The journey from Guardalavaca to Holguin is beautiful

From Guardalavaca on the coast you go into the hills on a road which is in good condition

Here you see the Cuban peasants working on the banana plantations, gardens and orchards

Their thatched huts (bohios) are in small valleys with royal palms

On the green pastures graze cattle and sheep

Landing on airport Frank Pais in Holguin

Click on the video and you see the plane landing at 

airport "Frank Pais" in Holguin

The hill "Loma de la Cruz" in Holguin is accessed via a staircase with 458 steps

When you visit Holguin for the first time and don`t see 'Loma de la Cruz' has Holguin not seen is a saying

The hill is located 2km from the center and has 458 steps and joggers use this stair as training

The straight staircase has come finished in 1950 and has decorative ornate benches after every twelve steps

You can also go by car on a road on the west side of the hill

Franciscan Monks have made here a Calvary in 1790

The hill is 275 m above sea level and usually you feel here

a fresh breeze from the sea  

You have wonderful views of the mountains and Holguin

"Socialism or death" was our first introduction to Cuba

Cuba in sight

After landing at the airport in Holguin the first we saw from the airplane

was the text "Socialismo o muerte" (Socialism or death)

My stomach turned around and I wondered what we were getting into

Two women, my husband and I were the only passengers who get out the plane because the rest flew to Havana 1.000 km. further away

We were the only passenger plane, further we saw only military aircraft

At the stairs were soldiers with impressive guns and dogs

waiting to guide us to the arrival hall

(Today, the wall is painted white and there are no soldiers at the plane)

Customs examined each passport thoroughly and after

this ritual the door opened

With a loud bang the door fell behind me and I couldn't see my husband

I was very pleased when he came through the door after some time

Then we went to the baggage claim where the dogs walked

sniffing at every suitcase and bag

Then the dogs turned circles around us while the soldiers watched

Such "welcome" we've never had

Luckily we got our bags quickly and the holiday could begin

It was an impressive holiday and we`ve been back in

Cuba several times since then

Holguin