In January 1952, two young men from Buenos Aires set out to explore South America on an ancient Norton motorbike. The journey lasted six months and took them thousands of miles, all the way from Argentina to Venezuela. En route, there was disasters and discoveries, high drama, low comedy, fights, parties and a lot of serious drinking. They met an extraordinary range of people: native indians and copper miners, lepers, police, wanderers and tourists. They became stowaways, firemen and football coaches, and joined in a strike. They sometimes fell in love, and frequently fell off the motorbike. Both of them kept diaries. One of them was a tall and good-looking medical student called Ernest Guevara de la Serna. Using the standard Argentinean nickname, others would sometimes refer to the two companions as Big Che and Little Che. In Ernesto's case, the nickname stuck. Within a decade the whole world would know Che Guevara. This is the story of that remarkable journey, eight years before the Cuban Revolution, in Che's own words, and illustrated with contemporary photographs. For Che, it was a formative experience, and amidst the humour and pathos of the tale, there are examples of his idealism and his solidarity with the poor and the oppressed. But it is far from being the diary of a militant, and sometimes very far from being "political correct", which may be the reason that the manuscript has only been made available now, a quarter century after Che's death in the Bolivian jungle. Instead, it is a record kept by an exuberant, intelligent and observant 23-year-old, describing what might have been the adventure of a lifetime - had his lifetime not turned into a much greater adventure.

Cuba is a continuing education. Just when you think you ve figured it out, it confounds you with another brow-beating riddle. That essentially is its underlying attraction. Brendan Sainsbury, Lonely Planet Writer Our Promise You can trust our travel information because Lonely Planet authors visit the places we write about, each and every edition. We never accept freebies for positive coverage, and you can rely on us to tell it like we see it. Inside This Book 2 authors15 weeks of research300+ beaches35,000 pre-1959 American carsInspirational photosIn-depth backgroundHavana pull-out mapAt-a-glance practical infoComprehensive planning toolsEasy-to-read layout

Carlos Frías, an award-winning journalist and the American-born son of Cuban exiles, grew up hearing about his parents' homeland only in parables. Their Cuba, the one they left behind four decades ago, was ethereal. It existed, for him, only in their anecdotes, and in the family that remained in Cuba -- merely ghosts on the other end of a telephone. Until Fidel Castro fell ill. Sent to Cuba by his newspaper as the country began closing to foreign journalists in August 2006, Frías begins the secret journey of a lifetime -- twelve days in the land of his parents. That experience led to this evocative, spectacular, and unforgettable memoir. Take Me With You is written through the unique eyes of a first-generation Cuban-American seeing the forbidden country of his ancestry for the first time. Take Me With You provides a fresh view of Cuba, devoid of overt political commentary, focusing instead on the gritty, tangible lives of the people living in Castro's Cuba. Frías takes in the island nation of today and attempts to reconstruct what the past was like for his parents, retracing their footsteps, searching for his roots, and discovering his history. The book creates lasting and unexpected ripples within his family on both sides of the Florida Straits -- and on the author himself.

Hike, mountain bike, rock climb, and bird watch in Cuba's picturesque Viñales Valley. See chapter 6. Detailed maps throughout Exact prices, directions, opening hours,and other practical information Candid reviews of hotels and restaurants,plus sights, shopping, and nightlife Itineraries, walking tours, and trip-planning ideas Insider tips from local expert authors

Isadora Tattlin was accustomed to relocating often for her husband’s work. But when he accepted a post in Cuba in the early 1990s, she resolved to keep a detailed diary of her time there, recording her daily experiences as a wife, mother, and foreigner in a land of contraband. The result is a striking, rare glimpse into a tiny country of enormous splendor and squalor. Though the Tattlins are provided with a well-staffed Havana mansion, the store shelves are bare. On the streets, beggars plead for soap, not coins. A vet with few real medical supplies operates on a carved mahogany coffee table in a Louis XIV–style drawing room. The people adore festivity, but Christmas trees are banned. And when Isadora hosts a dinner party whose guest list includes Fidel Castro himself, she observes the ultimate contradiction at the very heart of Cuba. Vividly capturing Cuba’s simultaneously appalling and enchanting essence, Cuba Diaries casts an irresistible spell and lifts the enigma of an island that is trapped in time, but not in spirit.

New, expanded edition: the world's best full-color travel guides just got better. Cuba is now very much on the radar of American travelers. With its fantastic music, unspoiled beaches and vintage American cars, it has a unique identity. This Eyewitness Travel Guide explores Cuba's rich cultural history while giving you all the practical tips you need for a perfect vacation. HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: Packed with photographs, illustrations, and maps Cutaways and floor plans of all the major sights 3-D aerial views of the city's most interesting districts Huge selection of hotels, restaurants, stores, and entertainment venues Specially devised walking tours

Award-winning travel writer Christopher P. Baker highlights Cuba's best lesser-known local hot spots, including Finca Manacas (the birthplace of Fidel Castro), Parque Lennon, and Rumba de Salvador's Alley. He also offers fun and creative travel suggestions, such as A Week in Havana, 10 Best Scenic Drives, and Cars, Cigars, and Cabarets. Moon Cuba provides in-depth information on Havana and complete coverage of the island — tip to tip.

Renowned photographer Michael Eastman pays haunting tribute to Havana's faded glory. In his numerous works, internationally acclaimed photographer Michael Eastman often focuses on the facades and interiors of the world's cities, such as Paris, Rome, and New Orleans. In this book he explores the houses and streets of Havana. Nearly one hundred photographs from the past two decades reveal a world where triumphant past and vanquished present collide. Painterly in quality, these richly colored photographs are dramatically lit and exquisitely detailed. Though mostly devoid of people, they manage to capture contemporary Cuban life through suggestion: an empty chair, an ancient car, a decrepit hallway, a forgotten chandelier. The result is as eloquent as a love poem written to a city rich in history, culture, and feeling.

Streetwise Cuba Map - Laminated Country Road Map of Cuba - Folding pocket size travel mapThis map covers the following areas:Main Cuba Map 1:650,000Habana Map 1:18,000Varadero Map 1:22,000Playas Del Este Map 1:28,000Cuba, the forbidden fruit of countries, is famous for cigars, colonial architecture, Communism, and 1950’s cars still careening thru the streets.We hear it’s a great place to visit with its lush unspoiled terrain and friendly towns but for most Americans, it’s off limits. Unless you have a general or specific license, you may be in violation of the US Travel Ban to Cuba. To get a license, you need to prove you're a govenment official traveling on official business, a journalist, on a religious or humanitarian mission, a realtive of a Cuban citizen, an athlete or doing research (map research doesn't apply, we checked). Even these requirements have strict guidlines. It's not the traveling that's the problem, it's spending US dolIars that will get you in trouble. The Department of Treasury can impose fines up to $55,000 under the Trading with the Enemy Act. Americans may not be able to legally travel to Cuba, but it’s so lovely and relatively undeveloped that it’s the number one warm weather destination for Canadians. Europeans also arrive by the planeful to take advantage of the relaxed atmosphere, inexpensive prices and, frankly, the lack of Americans.So how did the STREETWISE® Cuba Map come about? This is the only map that was not physically researched by our in-house team. In fact, we out-sourced the work to a British cartographic firm that, assured by separate fact checkers from Canada, did an accurate job of drawing the road network of Cuba found on the map front and preparing the detailed expanded inset maps of Havana, Varadero, and Playas del Este, which are located on the map backside. The Cuba map is complete with index for hotels, sites, parks and streets.We hope to one day visit Cuba when the travel ban is lifted. Until then we study the Cuba map and plan our itinerary.Our pocket size map of Cuba is also laminated for durability and accordion folding for effortless use. The STREETWISE® Cuba map is one of several detailed and easy-to-read country road maps published by STREETWISE®. Buy your STREETWISE® Cuba map today and you too can navigate Cuba like a native. For a larger selection of our detailed travel maps simply type STREETWISE MAPS into the Amazon search bar.

Intrigued by the many disparate views of Cuba, Zoe Bran visits this country of contradictions. Interweaving history and current events, personal and wider viewpoints, she paints a vivid and compelling picture of contemporary Cuba.