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A Maverick Cuban Way
A Maverick Cuban Way
is a flowing narrative of Cuba after the Castros.
In her Maverick fashion, Mary Jane went to Cuba on a whim. A solo traveller, she met someone who suggested a casa run by a woman named Mikalena. Mary Jane travelled around the Island on local buses.
She went to the Bay of Pigs museum and discovered that American-backed rebels had landed in a crocodile swamp. No one told her the Cuban Flag was American in origin.
Her most memorable experience was of hiking to Fidel Castro's hideout from the CIA in the Sierra Maestra with a guide discussing socialism, the Revolution, and every fifteen minutes a different type of plant.
Mikalena's son was a doctor, as one in every 150 people in Cuba are. Mikalena practised voodoo black magic.
Mary Jane went to the Cuba's Guantanamo lookout and took photos of secret photos from inside the American base. Later, she met the son-in-law of one of the American marines in the photos.
Most importantly she met people who were happy, given food by the Government, saw no homelessness and children who are all well.
She danced Salsa in Havana, smoked cigars and hung out in Hemingway's hangout, the Caf� Floradita.
With 247 maps, photos and other images.
BY THE AUTHOR OF A MAVERICK NEW ZEALAND WAY, FINALIST IN THE TRAVEL CATEGORY, INTERNATIONAL BOOK AWARDS, 2018.
In her Maverick fashion, Mary Jane went to Cuba on a whim. A solo traveller, she met someone who suggested a casa run by a woman named Mikalena. Mary Jane travelled around the Island on local buses.
She went to the Bay of Pigs museum and discovered that American-backed rebels had landed in a crocodile swamp. No one told her the Cuban Flag was American in origin.
Her most memorable experience was of hiking to Fidel Castro's hideout from the CIA in the Sierra Maestra with a guide discussing socialism, the Revolution, and every fifteen minutes a different type of plant.
Mikalena's son was a doctor, as one in every 150 people in Cuba are. Mikalena practised voodoo black magic.
Mary Jane went to the Cuba's Guantanamo lookout and took photos of secret photos from inside the American base. Later, she met the son-in-law of one of the American marines in the photos.
Most importantly she met people who were happy, given food by the Government, saw no homelessness and children who are all well.
She danced Salsa in Havana, smoked cigars and hung out in Hemingway's hangout, the Caf� Floradita.
With 247 maps, photos and other images.
BY THE AUTHOR OF A MAVERICK NEW ZEALAND WAY, FINALIST IN THE TRAVEL CATEGORY, INTERNATIONAL BOOK AWARDS, 2018.
261 pages, Paperback
Published August 30, 2017
9 people are currently reading
47 people want to read
About the author
Mary Jane Walker
31 books29 followersMary Jane Walker is a writer of historically well-informed travel stories that come with an autobiographical flavour.
Mary Jane first experienced world travel in an unusual way, as part of the crew on a 60-ton Chinese junk named La Dame de Canton, built in the old way to revive a dying art. La Dame de Canton sailed from Canton, now Guangzhou, to Paris in the early 1980s. Just as in the old days of exploration by sail, the voyage took a couple of years to complete, with many stops along the way for fresh water and supplies, and, yes, for repairs as well.
This was the first time such a small Chinese junk had made the voyage from East to West, a voyage which included blue-water sailing across the Indian Ocean.
Mary Jane travels with no real plans and decides where to go and see next when she gets there. She likes to explore the culture and history of places that are off the beaten track as well as places that are well known, and to talk to the local people.
By the time she sat down to write her books, Mary Jane had travelled the world, from the Arctic Circle to work as a park ranger on an uninhabited island administered by New Zealand’s Department of Conservation. She had accumulated suitcases fully of photo albums, loose photographs, correspondence, and souvenirs. She had also spent two years (mostly naked) on La Dame de Canton; drunk hallucinogenic tea in the Amazon rainforest; and got so lost she ended up at Robin Hood’s hiding-place.
Among other adventures, Mary Jane has also walked to Mount Everest Base Camp and seen the work and life of Sherpas; respectfully observed the life of many churches, temples and mosques; traversed various parts of the pilgrimage trails of the Camino de Europa; explored the stunning landscapes of New Zealand; visited remote parts of the Arctic while pulled by a team of dogs; travelled around Cuba the hard way; examined the downfall and renewal of the American inner city, and interviewed protestors at Standing Rock. All the while, meeting amazing people along the way.
Her first book, A Maverick Traveller, is Mary Jane’s most autobiographical. A Maverick Traveller also introduces many of the journeys that Mary Jane describes in her later books.
As the book’s précis explains, whether it was eating dog unintentionally in Indonesia, meeting the rapper 50 Cent before he was famous at a back-packers, or kicking a US nuclear submarine in New Zealand, A Maverick Traveller is filled with the unique stories and experiences of Mary Jane Walker. Mary Jane has travelled to all corners of the globe: to large cities, rural villages and tiny unknown islands off the coast of continents.
All true travellers are mavericks, and explorers: people who rough it, often alone, to get to certain places before the tourists follow. And who rough it even more to get to other places where the tourists are never going to go.
She joined the Junk Expedition because she fell in love with the Captain, Niels, then found herself naked on a Chinese Junk sailing under a state of emergency into Diego Garcia. They had run out of food, had been eating rice and drinking saltwater for ten days; soaked on the boat. The sails were ripped.
A Maverick Traveller is the first in an expanding series of books, all with Maverick in their title namely, A Maverick:
New Zealand Way
Cuban Way
Pilgrim Way
USA Way
Inuit Way and the Vikings
Himalayan Way, and
Australian Way,
all in 2017.
Mary Jane first experienced world travel in an unusual way, as part of the crew on a 60-ton Chinese junk named La Dame de Canton, built in the old way to revive a dying art. La Dame de Canton sailed from Canton, now Guangzhou, to Paris in the early 1980s. Just as in the old days of exploration by sail, the voyage took a couple of years to complete, with many stops along the way for fresh water and supplies, and, yes, for repairs as well.
This was the first time such a small Chinese junk had made the voyage from East to West, a voyage which included blue-water sailing across the Indian Ocean.
Mary Jane travels with no real plans and decides where to go and see next when she gets there. She likes to explore the culture and history of places that are off the beaten track as well as places that are well known, and to talk to the local people.
By the time she sat down to write her books, Mary Jane had travelled the world, from the Arctic Circle to work as a park ranger on an uninhabited island administered by New Zealand’s Department of Conservation. She had accumulated suitcases fully of photo albums, loose photographs, correspondence, and souvenirs. She had also spent two years (mostly naked) on La Dame de Canton; drunk hallucinogenic tea in the Amazon rainforest; and got so lost she ended up at Robin Hood’s hiding-place.
Among other adventures, Mary Jane has also walked to Mount Everest Base Camp and seen the work and life of Sherpas; respectfully observed the life of many churches, temples and mosques; traversed various parts of the pilgrimage trails of the Camino de Europa; explored the stunning landscapes of New Zealand; visited remote parts of the Arctic while pulled by a team of dogs; travelled around Cuba the hard way; examined the downfall and renewal of the American inner city, and interviewed protestors at Standing Rock. All the while, meeting amazing people along the way.
Her first book, A Maverick Traveller, is Mary Jane’s most autobiographical. A Maverick Traveller also introduces many of the journeys that Mary Jane describes in her later books.
As the book’s précis explains, whether it was eating dog unintentionally in Indonesia, meeting the rapper 50 Cent before he was famous at a back-packers, or kicking a US nuclear submarine in New Zealand, A Maverick Traveller is filled with the unique stories and experiences of Mary Jane Walker. Mary Jane has travelled to all corners of the globe: to large cities, rural villages and tiny unknown islands off the coast of continents.
All true travellers are mavericks, and explorers: people who rough it, often alone, to get to certain places before the tourists follow. And who rough it even more to get to other places where the tourists are never going to go.
She joined the Junk Expedition because she fell in love with the Captain, Niels, then found herself naked on a Chinese Junk sailing under a state of emergency into Diego Garcia. They had run out of food, had been eating rice and drinking saltwater for ten days; soaked on the boat. The sails were ripped.
A Maverick Traveller is the first in an expanding series of books, all with Maverick in their title namely, A Maverick:
New Zealand Way
Cuban Way
Pilgrim Way
USA Way
Inuit Way and the Vikings
Himalayan Way, and
Australian Way,
all in 2017.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 30, 2018
New Zealand author Mary Jane Walker was part way through the US journey which makes up the rollercoaster ride of a tale which is A Maverick US Way, when she decides to fly to Havana from Florida while she still can.
Her Cuban story begins in a “Casa particular” – a homestay – run by the wonderful Mikelena. Despite Mikelena having limited English, and Mary Jane limited Spanish, they get on like sisters, and this friendship leads to many of the adventures Mary Jane recounts in this book, A Maverick Cuban Way.
She spends Christmas in Havana, which is alive with Salsa dancers and festivity. From there she uses local buses to make her way around Cuba. The Casas have contacts right across the country, so Mary Jane never is short of a bed. On her travels she Fidel Castro’ss hideout in the Sierra Maestra mountains; discusses Cuban Socialism with a guide, who also points out native plants and Hummingbirds in between.
Mary Jane’s travel memoirs are always interesting, as she travels without a set plan, and makes a point of talking with as many locals as she can along the way to try and get a real sense of their lives and viewpoints. A Maverick Cuban Way is a fun-filled tale of people, places, history and another unplanned adventure in her extensive series.
Her Cuban story begins in a “Casa particular” – a homestay – run by the wonderful Mikelena. Despite Mikelena having limited English, and Mary Jane limited Spanish, they get on like sisters, and this friendship leads to many of the adventures Mary Jane recounts in this book, A Maverick Cuban Way.
She spends Christmas in Havana, which is alive with Salsa dancers and festivity. From there she uses local buses to make her way around Cuba. The Casas have contacts right across the country, so Mary Jane never is short of a bed. On her travels she Fidel Castro’ss hideout in the Sierra Maestra mountains; discusses Cuban Socialism with a guide, who also points out native plants and Hummingbirds in between.
Mary Jane’s travel memoirs are always interesting, as she travels without a set plan, and makes a point of talking with as many locals as she can along the way to try and get a real sense of their lives and viewpoints. A Maverick Cuban Way is a fun-filled tale of people, places, history and another unplanned adventure in her extensive series.
January 4, 2019
I read this book because I, (with 2 other friends) am going to Cuba (by way of boat leaving Charlestown, NC) in 2020. This book was written in 2016. So, I am anticipating more changes made there. The author says they are making good progress in renovating wonderful architectural buildings. She however, explored the entire island. This trip only includes departing at Havana. Which is OK because that is where my cousins lived for a few years when growing up. Their father, an American, was there to help the Cuban people with any agriculture problems, at least that is what I was told.
Also, Ernest Hemmingway was a big fan of Cuba and the people there liked him too. I have read his books and his wife's books. It will be fun to see the 1950's cars, leftovers from before Castro took over Cuba and no more American cars were aloud into the country. They could not obtain parts, but they were able to keep them running. I read this on a Kindle, but the pictures that Mary Jane took and collected from other areas were all black & white and very small. I would like to see the hard back copy to look at the pictures better.
Also, Ernest Hemmingway was a big fan of Cuba and the people there liked him too. I have read his books and his wife's books. It will be fun to see the 1950's cars, leftovers from before Castro took over Cuba and no more American cars were aloud into the country. They could not obtain parts, but they were able to keep them running. I read this on a Kindle, but the pictures that Mary Jane took and collected from other areas were all black & white and very small. I would like to see the hard back copy to look at the pictures better.
January 23, 2019
This was a moderately informative book on Cuba, however the photos were difficult to see in the kindle version and the typos and grammatical errors are numerous. Very few of the photos seem to be the authors, but rather public domain photos from the internet. I don’t know if this is because the author didn’t travel with a camera or because maybe photography is restricted in Cuba. She didn’t really say. I plan to travel to Cuba soon and appreciated the history and the geographical information.
July 7, 2018
Well written and great photos
The research the author presents you with is amazing. Will not be deleting this book. You can enlarge the photos to get to see all the details. Anxious to see more of her books.
The research the author presents you with is amazing. Will not be deleting this book. You can enlarge the photos to get to see all the details. Anxious to see more of her books.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews