Bienvenida a nuestra final instalment de Cuba, tierra de salsa, canción, y puros.

We left Cayo Santa Maria with mixed feelings; it had been a very relaxing 3 days with the nicest room, best shower and everything easily available (except internet and phone access!) but we knew that it wasn't the 'real' Cuba and so were happy to get back to the sights, sounds and smells of the laughing locals, their music and the dogs, chickens and horse and carts. We made date, time and price arrangements with the same taxi driver that delivered us to Cato Santa Maria before he left us before Christmas (in the old American car which people at the hotel wanted their photos taken with). He charged us less than half what the hotel quoted and even stopped en route for us to visit a lady at her home and to pick up a silver charm we'd commissioned in Remedios the week before. This lady wouldn't give us a price for the charm, leaving it up to us what to pay; we agreed that £12 would be reasonable considering she'd made it especially but she then said it was too much and gave us 40 cigars to balance the deal. Her daughter had told her we would let her down but she knew we wouldn't.

Our last stop before returning to Havana was in Cienfuegos, back down on the Caribbean south coast again. Here we were able to post 3 blogs, make a couple of phone calls and buy our bus ticket to Havana. There was also time to have a look around the city and hunt down another toasted tuna fish sandwich, washed down with a mojito. We left our Casa on the last morning with our luggage on a horse and cart and clip-clopped the half mile to the bus station.

We got back to Havana with a day and a half to spare before our flight on to Mexico. We were happy to lose ourselves in the mass of shabby streets of the old city again, revisiting our favourite cafe where we again ordered prawns in batter served in a half pineapple (one portion enough for two and costing about £4). We also caught a bus that went out to some of the beaches to the east of Havana, although the original plan was to get a ferry across the estuary and do a walk from a fort to a lighthouse; we gave up on this when after 2 ferries we ended up back at where we started!

A few final thoughts on Cuba - this has been one of the best countries we've ever visited. It's got the most friendly people who have learned to live together through many years of hardship. It's also totally safe; we never felt threatened at any time, even at night in the most dimly lit and dilapidated streets in Havana. The main risks, we read about but didn't experience, are petty theft of property from hotel rooms and pick-pocketing in crowded places.

We loved staying in the Casas rather than in hotels. Casa owners have developed their own informal network and are very happy to make recommendations and to book rooms at your next destination(s). Our lady in Havana also contacted us to check we were having a good time when we were at the other end of the island and initially spent 2 hours with us when we first arrived going through our plan without any charge.

It's been really easy to travel around Cuba independently with good bus links but some long journeys. As we've written, taxis can work out no more expensive than a bus and can save time but are often shared with other people.

We were also pleased to see little or even no racism as Cuban families have evolved through mixed marriages over the last 100 years.

If you've been inspired to come here, go soon as Cuba is changing quickly (or wait for the photos which may put you off!) and try to avoid the more wet and humid summer months. We've had just 2 hours of rain and both day and night temperatures have been consistently around 25-30oC. If you do go, we'd suggest taking things with you to give to people who provide exceptional service; there will be many and they really appreciate gifts from Europe. Linda took 30 nail varnishes which were very well received but clothes and basic toiletries are also appreciated.

We're writing this on Dec 30th, the day we leave Cuba so will be in Mexico by the time we can get it onto the website which means that you'll read it only after New Years Eve. So, just in case, we hope you had a great New Year and wish you all the best for 2014.

Adios amigos y hasta la victoria siempre!

Love from Tony and Linda xx