10 December Settling into Cuba

What are the first things we need / want after arriving in a new country, after clearance of course?   First local currency and then internet.  In Bahamas we'd go from the ATM to the phone shop and buy a SIM card and a data package.  It's not as simple in Cuba though we had read the guide books and were prepared for the differences.  Addison Chan's Waterway Guide to Cuba is the most up to date guide we found and he has excellent information and tips on how to do things.

Puerto de Vita is a military base 5 miles from the nearest town.  Our choices were either to walk a mile and a half to the main road and flag down a bus.  Possible because we already have local CUCs (tourist currency where CUC1 = US$1) and CUPs (market currency where there are 24 CUPs to one CUC) from a Frenchman we met when we were diving in Bay Islands Honduras earlier in the year.  He'd left Cuba with currency still in his pocket and nowhere outside Cuba will exchange Cuban money.  We bought it from him.

our local taxi

Our other option was to ask the marina to book us a taxi.  For CUC25 we would have a car and driver to take us wherever we wanted to go.  This is what we chose, first day in a new country, we were going to the bank with a large amount of pounds sterling and it would be easier.  Victor arrived in his '59 Dodge Comet; a splendid red and white beast of a car.  Being sixty years old, the car, not Victor, there had been some upgrades; the original engine replaced by a diesel Mercedes straight 6 turbo, new upholstery, LED lighting and set into the back of the front seat headrests , DVD screens and a rudimentary air conditioning.
The road into Santa Lucia was rough, plenty of potholes which weren't a problem for the many horses and carts we saw.  Very few cars, a bus and some electric scooters.  One of the first things we noticed about the town, a real country town, was the absence of any commercial advertising. In their place were statements along the lines of 'one for all and all for one' and 'for the benefit of the country'.

At the bank we learned how to queue Cuban style, a tip I'd picked up from our cruising guide.  Approach the group of people hanging around outside and inside the door and ask Ultimo? Who's last? A hand shoots up and then we watch until that person is served and we know we are next to be served.  Likewise next person walks through the door and asks who is last in line and I put my hand up.  But it takes forever to be served.  We waited for nearly an hour to exchange sterling for Cuban convertible pesos, or CUCs which are set at parity with the US dollar.  When you have CUCs, the tourist currency, you can then buy Cuban pesos, CUPs at the rate of 24 for 1 CUC.  This is the money for going to the market, buying bread and catching local buses.

bag lady in a Chevy '59

After the bank we stopped at a corner stall and spent our first CUPs on tomatoes and fruit. On the other corner a stall was pressing fresh sugar cane for drinks at CUP1 a glass, or about 3p a glass, and a meat stall with a fresh pig carcass stored under cardboard to keep the flies away.

sugar cane juice

Everyone was very friendly, lots of smiles and a good first experience of rural Cuban life.
Our stay in Puerto de Vita was brief, 48 hours and we were ready to be on our way to Marina Gaviota Varadero 320nm to the west.

pork on the slab

First we had to settle our bill for the marina and pay for our cruising permit (CUC 55) and tourist visas (CUC 75 each for one month). All monies for marina and clearance fees are paid through the marina because the Port Captain is not allowed to handle money, nor is the Guardia Frontera.  Our Despacho with clearance through to Varadero was delivered promptly, lines were cast and we waved goodbye to Puerto de Vita.