Havana, Cuba - July 2013

My blogging has been VERY inconsistent. I apologise. To be honest I don't know how many people are still reading this blog...

I've been doing quite a lot this summer; travelling, festivals, going out for dinner... and watching a heap of YouTube videos - if you call that an activity. But for most days I sit in front of my computer doing... god knows?... for hours. And I always forget to blog.

None of that anymore! So I'll tell you what I've been up to this summer... before summer's over.

Firstly, I'll start with my trip to Cuba in July.

My dad and I went to Havana, Cuba, for six days. I've been to a few places in the Caribbean but none of them were like Cuba. Havana feels like living in the past. It is a country where there's no internet access for residents, vintage cars from the 60s/70s and homes that have not been re-decorated since it was made.

This may sound like an unattractive place to live but the city has so much beauty. Even though buildings and homes were run down and the paintwork was slowly scratching off, it showed so much history and remind me of what cities in Spain would look like in the 60s. Obviously there is a great Spanish influence, and also a retro American influence - Chevys and retro Miami looking apartments.


On the down side, poverty is very apparent there. I don't want to create a depressing tone, but it's a communist country where the people want so much to change and to modernise, however the government won't have it, so things economically are moving very slowly. I do partly agree with everyone making the same wage, I'm all for equality and fairness, but most Cubans earn only £23/5 a month and they can survive by that - is that really fair Communism?

Too many italics in that, I know.

Using the word survive means 'JUST about living'. Who wants to be 'just about living' for your whole life? Most of these Cubans, but not all, have to live their lives like this.

Ok, NOW the tone of this post is turning depressing. I'll show you pictures of my trip now.

Bare in mind, the pictures may look interesting and archaic, but these are just pictures, imagine yourself seeing this - everyday.

 *A lot of these photos were taken whilst driving. It was the best way to discover the city. So sorry for the reflection of the window, my photography skills will improve - some day.