This is it, you are about to land in Havana, at the José Martí International Airport. Suddenly the cabin fills with smoke and the alarm sounds. Your hands are sweating, your heart is racing and the adventure threatens to end before it has even begun. No fear, all normal on the Yak-42 aircraft that Cubana Airlines flies between Cancún and Havana. A nice introduction, by the way, of this 'Only in Cuba', together with the image of the immigration police waiting for you wearing skimpy miniskirts and fishnet stockings.
Queuing 30 minutes for a 4 cent ice cream is already another foretaste of this 'only in Cuba'. Receiving a serenade from a rather hot drag queen in a restaurant with some haute cuisine ambitions may be the sequel. Just as it is very Cuban to hire a babalawo (a kind of holy man) to break a black magic spell. I lived in Cuba for nine years and I know how these things work, not only when it comes to mysticism. One fact, however, is quite real: an influx of two and a half million travellers a year are becoming familiar with this intriguing way of being.
That's why I thought you'd enjoy reading more about the reasons that make you madly love (or hate) this place.
Getting around in cars older than you (and your parents) for pennies
Maybe they run on kerosene and are held together with string, but the old American cars that Cubans use as taxis are a great way to get around. They date back to between 1930 and 1959, when Eisenhower started to cut ties with the island. These Buicks, Dodges, Cadillacs and Chevrolets can be snatched up for 10 CUPs (or 40 convertible pesos). Just wave and get on board with a handful of others.
Holidays (even with children)
Cuba is a fantastic destination for those travelling with children, because of its safety, the beauty of nature and the love Cubans have for the little ones. It will also be one of the few places in the world where your children will not want to spend time glued to Facebook or Youtube. Internet access, on the other hand, is expensive ($6 per hour for the connection and a couple of dollars more for Wi-Fi in hotels that offer the service) and coverage rather limited.
The two-currency tango
There is widespread news that the dual-currency system, with Cuban pesos and convertible pesos in circulation, has come to a dead end. We'll see, but in the meantime you should take some advantage of the bargains that can be had with Cuban pesos (also known as 'moneda nacional' and CUP), such as a full lunch for $1 and movie tickets to Hollywood blockbusters for pennies. The myth that travellers cannot use CUPs is indeed a myth. By learning to use this currency, you really do live like the locals.
No McDonald's
Fast food chains dot the island from Pinar del Río to Guantánamo, but not a single McDonald's is to be found, except at the US naval base, off-limits to civilians and Cubans. On the other hand, there is the national chain El Rápido, which serves pale pizzas and overcooked noodles and is even more popular as a late-night drinking den. Its premises are immediately recognisable by the yellow and red logo (à la McDonald's, no coincidence).
100% advertising-free
One of the most revolutionary aspects of Cuba is the absolute lack of advertising. No toothpaste or cars, no mobile phones or liquor, none of this can be found on TV or along the streets, in newspapers or on public transport. It is a balm, and many travellers have told me that they have finally realised how besieging advertising can be. Great promotion, on the other hand, is reserved for the triumphs of the Revolution and the deleterious effects of the American embargo - on billboards, on walls, everywhere.
For these reasons and many others, Cuba is unlike any other destination on earth. Whether it is a dream place or a nightmare destination depends on many factors. My advice? Keep an open mind and let yourself be Cuban.