Cuba, a place to visit… but just take care

I went to Cuba a year ago with the idea to explore this small island in the middle of the Caribbean. I also wanted to learn about the lives of the people and how the old revolutionary idea from the communist President, Fidel Castro, influences them. The purpose was to stay with a Cuban family to try to understand how they lived, but what I found was something different to what I expected.

It is a beautiful country, with amazing beaches and weather. The capital, La Habana has a lot of historical places to visit, a big bay and a really great graveyard with breathtaking monuments. But nobody tells you about what they think about the revolution and the Government, it is forbidden.  If you want to know about communism, you have to go to the small towns, where the people are nicer and always want to speak to you about how you live and the benefits that we have in our countries.

The Cubans cannot get out from Cuba because they can’t escape from the Government. They cannot use the internet. Tourists can use it if they show their passport, and it is really expensive and slow.  

Cuba is a monopoly, everything is own by the Government. You cannot find advertisements because they only have one brand of everything: sodas, beers, rum, rice, tobacco, etc. The only ads that you can find are related to Fidel Castro and his “revolution”. They manage with two types of currencies, the money that tourists use and money that the Cubans use.  

It is not permitted to walk with a Cuban on the street, only with official Cuban guides. If the police see you with a Cuban, they think that they are trying to cheat you. Not all the Cubans are poor people, you can find rich families but all are related to the government.

The majority of people are poor and when they see a tourist they always try to ask you for money, milk or toiletries. But this is not the worst part, if you ask for some advice to find a good local restaurant they always try to cheat you with the most expensive restaurants, which often don’t have Cuban food.  They are friends of the owner and always receive something for each foreigner they bring in.

If you want to find the cheapest way to get to Havana, they always tell you the most expensive route. You have to pay for everything, no free museums, no free cathedrals, no free monuments, no free anything. At the end of the day, the only thing that they want from you is your money.

It is a really good place to understand and to be grateful for what you have.

Medina, you have to visit it before you die

It is holy city for all Muslims over the world, so it is consider second choice after Mecca. Both of these holy cities are located in Saudi Arabia. It is a bit overcrowded and overpriced in Ramadan and Hajj seasons, these are two specific months, most of Muslims prefer to visit the holy places at. However, it is a good value for money if tourists come at a different time.

 

Medina has areas and suburbs which surrounded by hugh mounts such as Uhod and Ayr, all  this areas have very different characters and identities. I would recommend visiting prophet Mohammed mosque and make sure you book a hotel near to it. Do not miss visiting sultana street which located in city centre. where you can found different restaurant to eat in and many coffee to drink in, but I suggest going straight to Albaik restaurant which serve a the best traditional fray chicken meals in whole middle east

 

It has Islamic University in Madinah which is the biggest one around the world , it graduates more than 2500 students every year. No body deny that Medina has a long tradition of welcoming visitors student from around the world, many of whom have settled here permanently
 

I found it a safe place to live and is home to community, because of a diverse and multi-ethnic society, where students of all backgrounds are welcome and their involvement in local communities is valued
 

One thing to be wary of is having a private car very important to travel from place to place , because Madina does not have public transport . also wearing a scarf for women whom want visit Medina .

Have you been lucky enough to visit my hometown?!

" Babol " is one of the most famous cities in the north of Iran. History of this city goes back to around one thouthand years ago when it was a trading centre for people who used to buy or sell goods from east to west because of it's stratetigcal situation. Financial and business related jobs have always been very popular there. Also the north of Iran is an agricultural centre and vital for supplying food for all Iranians. There are lots of villages around babol where plenty of farms are located which most of them are rice farms. Furthermore, orange, apple and fruit are other produces there.The city is surrounded by northerns woods and also located between Alborz mountain range and Caspian sea which is the largest inland lake in the world. Because of this geographical situation the weather is usually rainy and very humid. Some villages are built on the top of the Alborz which means approximately more than 3000 meter higher than sea surface. There are very popular place for holidays because of pure nature and a new experience of relaxation over the clouds! The scenery is stunning which means you can sea also Caspian sea from that height and also northern woods and mountain in one single view.
This city is well-known as " The city of orange blossoms " . During spring everywhere is covered with smell of orange blossoms which come from orange trees. Local people make different products such as jam,syrup and drink from this blossom.

Historical background of the city is about two communities of Muslim and Jewish people. This fact affects on the appearance of the buildings which means some of them belong to Islamic architecture and some of them to Jewish ones. Some buildings, bridges and neighbourhoods plus one musuem are useful places for finding lots of information about them.
Folks in this area have been interested in different arts like painting,music and calligraphy. However lots of sport champions are from this city especially in wrestling, Taekwondo, wightlifting and football and sports are very important to local people.

Don Benito, the lively city of Extremadura

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Extremadura is the Spanish area located north of Andalucia and east of Portugal. Don Benito is one of the biggest villages in this area, with a population around 33,000 habitants. It is just one hour far from Badajoz and half an hour far from the capital of Extremadura: Merida, widely known city because of its Roman ruins.

However, people don't need to go to the main cities to find important fashion shops, shoe shops, jewellers... Don Benito is considered the heart of shopping for all villages close to it. The shopping area is concentrated around the city centre, where it is forbidden the traffic. So it's the perfect place to forget the car, leave the stress of the “big city” behind and enjoy a long walk looking around.

But if your passion is the food, there are many restaurants where it is offered typical Spanish food. Don't forget taste Serrano ham and the other special pork products, widely known in all this area thanks to their quality and excellent flavour.

Yet if you are a Cosmopolitan person and you love fast food restaurants, don't freak out! McDonalds doesn't exist there, but there are many others that you can enjoy as well.

The weather, the nightlife and Cultural activities are other attractions that you will find in this warm and lively city. 

Avenida de la Constitucion

Come and visit me in Germany!

I live in a beautiful little town in the North of Germany called Bodenburg. This area is definitely worth a visit. There are numerous things to do. On the one hand you can enjoy all the advantages of a buzzing city nearby being just one hour away from Hanover and on the other hand you have the opportunity to just stay in town and experience idyllic country life. It's an amazing and unique adventure to go there. It's particularly good for people who prefer to spend their holidays off the beaten track and who are looking for special places. Going for a stroll in the vast fields in the sunset is a must. If you fancy doing sports then I'd recommend you to go for a run or join the local football club. Make sure to go to a game on Sunday. The team has lots of fans for a small town and they love to make a gigantic spectacle of it especially at season's end. You should also try going to some of the local pubs where they offer you refreshing drinks, delicious food and interesting company. I suggest that you go there on a Saturday evening. But as stunning as this small town is, it is also simply that: small. If you are from a big city and enjoy the vibrant life there, then probably staying in my town for a long time wouldn't make you happy. It doesn't offer you nightclubs, cinemas or highclass bars. But if you look behind the "boring small town facade" then you have the possibilty to experience what it means to live in a community.

Where I live ...

France,

I live in one of the smallest cities in «Greater» Paris. It seems like a small city, especially for the area but I really enjoy living there, it's not a typical town. It’s located in the South-East of Paris and it’s beside the Parisian wood : le bois de Vincennes.

I live in a flat in front of the city's shop, therefore it's easier when you need something.
I live just beside a river (the one that goes through Paris as well, called La Marne), it's great because it feels a bit like the country side, you can feed some ducks or swans, you can ride your bike without paying attention to the traffic and there are some squares for the children.
There is a primary school next to my flat and it still has its old entrance which gives more personality to my town. Also the town hall is pretty old. However we have a modern church which I don't like at all but since it's not near my flat I don't mind that much.

City Hall

There are many events throughout the year, most of them are for the children. Sometimes it can also be cultural, when different countries from Europe meet and celebrate their friendship. In my town for instance, we are paired with one city in Germany, Italy and Switzerland.
If you want you can participate in many activities, it can be sports like tennis or sewing in a club. And our library is big and diverse especially for a small town.
There is also a well-known hospital called “Esquirol” where Victor Hugo's daughter has been. Most of the hospital's buildings are for mental illnesses and it's located on a small hill.
I love living there because it's not a big city and there's not many things to do. Nevertheless, Paris is not far away by car or even by train. You can easily go there if you want to go out with your friends or family. However there are also a lot of restauranst in the street beside mine (Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Italian, French) if you don’t want to go too far away.

I think my town is a great place to live near Paris without feeling all the stress from a capital.