Celebrating the 4th of July in Havana

It was 7:00 am. Too early to be awake on this week of holiday. But who can resist not to open the window of Hotel Nacional de Cuba and to experience the magnificent Malecon open up right before your eyes. 

I had a very good feeling about this holiday. Not only that it took more than 12 hours to get here, a few months of planning and the fact that I’ve dreamt of this holiday for some years, this holiday marked a big fat tick on my to do list!

Opening the window for a dash of fresh air, I instantly feel in love with this beautiful, exotic country. But three things I’ve learned fast. If you are not willing to spend much money on your holiday, this is not your destination. If you hate tipping, this is not the place for you. If you enjoy haggling, this is not where you want to be either. In short, this country is expensive for tourists and clearly not a place for backpackers. But if you are into smoking and like the smoky feeling in the air, by all means, come to Cuba. You will enjoy sat at the garden bar of the hotel, watching the rich locals come in wearing Guayaberas and Panama hats, covered with the thick smoke of their cigars. Felt like I was an extra on a filming!