Archive for the 'Cuba' Category

It is not surprising that many people make it one of their New Year’s resolutions to see more of the world and that is why it is important to spend your time off-work wisely.  I have thought long and hard and have come up with my top 2 all-time favorite destinations, which, in my humble opinion, offer some incredible, life-affirming experiences.

I have had many holidays over the years, but one that stays vivid in my memory is a trip to Beijing.  The experience was incredible to start with, because my friend and I managed to wrangle an upgrade on our outbound journey and got incredibly excited about the free champagne and fluffy slippers in first class.  While other passengers looked cool, calm, and collected during the flight, my friend and I continued to make it obvious that we were not used to this type of luxury — acting like excited schoolgirls.

On arrival I can barely explain the feeling of other-worldliness that enveloped us.  Once we left the sanctuary of our top-class hotel with a concierge written note in hand detailing where we wanted to go, we felt we had entered a different realm altogether; while travelling in China can be challenging, we in no way felt threatened or overwhelmed.

Through the hotel we booked organised trips to the big four: Tiananmen Square, The Forbidden City, The Summer Palace, and of course The Great Wall of China.  It was winter, and a thick frosting of snow added to the sense of mystery and wonder that we felt upon visiting the striking buildings of this incredible city.

The Summer Palace, situated amongst beautiful gardens, felt like a magical place, and the lake had frozen over giving it a fairy-tale quality.  The Great Wall of China was spectacular, although climbing the steep steps which were covered that day with an icy film was frightening at times; the guide had already pre-warned us that a tourist in a previous year had slipped and broken his leg during the ascent, slightly the worse for wear after too much rice wine during the pre-visit luncheon.

Perhaps my favorite recollection of the trip was venturing off on our own, to one of the huge indoor markets, to buy souvenirs.  It is customary to barter and so we were confused when an elderly stall owner angrily threw the purchases my friend had collected to one side, after a seemingly reasonable price was offered.  It was only later after doing some quick currency conversion maths that we realized we had actually offered less than one penny for three lanterns, a silk cushion, and some wooden bowls.  We went back tails between our legs with the offer we had intended to make; the lady smiled and handed us the items.

Coming a close second in my recommended list of top travel destinations is Cuba.  I went with a boyfriend some years ago and needless to say my memories lasted longer than that particular relationship.  Spending three nights in La Habana, we became immersed in a world of cigars, salsa, and a vibrant culture that I have never experienced before or since.

A trip to Cuba is like stepping back in time as the streets are adorned with vintage American cars, brightly painted shuttered buildings, and locals sitting on steps smoking and shooting the breeze.  We went to the famous La Bodeguita del Medio, one of Hemingway’s haunts, where it is customary to write your name on the wall, which we did of course.  I have heard since that some sections have been painted over to allow room for fresh signatures; a shame that decades of travellers, film stars, artists, and writers’ marks have been obliterated in a single brushstroke.  There we sampled the best mojitos I have ever tasted.

The second part of the trip was to Guardalavaca, a resort on the opposite side of the island.  We only realized how far away it was the night before when I noticed two extra flight codes on the airline information.  My then boyfriend was petrified of flying and getting him to board the 1950′s propeller plane for the internal flight was nothing short of a miracle.

Once there we had time to relax.  The beaches are simply stunning providing long swathes of pristine, sands, water sports, and numerous all-inclusive hotels.  We did venture out of the hotel for a few nights at nearby beach restaurants and sampled the local seafood.  In Cuba, lobster is relatively cheap and we gorged ourselves accordingly.

Both holidays provided much more than a generic week away in the sun, and while a tan may fade, a trip to one of these intriguing, culturally rich, long-haul destinations will last a lifetime.  For more inspirational travel ideas check out Total Travel Blog and start planning your next trip.

I thoroughly enjoyed writing my ABC’s of Travel, as it allowed me to nostalgically reflect on some beautiful past adventures.  Thus, I could not wait for the next meme to circulate in the travel world and was delighted when 7 Super Shots From My Travels was created, especially since it revolved around photography — a passion of mine that is cultivated more deeply with each passing day.

1. A photo that… takes my breath away:

I had goosebumps once I looked into my viewfinder and saw this picture that I had taken in Florence, Italy.  I was leaving San Miniato al Monte and I was overwhelmed with a feeling that I needed to make a quick visit to the adjoining graveyard for a couple of more photos.  I knew that my fellow travelers would be impatiently waiting for me in the bus, but I could not ignore my intuition and I am so thankful that I did not.

2. A photo that… makes me laugh or smile:

Unfortunately, I did not own a decent camera when I went on a journey of a lifetime to Kruger Park in South Africa  Although it is irrelevant, because no matter how good this picture could have been, it will always put the biggest smile on my face.  It was my first time encountering wild elephants (we all know how crazy obsessed I am with the animal) and when I saw this family crossing in front of the jeep that I was in during my safari my heart almost burst from happiness.

3. A photo that… makes me dream:

A dream sunset in a dream location, how could this photo not cause me to dream?  For several years now I have desired to learn how to sail and to move to Brasil.  When I look at this photo of a sailboat, which to me symbolizes the ultimate in freedom, exploration, and adventure, docked in Buzios Bay, it inspires me to dream big and to finally cross these dreams off of my Bucket List.

4. A photo that… makes me think:

When I stepped foot in Tibet for the first time, a place that had consumed my thoughts for over a decade, I truly felt as though I had completed a spiritual pilgrimage, as I have been drawn to Buddhism for as long as I can remember and even majored in Comparative Religious Studies with a focus on women in Buddhism in College.  Seeing these monks adoringly gaze at the Potala Palace, home to the Dalai Lamas over the years, makes me think about grandiose questions such what is the true meaning of life, does karma really exist, and what happens after we die.

5. A photo that… makes my mouth water:

You know that a dish has changed you if you find yourself thinking about it every single day and that is exactly what I have been doing since my honeymoon in Trancoso, Brasil almost a year ago.  My husband and I literally ordered this pizza every single day and on the last day we each ordered one for ourselves.  The chef would not tell us how she prepared it other than it had a “secret sauce.”

6. A photo that… tells a story:

I ilegally sneaked into Cuba for my 25th Birthday and it is one of my greatest moments to date.  Life in La Habana is incredibly difficult for most due to the US embargo.  However despite this, Cubans are amongst the happiest people in the world.  This woman in the photo most likely does not have much, other than her gorgeous smile (and a cohiba) and yet she is happy.  Her picture tells the story of Cuban pride and how it is so infectious that everyone on the island is constantly celebrating the fact that no matter what their economic status is they are and will always be Cuban.

7. A photo that… I am most proud of (aka My National Geographic shot):

I decided that for my last solo trip as a single woman I would travel somewhere incredibly exotic.  When I discovered that Easter Island, Chile was the most remote island in the world, I knew it was the perfect location for my solo trip.  When I finally got up close and personal with the sacred Moai, I decided that I needed to photograph them in a way that they had never been photographed before, which I believe I accomplished with this shot.

If you have followed My Beautiful Adventures for some time now, I would love to know, did I leave out a certain picture of mine that you feel deserves to be included in this post?

Song of the post (click the link to see why I chose this particular song):

On my last morning in Cuba I experienced the country at its most frustrating.  After eating a delicious Cuban breakfast at our casa and saying our sad goodbyes to Sergio, Miriam, and their daughter, we departed for the airport.  We checked in with the airline and got through customs with no problem.  I wanted to get rid of as much evidence as I could of me being in Cuba before returning to the U.S., so I spent my last few CUC$’s on a book (Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s “One Hundred Year’s of Solitude” in Spanish) and a salsa DVD, only to find out 5 minutes later that our flight was going to be delayed for 7 hours.  !Ay Dios mio! Now, I was stuck at the airport with NO money for food or drink and I was going to miss my connection in Cancun.  Normally I would not have been too distraught over a delayed flight, since I am a seasoned traveler and have accepted that this is a part of traveling, however I had my final exams of the semester of Graduate School scheduled for the next day and they could not be missed under any circumstances.  I excused myself from Kristin and some other Americans that we had befriended and went to sit alone for a while to regain my composure.  I calmed myself down by listening to Buena Vista Social Club on my iPod and reading my book of the trip that was fittingly named, “Es Cuba: Life and Love on the Illegal Island,” written by Lea Aschkenas.

Travel did not protect you from the dark side as you wished it would.  It merely allowed you to experience everything, the good and the bad, more fully and deeply.

My companions during my looong wait at the airport: my book and iPod (if you look closely enough you can see I was listening to "El Chan Chan").

After a while I came to terms with the fact that there was nothing I could do about the situation and I did not want to let it ruin my unforgettable time in Cuba.  Those 7 hours in the airport afforded me a time to reflect on my trip.  The island was full of life and desperation at the same time.  Surrounded by tropical heat, the beat of salsa music, dilapidated architecture, and the constant presence of political unease; in Cuba I had the constant feeling that something was just about to occur, because in a place so full of uncertainty the only thing that was for sure was that something inevitably would happen!

As we were finally boarding our flight we discovered that the reason for the flight delay was due to the wheels of the plane catching on fire upon landing and they desperately had to search for new wheels to replace the charred ones.  If you find yourself on a Cubana flight in the future all I can say is buena suerte!

Prior to our trip, Kristin and I researched how to avoid getting our passport stamped twice in Mexico.  We both came to the conclusion from everything we had read and heard first-hand that the customs agents in Mexico would see our U.S. passports and know not to stamp them again.  Wow, were we wrong!  Apparently, you need to place at least 20USD$ in your passport when you hand it over to the agent as a bribe.  Neither of us had any money left and begged the agent to mercifully let us pass through without the stamp, but to her we were just 2 rich gringas that deserved a little lesson.  After much begging, she eventually let us choose which page the stamp would go on and we both chose pages that were covered in stamps in hope that the second stamp would go unnoticed by U.S. agents.

The U.S. State Department’s official policy has been that the embargo we have against Cuba  is purely economic.  Therefore, it is not illegal to visit the country per se; it is only illegal to spend money there, which of course we did and is completely unavoidable.  There is a hefty fine and possible jail time for those caught.  I was convinced that everything would work out in the end and I tried my best to convince Kristen’s troubled mind as well.

Unfortunately, the Jetblue counter was closed by the time we reached Cancun.  Thus, we would have to wait until the morning to try and get on the next possible flight.  I was determined to have Cubana pay for our hotel room and although it took over an hour to get my wish, not only did Cubana pay for our hotel room, but they also paid for our dinner and breakfast the next day!

Afterward: After the disaster we had the previous day, we needed good news and good news in abundance is what we got.  We left for the airport immediately after breakfast in order to be the first in line at the Jetblue counter.  For a small fine, we were able to get on the 1st flight out that day.  Miraculously, my cell phone, which never works in a foreign country, had a signal and I was also able to call my Graduate School and let them know that I would not be sitting for my exams.  I received a slap on the wrist, however they allowed me to make them up later in the week (and I passed!).

In the end not only did the U.S. agents not see our 2 Mexico stamps, but I was able to smuggle in my 30 Cuban cigars without getting caught!!!

Song of the post:

Playa del Blanco is a deserted beach with a wide strip of fine, white sand (hence the name) that slopes gently into the sea.  It had some of the calmest waters I have ever been in and was definitely one of those beaches that is so beautiful it inspires you to want to give up everything and live out the rest of your days there.

While I was eating lunch one of the captains of the catamaran started dancing with me.

In a song about tourism in Varadero, once a Cuban vacation destination and now off-limits to locals, the singer Frank Delgado lamented,

The last time I walked through this land, it was still my friend Cuba.  I did not need a passport.  I do not remember when the peninsula was taken from my hands or even whether anyone asked my opinion?

While I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Varadero, there was always a guilty pain in my heart of being somewhere that the natives could only dream of returning to one day.

In the evening the 3 of us decided to take salsa lessons from Sergio, whom had generously offered to teach us the basics for free.  Salsa is difficult to master, but when done well it is a mesmerizingly sensual dance.  I struggled to follow Sergio’s lead the entire time.  For me it was a challenge to combine the hip movements with the simple forward-back step.  However, even though I failed on the dance floor, I am really happy that we ended our trip on this note.  Instead of focusing on the sadness of leaving a place I had come to love; I laughed, sweated, and learned something new and essentially so Cuban.

Sergio teaching M. how to move his feet.

M. and I walked to a part of El Malecon and said our goodbyes.  I thanked him for enriching my trip in ways that were indescribable and as a token of my appreciation I gave him my Lonely Planet Cuba guide to use on his last days on the island.  We promised to see each other again soon and I knew that for once this was not one of those empty promises you make to those you meet on your travels in order for the goodbyes to be not as painful.

Afterward: M. and I did see each other again. . .a week later in Los Angeles!  I helped him celebrate the last destination in his round-the-world trip.  We could not stop talking about our adventures in Cuba the entire time together.  Oh, and I got my precious Lonely Planet Cuba guide back.

Song of the post:

We chose to leave La Habana yet again, this time we went on a catamaran around the peninsular beach of Varadero, which is located about 2 hours from the capitol in the northernmost part of the island.  It is the largest resort town in Cuba, where Europeans flock to in hundreds due to the fact that the city is made up of 22km of gorgeous beaches and islets.  Kristin and I were delighted to be spending the day in the most comfortable clothing that exists for us, our bikinis.

Our catamaran for the day.

Our tour included: snorkeling, swimming with dolphins, lunch, and then an afternoon at Playa del Blanco.

Kristin and I snorkeling.

Siesta time!

The best part of the day was completing something on my Bucket List, which was to swim with dolphins.  Of course it would have been even more special if it had happened in the wild, and it will happen one day with the amount of time I spend in the water, but for now my desire to get up close and personal with these beauties was satisfied.

One of the dolphin's I got to swim with.

After multiple kisses from my dolphins it was time to visit a beach I will never forget. . .

Song of the post:

The ride from the jungle to the river was about an hour and it afforded the 3 of us time for a quick siesta.

Some friendly Cubans saying hola!

3rd Stop: The River

As previously mentioned, it was comforting to be amongst the locals again, especially in such a serene setting.  In case you are curious, never once was I treated rudely or differently because I was American.  In fact, whenever a Cuban would discover that I was American they would get really excited and ask me a million questions.

The river we went swimming in.

Kristin, me, and M. under a waterfall.

M. jumping off the rocks.

After finishing the tour, we returned to the Nacional to use their glamorous pools and facilities.  We figured since M. was still staying there we should take advantage of his good fortune.  Then Kristin and I switched casas back to Sergio and Miriam’s for the remainder of our stay.  We decided to revisit Habana Vieja for dinner.  I wish that I could remember the name of the restaurant we dined at that night, but the name escapes me now.  The food was less than mediocre, which is what you will find throughout most of Cuba, however the atmosphere was superb.  They had various types of exotic birds roaming around the restaurant and an excellent salsa band (possibly to distract you from the food?).

Our dinner guest for the evening.

Stick to eating at your casas while in Cuba.  The food your hosts will serve you will be much cheaper and I guarantee will taste tremendously better, not to mention be more authentically Cuban.

Song of the post:

Needing a little break from the capitol, we chose to take an 8 hour tour of the city of Las Terrazas, which is located about 1 hour from La Habana.

Me and Kristin on the steps of the Nacional at 5AM waiting for our tour bus to arrive. Neither of us are morning people. You can tell this from our fake smiles in the photo, si?

Las Terrazas is an eco-tourism centered community.  It is situated in an area where a project of sustainable rural economy is being developed, based on the rational use of its natural resources.  Surprisingly, along the way we saw 3-5 star hotels, unlike the dilapidated apartments and houses in La Habana.  It was definitely a different side to the country!

Our tour included: a guided tour of a French coffee plantation from the 19th century, a coffee tasting, 3 zip lines through the jungle, lunch, and then an afternoon of swimming at a river with numerous waterfalls.  This tour was booked at Hotel Nacional.  I am sure there are other places to book tours more inexpensively, but we booked this one out of convenience, since M. was still staying there.  This was a great tour and I highly recommend it, especially if you want to get out of the city and into the country for a while.

My 1st view of the very lush and green Las Terrazas.

La Mariposa (the National flower).

1st stop: Coffee Plantation

The enterance of the coffee plantation.

Where they grow the coffee.

The view from the plantation.

Me cooling down after our coffee tasting.

2nd stop: Zip Lining

Our zip line instructor showing us the 3 courses we would be doing.

The 3 of us ready for our adventure in the jungle.

It was nice to know that Che was looking out for me.

There I go on my 1st zip line. Going, going...

...gone!

The coffee plantation and zip lines were of course off-limits to Cubans, however the river, where we would be going to next, was not.  Although I had had a wonderful time thus far, I was more than ready to be amongst locals again. . .

Song of the post:

El Malecon, the 7km ocean side pedestrian walkway, can definitely be seen as the heart of La Habana.  It is a place where minutes easily melt into hours, a place where you can leave all of your worries behind as you watch life pass you by, a place where the Caribbean saltwater air kisses your lips and intoxicates you.  No trip to La Habana is complete without at least one visit to it .

As we strolled down the walkway we saw all types of scenes — we saw men fishing, children swimming, lovers embracing — all while the waves of the ocean broke furiously against the wall.

Fisherman taking a break from work to play.

At the end of el Malecon is Castillo de la Real Fuerza de La Habana.

Once we made our way to the end, we all agreed that we were exhausted from the intense Cuban heat, thus we decided to retire early for the day in order to save up some energy for the adventures that awaited us.  It was time to leave La Habana!

Song of the post:

What a disappointment Revolution Day was!  We had each bought kick-ass Che shirts to wear in celebration, which we had imagined would be a mass of Cubans out in the streets marching and partying.  Unfortunately, the celebration was in another city far away and due to this, La Habana was now silent, as people were celebrating their holiday by sleeping.

Revolution Day is July 26th.

The decorations, however, were out in full force and we thoroughly enjoyed seeing and photographing them.

We decided to spend some time walking along El Malecon, but first returned to the Mission to check out the new flags the government had displayed for the holiday.

On July 26, 1959, Fulgencio Batista was ousted from his dictatorship.  Castro then replaced him as the new Cuban leader with the help of Ernesto “Che”Guevara.

I have been fascinated with Che even longer than with the island of Cuba.  I am fully aware that he is a controversial figure and I whole-heartedly respect the opinions of those who do not support the killings that he committed or encouraged, since I too devoutly believe in non-violence.  However, he stood for a concept that I also devoutly believe in, and that is social revolution.

Unfortunately, most revolutionary leaders throughout history have resorted to killing as the way to end oppression and tyranny.  And while I believe violence only breads violence, I am strongly drawn to Che’s relentless pursuit of creating an egalitarian world at the cost of even his own life.  He elegantly said,

Socialism cannot exist without a change in conscience to a new fraternal attitude toward humanity, not only within the societies which are building or have built socialism, but also on a world scale toward all peoples suffering from imperialist oppression.

Che was a healer, like me, and throughout his medical training he would travel to leper colonies and work with patients that other doctors would refuse to be in contact with.  His experiences there and with the poor during his travels had a key impact on the development of his political thought.  He became convinced that genuine equality could only be achieved through socialism.

Though he has been dead for many years, he remains an inspiration to those who feel ignored, underprivileged, and abandoned by their government, as well as those who desperately would like to see eventual peace throughout the world.

Then it was on to the glorious El Malecon. . .

Song of the post:

On our way to Playa del Este we encountered more propaganda signs.  We each had our eyes glued to the taxi windows in case we should see one, as we were completely enamored!

In the parking lot at the beach, there were a myriad of cars that just oozed coolness.

But, there was 1 that captured my heart, simply because of its color.

The funniest moment of the trip occurred later as we were at the beach.  I was engrossed in my sunbathing when M. announced that he would be back in an hour with both a kayak and food.  I thought he was joking (you know those Aussies and their sense of humor) and was just going for a walk.  But, to my delighted surprise, he returned an hour later with exactly what he promised.  Where he found a kayak in Cuba, one will never know?

The food though consisted of: chips, baby food, and melted chocolate, as that is all he could find.  The next photo is proof just in case you did not believe me.

After we devoured the “food,” Kristin and M. then kayaked in the ocean leaving me some time to digest the trip thus far.