The past three days have been great fun walking the streets, taking a tour out to the pyramids of Teotihuacan, visiting the impressive church of the Lady Guadalupe and relaxing at the Hostel Amigo. Really good hostel which has been voted number 2 in the whole of the Americas. The streets remind me of New York and there are so many people its often good to slip into an air conditioned shop just to escape the heat and the constant surge of bodies. The central plaza is amazing and the ongoing stream of lime green VW beatles is synonomous with Mexico City. You have to be vigilant with personal effects so the camera has stayed in my daypack most of the time.

Had to decide last night between the mexican wresting (think of Jack Black in Noche Libre) and a friendly football match between Mexico and Paraguay at the legendary Azteca stadium. Thought I would miss out on catching a game at the stadium as it was a week day but this friendly was organised ahead of the Confederations Cup in US next week where Mexico are participating. So easy choice there….football it was. Will have to catch the wresting on tv one day.

The stadium has a capacity of 114,465 seats, making it the third largest Football stadium and the third largest team sports stadium in the world. It is alternatively known as Coloso de Santa Úrsula. It is the home stadium of the Mexico national team and the Mexican club America, and the one-time home of Atlante, Cruz Azul, and Necaxa. It is also the only stadium ever to host two World Cup final matches, in 1970 and 1986. It also hosted the 1986 quarter-final between Argentina and England in which Diego Maradona scored both the Hand of God goal and the Goal of the Century, in memory of which a bronze plaque of his goal was placed outside the stadium. In addition to those notable events, the stadium also hosted the Game of the Century, when Italy and Germany played in a memorable football match, won after extra time by Italy 4-3. To honor this match there is a monument in front of the stadium.

My father and I had sat up the entire evening listening to the radio broadcast of the 1986 World Cup Final. At that stage South Africa did not compete and by default Denmark was our team. They had started well but lost to a decent Spanish side in the second round after nailing both West Germany and Uruguay. I still remember how close and nail biting the final game ended up being. Good memories and disappointed that the Germans lost but when I eventually saw the full game on TV (relatives in Denmark sent through a highlights package a few weeks later), the pure genius of Maradona was clear to see. This was a deffinate on my trip to Mexico and I am fortunate to have seen an international match on the hallowed ground. Its a truly magnificent venue!  

Great atmosphere with super friendly fans sitting around us. Close to 70,000 packed into the arena. We….six others from the hostel joined…. ended up sitting high up in the stands above the halfway line and very conveniently near the Corona beer stand. Was handed a sombrero to keep by the local sitting next to me…..unfortunately dont have any more space in my backpack…nice touch and a few photos of the game will be emailed to him in due course. Friendly bunch of fans and they appreciated us gringos with our Mexican football shirts on. Chanting and shouting whenever the Mexicans got their act together and moved the ball around. Even more cheering when the cameraman found a good looking woman in the crowd…..its not a difficult task. Tough job for the cameraman! Screaming “Puto” whenever the goalkeeper took a goal kick. Very comical….look the English equivalent up. The game did tend to be slow at times and against the run of play Paraguay scored the only game of the match. Thats when the crowd actually turned against their heroes and started cheering each time the Paraguayans had the ball at the feet and booing when the Mexicans gained possession. Very bizarre but shows how fickle soccer and sports fans are in general. The game ended with most of the fans showing their general discontent and a minor brawl happening with both teams as they walked towards the tunnel. Guess its expected when Latino temperaments are involved.

The evening did not end there. The subway system was closed after 11.45pm and we were all forced to take a local bus. The moment we got on to this vehicle of mass destruction it was clear that a spark plug had blown. A few kilometres down the road and the engine packed up…..we ended up stalled in the middle lane of one of the cities busiest thoroughfares! So stranded four train stops from the hostel and no idea what to do next. No problem though- another bus pulls up, packs us in, then pushes the other bus off the road and on to our final destination. All entertaining and made the evening for me.

Today has been very chilled with some last minute shopping, taking photos and relaxing at the hostel.

So its off the airport at 6pm and then on the BA plane back to Mud Island. Its been all good and would do it again! Chat to you all soon.

Cheers

Paul

Its Saturday today and the place is buzzing with people heading to market and enjoying time off work. Today is a day of walking around the town for me along with capturing photos as this place has an abundance of interesting things to capture. Off to the Mayan ruins of Palenque tomorrow and that will then be my share of ancient archeological sites for some time to come. PS: people have been asking where the photos of this trip are….well the easy answer is that they will be on the site in the next two weeks or so. I have not been carrying a laptop with me (as loads of fellow travellers have) so its not been an easy task to edit and upload the photos. Five more days and then I fly out of Mexico City on 6 June back to London. Will then be there for 2 days and fly home to South Africa for ten days to visit family and friends. The original plan involved Panama, Costa Rica and Nicaragua however I have seen and experienced what I wanted of Central America and its been a once in a lifetime experience….never to be forgotten! The travelling has been good but its now time to head back and start working again….unless I win the lottery!:-)

After my last blog I spent two more days in Antigua helping the kids in the afternoons and doing a mountain bike ride in the surrounding hills. Really good experience even though the altitude gets to the legs. Was great fun and very rewardiung working with kids. On my last day we had a mini leaving ceremony where I was presented with a small plaque that the kids had made for me. Sad to leave but there is only so much one can do and my time has been restricted. Hopefully we can find a way to drum together some support……the people are really poor in these parts.

So back on the road via a bus trip to Lake Atitlan which is three hours from Antigua. The lake has been described as one of the most beautiful in the world and in my travels I have not seen that matches its grandour. Huge expanse of water which has three big villages and volcanoes flanking its shores. Took a boat across to the village of San Marcos and found a comfortable bungalow for the evening. The heavens opened once again and it then continued to rain for the next two days. The village is full of holistic schools and there are plenty of people chilling out from the general rat race. It strikes me as a place that grabs you and can very difficult to escape from. If you own property on this lake you are a very lucky person and it looks like the Americans have started investing down here.

The next day I headed back on the boat to the main town of Panajachel for the evening as I had an early morning bus to catch to San Cristobal. Not much to do with the rain beating down so caught up on some reading and email. Funny how techonology makes it possible to be on the other side of the world and still keep in contact. Who actually buys postcards these days??

Up at the crack of dawn and on the turismo bus to the Mexican border at La Mesilla. Treachourous roads along the way after the rains had dislodges rocks and trees from the mountainside. No matter to our driver…Speedy Gonzales made sure that everybody on the bus was on edge. SG had a habit of crossing his heart/praying every time we passed a church (iglesia) on the way. There are plenty of churches in Guatemala so he was an active boy. However with the amount of praying by the passengers every time we overtook on a blind rise or sharp curve, my feeling is that the final score was Speedy 65- Bus 123!!

The important thing is that we made it to the Mexican border in one piece although we had a near miss with a chicken bus about two kms away from the immigration point. The immigration officials gave me zero problems, stamped the pássport and thanked us for visiting Guatemala. Really enjoyed my time in this country. Transferred buses and then headed along through the province of Chiapas with Speedy Gonzales’ twin brother……he kept on laughing every time we missed a pedestrian. Good marijauna down in this part of Mexico!!! And after all that I find myself in this chilled out town. Will have to check out the local nightlife tonight.

Have an afternoon flight on Monday from the local airport to Mexico City….not prepared to undergo the 14 hour overnight bus. Next update will more than likely be from Mexico City, which should be a fascinating place.

Hope you are all keeping well.

Adios. Hasta manana.

Been a few hectic days of travelling to get here after my last blog update from Belize and really good not to be waking up at the crack of dawn and catching a bus to the next destination. Talking about buses….one of the most exciting things to do in this part of the world is catch a chicken bus. Brightly painted and loaded with commuters, these big chuncks of metal are old American school buses which have been done up by the owners and bus companies. You can hear them a mile away when their large hooter gets sounded by the bus conductor, they are super efficient and its a great way of meeting the locals. One bus we took saw us sitting six people astride when its clearly designed for four people and the whole aisle full of people standing. Great to mingle and enjoy the Spanish tunes balring out of the speakers. Biggest mission is hopping on and off…these guys dont slow down for more than three seconds! A must do if travelling down this way.

The four of us left Caye Caulker after two really good days of snorkelling, touring the island and enjoying the late night entertainment. The boat back to Belize City ran half an hour late on our day of departure and we then ended up arriving ten minutes later for the bus to Tikal. The plan was to head to El Remate ( a town very close to the ruins of Tikal) and then head on to overnight accomodation. Well what followed was pretty funny and something straight out of a movie. The lady at the ticket office informed us (there were now only Damen, Ryan and myself- Rob had to head back to Mexico) that the bus had left but we could still buy a ticket and try flag down the bus at a junction point ,as the bus still had to collect other passengers along the way before heading out of town. So off we headed in a taxi to try catch this bus. The taxi we drove in was one of these old American cars (the name escapes me….could have been a Thunderbird but by the end of the journey it should be renamed El Torpedo or El Tank) that could easily fit four locals with heads or alternatively three gringos with heads chopped off! The taxi driver was no psycho but it seems the appropriate way to describe the space inside the boot. The engine was 5.2 L and he readily admitted that it burnt up mega fuel, but there was no way he was seperating with his baby! Must be a big hit with the Belize babes!! Pimp my ride homie…

Driving at twice the speed limit in Belize City, we reached the junction point and were informed by the army that the bus was still ten minutes ahead of us. So biggest car in Belize and three gringos started the chase- the next bus was later that afternoon and we had no plans to stay overnight in the sh*thole called Belize City. EVery turn we took the driver kept looking for the yellow bus. We either had to give up now or keep on…all the while wondering how much this guy would charge us. Eventually after twenty minutes of driving we spotted the bus on the horizon and caught up with it. A few beeping of horns and the bus driver stopped and allowed us to board. The taxi bill was reasonable and a promise of free beers to the rest of the passengers (some seemed annoyed) as we boarded, seemed to go down well. So after a rather rushed start to the day, off to El Remate and the ruins of Tikal.

The bus driver forgot to mention that we had passed El Remate and with our limited Spanish we had not really told him much when we boarded. So we ended up at the bus terminal in Santa Elena….not far from El Remate but still meant heading back in the same direction that we had come from. The journey back was smooth and we had arranged to get a taxi direct to the ruins at Tikal. No sweat. Settled in to a great room with the sounds of the animals echoing around the place and then took a walk to the temples and pyramids to see sunset. Really good views and if you are ever in this part of the world I would highly recommend it. I also managed to book a sunrise tour starting at 4:30am the next morning. Really impressive site once you walk through all the immense structures hidden in the jungles. Unbelievable history and one of the best ruins on this trip. Plenty of howler monkeys and toucans for company. The sunrise itself was well worth the entrance fee.

From Tikal we caught a bus down to Coban. Coban is a reasonably small town situated in the middle of the Guatemalan Highlands and is famous for producing some of the country’s finest coffee crops. German settlers in the mid 180Os established huge coffee plantations which still exist today. Plenty of us have probably tasted the black stuff on a visit to Starbucks. We arrived in Coban at around 8pm with the sun well and truly gone. Being the only white boys on the bus and arriving in a town we had no clue about, it was slightly daunting when our driver and conductor insisted that we stay at a recommended spot of theirs. They then proceeded to back down a dark side alley and then open some gates and then direct us to some stairs. The unfortunate thing is that when you read the guidebooks they tend to warn you about all sorts of scams. Well we had nothing to worry about although Damen reckons he was close to picking up a rock on the side of the road to protect himself! They had got us safely to a hotel called Dona Victoria (highly recommended in the Lonely Planet) and actually turned out to be one of the most genuine guys I had met along the travels. Did not even insist on a tip although somewhere along the line I am sure they receive a commission. Good on them!

Morning revealed a spectacular view from the hotel over the town of Coban. Good weather meant we had to head through to Semuc Champey and the caves of Kabah. Semuc is highly recommended by everyone I have met. Set in dense vegetation, it consists of numerous waterfalls with crystal clear rock pools in which you can swim and relax. The Kabah caves have to be one of the best things I have done in ages. You enter the caves with a guide who then gives you a lit candle. The aim is then to follow him on an adventure trail through the caves which involves climbing up ropes, jumping into water and swimming with one arm, all the while trying to keep the candle alight. This is then followed with a tube ride down the river. Great stuff and a really unbelievable day. Returned to the hotel to find that my Lonely Planet guidebook was stolen……we reckon it was a dodgy French fellow who had lost his credit card at Semuc the previous day. Not the end of the world as most of my route from Coban had been planned.

Next day bussed it down to Guatemala City (danger capital of Central America) and immediately caught the bus down to Antigua….not spending time in a place where 20 manslaughters occur every day! Found a very well priced guesthouse “El Cafetin” and have been staying there for the past few days. Plenty of things to do here (although there has been plenty of rain in the afternoons which has put a damper on things) and have had the priveledge of climbing up the Pacaya volcano, which is still active. Pretty awesome being able to stand two metres away from flowing lava. Took a tour bus to the market town of Chichicastanango. Very interesting with all the Mayan people flocking to the town to sell their goods. Some great photo opportunities as well.

One of the most rewarding things for me on this trip has been volunteering here in Antigua. Have found an after school educational centre about ten minutes outside Antigua which helps out with kids who are having problems with learning at school and also come from very disadvantaged backgrounds. My role has been to help the kids with writing and mathematics…my Spanish is at the stage where this can be done very easily. Its an afternoon role which I committed five days to. Very rewarding but far too short. They are really looking for some strong regular funding which I will write about once I am settled back in London. 

Finally, Damen and Ryan (the Aussies) have been asking if I have mentioned them in my blog. They have now headed off on their merry way in order to get back to the States. Well here goes- Damen…..just turned 21, dead ringer for Adam Gilchrist, works on the mines in Calgooly (north of Perth) and drinks like a fish. Ryan, reminds me of the shy guy from American Pie, is a physio down in Melbourne and tends to be a hit with the ladies….at least he thinks so….I know he will appreciate the joke! They both travelled to the World Cup in the Carribean and are heading back to Denver where a car they bought is waiting them. They are then driving through the States for two months and then back to Oz. Great guys to hang out with and have been heaps of fun to travel with. They are both big AFL (Aussie Rules) fans, are OBSESSED WITH ORCHIDS and love a good evening of spooning….with each other!!!

So its two more days in Antigua (have a four hour mountain bike ride in the mountains tomorrow) and then on to a place called Panajachel on Lake Atitlan, which I am told is superb when the weather is good. Lets hope this rain dies down. Almost a week to go and then the travelling is done. Cannot believe how fast it has gone!

Adios!

The past four days have involved plenty of travelling starting with the six hour bus drive down to the town of Chetumel, a few miles from the Belize/Mexico border. Nice bus journey but if you are ever in this part of the world take a sweater with you….they churn up the aircon and set the temperature at a level which an eskimo would struggle with! Onward on a local second class bus across the border and then on to the village of Orange Walk. Bumped into two Aussies, Damen and Ryan, whom I briefly chatted to at the airport leaving Havana. Joined by a Scot called Rob and we have been travelling together since Chetumel….nice to have the company and also makes organising group tours easier and cheaper.

The country of Belize is only the size of Wales and its been really easy and quick to travel here. Arrived in Orange Walk and booked into a really chilled out resort called the Lamanai River Resort. Great views of the river. Enjoyed a few drinks and local Belize cuisine (rice, stewed chicken and beans) with the owners and the most happy waitress ever. We called her Giggly #1……she just could not hold in a laugh while serving us! The cook arrived by bicycle and left with a simple wave later in the evening….all very comical. Boat trip down to the Lamanai ruins, 36 miles along the river, to view another Mayan masterpiece. Plenty of crocodiles and birds along the way. Very impressive ruins set in the heart of the jungle. Main temple ascended by most people on our tour. Not easy looking down from a considerable height! Stinking humid and plenty of water needed to be consumed. Plenty of interesting discussions by our informative guide on snake bite antidotes, jungle animals and the history of the ruins. Had a troop of howler monkeys look down at us the whole afternoon and they did not seemed bothered by our prescence.

Headed back to Orange Walk and just made it in time to reach the bus terminal and search for cover when the heavens opened. Boarded a bus to Belize City and arrived in the city just after 7pm. Found a really nice guest house near the ferry terminal called the Beachside Guest House. Greeted by two rather big local girls who we decided to call Giggly #2 and #3. They were laughing all the time and then went quiet when the season finale of Grays Anatomy came on tv. We decided that as they were bigger than the four of us combined that it was better to let them be. Rather venture onto the streets of the city and take that on.

Belize City is really depressing to say the least. The guide book mentioned this but I did not think it could be this bad. Tried to find a place to eat and everything seemed to be shut. Continuosly approached by beggers and crack dealers as we walked along dimly lit streets trying to find fuel for the body. Eventualy found the Dragon Inn which specialised in Chinese food. Strange how every place you go to in this world you seem to be guaranteed to find a Chinese restaurant. Had a good feed and then headed back to the guesthouse. Never been to New Orleans but from what I saw after Hurricane Katrina, the architecture here seems very familiar with big wooden houses perched on stilts and steel stairs leading to the street and yard below. Met a really fascinating old man who is from Zimbabwe bit grew up in Alexandra township in Johannesburg and now lives in Toronto. Very interesting listening to his take on how things were in South Africa back in the day.

Next day walked to the ferry terminal for the 8am crossing to Caye Caulker. Boat loaded with divers and people looking for a relaxing holiday. Housing, people and accomodation very similiar to the Carribean. Found accomodation at Bellas Guest House and after sorting out rooms, we headed off on a half day snorkel tour of three reefs in the area. Plenty of fish to be seen and enjoyed the amazing experience of swimming with a huge school of stingrays who kept on circling us snorkellers in an area called Manta/Shark alley. Their approach underwater was like a scene out of Star Wars where the armada of warships glide across space. Very impressive and amazing creatures.

Late afternoon kayak across the island…its only 600 metres wide and 7 miles in length…to catch the sunset. Evening entertainment at the local Sunset Disco which is next to our place of abode. Not much happening after 11pm (we were told it would be packed). Ended up being three gringos (Ryan, Damen and myself) along with two bar staff, four locals and two on duty policeman. Very bizarre but so far a great experience in Caye Caulker. Tonight its off to the local reggae bar which is supposedly full of voodoo…shall see if that is more upbeat than yesterday evening.

Next stop San Ignacio and a crossing of the Guatemala border. 

Two hour tour of the ruins and that was more than enough with the heat becoming unbearable. Not great arriving at noon with the sun directly above. Next stop was to a Mayan restaurant to indulge in local cuisine. Great entertainment albeit very much designed for the tourist and then on to an underground water hole (cenotes) to enjoy a swim and cool off. The cenotes are underground water systems which have sinkholes in to the ground. The one we visited was unbeliveably beautiful with tree branches stretching a good few metres down from the top soil to the water below. A good day out and one more day under the belt. back to the hostel for a good nights rest.   

Its been another stinking hot day on the Yucatan Peninsula. Had a great sleep after settling into bed around 11pm. Its almost a week now of not drinking with the course of antibiotics and the long days are also making me really tired. Batteries seem to be fully charged again and about to watch the sunset acorss the white sandy beach out front. Caught an early morning ”collectivo bus” to Tulum, one of the ancient Mayan ruins, located an hour south from Playa. The site name means ”wall” but was originally called Zama or Dawn….apparently you need to watch the sunrise to appreciate why. It was an important port town in the time period 1200-1521. Once again packed with tourists. The temples are atop huge cliffs that stretch into the Carribean sea with a beach below. Can picture a Mayan worker asking for a transfer to this place with such a great office view! Took my time , taking plenty of photos, walking on the beach and staying out of the blazing heat. The ruins are impressive (alot smaller than Chichen Itza) and plenty of iguanas (some big guys amongst them) crawl along the broken pieces of rock. Really nice introduction to the Mayan ruins. Have a few more to see in Mexico, Belize and Guatemala. 

Early bus tomorrow morning to Chetumel, six hours down south, and then across the border to Belize City.  

Plenty of “Viva Fidel” and “Viva Raul” ( his brother who has taken over temporarily) signs scattered around town and plenty of support for the government. Not sure what state Fidel is in but one of the locals ventured to cut his arm off if he did not make another twenty years. Did not shake the man´s hand on that. Tough bet that one! The main purpose of my visit to Cuba was to see the place before the old guy kicked the bucket…it could all be so different and Cuba may lose its unique charm. Booked a bus to Maria La Gorda, supposedly one of the world´s best diving spots, and then settled back with a few beers to enjoy the local salsa dancing at one of the late night venues.

Day 5- Great breakfast prepared by Isabelle. She came in to the living room shouting juice, juice” all the time….she is taking an hour every day to learn English. Good on her and comical at times. Really lovely family! I had struggled to finish the previous evenings dinner which consisted of huge plates of rice (arroz), beans (frijoles), chicken (pollo), sopa (soup-which was incredibly tasty) and loads of bread (pan). Four hour tour of the tobacco fields and caves followed by a swim at the local swimming pool at the hotel overlooking the town. Huge limestone formations surrounding Vinales and reminds me of similiar topography that I saw in Laung Prabang in Laos. Really stunning landscape.

The area has a number of caves which are a few kilometers out of town. Hired a bicycle for four hours and headed out. Not the best seat I have ever sat on and after a few minutes of cycling, I knew that this was going to be a tiresome and demanding day. Now one should not complain when you are lucky to have the use of your limbs. However there was a good chance that this seat would possibly prevent me from fathering children one day! Have prided myself on having buns of steel but this was ridiculous. My butt became so tight that I would have made a fortune posing as a walnut cracker at Christmas time. Two hours was enough and I limped off to survey the damage.

Another night watching the salsa dancing, having a few mojitos and enjoying a huge meal prepared by Isabelle. Spent time in the evenings with the family, playing with the grandson (six years old) and the grandaughter (nine years old). The daughter and her husband live in the house as well, so at times it can be cramped but we all managed. She is the local paediatrician and has all the locals arriving on her doorstep at all hours. Really dedicated to her job considering that she gets nothing in return….her meagre monthly wage is 20 Convertible Cuban Pesos! The son is a doctor too and is actually living in Bethlehem in the Orange Free State, South Africa. Have heard that plenty of Cuban doctors have moved abroad and they are doing very well. There appears to be two ways of getting out of Cuba: i) marry a foreigner and ii) get chosen as part of the US green card lottery. Still most people chose to remain and stay ultra patriotic.

Day 6- Time to head further west to a place called Maria La Gorda. Reputed to have some of the best dive sites in the world. Easy drive in a tour bus down the lush valleys of the Cuban countryside. On arrival at the beach resort we were greeted by huge sand crabs scurrying across the road playing chicken with the bus.  The area has a hotel and dive resort a few metres from the beach front.  Long white sandy beaches lined with palm trees mirroring across turquoise blue waters. Plenty of tourists soaking up the sun and snorkelling off the piers. Undertook a dive in the afternoon and it was superb. Best visibility I have experienced. Huge wall which suddenly disappears dwon into the dark depths. Not many fish but the coral was great and it felt like looking down on an ice glacier. Enjoyed a great sunset having dinner on the beach and then retired to the room to chill and prepare for another dive in the morning.

Day 7- Dive number 2 in Maria La Gorda did not go as well as expected. Maximun depth of 30 metres but at 21 metres I started having serious problems equalising and the pain in my ear was excruciating! Ascended to a reaonable level again and then went down to the maximum depth. The rest of the dive went ok but on surfacing I was coughing out blood and the ear was very swollen. Headed off to the doctor on duty and it was confirmed that the inner eardrum had been hurt. A prescription of antibiotics to be taken over seven days and no more diving. Really gutted but so be it. Have done some great dives in the last month or so and will have to stick with that. So no diving at Cozumel or the infamous Blue Hole off the coast of Belize. 

Back to Vinales on the 5pm bus and headed back to Villa Isabellette. Had a few rum and cokes with the family and said my formal goodbyes. They really had made my stay worthwhile. Took some photos of the family and promised to send some copies through. Not many families have access to cameras so they should appreciate them when they eventually arrive in the post. Early night with the bus leaving at 8am back to Havana.

Day 8- Pleasant trip back through the valleys of Pinar del Rio. Arrived in Havana at midday and booked into CASA DE ANA SUR, Calle San Ignacio) for the evening. Another lovely casa on the second floor of an old apartment block in the Old Town. Final chance to see the local artwork and take some photos. The money has just about run out but have enough for the taxi back to the airport and the departure tax.

Day 9-  Final day in Havana and really sad about it. There are few places where you get a feeling of falling in love with all it has to offer. Headed to the airport and took in my last glimpses of Havana getting on with another day. No problems at check-in and off to Cancun on Mexican Airlines. A great trip and this wont be my last experience of Cuba….magic!

Some things I observed while in Cuba:

• Watch out for dog poop on the pavements of Havana. Their is no law against your dog doing its thing anywhere. I ended up playing a game of hopscotch on several occassions!
• The jiniteros (hustlers) are active in most parts of Havana and will offer you cigars, s*x and exchange of money. They are like fleas on a dog. Ignore them and they eventually give up and pick on the next unsuspecting tourist.
• Cubans love a good soap opera. The current favourite originates from Brazil. Its possible to walk down a road, as I did in Vinales, and follow the show as you go along from door to door. The people are fixated!
• There are some of the most filthy toliets in the bus terminals. Do yourself a favour and keep toilet paper on you. I can see why the Cubans are so good at the pommel horse in gymnastics…I almost broke my neck on the dismount when I needed to go!! Gave myself a 9.0 though for the artistic effort and level of difficulty involved!
• The Cubans are a proud people and will not talk down the government. In fact its very rare for people to be outspoken about Fidel and his policies. Dont try tempt them into a conversation of such sorts as you could end up in trouble.
• Dont order fish (pescado) at a casa particular. It can be ordered from a restaurant but its illegal for people to source food from the black market. All about keeping control of what people earn.
• The average monthly salary is 20 Cuban pesos. My room in Havana cost 30 Cuban pesos. Yes there is a local currency which is 24 local pesos to the Convertible Cuban peso, BUT you should never be stinging when tipping as these guys survive on nothing. All citizens can read and write, health services are free and apparently Fidel once said “there will be 1 million children without a roof over their heads tonight,…none of those are Cubans. So there are pluses but its always good to be fare when tipping. The kids also love receiving pens or pencils.
• Oh and take plenty of photos…..they are great memories of an unbelievable country.

All in all a great country with beautiful, warm people and brilliant scenery. Visit it as soon as you can….you wont regret it!! 

Playa Del Carmen was a sleepy fishing village up until twenty years ago but the influx of tourists recently has made it one of the fastest growing cities in the world. Fellow travellers had told me to avoid Cancun, an hour drive up north, due to its reputation for being the Spring Break capital for young Americans seeking sun, s*x and sea. Well its not much different here with Biff, Chuck, Veronica and the lot running around giving high fives and bull horns. What up dude!! Anyhow its easy to ignore and just get on with enjoying your holiday. Plenty of Italians too flooding the local souvenier shops and parading on the beach. Of course after hurting my neck recently I struggle to look at anything in a bikini or bare flesh. Lost concentration for a while….the internet cafe/bar/restaurant is showing the local football derby with Americas leading 2-0 after just scoring…all I heard for the last two minutes from the commentator was GOL!!,GOOOOOOLLLLLLLLL!!!, GOLLLLLOOOOOGGGOLLLOOOOOO!!!! …they really do get excited down here. He may have had a heart attack if the director had not told him to chill. Earlier I had the chance to see Manchester United lift the English Premiership trophy. Long overdue but right back in the place where it really belongs. All the cash in the world cannot buy you football titles, you boys on the Kings Road! And surprise, surprise…its an all South African Super 14 final. Go the Bulls!

The rain seems to be moving over now (sun shining on the computer screen) so maybe I can fit in some beachtime before the sun goes down…plenty of beach volleyball courts, beach soccer and watersports available. Have a new speedo with Zorro imprinted on it (great deal at one of the shops) that I am dying to try out! Also considering purchasing a mexican wrestling outfit. Time to replace my fading gimp suit which has become rather worn out with all the diving..was getting rather tired of the apple in my mouth anyway. May burn the outfit on this trip and spread the ashes at sea. Will try be strong! I digress…. the plan is too get out of here asap…some ruins near Tulum and Coba which can be explored in a day.

So on to Cuba and will try keep this blog reasonably short (there are two parts) but if you take long to read then grab a beer/biltong/glass of wine/a coffee and for any antipodean readers out there..the closest sheep, and sit back.

Day 1- Cuba can only be described as amazing. My initial concerns over visa requirements were squashed when it became evident that you only needed to fill in a tourist visa provided by your airline. So 17USD at the airport and all sweet via Mexicana Airlines.The flight went well and we landed at a very misty and rain soaked Jose Marti International Airport. As soon as I arrived at the airport and once customs & immigration (unlike the US, these guys did not even question my reasons for visiting) had been cleared, it was like a new world had opened up. The rain was also coming down in buckets but this soon cleared after the taxi made its way down to the Havana suburb of Vedado.  Even looking out of the windows of the cab it was fascinating to see the day to day workings of Havana. Still could not believe I was here in the flesh. Made a decision to stay in casa particulares while in Cuba. These are basically “private houses” run by a family or normally an old lady whereby a room (maximum of two) is rented to foreigners. The Cuban government then taxes the casas an exhorbitant amount in order to make sure that no person starts profiting more than another. In this way the government controls what every citizen earns. They can provide food at an extra cost and have to regoster you within 24 hours of arrival with the local police. So with my printed reservation form in hand and armed with a medium vocabulary of Spanish, I requested the driver to get me to Calle 13, 1405 Vedado. Sounds easy enough but he inititially struggled and when we found the place it looked nothing like the photo on the website. I rang the doorbell and a friendly lady came down….the only thing was that she could not speak a word of English! That is when the phrase “Habla un poquito Espanol” started to become a common phrase for me when travelling around Cuba….it means “I only speak a little Spanish”. No problem. She sat me down , got on the phone and then explained to me (or at least I think I understood) that her friend had accomodation for me. Now being new to this game of Cuban bedsitting, the aim was to remain patient. A few minutes later and another old lady arrived. Her name was Bilma and she turned out to be a really lovely woman, around 70 years old, who tried her best to make me feel comfortable in her home. We walked a block down the road and entered a lobby of a block of flats….first rule: never judge a book by its cover. Through a passageway and her flat was on the first floor…..really nice setup and not what I expected when initially arriving at the flat door. Was greeted by her very old sausage dog…..the thing was on its last legs..poor thing. Hey at least she has a great doorstopper for the future if it gets stuffed after it kicks the bucket. May even make a great rolling pin! Not sure how these dogs evolved (long body and short feet) but I was soon to find out that these dogs are very popular in Havana.

Was then shown to a double bedroom with a mini fridge with some water for me, a huge wardrobe and a private bathroom. Almost like staying at a hotel but with your host being cook, porter and chambermaid. Bilma had no grasp of English so it was touch and go regarding the Spanish. We finally agreed to the fact that it was only 4pm and it was good for me to get acquainted with Havana. So with my trusty Cuban handbook in my backpack, it was off to explore the streets of Cuba and find out what made this place buzz. The city is split into four distinct areas- Vedado, Playa, Central Havana and Old Havana. Vedado is a very leafy suburb and I took to exploring the area by foot. Plenty of informal baseball games going on down every street (its the number 1 sport in the country and they are obsessed with it) and the people were extremely friendly once you greeted them with buenos dias/tardes/noches, depending on what time of the day it was. Heaps of old vintage cars still being maintained and driven by their owners in all sorts of colours from brown, black,purple to beige. Feels like you are back in the 50´s with all the Buicks, Chryslers and Bel Airs driving past leaving a plume of smoke. After a two hour walk I settled down to a cold Bucanearo (5.4%) beer made in Cuba. Had found a quaint restaurant called Restaurante 1830 which looked out across the ocean and I caught my first Cuban sunset. Bliss and it felt good to be in Cuba.

Day 2- Early start after having a coffee with Bilma and discussing world politics. No, the Spanish from my side and the zero English from her side was not making much sense, so I resorted to what words I knew and some hand signals. It all worked out and my first job today was to head to the bank. The problem with travelling around Cuba is that they dont accept Visa cards issued by American banks- no problem for me, but the main issue is that foreign debit cards on the Maestro/Switch network are not accepted by any of the cash machines. Its restricted to local bank cards. My wallet contained sufficient Cuban pesos for around four days but after that I would be stuffed unless I found a bank that would allow me to draw cash on my visa card. There is a bank in the foyer of the Hotel Libre in Central Havana and I headed there. To my immense joy they allowed me to draw on my card but also hit me with 12.5% commission- nice one; must send the Cuban government a christmas card at the end of the year. So for anyone wishing to travel to Cuba…..make sure you have enough foreign money in your pocket and avoid bringing over USD, they burn you with the same commission as the credit cards!

Put that little issue behind me and headed out on to the bustling streets. One thing that dawned on me was the immense size of Havana as a city. Its rated up there with Paris and London and afterwalking around 8 kilometers along the shore and the inner streets, I can understand why.Old buildings battered by the sea spray looking like they are on their last legs but still full with people. Kids playing in the street and improvising with pieces of wood and any kind of means to make a ball and start a game of baseball.  Nobody really bothered when I stopped to take photos. The heat was sweltering and I often had to take shade in small cafes where the locals are only to happy to talk and ask where you come from. Secret is also to drink loads of water to prevent dehydration. The sun is really fierce over here.Their is a real warmness to the locals that makes the trip so enjoyable. Amazing restaurants with samba bands playing very catchy salsa music. Plenty of horse drawn carts, old American school buses intermingled with new Audis, Mercedes etc. Headed to the local craft market where the artwork is superb along with various handmade wooden souveniers.  Passed people chilling outside thier front doors while catching the breeze. Others swimming in the sea or jogging down the huge promenade…reminds me of Cape Town in certain parts. A short visit to the House of Havanna Rum and then headed back to the casa after a great seafood meal on the beachfront.Talking about food…its pretty bland at times and normally consists of ham (jamon) and cheese (queso)…gets tiring after a few days. Bilma and dog were once again waiting for me. A short chat and the head hit the pillow with a big thud…this heat is a killer!

Day 3- More walking around Central and Old Havana taking in the forts, cathedrals and plazas. Took some time out to sort out where to head next. With the size of the country and my limited time of 8 days, it was decided to head to the Pinar Del Rio province and see the countryside as well as do some diving. The guidebook and apparently divers worldwide rate the crystal clear waters off Cuba as one of the best. Handed some washing to Bilma before heading out and was reprimanded about not having matching socks..ha ha…its like living with your grandmother! All the same she has been very sweet, the room has been just what I needed and she has gone out of her way to make me feel comfortable.

Today is once again stinking hot! Have my running shoes on and they are starting to melt. Its a Saturday and the sity is flooded with foreigners off the cruise boats docked in the harbour. Eventually found sunscream after my friends at US customs had taken mine off me. The only option for me is the local factor 4 product. Well here comes skin cancer! Taken loads of photos of all the cars,propaganda (they do love George Bush here) and the amazing architetcure. Early night for me and back to the casa where I ended up watching Cuba v Venezuela for the silver medal in the Pan America games. Cuba ended up winning 3-1 for those interested. Out of Havana tomorrow and heading west to Vinales.

My taxi driver dropped me off at my supposed accommendation only for me to find out that the property had been closed down for rennovations. I asked around for alternates and one of the hotel owners suggested a place called EL TACE guesthouse. Rang the doorbell and a little old man with dirty trousers and a sweaty white vest came walking down the stairs. This was the first time I would be using Spanish on my trip. Its totally different talking to someone in person compared to reciting back what you have been listening to on a CD. It had been my primary way of learning while in London…..this was the litmus test! We walked up a rusting staircase with a few cobwebs giving way as we ascended. On the first floor he led me to a door and showed me the room. Not bad- a fan, double bed, tiled mosaic floors, an old dusty smell to it and a fridge which made a rattling sound. Would do me just fine for the one evening. Showed him my passport, signed a declaration paper and we got on just fine. My Spanish had not let me down. He left me, closed the door and went on his merry way. Very sweet and reminded me of my grandfather in SA, albeit that he spoke Scottish and his vests were cleaner. RIP. 

Took a walk around the old cobblestoned streets of the city and over to a really interesting graveyard on the cliffs overlooking the sea. A really beautiful church and the huge walls of the old city made this a great half day walk. Glad I made the decision to spend some time in Puerto Rico. Great architecture and stunning side streets alive with dancing and people going about their business. One of the stops on the cruise liner routes and plenty of tourists ambling about looking for a bargain. Scores of police on the streets weary of any trouble that may flare up. It was May Day yesterday and there were big celebrations planned. Headed back to the room around 10pm after watching some salsa dancing and hit the sack. Slightly interrupted sleep as the sounds coming form the celebrations were continous and lasted well into the early hours of the morning.

Alarm did not go off and ended up sleeping an hour longer than planned. Woke up in a panic and quickly packed (no time for a shower), said my goodbyes to the old guy and flagged down a taxi. Misisng this flight would have a spiral effect on the rest of my plans. No panic at the end of it all as traffic was very light and I was able to book in with no problems. That was until my buddies at customs (Puerto Rico still being United States territory) decided to body and baggage search me once again. My ticket had been marked by the booking agent with the “SSSS”….thats three in a row. By now I was expecting a plated certificate commerating this achievement. Interesting fact- my taxi driver had mentioned that Puerto Rico was still a territory of the United States, however the people could not vote in the presidential elections in Uncle Sam´s land. The best bit is that the local people can be called to join the military and there are many fighting under US colours in Iraq. Nice one……cheap cannon fodder when you need it. They found some sunscream in my hand luggage and confiscated it…..bygones!

So one more flight to Cancun (overnight stop) and then on a flight to Cuba. Cannot wait!