"Sun, Salsa and Ché Guevara" Cuba by bzh

Cuba is the biggest island of the Carribean. It is also one of the last communist governments on the planet and a place that is unlike any other on the planet.

Cuba has a dual currency system. Locals use the Cuban peso and can only use peso shops. Tourists are meant to use the Americain dollar and can only use dollar shops. Cubans who work in dollar shops or in the tourist trade can change their dollars for pesos, at a rate of 26 to 1 when I went. Of course, this is the theory and in practice things can be slightly different. However, the immediate consequence is that peso shops are very cheap but lack of virtually everything while dollar shops are expensive but have everything you would expect.

So, as a tourist, expect to pay prices similar to Europe, unless you manage to find the peso shops that will overlook the fact that you are not Cuban.

Salsa music group in Trinidad

The most memorable aspect of Cuba is not the beaches, nor the rum, nor even the cigars, but the people and the music. Everywhere you go, people will always be very welcoming and will very easily chat with you. As for the music... well, every single bar has a music group that plays live there, most Cubans actually play of an instrument. Walking around the streets of any town in Cuba, apart from Varadero, you will here some music somewhere. just sit down and enjoy the show.

Flag and outile of Ché Guevara on building

Cummunist propaganda is visible everywhere in Cuba and is usually associated with the image of Ché Guevara, who has taken the role of the murdered hero of the Cuban revolution that put Fidel Castro at the head of the country. Everywhere, you are reminded that, according to the government, the revolution is still ongoing and that the Cuban government is following in the steps left by the Ché.

Whether Guevara himself would have agreed with the Castro government policies is anathema but he certainly was and still is the most popular figure of the revolution. Unfortunately his image has been used and abused all over the world, not least in this country that has made him a hero.

• Pros:The people, the atmosphere, the music
• Cons:People who constantly beg a dollar of you