Socialismo o Muerte! (Socialism or Death!) An Introduction to Cuba

Cuba!

Jamaica may be unique, but setting foot in Cuba is like touching down on another planet. An extremely beautiful, friendly, and fascinating planet. We arrived in Santiago de Cuba after an overnight from Port Antonio, Jamaica. We had been patient with the weather and it paid off - with the wind and current behind us we were making incredible time. A few hours in it looked like we would be arriving before dawn… until at 2am we were abruptly becalmed and had to fire up the engine. When dawn arrived we were still about 25 miles away so we motored on through glassy seas.

El Castillo - 17th Century Fort

Anchored in the Tiny Bay

The first thing I noticed upon arrival in Santiago is the massive stone fortress guarding the entrance to the harbour. The second thing I noticed was my Dad and half-brother Dax standing on the dock of the marina waving at us with massive grins on their faces. This wasn’t entirely expected but it wasn’t a coincidence either. We had been communicating back and forth to see if it was possible to meet up somewhere over March break. They had managed to get a last-minute flight into Holguin and had arrived in Santiago even earlier than expected. We were exhausted from the trip and anxious to welcome them aboard but of course had to go through the lengthy check-in process first. We were visited by a doctor on the boat followed by a very lengthy meeting with the Port Captain. 

Jamaican Bananas - All Fruits Ripe

City of Santiago

The Port Captain was having some new furniture delivered and assembled in his office that day. His new desk had been assembled but not screwed together when he called my Dad and Dax into his office to check their passports. My Dad, not realizing the desk was not sturdy, leaned back on it with all of his weight and scattered himself and all the pieces of the desk all over the floor of the Port Captain’s office!  Thankfully Dad was unhurt and although it was clearly an accident, the Port Captain was less than pleased as he had been apparently waiting for the new desk for quite some time. We tried to smooth things over by lending a bottle of strong glue and the proper screwdriver. What a start…

Santiago Marina

After we had all recovered we set about exploring Santiago and learning as much as we could about travelling in Cuba. It was clear that a lot of the information we had was already out of date as what could only be described as a “complicated” country is changing so rapidly.

Cuban Flag and the Flag of the Revolution

Our crash course included:

Money

There are two official currencies in Cuba. One is called the Peso or Moneda Nacional (abbreviated CUP) and is the primary currency that Cubans receive as their salary and to purchase whatever they need for their day to day life. The second currency is also called the Peso, but more specifically the Convertible Peso (CUC). This is used primarily by tourists to pay for anything they might need such as tours, drinks, or meals out at tourist restaurants. Cuba used to use the US dollar, but it was replaced by the CUC years ago. Thus 1 CUC is roughly equal to 1 USD. You can also exchange a CUC for 24 CUPs. It is sometimes not posted whether a price is in CUP or CUC but in general if you’re buying something a tourist might buy or a Cuban might “want” rather than “need”, the price will be in CUC (more on this later). Contrary to what we had read, our Canadian bank card worked in the ATMs in Santiago to withdraw CUC. Once you have CUC you can exchange it to CUP by waiting in line in a bank. By “line”, I don’t mean an actual line or queue as Cubans have their own system. When you encounter a group of people that look like they’re waiting for something, you call out “el ultimo?” or “last?” and look for the person that discreetly nods or raises their hand slightly as if bidding at an auction. This is the person ahead of you in line and you are responsible both for monitoring their progress and answering when a new person shouts “el ultimo”. And if that person happens to give up and leave, all bets are off.

Cathedral in Parque Cespedes - Wifi Cards For Sale on the Ground Floor

Parque Cespedes

Communicating

Our outdated guidebook had told us that very slow Internet access is available at various offices in town for 6 CUC per hour. This is now incorrect. Cuba is undergoing an Internet revolution and now all tourists and Cubans can get online. Cubans can now own cellphones and connect to the local cell network however data is only available at wifi hotspots. The hotspots are usually in public squares or parks or in hotels for tourists. In order to get online you must purchase a wifi card from the government agency “ETECSA” for 1CUC per hour. Once you are connected, the Internet is very fast. Some websites are blocked by the government in what seems a fairly random fashion (e.g. Snapchat is blocked but Facebook is not). An interesting result of this policy towards internet access is that public places are now flooded with people engrossed in writing emails, on Facebook, or chatting to friends on Skype. Imagine skipping over 20-minute waits for a picture to download and the eeeeee-awwwwww of a dialup modem connecting to be catapulted overnight into the age of emojis and high-resolution video!

Peso Pizza Window - 5.00 is CUP, or about $0.27 per slice

Bread Cart, Prices in CUP

Tourist Restaurant - Yummy Food, Prices in CUC

Food

We had pretty much expected the worst when we envisioned finding food in Cuba. We had stocked up as best we could before leaving Jamaica and while we were happy to have our favourite ginger beer, jerk sauce, and Red Stripe, it was not entirely necessary. In Santiago, there are a handful of good tourist restaurants with prices in CUC for a little less than what we would pay for a meal at home. Then there are dozens of peso restaurants, which could just be a stall along the street with things like pizza, sandwiches, and juice all in CUP. A piece of pizza might cost 5 CUP, which would equate to about $0.27 CAD. Although these places are aimed at Cubans, they are allowed to sell to tourists as well. Then you have the markets, which are amazing places to pick up fresh organic produce at CUP prices. We bought two giant bags of onions, potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, papaya, starfruit, beans, cucumber, and eggs for about $7 CAD! Finally, there are the “dollar” stores which have items for sale for Cubans and tourists but with prices in CUC. For instance, you can buy a jar of mushrooms or a bottle of olive oil for the same prices as other countries. In reality most Cubans can’t afford to shop here, except when they are able to save up for luxury items or get tips from tourists. Last but not least you have Cuban bodegas which are where Cubans go with their ration booklets to pick up what their families are allotted: rice, beans, flour, sugar, and small portions of eggs, pork, chicken, and fish. These are obviously off-limits to us.

Tourist Taxi

Fancy Tourist Taxi

Transportation

The marina in Santiago, which is the only place in the massive harbour where a sailboat can legally anchor, is quite far from the centre of town. Fortunately there are several options for getting downtown - unfortunately none of them are very good. We could take a tourist taxi (the pre-revolution American cars with soviet diesel engines that are just barely running due to age and lack of parts) for about $10 CUC each way. We did this a couple of times but it does start to add up when you’re on a budget. The next option are the ferries that dock near the marina. At first we noticed them coming quite frequently but after asking the marina staff it seems that not all of them go into town but there is one that does at 6am, 12pm, and 5:30pm. For 1CUC this would seem to be a great option but the times are not really convenient and after a couple of days we were informed that the ferry had broken down and would be out of service indefinitely. Finally, there was the city bus or “guagua” (wah-wah). At $0.20 CUP or an extinct Canadian penny this was by far the most economical option. However the guagua has no set schedule other than it starts around 6am and comes every 1.5 hours “or so”. We soon figured out the locals’ way of taking the guagua. One person from the neighbourhood goes to the bus stop around the time the bus should come. When they hear the thunderous diesel engine from across the bay they are responsible for shouting at the top of their lungs GUAGUA! so that the entire neighbourhood can hear. Then all the passengers run to catch the bus and it must stop 20 times as Cubans come out of the woodwork running after the bus much to the hilarity of everyone on board. Who said public transportation can’t be fun! (We never figured out where to catch the bus back from town… that will have to remain a mystery.)

At the Waterfront

Handing Out Dax's Old Football Shirts on Isla Granma

Mucho Grande! But you will grow into it.

Isla Granma

Church on Isla Granma

Daily Life

We are hoping that the time we spend in Cuba will give us a good snapshot of the daily life of many Cubans. What we quickly learned in Santiago is that daily life in Cuba is very complicated and it would take years for us to fully understand. One thing is for sure, it is not the downtrodden backwater that certain western superpowers would have you believe. And it’s not what Canadians might have in mind from their most recent trip to Varadero. Cubans are vibrant, proud, well-educated, innovative, family-oriented friendly people that strive to improve their lives and the lives of their families using what little they are given and can obtain.

As for Santiago itself, it is a beautiful city but can be hot and loud. Thankfully there is peso ice cream!! 

Peso Ice Cream!

Do’s and Don’ts of Cruising Jamaica

Port Morant Windmill

Before we sail to a new country there is a tremendous amount of research involved: cruising guides, charts, travel guides for land travel, language, money, etc. One invaluable resource is blogs written by other cruisers, especially if they were written recently (within a few years or since a major storm). We couldn’t find many blogs discussing Jamaica in detail as it isn’t a destination for most sailors so in case future cruisers are googling “jamaica sailing blog”, here are some tips from spending two months in the country.

Delivered by "Bananaman", Port Antonio

DON’T fear for your safety. Jamaica may have been an unsafe place for cruisers decades ago but this is no longer true. Just be a smart traveller, just as you would in any other country.

DON’T just stop at Port Antonio on your way north or south. This is typically the only stop most cruisers make in Jamaica and although it is beautiful and has a nice marina, it really doesn’t do the island justice. If you are just passing through consider also stopping at Port Morant to the south east. Not only is it a port of entry/exit, it is extremely well protected, there is a navy outpost nearby with free drinking water and a better supermarket than Port Antonio a short taxi ride away. Jamaicans here are extremely friendly and there is a beautiful walk through the neighbouring villages with incredible gardens. Not to mention that nobody tried to hustle us - this may have been our favourite place in Jamaica!

South Coast

DO bring spare parts with you. You will probably only be one of a handful of sailboats in the country and there are no marine stores with sailboat parts. There are lots of sport fishing boats around Kingston and we heard rumours of one marine store in Kingston targeting these boats. If you need something important you’ll have to find a way to get it from somewhere else.

DO spend a few days in Kingston. The “Town” is the beating heart of Jamaica and while it’s not a typical tourist stop there are still some cool things to do: Devon House, Hope Gardens, downtown, Port Royal, or head up into the Blue Mountains. We found the busses and route taxis to be an easy and inexpensive way around the city. We anchored near the Royal Jamaican Yacht Club (usually full) for about a week and we and the boat were completely safe. It’s also close to the beautiful cays just outside Kingston harbour such as Lime Cay and Maiden Cay.

Lush Saint Thomas Parish

DON’T worry about provisioning, fuel, and water. The food available in Jamaica is up there with some of the best in the Caribbean. Of course, not everything is available all the time, but most supermarkets stock all of the basics, plus a wide selection of products imported from the UK (Cadburys!), and some of the best selection of vegetarian food targeted at the rasta population. Fuel can be purchased at the dock in Kingston and other marinas or jerry canned from gas stations anywhere in the country. Water is available almost everywhere and according to one marine policeman, Jamaica is the only Caribbean country where cruise ships will fill their tanks.

DO be patient with hustlers. Every town in Jamaica has them. These are the people selling weed, massages, hair braiding, tours, cuban cigars, sex, hats, coconut water, sunglasses, or just to draw you in by asking where you’re from or giving a fist bump. Jamaicans believe that every person deserves respect so it is considered rude to ignore or walk away abruptly. Be ready to say “no thank you” a lot or simply “I don’t need anything today”. We found the most hustlers in Ocho Rios and the fewest in places with fewer tourists like Kingston.

Banana Trees

DO visit the south coast. This is incredible cruising. Clear blue water and dozens of calm anchorages all to yourself. Our favourites were the Portland Cays, Whitehouse, and the Cays near Port Royal.

DON’T worry about red tape. Jamaica is a very formal country in terms of clearance procedures. For instance you absolutely cannot leave the boat until you have been inspected by the Quarantine officer and you have lowered your yellow flag. When we arrived we also needed to have a stack of forms completed by Customs as well as Immigration. But once this was complete we were issued a cruising permit and three month visa and didn’t need to meet with any more officials until we left. The marine police occasionally paid us a visit to check paperwork but were always extremely friendly and courteous.

Ever-Present Jamaican Goat

DO get off the boat and take inland tours. Tour a coffee plantation in the Blue Mountains. Blue Mountain coffee is excellent and when you go to the source you can easily find 100% Blue Mountain Coffee as opposed to the blends you get in the supermarket. Tour the Appleton rum distillery with Rasta George from Black River or go to YS Falls or Dunn’s falls. Tours can sometimes be pricey when you factor in transportation, guide, and a meal, but prices are usually negotiable.

A Rare Cloudy Day

*** Bonus for Non-Cruisers ***

There is certainly a time and a place for all inclusives. Several of the hotel guests we spoke to were looking for something different for their next holiday. If you’re looking for something more unique, consider either staying somewhere off-resort (for example, google Treasure Beach or independent hotels in Negril) or it is now possible to circumnavigate the island by land using the very comfortable Knutsford Express bus service or route taxis.  Budget a couple weeks for this but be prepared to abandon your plans when you find a place you love.

Jamaica is an island unlike any other in the Caribbean and you’d probably be hardpressed to find anywhere like it in the world.

Negril - Hello White People

Rock House, Negril

During the first couple of weeks in Jamaica we saw very few tourists. In fact, in Kingston kids would greet us with “Hello White People!” As we approached the west coast of the island this quickly started to change. At the small town of Whitehouse, we encountered the controversial new Sandals South Coast resort, oddly marketed as a series of European villages on the beach, in Jamaica. You can take a room in the French, Italian, or Dutch quarters and eat at restaurants serving that style of food. There is also the newly opened suites on stilts over the water where you can have an outdoor bath or shower after your swim in the sea. As this was a very posh all-inclusive it was all off-limits to us. Mum was disappointed we couldn’t just go and buy a pastry from the French bakery! We were allowed to use the beach as all Jamaican beaches are public property. But as soon as we neared the hotel area the bored security guards sprang into action and started radioing each other “dirty sailors approaching the French Quarter”. We chose a private area far from the hotel for beach haircuts. Needless to say the American couple that ventured down to the far end were a bit caught off guard. 

Taking Advantage of Calm Winds to Fix the Sail

Loving Negril

The resort town of Negril is home to some of the largest all-inclusives in the country. It appears to have grown a bit since our Lonely Planet was published as adjectives like charming, unique, and quiet no longer seem to apply. The long white beaches and crystal clear water are incredible though and are enough to see past the hordes of drunk, sunburned vacationers. We anchored in the calm clear waters of Bloody Bay, so named for the whalers that would return with their catch and turn the waters red - not sure what is worse. It is also where the famous pirate “Black Jack” Rackam was captured by the British and taken back to Port Royal to be hung. 

Jamaican Breakfast: Ackee and Saltfish with Calaloo and all the trimmings

West End Negril

After a couple of days of swimming, strolling on the beach, and listening to Bob Marley tribute bands playing at the resorts in the evening, Mum’s trip came to an end and I flew** with her to England for a visit with my 103-year-old great aunt for a few weeks. James would be staying in Negril with the boat during that time. The following is his account of that time:

Negril was a lovely place to spend a few weeks relaxing in the sun and getting a few boat jobs done. It was flat and usually calm or with just a gentle breeze while the tradewinds were howling across the rest of the Caribbean. The boat and I quickly blended into the background in the eyes of the Jamaicans working in the area and people soon stopped asking me if I wanted to buy weed or lobster. The other tourists were very curious and would often drop by in a kayak or paddleboat to ask where I was from and what I was doing there. It was rare to see other cruisers but I befriended a lovely Kiwi family on a trawler and we got together a few times for drinks and dinner. They even gave me a huge bag of ice to go with my ginger beer, patties, and coco bread! It was enough to get me by until my co-captain returned.

Curious Negril Dolphins

Crystal Clear and Dead Calm

** Note: Flying did involve a trip to the airport in Montego Bay which has recently issued a state of emergency and travel advisories put in place by Canada and the UK. The inside story is that St. James Parish where Montego Bay is located has been suffering from an increased rate of crime for several years now and the state of emergency was necessary in order for the government to allocate more resources for dealing with this crime. The criminals are mostly well-known to the government and members of gangs operating in very specific neighbourhoods. Montego Bay and Jamaica in general are very safe for tourists with tourist crime usually limited to petty theft or harassment by street vendors. Most Jamaicans we spoke with were very supportive of the state of emergency so that the known criminals could finally be apprehended. Strangely, and sadly, a lot of the money funding the criminals is reported to come from their operation of fake lottery scams targeting North American seniors (“you have won $1,000,000, we just need a wire transfer of $10,000 so you can claim your prize”). Maybe this is the story that should be on the front pages instead!

Black River

Bamboo Avenue

Black River was the next town we came to as we headed clockwise around Jamaica. With a population of little over 4000 people, we felt that almost all of them came to greet us as we pulled the dinghy up to dock alongside the river. This might be a bit of an exaggeration, but we were instantly bombarded with offers for tours, to buy wood carvings, to watch the dinghy, and more. All we really wanted was to get off the boat for a couple of hours and go for a walk and explore. But the best offer of all came when we stepped inside the town bakery: “would you like to try some coco bread?” came a voice from inside a metal cage (really, is this necessary? maybe) guarding the day’s fresh bread. We gladly accepted and bought two pieces of the fresh, warm, melt-in-your-mouth coco bread. What a treat!

Rasta George in Black River

We quickly decided that 20 minutes was enough to see everything there was to see in the town of Black River.

However, there was plenty to do in the surrounding countryside. The next day we found a shared taxi that could take us to the notorious YS Falls, a beautiful property in the hills with a cool river, several waterfalls, and some very nice natural pools for swimming.

YS Falls

The driver of the shared taxi spent his summers in my hometown of Niagara-on-the-Lake, picking fruit in an orchard owned by a family whose children I went to school with. As we drove along the country roads of Jamaica we reminisced with him about eating juicy warm peaches off the tree and his love of Tim Hortons coffee.

Neil: Taxi Driver in Winter, NOTL Fruit Picker in Summer

Long-tailed Doctorbirds

The following day we met “Rasta George”, a quiet, well-spoken Rastafarian with a car that took us to the Appleton Rum distillery. The Appleton tour had been closed for several months for renovation and had just re-opened. Although the entry fee was steep, the rum samples were very generous. Let’s just say we’re glad Rasta George was our designated driver.

Appletons!

Helping to Extract the Sugarcane Juice

Molasses Mmmmm...

Enjoying the Finished Product

On the way home we stopped for some much needed lunch in Middle Quarters and had a delicious shrimp curry, fried chicken, and peanut and bean soup with “festival” (big lumps of fried bread that we remembered from Haiti - similar to the hushpuppies of the southern USA). It was an incredible lunch and we certainly didn’t need much dinner.

Lunch in Middle Quarters

Curried Shrimp

On our final day in Black River we did the shopping and went for a dinghy ride up the Black River itself to see if we could spot some crocodiles. We did see a few, along with quite a few birds, and lots and lots of water vegetation (that would cost a lot of money at a garden centre to add to your water garden back home) that was being swept out to sea so it could get stuck on our boat.

Croc in Black River

Up the Black River

Black River

Black River

Our next destination was Whitehouse, home of Sandals South Coast. We were expecting a load obnoxious resort with music through the night but this place appears to be quite classy. The staff and resort-goers were all very friendly and curious about us and were fine about us taking the dinghy down past the resort to the stretch of deserted beach nearby (but quickly mobilized into action when there was a chance we might be walking towards the resort’s beach…). The anchorage was quite lovely and sheltered by a reef so we stayed a few days here before deciding to head around the corner to Negril. 

Heading to Negril