Another rest day for me at least, still feeling sick and the back end still going strong we went to the medical centre again, they stabbed me with a needle the size of a lamppost in my right bum cheek and gave me some more heavy drugs and emptied the pocket for $108 dollars.

That afternoon we took a two door 55 Chevy out to the end of the spit and back as the double decker bus was chocker every time we saw it so today was treat day.

Lady Ellen Delis



55 Bel Air



Sir and Madam bodgies ... just need a fag packet rolled up in my sleeve to complete that picture.



Three of us in the car



Saweet!!



We stopped at an old building which was summer house for someone rich from yesteryear ... my memories lost the name



A view down the ocean front with me doing my garden gnome impression



The driver is great guy and stuck to his quoted price, I felt like giving him a tip for being straight up but being straight up should be normal and we had already paid very fairly.

Arriving back in town we wandered into the park for a look and a lite lunch, check out the colour of the water



On our walk later in the afternoon I spotted and old BSA which was cool as you just don’t see any (many) British bikes here.





Fuel Injection with a high flow stealth filter :rofl



Cool covers





I took some photos as it was just parked in the parking lot, there was a guy milling around, he didn’t say anything and let me take photos, I was just about to leave THEN he asked for $1.00 CUC (dollar), I said I have no money, he made me empty my pockets which was a glasses cleaning rag in one and dunnie paper in the other and he wasn’t interested in the dunnie paper cos I offered it to him quite forcefully which he DIDN’T like so they don’t like it when you do it to them but it is ok for them to harass you???? I don’t even think he was the owner as he had a taxi that he was milling around in.

Anyway, I still have my photos and dunnie paper and my $1.00 CUC to blow on something else ..... probably more dunnie paper. :rofl

Finishing up for the evening we ate in at the Casa having Lobster to sign out from Varadero in style, for once in my eating career I could not finish mine so I gave it to Ellen.

As usual we were quoted $10 CUC for the both of us and when it came to paying the price had doubled, this time we stuck to our guns and said no that was not what was agreed and she backed down, every time is a mission and you get worn down by having to hold your wallet hard as they sneakily add more in here and there pretty much ALWAYS.

It does take the shine off the place when this happens day in day out.

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Cheers Andi & Ellen .... https://twomotokiwis.blogspot.com/ Two Moto Kiwis Alaska - Argentina - April 2012 -> Somewhere

Early start of 6.30 am .... again!!, our Casa host to be honest was not that friendly and didn’t seem to keen to help us despite it being the most expensive place we stayed in Cuba, she gave a us an alarm clock to use which didn’t work, luckily Ellen woke at 6.40 am so we still made it to the bus.

Our trip up to Habana was nice along the sea front with mum nature whipping up the sea with big winds from the weather system from the US.

A bit of a wait in Habana we walked around in town for a while and got water etc for our next part of the trip to Vinales.

Along the way we stopped at a small eating place with a Tobaco fame beside it so being nosey we had a look through ... as ya do.





Coming down into Vinales you come through a narrow winding road then kinda pop out at the head of the valley into the steep mountainous area and quite spectacular, these shot from the bus so not very clear





Arriving in Vinales we were greeted by our Casa host’s daughter, the Casa was recommended by a girl we met in the bus station and a good recommendation it was too we were warmly welcomed in.



Arriving at our casa they showed us to our room ..... :eek1 it looked like a 1970's porn room with orange bed spreeds, all walls curtained and a luve heart bedhead with a mirror .... c h o i c e



Before we settled in and the sun went down we took a walk into town and booked a bike tour around the local area.

Phones ... something you don't see anywhere else



This is a local bus, V8 powered Russian truck, it sounded very throaty and quite awesome for a bus, not entirely sure why they need a 6 wheel drive machine for town but maybe they know something we don't

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Cheers Andi & Ellen .... https://twomotokiwis.blogspot.com/ Two Moto Kiwis Alaska - Argentina - April 2012 -> Somewhere

My first breakfast in a few days and although limited in what the Docs would let me eat I enjoyed it which was a great start, NO coffee for me until the meds are done so that is a bit hard smelling beautiful Cuban coffee knowing I can’t have any. :cry

We set off on our bicycle tour to the Cigar farm, rock artwork and caves, $20 CUC (dollars) was so well worth it as it included lunch, drink, park entry, bike hire and a our guide who could talk Spinglish.

Our getaway vehicles



Leaving at 9.00am it was a 25 km round trip over 4.5 hours duration and a great way to take in the local sights having the local guide.



There is a massive painting by a local artist that is 180 metres long and 120 metres high



To gauge the size of this incredible work you need a human so I got three, Ellen in the middle, Lucy and Sarndra to the left



Dedication to photography ... just for you guys :evil



Part of the trip was through caves, walking then onto a small boat ... outstanding it was and really well worth it.

Looking up toward the roof of the cavern you can see the lime and clay wash coming through





Lime wash down the walls



Nearing the exit of the cave



Our Amigos Sarndra and Lucy who were on the cycle trip with us we organised to meet for tea, Lucy has just come back from 10 months in South America and said nowhere near enough!!!! ..... real keen to chat more with her and to swap todays photos.

A brightly coloured casa we passed on the way back



This buckled and beaten Ural caught my eye along with the phones (again), the thing that set this bike aside from the others is it had a Dulux overhaul nothing less than hand painted with a house brush so it will mechanically sound for another 100000 :evil



Later in the avo we walked up to a spendie hotel to get grande views of Vinales, the weather was clear and hot so a nice walk indeed then back to town for a juice.



Check out this little fella, he surprised me with how far he could jump





There is something about Urals, they are very much the Cuban workhorse but this is the first one we spotted with a trailer



This one was only four people and a cake tray



For our trip back to Habana we organised a Cubataxi with two others, it worked out at $3 CUC each more but we get picked up from Vinales Casa and taken door to door to our Habana Casa so it actually works out slightly cheaper to do this as we do not need to get a taxi at the other end which would cost another $8.00 CUC.

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Cheers Andi & Ellen .... https://twomotokiwis.blogspot.com/ Two Moto Kiwis Alaska - Argentina - April 2012 -> Somewhere

We managed to get a Cubataxi that was organised to pick us up at 10.00am, most Cubans to be honest are very punctual and sure as normal 9.59am the car rocks up.

Said goodbyes and did photos with our warmest casa host in Cuba



We pile in and meet out travel companions for the morning from Mexico Sean and his good lady (that is short for we forgot her name), very interesting chatting to them about their travels etc.

The driver was good keeping up a nice and steady pace ... nothing too life threatening, arriving in Habana we were dropped off at the Casa we had been recommended by Lucy and Sarndra but unfortunately they were full and not having their phone number we could not ring ahead, no worries they ALL have amigos and within 10 minutes of watching “Meeting The Fockers” in spanish we were sorted and taken to a very nice place.

The price was more than we wanted to spend as my medical bill had left us slightly short but he was slightly accommodating so we booked in for tea and breakfast as well which he was pretty happy about as they do well from the meals.

Into Habana old town I had my eye on a painting we spotted three weeks earlier the day we arrived, such was the colour and vibrance on this painting I really wanted it so we negotiated with the lady and a combination of CUC $, CUP $ and smiles we agreed with everything we had in our pocket which was about $29 dollars so I am stoked.... can’t believe I bought some art tho, Fiona you will be impressed I am sure, this is it, cost us $50 bucks to send it home :eek1



... I must be getting old or sensible so I will have to deal with that separately. :rofl

On the way back to the Casa to leave my prize painting in our room we stopped and bought some guayaba (nice fruit) and for a rest.... back out down the waterfront for a look, relax and sit in the sun and watch Habana go by.

This was a local lad who was running then diving off the wall ... dude had balls!!



....not much space between him and a grated belly :eek1



There was major watermain reconstruction happening but very slowly, there was a serious cutting machine to cut through the concrete road, I would love to see it going!!!! see Ellen standing there.





She was also surprised how small the main tools were for such a large machine 8-D



Spotted near the art shop was three Harleys, the white one we had seen in another town days prior



This car was still sitting in the same place three weeks earlier .... wonder how long it will sit like that



Evening drew in and tea was served for Ellen with me still opting out of a full meal, I helped Ellen finish off.

Off to bed like a couple of old people ready for our last day in Cuba.:clap

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Cheers Andi & Ellen .... https://twomotokiwis.blogspot.com/ Two Moto Kiwis Alaska - Argentina - April 2012 -> Somewhere

A good nights sleep at the Casa which was nice and quiet we sat down to a breakfast that was very nice indeed.

Our neighbours from Switzerland joined us at the table and we had a great chat to them, turns out we were on the same flight back to Cancun.

Finishing our breaky we walked the other side of old town in search of two famous cocktail bars, Floridita and La Bodeguita Del Medio ... we found both, Hemingway’s idea was NOT for capitalism, the funny thing here in the government own these and the cocktails here are the most expenisve in Cuba and people are lining up to have a Mojitto where Hemingway had one so the non capitalist govt is making a killing while the masses suffer .... go figure.





We only took photos and continued our own tour of interest in the old town taking in the sights and sounds.

A local school class in action



We found this very amusing, an old guy wearing an Alaska T shirt and a national flag on his hat... kind of contradicts itself a bit :evil



From the front he is a very typical Cuban guy



Buying some cheese and ham from a local shop we sat in a local park and ate lunch with a cold can of Coke .... yes American Coka Cola.:huh .... you can't find it in many places in Cuba:freaky.

Wondering back along the waterfront towards our Casa we wanted to get some photos of the open top cars and the the bodgie Buicks with ruffians hangin out of them.

See the line up of oldies, this is a very normal lineup



The Buick turned up but looking sensible .... sorry guys.



An assortment of old cars trundled past so we did manage to snap a few.



Gringos :rofl ... loking at Gringos



Last one, I could post million of photos of these old honeys



Picking our gear up from the Casa we caught a 56 Chevy Taxi to our final stay in the prebooked hotel, the Taxi is more like a collectivo where they stop and pick up people along the way and drop them off so you don’t have it for yourself, the locals also pay in CUP and we pay CUC so the sam ride cost us 10 x more (Them and the Us’s)

The afternoon was nice and hot so we slacked around at the pool for and hour or so but the pool water was freezing even by Ellen standards or piling in anywhere.

Having 32 CUC left we had lobster kababs for tea then stopped for finish cocktails across the road from our hotel, after all that we had $2.60 left and the icecream tubs were $1.30 each so we splashed out and bought two ..... now were are officially broke in Cuba and as poor as everyone else.

In the small shopping centre there was a pile of metal elephants that were very well done



I think the one on the right is Manny from Ice Age



Ellen chatted with some Chinese guys for a while then we set off home to bed for the final time in Cuba.

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Cheers Andi & Ellen .... https://twomotokiwis.blogspot.com/ Two Moto Kiwis Alaska - Argentina - April 2012 -> Somewhere

Thanks for the insight into Cuba,enjoyed the photo's,cars etc does make you wonder after all these years they have not built their own home grown cars.

Hey Andy:
Man that was tough!!!
Hope you are better now.
Rob

Heya Noel yeah it makes for an interesting place that is for sure.

The closest we saw to home grown was the chevy with the lonely little 4 cyl Lada diesel in the hole.

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Cheers Andi & Ellen .... https://twomotokiwis.blogspot.com/ Two Moto Kiwis Alaska - Argentina - April 2012 -> Somewhere

Heya Rob

Yeah wasn't pleasant eh, no more sick days left now.

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Cheers Andi & Ellen .... https://twomotokiwis.blogspot.com/ Two Moto Kiwis Alaska - Argentina - April 2012 -> Somewhere

Havanatur was organised to pick us up at 9.30 am so we made sure we had breaky done and dusted and ready to race, 9.45 am no bus????

I went to the Havanatur office, a few frantic phone calls they then said we are picking you up at 10.30 am cos the time changed????? ours said 9.30 ...WTF???

Another hour just wasted, we could have slept in

The weather had really caved in big time by this stage with water pissing into the hotel everywhere, during our breaky they blocked off half the restaurant and five staff turned up with buckets and brooms etc, they took about 9 - 10 buckets of water off the floor in five minutes. :eek1.

The roads were flowing like a river and the foot paths under water so it wasn't a bad time to be inside.

We saved this photo from the rest of "the petrolhead display" as it fits in this post and was amazing to see, you can't halt progress just whip up a couple brollies and carry on



The view from our van on the way to the airport

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Cheers Andi & Ellen .... https://twomotokiwis.blogspot.com/ Two Moto Kiwis Alaska - Argentina - April 2012 -> Somewhere

Cuba is far from “green”, I really wanted to remember Cuba for the Cuban Coffee smell but the smell I will remember Cuba for is half burnt oily diesel from mostly worn out engines and bad tuning and maintenance, this one wasn't bad tho.



I have to admit I had visions of Cuba been somewhat cleaner understanding you jump into a time machine 60 years but the state of disrepair of a lot of vehicles is mind boggling and we saw first hand the fatal effects of this.

Understanding though it is a very poor country they are unfortunately severely handbraked by their communist leadership and antiquated ways making Cuba a real horse and cart country literally and to the detriment of the people which is saddening really.

My own opinion (and interestingly enough talking to others behind the scenes) next time they have a revolucion and a good idea the people should really be better off, not stagnated or in a lot of cases gone backwards.

We stayed in a combination of Casa Particulars which are home stays, everything from seriously basic no hot water etc to very nice indeed, across the board the Casa hosts were outstanding to say the least and were happy to help, only two Casas out of 18 we could not get a smile out of the owners and both were the only ones who really tried to change the ball game from what was agreed.

Our favourite was right on the sea edge down on the south coast and undoubtedly the most basic by far but the people were great, friendly and good to us, what more can you want?



Our favourite Casa hostess is in Vinales, she was awesome, bubbly, welcoming and a ray a light.



The grumble, only thing we didn’t really like about Cuba is the “Them and The Us’s”, the tourists get clobbered for prices around 10 x to 25 x the amount of locals, even buying petrol we were declined at two service stations with the guy saying ... it is complicated????WTF ... it seemed simple to us, empty car, paying customers with cash in hand, petrol station with petrol and empty forecourt .... what gives??

Also when buying churos the guy beside us paid $10 Pesos, we got the same as he did and we handed over $20 Pesos and they wouldn’t give us anything back saying that is the price and they just turned away so we were not there anymore .... in New Zealand that would end in a pubscrap!!!! .... we just had to accept it.

Getting money out was a half hour ordeal and quite a mission including handing of passports etc and more paper than you can fit in a wheelbarrow but at least we got cash and at $30 CUC/US per withdrawal you get as much as you can.

Most Cubans were great people but some were very snide and begrudging of us and particularly me being blonde like we owed them something, people everyday just saying “give me money” and being harassed for it took the shine off it a little, there are NO favours done here EVERYTHING means money, CUC or CUP you better have it as even asking for directions will cost you if you are soft and they will jump on you.

I will qualify that by saying if you are known to them or already an amigo (paying customer) they will go out of their way to help a little but 99% of the time they will put their hand out for more even after agreeing the value, across the board not the friendliest mob we have met in all of our international travels (not just this trip) as smiles are few and far between, when you smile at them they frown back .... hmmm.

Time, millions of man hours each day are just wasted, lining up for the bank, lining up for bread, lining up for buses they don't have money but they have time.

The highlight for me at least was seeing so many old cars on the road and of course the Urals, couple of Harleys and MZ stinkies (two strokes) everywhere so I will miss that zing buzz and ring ding ding sound, I would also add on the human side a lot of the Cuban woman with African genes/descent are very beautiful as well, without sounding like a freak-show stalker I was lucky enough to have my photo with a Casa lady (so I got to touch her without being.....odd ) , she was very nice to us and made our stay outstanding... just in case you guys wonder what she felt like ....well ... just the same as us whiteyfoos :rofl, I will remember her smile.

Our favourite city is Trinidad and the best Pina Colada I had was here in the wakey wakey shakey shakey bar.





Our favourite road was undoubtedly was the south coast road goin 4 wheelin in the rental car.



My worst experience was obvious the Gastroenteritis which didn't really rate on my fun meter ..... me dead in bed.



The lowest Cuban people day was the nice guy who smeared mud all over our car ... can't understand the logic with the man as I was polite to him but he had it in for us.



Our impression of Cuban people is a lot of them live behind window bars in the background, this lady was dancing to music and having a great time with a huge smile which was very nice to see however a lot just mill around looking out to the street with a very distant look on their faces.



For us across the board we found it to be a great place, really enjoyed it and it certainly was and eye opener, we have now ticked that box and ready for the next mission should we choose to accept it ... which we do.

Back to being travelers not tourists....

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Cheers Andi & Ellen .... https://twomotokiwis.blogspot.com/ Two Moto Kiwis Alaska - Argentina - April 2012 -> Somewhere

What a change in attitude would make to their circumstance,be overtly welcoming ,charge people all the same ,they'd be up to their arm pits with tourists.As my dad would say "you can milk a cow all the days of its life but you can only kill it once."will look forward to your next installment.

Heya Noel

Yes they could have it a lot better if they were a little more polite, not all of them are like that but you know in a "tourist" industry they really could tidy things up for themselves and get the rewards. ... just our observation anyway.

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Cheers Andi & Ellen .... https://twomotokiwis.blogspot.com/ Two Moto Kiwis Alaska - Argentina - April 2012 -> Somewhere

We had organised to leave Maya in the good hands of Leslie who is Garry Dymonds daughter, Garry lives in Mexico City.

While staying at Leslies waiting for our flight I took on a number of small jobs for her that she had been wanting to get done.

These included fitting eight isolating valves to her sinks and basins, properly fixing the two basins to the walls and leveling them, laying floor tiles and fitting a blind in her bedroom, it was nice to help her for the help she gave us, Leslie works big hours too so giving her more free time to do play things was nice.

On our return to Playa Del Carmen from Cuba Ellen had a very saw tooth so went to the dentist, turns out she has an infection in her jaw bone under a tooth and it needs a small op to be fixed.

Man talk about tribe of sick people, everything seems to come at once which is not a bad thing, the other positive is we are in a great place to have it fixed and hopefully properly .... now we are wanting to get it done and get back on the road again .... itchy feet.

The last few days has been relaxing and loading up all the Cuba reports and photos, quite a full job in itself.

We took in some local sights :eek1 .. both of them, cheek out the guy on the bike running knobblies in town.





There was a rack with interesting helmets which were useless but looked cool



We were very impressed that the little girl had floaties on her arms



There is an interesting selection of boats anchored too



Also here in Playa Del Carmen in Martin and his family from Denmark so meeting up with fello ADVers has been great.

We were treated to a display of local talent, these guys were very good









With Maya’s oil changed and few other minor fixits taken care of we head to Belize for a week before hitting Guatemala for Spanish lessons and to meet the legendary Julio (Guaterider) who has very kindly helped us with shipping stuff for Maya to his address.

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Cheers Andi & Ellen .... https://twomotokiwis.blogspot.com/ Two Moto Kiwis Alaska - Argentina - April 2012 -> Somewhere

Firstly, thank you to Leslie for looking after us. :clap

Leaving Playa Del Carmen were given a nice day.

Mostly uneventful we had lunch at a small bus stop, we were there only a couple of minutes when a car pulls up, a young guy hops out, all waves and the car left .... wouldn't have been two or three minutes later a Ford explorer pulls up fairly hastily.

I very pretty young lady opens the window, ... me , I am thinkin the lucky bastid!!!

She hops out of a car and we unwittingly become part of a “break up scene”
:cry:cry
She was clinging onto him and crying her heart out and he was pretty much looking straight ahead and staunch, even tho we understand very little Spanish at this point the heart felt discussion made me feel sad.:eek1

We quickly finished our lunch and started gearing up when the Taxi arrived, the crying got louder, he got in the Taxi and for her it was a scene of total devastation, we got our gear on even quicker and left ... my heart sunk knowing we had just seen first hand a Mexican break-up which seem to hurt as much here as it does in New Zealand... love the hardest game to play!!

Back to our trip we arrived at Bacalar where were going to stay, all accommodation a was booked out with Spring break / Easter so we carried on to Chetumal.

A few people had said Chetumal was not a great place, arriving we found a hotel and unpacked, doing our usual we walked to town centro and were surprised and impressed by it.

Given it was our last night in Mexico we Tacoed, Marquesitas and Churrosed ourselves out enjoying the last of the street food from Mexico.

I am not fat it is my fur :evil





Chetumal Centro



Fountain lit up with all sorts of colours



There was a massive moon out and it had a orange tinge from smoke or sometong and looked very cool, we only had the little camera so it didn't come out very good but the water looks spooky :evil



Next morning we set off to the Belize border, the seriously unhelpfull border guard wanting to charge 295 peso to leave and with no banks open due to easter we were stuffed, we had to ride back to Chetumal and get some cash from a change shop, lucky we had enough US on us to do it.

Back to the border it was busy with Spring break/Easter but that is the way it is, the only other thing that added lots of time was they were training people .... what a great idea on a public holiday!!!.

With our TVIP returned and refunded we clocked out of Mexico after a little over 4 months of enjoyment.

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