est la-bas que nous en avons profite pour nous meler aux Argentins pendant les vacances scolaires pour refaire un peu de camping. Et oui de retour sous la tente pour une semaine de decouverte de la region des lacs cote Argentin cette fois-ci.

C'est donc a bord de notre GOL, et oui c'est comme la GOLF mais sans le F...et donc un peu comme la celebre voiture mais sans tout ce qui fait de la voiture avec un F sa celebrite. Bref la GOL, c'est 4 roues, un volant et le minimum sur le tableau de bord, mais ca roule, que demander de plus?! Notre tente, nos sacs de couchage et nos provisions a bord nous avons fait route vers Neuquen, la ville aux dinosaures, via la route des Sept Lacs. Nous passons alors de paysages de collines verdoyantes, de lacs majestueux aux terres rouges, arides aux alentours de Neuquen, qui a fait sa notoriete autour des ossements de dinosaures retrouves un peu partout dans la region. Nous avons campe deux nuits a Villa Chocon, avons visite le site de paleontologie 'Dino Project' et avons repris la route direction le Parc National Lanin, situe a la meme latitude que le Parc National Villarica et Pucon, au Chili, ou nous avions sejourne environ 2 mois auparavant!

Nous avons trouve un petit terrain de camping semi-sauvage pres du lac et avons plante notre tente pour deux nuits. Le reste du parc est assez touristique avec restos et petits chalets en plein milieu, pas vraiment l'idee qu'on a d'un parc national! Nous avons fait une randonnee de quelques heures sur le sentier de Cerro El Chivo, sentier qui s'arrete quelques metres avant le sommet, juge trop dangeureux, mais la vue sur la vallee et le lac valent quand meme les efforts de cette bonne grimpette! Sentier cree sans doute par quelqu'un qui n'avait jamais fait de randonnee de sa vie, et qui au lieu de grimper en zig-zag, n'a rien trouve de mieux que de grimper direct tout droit jusqu'au sommet! Le temps d'admirer la flore sur le chemin, nous voila redescendus pour un bon feu de bois au camping apres une tentative de baignade dans le lac, bien trop froid pour nous.

Petit topo sur la randonnee en Argentine...les Argentins ne sont pas les as de ce sport, le sport national pendant les vacances etant la parrilla, c'est a dire le barbecue! Parrilla designe a la fois la grille sur laquelle vous faites cuire vos steaks et dans les restos c'est la viande grillee, souvent servie sur une petite grille d'ailleurs. Les Argentins mangent beaucoup de viande....enormement de viande, et donc apres pour escalader les montagnes, ca devient plus dur! Au debut on avait hate car la gastronomie chilienne n'est pas des plus rafinees et variees, mais apres quelques saucisses et steaks, les menus ne semblent plus autant appetissants que ca! Neanmoins, les parrillas que nous avons preferees se sont celles que nous avons faites nous-memes. Tout bon camping argentin ne va pas sans sa parrilla que vous pouvez emprunter a l'accueil! Nous avons redecouvert les joies du camping, apres avoir passe quelques temps dans les auberges de jeunesse remplies d'autres touristes etrangers et ou les conversations tournent un peu toujours autour de la meme chose: quels sont les 'must-see' du coin, qui a fait quoi, en combien de temps, etc.

Apres une semaine a sillonner les campings du coin, nous sommes retournes a Bariloche pour une randonnee de trois jours, prevue initialement une semaine auparavant mais le temps etant a la pluie, nous l'avions repoussee. Apres une nuit a Bariloche histoire de faire les provisions, nous voila repartis pour les hauts sommets, direction Cerro Catedral, trek de trois jours qui sur le papier semblait de difficulte moyenne. Pour gagner un peu de temps et d'altitude, nous avons choisi de prendre le telecabine puis le telesiege pour la premiere partie du sentier. La suite fut de la grimpette et comme a chaque fois, on oublie combien c'est dur avec la tente et les sacs de couchage sur le dos! Sur le papier, ca semblait facile, mais arrives au sommet on a fait demi-tour apres une centaine de metres quelque peu effrayes par l'etroitesse du sentier qui longeait la crete avec a notre droite une descente vertigineuse sans un arbre pour nous arreter en cas de chute. On aime la rando mais on est plutot plancher des vaches maintenant.! En tout bon trekkeur, il est sage de reconnaitre ses limites! Bref, de retour sur le telesiege puis le telecabine, une fois dans la vallee, nous avons fait route pour le camping Petunia, pres du lac de Bariloche pour deux jours de farniente et de bronzette!

Et toutes les photos de nos vacances camping sont ici!