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May - June 2000
Havana, Santiago de Cuba, Holguin, Camaguey, Trinidad, Cienfuegos, Varadero, Pinar del Rio & Vinales
Brett Voegele2005-11-14 12:17:28
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at the window that I would have to go to a different office since I was a foreigner. As it turns out I had awoken at 3:45 in the morning and almost missed an 8:30 train, though I needn't have worried. Five minutes out of the station the train stopped....1 hour delay. In Las Tunas I decided to not wait around 8 hours for the next train, and didn't want to deal with the buses, so I opted for the 'cattle truck'. This is literally a truck that would be used to haul cattle here in the States - a large truck with about a 20', covered bed, with rails along the edge. There were 4 benches in the back, and we packed about 60 people back there. I was actually charged the local price - 11 pesos (just over 50 cents) rather than $11, for the 4 hour ride. Generally it is illegal for the drivers to accept foreigners - again because the government wants the tourist's money, and so the driver risks a large fine if caught. Anyway, it was a ride I won't soon forget. Later in my trip I saw other trucks hauling people, but they lacked both a roof and benches - all the people were standing under the very hot sun (Cuba had to be the hottest place I visited during the 5 months).
Anyway, I finally made it to Camaguey after a very long, interesting day. Unlike most Cuban cities, Camaguey's streets were not laid out on a grid, but instead wound around in a confusing manner. This was to deter pirates in the days of old. Camaguey was an interesting city, with many nice parks, and beautiful churches - I liked it.
Trinidad
From Camaguey I arranged to have a person with a car drive me the 4 hours to Trinidad. Trinidad was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but really wasn't as impressive as other UNESCO sites I've seen. Granted, it does have some amazing old colonial architecture, the cobble-stoned streets add a touch of nostalgia, and there are a few beautiful parks,
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See photographs from:
Cuba Gallery
Welcome to the Third World that your ancestrus and other relatives created from their huge selfishness and racism that still perdures in the superficial and even sillier comments of your "travel notes"
Last thing, I live in Canada with all the benefits of the First World and, I've seen way more women giving away their honour and almost everything not for some money to feed their families but for some bucks to buy "good stuff"
Guess what? Who's bitcher? I think you've already got it!!
You'd better stay in your "native paradise" or get some good deal to visit Heaven a make a decent remark after.
Good luck looser!!!
Regards from your CUBAN Nemesis
YOUR CUBAN NEMESIS, 2008-01-23 05:06:58