Cuba From the Inside Out - Part 3a. - Day One

We selected a two day excursion from the Air Canada brochure after hearing a description from the rep. It was called "Rambo Tour" also "Topes de Collantes Overnight" and was summarized as two days exploring Cuba's natural beauty. Day one would encompass a tour of the cities Cienfuegos and Trinidad on the southern and Caribbean side. Day two was a trip to a nature park (requiring a bit of walking), a cigar factory and the Che Guevara mausoleum. We soon learned that these tours are not alway as described.

Our bus trip began at 8:15 a.m. when we were picked up at our hotel.  This was followed by a long and bumpy, but educational ride through the countryside, with our first rest stop at about 10:45. I was overjoyed to see (after paying my tip) that the two cubicle women's baño had just that....two cubicles, no doors, no flushing. Two women were allowed to go at a time and were followed by a local with a bucket of water...interesting.  On the other hand, by now who could be picky? After a few more hours on the bus, we reached the south side of Cuba, the Caribbean side. It was lovely and warm.

Sugar Cane

Lots of horses

Here, we learned about the city of Cienfuegos, built by the French in the 19th century. Our guide explained that this is considered the most important Cuban city. It is a chief seaport and the centre of the sugar, coffee and tobacco trade. The downtown area contains over 300 magnificent buildings from the 1800's and became recognized by Unesco as a heritage site in 2005.

Arco de Triunfo

Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception

A theatre and college

 Might be a hotel...not sure

After a short visit to the cathedral and a quick look through the shopping area, we espied it. Must be the Cuban version of Timmies. We recognized it instantly by the lineup.  Not sure whether the troops were also anticipating coffee, trying to keep the line orderly or keeping an eye on the tourists.

Sadly, the half hour we were given in this city was far too short...all the rest of the people on our bus were in agreement. On the other hand, it was nearing 2 p.m. and definitely time for some lunch. We ate outdoors under a bamboo roof on our way to Trinidad. I believe the stop was called Los Almendros. The flies were plentiful, the food really wasn't, but at this point, nobody cared. The surroundings were interesting and scenic.

Dining area...help yourself to what you can find

Welcome cocktail was a nice touch

"This is nothing, I've survived the Capilano Bridge."

Bamboo...grows almost a metre in 24 hours.

After lunch, it was on to Trinidad, a city that has been a Unesco heritage site since 1988. Founded in the 1500's by the Spaniards, this is a city rich with history. In the 1800's, the town's fifty six sugar mills were run at the hands of slaves. Nowadays, Trinidad's main industry is tobacco processing.

We went on a walking tour of the town and entered several museums including the Museo Nacional de la Lucha Contra Bandidos. It contained photos, uniforms, weapons and other items of male interest. Walking was challenging, on uneven roads made of stone that had once been used as ship ballasts. It all added to the town history and charm but did nothing for our aching soles. We spent much more time than was necessary in this particular city and even got to enjoy a power outage in the early evening (hence one good reason to carry a flashlight as mentioned in my tripadvisor review of Breezes Bella Costa).

Original steps where slaves were sold

Streets made with stones from ship
ballasts...good luck walking

Not exactly as even as cobblestone,
but fit for a donkey

OK, so it wasn't quite the cigar factory tour we envisioned

Hubby scores a freshly rolled freebie thanks to
his note/picture taking observant wife.

Bell tower of San Francisco de Asis. We climbed to
the very, very top on the scariest, most rickety,
decreasing in size wooden triangles we ever saw.
Watch your head!

The view of the Escambray mountains in background and the
city of Trinidad was almost worth the climb...almost. Now, to
get back down...the real challenge began.

A few more hours on the bus and on to the hotel. What a pleasant surprise. The bus chugged, and I do mean chugged up and around as it climbed into the heights toward Hotel Los Helechos, our gorgeous hotel in the Escambray mountains. Of course, I wrote a tripadvisor review entitled, "Better Than Our Veradero Resort". Wish we could have had more time there especially now that I see other traveller photos on the tripadvisor site.

Cuba From the Inside Out - Part 2 - Havana

We had heard that Havana, the capital city with a population of 3 million was a must on any trip to Cuba. Truer words were never spoken. What an amazing experience. The history and the architecture were fantastic. Even the bus trip enroute was interesting as we learned much about the small towns, agriculture, education, industry and people.

Our first baño stop included an all important pina colada taste testing. We were told it was the best and made from real pineapples and coconuts not just bar mix. Yes, it was good. By the way, should you wish to see toilet paper in public rest rooms in Cuba...bring mucho dinero in change for tips.

After we crossed through a tunnel under the Havana Harbor we passed the  bronzed sculpture of  Cuban patriot Máximo Gómez who had fled his birthplace, the Dominican Republic, during earlier battles with the Spanish. 

Downtown, there were many exquisite buildings, sculptures and of course, old cars. Apparently all the lovely memorable 50's Chevys are now sporting Asian parts and engines. Nonetheless, an unforgettable sight.              

On the left is the National Capitol building currently undergoing renovations.

The famed Revolution Square measures 72,000 square metres. We were told that Fidel Castro addressed more than a million Cubans here and spoke for over 10 hours.

The José Marti  Memorial is a huge monument which towers over the square. Marti was a Cuban national hero, political activist, intellectual and author. He dedicated his short life to political independence for Cuba. After his death, one of his poems was adapted to the well known song, Guantanamera, considered a patriotic song of Cuba.  

We went to the Fort El Morro with a gorgeous view of old and new Havana. The fort is a landmak and guards the entrance to Havana Bay. There were many very relaxed dogs lying around wherever we went.

Our lunch was served as Los Doce Apostoles, a charming restaurant on the grounds. We were serenaded with music as we ate a most delicious noodle salad, a meal of chicken, fish, rice and plantain with two drinks and ice cream for dessert. Best meal of the entire week!

After lunch we travelled to San Francisco square and the basilica. The square is currently home to the United Buddy Bears, a display to promote living together in peace and harmony. There are bears to represent all countries recognized by the United nations. Here's a great link to see all the bears, their countries, designs and artist names more closely. (Copy and paste...I don't know how to make it just open)
http://www.buddy-baer.com/united-buddy-bears/united-buddy-bears-show/united-buddy-bears-show.html

Of course, no tour of Havana would be complete without seeing some of Ernest Hemingway's old haunts and new friends.

From historical murals, to famed architecture and unusual mailboxes, all things Havana were worth seeing and experiencing.

Cuba From the Inside Out - Part 1

We were recently on a one week trip to Cuba. Hubby hadn't been before, the price was right and the resort in Veradero looked ok. I wrote a tripadvisor review which was rejected. Imagine...my first review in over forty that was returned for "offensive content". I suppose they didn't like my comments about shirtless men and pajama clad women in the dining room. Either that, or it was my suggestion that people bring their own kleenex since in all likelihood they'd be wearing short sleeves. What can I say? I've been ill and I was in a mood.

So today's blog is a bit about the resort in photos with comments. The resort review can be found on tripadvisor.ca , Breezes Bella Costa, Veradero and my title is "Hotel Hints, Tips and Tours".  I did not re-submit photos when I edited my review but I'll put them on here.

Veradero, on the Atlantic Ocean side of the island has some of the best beaches I've ever seen. We spent one day splashing in the waves. No photos were taken while in the water, however.

After our tour days, we relaxed by the pool and enjoyed the entertainment. There were shows during the day and also on an outdoor stage at night. 

Unusual image...hubby relaxing

Poolside entertainment

                                                                                               

When we returned to our room, the maid had created a blanket/towel gorilla to which we added one of Adam's Cuban purchases. He really did miss his puppy, but found a temporary replacement at one of the hotel gift shops.

After dinner, we went to watch the sunset from a gazebo

.

 The sun was slightly hidden by mountains in the distance. More on the mountains later.

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

Today I finished the book, "The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry". I began to read it yesterday. It's simple, it's short, and it's different. By the time I'd completed the story, I also found myself with a five page booklist and about half a dozen google worthy topics which I'm interested in researching further.

A friend of mine visited the World's Biggest Bookstore before it closed its doors for good last year. At that time, we shared a lengthy discussion about the future of books and bookstores in their current form. Part of this story explores that issue. In fact, The Washington Post review describes, "The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry" as ..."optimistic about the future of books and bookstores and the people who love both."

Each chapter is given the title of a story, the date it was published, and the author's name. There's a brief comment or synopsis along with  A.J. Fikry's take on how it somehow relates to his current situation.

The novel moves quickly and spans a large amount of time, sixteen years I believe, in it's short 258 pages.  A.J. Fikry is the proprieter of a small book shop on Alice Island near Hyannis. At age 39, he is angry, anti social, and despondent over circumstances in his life. When he appears to be at his lowest point, something unusual happens. He develops an unlikely friendship with the police chief and is left with an even more incredible responsibility in his life.

I thought there was a bit of a slow start and a gap in development of characters at the beginning of the book. For a long time, I didn't feel I had enough information to visualize the protagonists as I like to do.  I couldn't think of a single friend, relative, movie star etc. that could portray these people for me as I read. I tried, but failed. Nonetheless, I read on. A few of the early situations seemed too simplistic and easily solved. Having said all that, I like to think that I'm a great predictor of potential outcomes. For some reason, this book caught me by surprise as I was slammed with a gasp-worthy event at the end of part one. It made sense, but for some reason, I didn't see it coming.

As a summary, I can say that this book is at times depressing, humorous, and thought provoking. It's not always predictable. The solutions are not always happy, but satisfactory. There are many references to both adult and young adult literature. I would recommend it for a quick, light read. Having said all that, since it's a New York Times best seller, can a movie be far behind? I hope that's the case because I'd really like to see which actors would be portraying the characters that I can't seem to envision.

Isn't It Simply About Respect?

I know I've ranted about clothing styles, pajamas in public, jeans, leggings worn as pants and so on. Whereas I'm not one to present myself as any kind of fashionista, I do make an effort when such is warranted. I had this discussion with both my daughter and my hubby recently.

While she was away, my daughter attempted to dress in a more formal, covered up style which is the custom in Curacao. She did this for two reasons. One was that it was her adopted country and she wanted to fit in. Despite the heat, people dress modestly. Secondly, she didn't want to be harassed in a country where females can potentially be the target of inappropriate male attention. She shared further thoughts on this.

Since this was now what she considered her temporary homeland, she actually found herself offended by tourists, some of which were getting off cruise ships, in even less than casual attire. For example, what is someone thinking when they disembark wearing little more than a flimsy bathing suit, with or without a partial coverup? Are they expecting to locate a previously undiscovered beach in the middle of downtown Willemstad? Are they making some kind of statement? That's just one example. I don't think there's any reason, particularly with modern technology, why people can't do a modicum of research about places they're visiting. It's nice to understand what's acceptable or preferred in any particular culture. On the other hand, there should be a degree of common sense, something severely lacking in this day and age. Would you wear a bathing suit to visit downtown Toronto?  It goes way beyond "I'm on vacation. I want to relax. I'm entitled," particularly when these same individuals return home only to complain about the poor service, the rude looks or the ignorance of the people in other countries.

Hubby and I talked about this further. He prefers a more comfortable look, is clothed nicely when necessary, but it's not his preference. I pointed out that I always welcome opportunities to make an effort. I suppose it's a sign that I'm getting older. What appears to have become the accepted norm doesn't sit well with me anymore. If you don't wear something other than your house and garden attire for church, for specific functions and special holidays, or at a better restaurant, when do you dress up? Perhaps the answer is never.

Again, I reiterated my point to hubby. I enjoy the more formal opportunities afforded when going on some cruise lines for example. Being retired, I wear grubbies around the house all the time and don't get many chances to dress up.  A friend of mine shared that she would never go on a certain cruise ship again. Her reasons were very similar to mine. She related that she made reservations and paid extra for a specialty restaurant while on this cruise line. She was offended, when she dressed for an evening meal and found that people with t-shirts and baseball caps were sitting at a table next to her. Are we to assume that they showered and changed into their best t-shirts and baseball caps after a day of touring, shopping, or going to a beach? Perhaps.

I certainly wouldn't want to go back to the days of  "Leave it to Beaver",  when the woman walked around the house in a dress, makeup, hose, and pearls, with her hair perfectly coiffed and the man sat reading the newspaper in his shirt, tie and suit. Those folks always seemed ready for any occasion. They could leave the house at the drop of a hat and go anywhere. Don't get me wrong, I like my casual wear, at the correct times and in the appropriate places. I have no idea how Mrs. Cleaver was able to avoid gardening dirt, bleach streaks, oil stains or food chunks on her clothing and in her hair.

Essentially, in my opinion it's all about respect...respect for others, respect for the circumstance, respect for the surroundings and above all,  respect for oneself. As the saying goes, "a lack of boundaries invites a lack of respect."

Mid January Blues or Blahs?

I've decided not to write anything controversial about politics, religion, pets, the weather, the younger generation, fashion, or the deterioration of the English language just yet. Clearly, I am easing into 2015 blogs. Either that, or I've been busy. Pick one. I suppose the reason for my lack of productivity is that I'm trying to walk a fine line with my craziness and I'm afraid I won't be quite as successful as Nik Wallenda. At my age, it's far too easy to be thrown off balance and fall from everyone's graces.

I had one of "those" nights last night. You know the kind. I was lying in bed thinking about this blog. I formulated a brilliant idea...several in fact. The words flowed so easily in my head. It was as though my mind was clear except for what I wanted to put in print.  I determined that it wasn't necessary to turn on the light and  jot down my thoughts as I drifted off to sleep. The ideas just kept coming. I knew I'd remember everything in the morning. As the saying goes...famous last words.

On another note, there's a day every January that's been labelled, "Blue Monday". It's said to be the most depressing day of the year. Perhaps they should give the whole month that distinction. That is of course if you're living in a climate like ours, and are of an age where thoughts of tobogganing, skiing. skating, and the like invoke nice memories of the past, but cause you to imagine the painful joints, kidneys, and potential hazards of the present.

It is said that Blue Monday is the day when December bills rear their ugly heads. Add to that the joy of walking to your community mailbox in the freezing cold. (Blog - You've Got Mail, 01/11/14) It's the day when people finally admit that they've broken their new year's resolutions. It's dark in the morning and dark early in the evening. The world is sad and gray and January seems endless.

Of course there are all sorts of online suggestions for how to get through these dark days....wear a bright colour, clear some clutter, skip work, dance with a broom, sing a song, have a cup of tea, go to a spa, exercise, Need I go on? Fortunately, not too many of these require leaving the house.

I'd actually like to offer some of my own solutions to the January problem. The computer can be a terrific friend. Find jokes, such as Maxine to make you feel less alone. Look up the weird and bizarre of the animal and plant kingdom. Have you ever actually googled "geoduck images"?  Did you know that there are swimming pigs in the Bahamas? I have since added Pig Beach to my new revised bucket list (soon to be published). If all else fails, plan for February, the best and shortest winter month crammed with all those wonderful special days. Decorate and celebrate.

Perhaps the best solution of all is in this final cartoon. Today, hubby announced that we should head south for a week. Great idea. Spontaneous. Sudden. Perhaps it will result in yet another travelogue blog. I just purchased the tickets...Happy Valentine's Day to him.

Happy New Year!

I found this on facebook and liked it so I'm sharing.

I think I'm tired of my blog. It seems to have veered off course at some point to where it has become a diary, a travelogue, a photo essay or some other conglomerate of adventures and experiences. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's not what I had in mind when I first began writing several years ago. I suppose that's why I've been procrastinating and haven't written much of late.

I want to do something about it. Maybe I'm just disillusioned. Perhaps I need to change my life entirely. I suppose it was Gandhi or some other *iconic person who said words about being the change you want to see. I know he was talking on a world wide scale but I think this works for day to day personal events as well.

Think about it. The lines about change and personal growth are endless and profound.

"Progress is impossible without change."  G. B. Shaw

"If you don't like something, change it." Maya Angelou

 I gripe about things, but I don't do anything to make them better. I wait and wait for things to happen instead of making them happen. I wasn't always like this. I've become complacent. This in turn causes me stress.

So I suppose this is a resolution of sorts. If I don't like it, I'll change it. If I'm not happy about something, I'll try to fix it so that I will be. I'll start with my blog.  I'm turning a corner. Let's see how long the turn lasts. It's all too easy to fall back into old habits. That's not to say there won't be the odd home improvement or baking tip or even travelogue. Hopefully, they just won't be as frequent.

So after I change the entire format of my page, I'll get on with my next blog. It promises to be the most unpopular thing ever written.
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*** Whereas I hate the overused word 'iconic', in this particular case it fits. It is not necessary however, to use iconic for every person, place and thing when one is stuck for an alternative choice of appropriate adjective.