I can see why travellers fall in love with Cuba. It's a vibrant, colourful place, there's music everywhere and the people are so friendly. Whether you are a lone traveller, a couple, friends or a family; you'll meet loads of locals only too happy to have a chat, help out or just point you in the right direction.

We've just got back from a 14-day stay; a 7-night tour followed by 7 days on the beach. So, what will I remember the most? Amongst others will be catching a coco-taxi back to our hotel in Havana after dancing the night away in a local bar and laughing so much on the ride home the girl thought we were mad! Stopping for fruit from a roadside stall and eating the sun-warmed mangoes then and there. Visiting a bodega to see where the locals buy their rations and finding it a humbling experience. Coming across a dance troupe in the street and watching the local school children dancing with delight and finally who can forget Carmelita in Cienfuegos, singing (rather badly) in the hotel Jagua"¦.

My trip report is below, I hope that you enjoy it

Thursday 10th June
We take off from a rainy Manchester and land in the afternoon in a warm, balmy Varadero. After changing some money (it's in the departure lounge) we locate our coach and get aboard for the journey to Havana. Ross, our transfer rep, is really friendly with a simply huge selection of really bad jokes. It's a 2-hour drive and we stop off mid-way for a refreshing pina colada. The black clouds we spotted in the distance are catching up fast and it's not long before they bring some really heavy rain, which luckily stops shortly before we get to our hotel. (Trip Habana Libre - good base, I'll do a separate review for anyone who may be staying there soon) There are quite a few people on the bus but I can't seem to find anyone else doing the tour so wonder if it's just us. Unpack, shower, have dinner and couple of drinks and head off to bed - the adventure starts in the morning.

Friday 11th June - Havana
We meet Marionella our guide and discover that there are only 6 of us on this tour, which is a perfect size. We leave the hotel at 10am for a tour of Havana. Even though it's early it is already hot and humid. Marionella tells us that they are having record temperatures for this time of year. The old city is lovely, there are lots of old buildings, many of which have been or are in the process of being restored. You really get a feel for what the place was like in it's hey-day. There are some beautiful plazas. Some buildings along the waterfront are crumbling, which is a shame. We're told they will be renovated in time but that it will take a lot of time and money. The setting is beautiful, it could be the 'new' Miami. Among other things we visit a rum factory and one of the new hostels that government are turning old houses into. Havana is so vibrant, there is music everywhere and we come across an impromptu street performance with the dancers in bright costumes on stilts. I really don't know how they manage to make it seem so easy whilst balancing feet above the audience. There are some school kids joining in and they are so enthusiastic it's infectious.
We eat in the Polynesian restaurant in the hotel tonight, which is really tasty and good value for money.

Saturday 12th June - Vinales Valley
It's a long drive from Havana - 3 hours to be precise but when we get out at the viewing point in Los Jazmines it is worth it. The view is breath-taking. It's very much like the area around the Li River in China with its limestone mountains and lush vegetation. The area is stunning. We have a pina colada (I can see a theme developing here!) and drink in both it and the view for a while. When we get back in the coach we head off to the Cave of the Indian and take a ride on a boat through the underground cave. It's lovely and cool and when come out the other end it feels so bright. After lunch we see the famous mural by Gonzalez on one of the hillsides - supposedly it's one of those Marmite moments, you either love it or you hate it. Well I didn't hate it but I certainly wouldn't say that I loved it, infact the prude in me wanted to say it was vandalism as it looked out of place in it's surroundings and took the natural beauty away.
We ate in the a la carte Sierra Maestro in the hotel tonight. It's not the cheapest of the hotel restaurants but the setting and the view (from the 25th floor) are nice.

Sunday 13th June - Havana
There's only one thing on our pre-planned agenda today and that's a visit to the train museum. I quite like trains but my hubby and 2 others in our party really didn't want to go. However George, the guide who shows us around, is clearly very proud of the museum; he's really witty and knowledgeable and sometimes got excited so he talked so fast Marionella had to ask him to slow down so she could translate! He made it all really interesting and event those doubters ended up enjoying themselves. Emilio (our driver) loved it. It was all very touchy-feely and we were even allowed to go onboard to Castro's engine. Imagine if that had been Churchill; in the UK we'd be told "hands off!!"
We have lunch in the ‘posh' part of Havana at El Aljibe. It's a traditional meal of rice, beans and chicken, and the place is very popular and the food, simple but tasty.
The others in the group are going to the Tropicana Club tonight but to be honest we thought it was over-priced for what it was and opted to catch a taxi back into old Havana and hit some bars. We get the taxi to drop us off at El Floridita, one of Hemmingway's haunts and have the obligatory daiquiri. Afterwards we moved along the road to a smaller local bar called Castillo del Farnes - I'd recommend the sandwiches in here - they were large and filling and ranged from 1.50CUc to 3CUC. Next we moved next door to the Montserrat bar and never looked back - we ended up staying in here all night. Great live Cuban music, everyone dancing - yes us included, the locals just pulled you up! It's a real find - it doesn't look much when you go in but trust me, you'll not find a nicer bunch of staff and patrons. It's after midnight when we catch one of the coco-taxis back to the hotel. What a hoot; never mind the old caddies, you have to try one of these!

Monday 14th June - Sancti Spiritus
Set off for the Montemar Nature Park Reserve and visit a replica Indian village. The boat ride is exhilarating but the village itself was a disappointment, especially after a 3-hour coach ride. It's small and not very well presented. Next up is a crocodile farm and I got to hold a 3-year old and wrap him around my neck. Feeding time was great - so many of them just appear from nowhere. The handlers feed them live crabs and it is a little sad to see them try to run away in vain; but boy what a crunching sound they make. We then head off to out hotel in the country and as we pass by a sign for Trinidad (where we are visiting tomorrow) on the way I'm a little unsure as to why we don't just stay there tonight. I honestly wish we had as when we get there the hotel (Rancho Hatuey) is a dump, our bedroom smells damp and the bathroom had mouldy ceiling tiles. The food was terrible.

Tuesday 15th June - Trinidad
Apparently no-one else in the party was impressed with the hotel either and when we asked her Marionella said that the other road we saw to Trinidad is not a good one for travelling on and so it's best, and more comfortable, to do a big loop and it would have been too late in the evening when we got to Trinidad to stay there last night.
Anyway off we set and the scenery today really is picturesque. Today we visit a museum, which used to belong to one the local rich landowners. It's very interesting and we climb the tower to the second floor for stunning views over the city. We have lunch in Plaza Mayor where a local band is playing. Whilst walking around we've seen a guying filming and it transpires that he's making a video of Cuba for the TUI website. We are actually in some of his shots to have to sign our approval should our ugly mugs get in the final cut. After lunch we visit an artisans market. I get 5 lovely handmade necklaces for only 1CUC. We also buy a painting and our now customary fridge magnet! We also visit a bodega to see where the locals buy the rations. I like Trinidad very much. Many of the buildings are old and run down but very colourful - it's a nice place to wander around and see where the streets take you. Overnight at the Brisas del Mar hotel.

Wednesday 16th June - Cienfeugos
We visit the botanical garden, which is lovely. It's a huge place though and we simply don't have the time to see it all, plus it's 40c today and the heat is energy sapping. The city itself has a different feel to Trinidad, both in the architecture and general feeling. The main square is so clean and all of the buildings have been restored. We find a great artisans shop and spend quite a bit of time in there before heading off to the hotel. I would have liked to wander more but it was simply too hot for me.
We all eat together tonight as a celebration of the last night of the tour in the old part of the hotel and the star of the show there is what our guide called a "national institution" in the shape of Carmelita, the piano playing madam who ‘rules' the house. Now I'm not sure if national institution means something quite different in Cuba but she is hilarious - picture Les Dawson playing the piano and Ronnie Corbett singing and you get the idea. Emilio suggests she sounds like a cat being stabbed!!! Entertainment aside the place is real step back in time, the decor very old and the food is nicely presented. We all stay up late for one of several farewell drinks before heading off for week 2 tomorrow.

Thursday 17th to 24th June - Varadero
Transfer to our AI hotel (Iberostar Varadero - I'll do a separate review) for 7 nights. We're all staying at different hotels and it's seems a little strange to be without the other 4 given that we've lived in each others pockets for the last week. We all got on really well and I'm genuinely sorry we're not all staying the same hotel. We're last off the coach and Emilio us that we have chosen a very nice hotel and wishes us luck in life, which is very nice. I can't refute Emilio as first impressions are very positive, the lobby is very swanky and check in is so quick. The room's not quite ready so we go to sit down but don't even sit there 5 mins and we're shown to our room. As it's our wedding anniversary they have left us a bottle of fizz, which I thought was a nice touch. We unpack and wander around the complex to get acquainted with everything. It looks beautiful, everywhere is very clean and the beach is excellent, the water so warm and blue. I feel quite spoilt.
I'll be honest with you, this place is usually our worst nightmare - to be ‘stuck' on an AI hotel complex is just not for us. We like to be out and about doing things - I'm too fair to sunbathe, he's too fidgety to sit still. Well this time I have to eat my words. This is the perfect antidote to a weeks travelling and it goes something like this -
Day 1 - laze on a sunbed reading, snooze, swim in pool. Hubby as above plus watches England game
Day 2 - laze on a sunbed reading, snooze, swim in pool
Day 3 - laze on a sunbed reading, snooze, swim in pool. Do you see a pattern here?
Day 4 - laze on a sunbed reading, snooze, swim in pool. (Hmm or was it the sea this day???).
Day 5 - laze on a sunbed reading, snooze, swim in pool
Day 6 - laze on a sunbed reading, snooze, swim in pool. Hubby as above plus watches England game - well it's healthy to spend some quality time apart don't you think? Thunderstorm in the afternoon - how VERY rude!!!
Day 7 - wish I could laze on a sunbed reading, snooze, swim in pool but instead have to pack and go home - now THAT is VERY rude!!!!!

So folks if you haven't been to the island then I'd encourage you to go, but whatever you do, please make sure that you get out and visit the real Cuba. I promise you, you won't regret it.