Goodbye Havana – Hello Varadero!

It may be that a large tip was being sought, as on return from our trip to Vinales we found swans made from the bath towels on the beds. Very nice touch, but I don’t do tipping if I can help it. Some may say I’m tight and the Cubans are poor but my conscience is clear – not my fault, blame Fidel, his people might be short of cash but I’m sure he’s not!

After checking out and a last look at the fantastic lobby (see blog entry 23rd Feb 2009), we were directed to our coach for the long journey to Varadero.

Several long hours later we arrived at our home for the next ten days, The Hotel Paradisus. We walked from the air-conditioned luxury of the coach into the intensely hot entrance lobby and walked along long wooden walkways bordered by fish-filled waterways to the main lobby and were met by a welcoming glass of champagne as we were checked in.

We were then taken to our room in which the air-conditioning was set on “refrigerator” setting and surprise, surprise, were met by yet more swans.

After freshening up and changing we walked down for some food and a relaxing evening. The buffet was very similar to that in Havana with almost anything you could think of and all washed that down with nice cold local beer. We wandered about the hotel complex trying to get our bearings and decided to stop for a quick game of table tennis and then it began...... the mosquito’s arrived! They don’t affect me normally but were nipping and annoying me, but unfortunately they were really aggravating my girlfriend, so we headed back to the room.

As a result of the discomfort caused by the bites we had rather a restless night and once morning came we could see the reaction the bites had caused.

A trip to the on-site medical centre was called for. We took a seat and the “nurse” came to call us in. I say “nurse” as, although I am sure she was adequately qualified, we felt she might have stepped straight out of a 70’s soft-porn movie as she wore a white mini-dress and was not unattractive. Unfortunately I was told in no uncertain terms that I was very healthy actually! The hand was presented and due to the severe allergic reaction an appointment with the doctor was booked for an hour later. We attended at the due time and were offered an injection or some pills and having opted for the pills and asking how we were to get them were advised to wait whilst the prescription chap fetched them for us. In ten minutes an elderly grey-haired black fellow appeared on his moped with the prescription. We paid the due sum and were advised to take one of the bright blue pills at regular intervals. I’m sure they were quite safe. The doctor also suggested keeping covered up to avoid further mosquito aggravation and you’ll see a picture below of those who took this advice seriously.

Saturday set the standard for the rest of the holiday, as after breakfast we prepared for a day at the pool and a read, with my book choice for this day being Billy (Connolly) by his wife Pamela Stephenson. A very good read if you haven’t yet had the pleasure.

The sun was bright, the water was great and the drinks from the bar were plenty and the day seemed long and most relaxing. Tomorrow would be Sunday and the first day of our final week in Cuba. The last blog instalment of the Cuban experience will be next and then I think I’ll get back to some more thought provoking and controversial blogging with a touch of politics here and there.

Robert Baggs Blogs Again!

After a long blog-free period I, perhaps sadly for the reader, have felt the urge to blog again and to get back in the swing thought it appropriate to complete my tales of the experiences encountered during my trip to Cuba. So taking off from where I left off, an early night was called for as it was to be an early start the next day for a day trip to Vinales and more photographs and video, a selection of which can be found here although a more comprehensive selection can be found on my Facebook site. It was a Wednesday morning and only time for a quick breakfast before getting on the bus to Vinales. As we were driving through Havana on our way it seemed an ideal opportunity to take a few snaps and from our air-conditioned modern coach there seemed quite a contrast to the vehicles around us.

We stopped at another hotel to pick up some more travellers and the local communist activist strolled on to give out his propaganda including the obligatory Che Guevara peso and a copy of the communist newspaper Granma some of which actually made quite interesting reading and reminded me somewhat of the Nationalist papers that were available in the old days.

The day was going to be a long one and the time would be better spent looking at the sights. The day’s itinerary included several stops including a visit to a small tobacco farm, a boat ride through caves and a meal out in the sticks. First stop was at the tobacco farm and the bus stopped in a pretty decent lay-by, which would put many British lay-bys to shame incidentally. The tour guide addressed us, in not quite the perfect English he seemed to think, advising us all, with a very straight face, that, “We are stopping here for a break so you can spread your legs”. From the lay-by, we were directed to the small farm.

The picture shows a tobacco drying shed in the foreground and the farmer’s home in the background. We actually were taken through the farmer’s home first, through the front door, into the living room, in which the family were sitting, past the bedroom and out through the kitchen! Local produce was available to buy at discounted rates in the kitchen. A short walk through the field took us to the drying shed and then the tourist’s shop which sold, as usual, cigars and rum. Then back on the bus and off again. As we got further away from Havana and deeper into the countryside it was apparent how much poorer the people seemed and how much more they relied on an agricultural almost subsistence basis to survive. We saw many fields being ploughed by teams of oxen and carts being pulled by bullocks and even bullocks being ridden.

Next stop was for lunch, but first a trip through caves by boat, which certainly sounded interesting as was the walk from the bus to the entrance which took us through our first jungle-like area. The concept of Health and Safety is, probably fortunately, not one that the Cubans are burdened with. However once they started the engines on the boat and the diesel fumes filled the enclosed cave it must have crossed everyone’s mind as to whether it was safe or not.

The cave trip was a very interesting one even if the extent of the light available was simply a very strong torch. The exit to the cave was very impressive

until it could be seen that the boat would have to turn quite sharply to avoid going over the weir!

The chap in charge of the boat had obviously carried out the manoeuvre many times and any concerns were quickly alleviated and we were on dry land once more. Just a short walk along the track led us to the restaurant which seemed to appear from nowhere.

We took a place on one of the benches next to the long tables and ended up sitting next to fellow foreign travellers whose language we could not understand and their grasp of English was nil. With a few shy smiles and nods and gestures we were soon taking food from the communal platter of potatoes and salad and fruit and other odds and ends as we had now come to expect. Once done a quick trip to the toilet and back on the bus. I’m glad I was not in need when I saw the toilet attendant holding on to a roll of toilet paper and issuing all those entering with four sheets on receipt of a small donation.

The next leg of the journey was more of the same but well worth it to see the beautiful valley (although sadly the video taken with my ordinary digital camera doesn't do it justice).

It was truly a sight to behold and we could have spent more time there than we had but time was pressing and we were off again to the town of Vinales itself. We stopped in the centre of what was essentially a town built around a crossroads. Again the wide variations in lifestyle were apparent with brand new vehicles, the older vehicles and the bullock carts.

After a wander around to take in all of the sights, sounds and smells it was time to board the bus for the return to Havana and a last night in the Cuban capital before our journey to the seaside resort of Varadero the next day.