Cayo Jutias - Day trip

We hit the road at 9:30am this morning after a copious breakfast at our great Casa Particular.  Thomas, the Cuban taxi driver picked us up in his beat up Lada.  We drove to for about 2 hours to the sound of the happy Cuban salsa musica.

We stop on the way to the Prehistoric morales, a reproduction commissioned by Castro long time girl friend and painted by a student of Diego Rivera, the famous Mexican painter.

The road to Cayo Jutias was very bumpy and Thomas was driving very fast, zigzagging holes and pedestrian.  Oh la la!  It was a bit scary at times.

Cayo Jutias is very beautiful, Bonita azure agua.  It was busier than we thought but we spent a great 2.5 hours relaxing, driving beer and talking with two guys from Seattle.  The ride cost us 45 cucs and was worth it.  Thomas will be our driver tomorrow for Varadero.

When we came back Julie welcomed us with a fresh pear juice.  It was deliciouso!  Very refreshing.

We had a last stroll on in the Centro and had our last dinner in Vinales at our Casa Particular, Casa Moraima, 44 Calle Salvador Cisneros Este.  C.P. 22400 tel: 52752090 Triptovinales.com 

Horseback riding in Vinales

We went horseback riding in the Vinales valley today.  It is a truly beautiful peaceful valley through tobacco fields and camel back mountains called Mogotes.  We started the tour with a cigar rolling demonstration.  They showed us how to roll a cigar and how the tobacco is grown, harvested and dried.  With a had a Mojitos before mounting our horse. 

Mine was Lucerno and Terry's was Mojito.  The ride was beautiful and peaceful and then, when going down a small hill, Lucerro tripped, slipped in the mud and fell square on its two knees sending me flying in the air.  I went right over his head and crashed on my nose and my chin!  Oh no!! Oh man, that hurt.  But nothing broken, just a very red nose and small cut on my chin.  I was shaken but mounted the horse again and went on with the tour back home. What a trouper Terry said! 

An hour after my fall.

After make up.  

I was able to camouflage my nose perfectly with foundation and our host's husband fixed my twisted sunglasses.  Terry gave the man a Classic Car magazine and he was clearly delighted!!

We went for lunch at the same pizzeria as yesterday and finished the afternoon at the local community bar where we watched a fantastic show of classic Cuban musica.  We met Pedro the guitar player who toured all over Canada.  That was one of our favorite thing to do!

Vinales

We left Havana is a vintage 1950s Chevrolet. We drove for three hours without seatbelts and no car interior!  Vinales is a beautiful village in the valley where all house are bright color painted. Truly unique and beautiful pink, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange mini houses with signs advertising room for rent.  

This is our first experience in a Casa Particular.  Our room is bright pink with a window which opens to the street view or boys playing soccer.  Our hosts do not speak a word of English.  The driver did not either.  I wish I knew Spanish. It will certainly encourage me to learn it.  triptovinales.com see last day in Vinales for address.

We walked 25,000 steps around the village, went for a delicious pizza lunch and a few drinks at Pizzeria El Eden, one of the many village bar/restaurant.  The village is filled with tourist.

Tonight we will enjoy dinner at our Casa Particular.  The room cost 85 CUC for 3 nights.  Bkft 4 CUC and dinners 10 CUC/each.  In comparison the Havana hotel cost $440/night and dinners were on average $25-30 each. No wonder Casa Particulars are so popular and I would recommend them over hotels.

The food tasted wonderful too.  Very simple but tasty lobster, chicken, black beans soup and much more.

Havana Day 2 & 3

Another two days without Internet.  Awww blissful!

On Day two we walked and walked and walked the streets of decrepit Havana.  The city looks like a European city with all its architectural grandeur except that most buildings are falling apart.  Fidel Castro's legacy clearly shows that communism does not work.  Fifty seven years after the revolution and everything is falling apart. People are not allowed to leave the country, express their ideas or even know where Fidel lives.  Wow! What kind of leader is the one who has to hide from his own people.

We went to the Museum of the Revolution.  It is mostly a collection of newspaper articles relating pure propaganda and a few items such as clothing and the like left for the revolution. There are a few tanks and the turbine of the U2 plane that had been shot down.  That was interesting but not much else to see at the museum.

We tried to get cash at the bank machine but none would take our bank card or even VIsa.  

We walked down Obispo and went for drinks at Sloppy Joe's.  A great bar which opened in 1917.  Had a decent sandwich there and drinks. Drank Mojitos, Daiquiris and Cristal beers all day!!  It's vacation all right!!

We had dinner at Mercurio and the food was bad again.  We were planning to walk the Malecon sea wall but we got caught by the rain.  Major torrential down poor, we had to come back to the hotel to change, dry our hair before ending the evening at the Dos Hermanos.  More Mojitos!  Salud!

On Day 3, we were able to get cash at the BFI - Banco Financial International but had to use VIsa.  They did not accept our bank card. They first have to put the transaction in US dollars and then in CUC.  What a nonsense!

We then went to the Floridata Bar where Heminghway was a regular.  What a great place.  The band was awesome and the ambience unbeatable.  The place was packed and they were making Mojitos and Daikiris non stop, three bottles of Havana rum at a time in the blenders.  Wow! Never saw so much rum drank!!

It was a great day going from bars to bars.  Went back to Sloppy Joe's, chauffeured by a cyclo taxi and a man offered to share his table with him.  He was traveling with his friend and were from Austria.  He ended up paying for our tab!  We did not realized until it was time to leave.  Wow how nice of him!!

We had dinner at Paladar Los Mercaderes.  It was the best meal we had in Havana.  Highly recommended it for the food, music and atmosphere!! #207 Mercaderes, Havana.

First full day in Havana

We slept really well and woke up to sunshine and warm weather.  What a treat.  Christmas feel so far already.

We had a good enough breakfast at the hotel and took a caleche tour from San Francisco square with Beatrice.  The hour long city tour was great and informative.  

We are quite lucky to live in this great country where we can do, think and say anything we want.  The poor Cubans can't talk against the regime, have limited internet, TV and radio, they can't get out of the country either. Castro says it would be ideological deviation to allow them to see what is happening outside of Cuba. 

The horse carriage guide told us that the state hire people from the community to spy on their neighbors and report anyone who talks about the regime.  They have trucks going through the street to detect those who bypass regular TV or radio reception.  The fine is high and you lose your equipment.  She was even a little reluctant to talk about that herself. Wow!  Thank God it should all change soon when the embargo is lifted.

We then walked to Plaza Vieja for a free Mojito (cruise ship provided to us by fluke) and later our lunch.  Terry's hamburger was pink and had a side of 4 or 5 desolate fries.  That was hilarious!  Odette's chicken brochettes were ok.

We walked to Obispo's street looking for beer and snacks.  The grocery story was unreal.  Should be spelled "Grossery".  It was something out of a war zone.  One big pile of rice, a stand of crackers, another of eggs and a cooler of beer and soft drinks.  That was the extent of the the grocery store.  Oh my!  Terry paid 28 cucs for a dozen beer and 4 bottles of water.  

Obispo street, Havana's Robson street, was essentially empty of stores.  Cheap souvenir and very basic stores.  A few restaurants with the same awful smell of overused oil.  Not too impressive to say the least.

We ended our afternoon at a cafe Mercurial for a couple of Mojitos and beers.

After a rest at the hotel, we went for dinner at Cafe Obispo 5 star restaurant in San Francisco Plaza.  The seafood crepe appetizer arrived and was no more than cheese wrapped in roasted red pepper on a Parmesan crisp.  No seafood and no crepe!  Go figure.  It did taste nice, thank god!  The main courses tasted ok but more of a 3 stars then 5 stars level. 

We then finished the evening in style at the very hip Fabrica Del Arte de Cuba.  Our cab ride set up back 15 cucs but the cover charge and drinks were only 2 cucs each and were more than well worth it.  What a fab spot!  Art Gallery meet club.  Four floors packed with beautiful hip and young people and thought provoking art.  We went at the right early time of 9:30pm.  There was a HUGE line up when we left at 11ish.

So far, we like the people, feel safe and are enjoying ourselves.  No credit cards taken here.  Bring cash and more than you think.  It's not that cheap for a tourist.

Arrival In Cuba

We left home at 3:30am to catch the flight from Vancouver to Varadero on January 1st 2016 at 6:30am.  Terry had to stand on 4th ave to flag a cab.  The one ordered online never showed up.  We expected this being New Year's Eve night.

We flew from Vancouver to Varadero via Kelowna and then, hop on a Volga, a mid to late 70s Russian car, for the 2 hour drive to Havana.  Our driver and his wife Gisele, did not speak a word on English or French but were nice and friendly.

We are staying at the Armadores de Santander for 4 nights, an old hotel on the edge of San Francisco Square also close to Plaza Vieja in Old Havana.  Our room is huge with a balcony facing the water.  Nice enough hotel in a great location. Way too expensive however in relation to other hotels we stayed in.  In fact, this was the most expensive hotel we ever stayed in. 

View from balcony

Our first dinner at the hotel was unbelievably bad.  The cheese and sausage appetizer won the price for the most disgusting taste we have had ever in our life.  "It's the God's truth and I am not exaggerating" Terry says.  The chicken brochettes and pork sandwich were no less than gross.  We were warned about Cuba's food but we never anticipated it to be so horrendous.

Final review of Cuba

Here is a summary of our trip and our top 12 tips in case you are planning a trip to Cuba!

Cuba felt like an incredible journey fifty years back in time. Fascinating to see the effect of communism and the embargo. Havana is like a first class European city stuck in time. Part of it has been restored, most of it is deeply decrepit. You can clearly see, its once upon a time, grandeur.

1950s cars EVERYWHERE in Cuba!! We had the immense pleasure in riding in them several time.  Terry wants to get one now!!

Vinales Cuba. Can't miss the country part of Cuba. Wow! Beautiful and away from everything, guaranteed! Stayed in a Casa Particular with a family. Quite the experience. Absolutely no internet and almost no English. Perfecto Mundo! 

Our Casa Particular, we had the room on the side!  Wonderful people!!  Casa Moraima on calle Salvador Cisneros Este #44, Vinales, Pinar Del Rio, Cuba CP:22400 www.triptovinales.com tel:52752090

They had a roof top 360 view of the valley.  Gorgeous!!

Horseback riding in Vinales among tobacco fields. Everything was magical until my horse slipped in mud, fell on its knees and sent me flying in the air, down crashing on my nose and chin! Nothing broken but Ouch!! I went back on the horse like a trouper and continue the ride but I ended up with a blue face for a week. Thank god for good make up!! 

Cuban people, simply the best! Their music everywhere is amazing!! Wish I could salsa like them!! 

Terry with Ernest Hemingway and the Havana Rum poured two and three bottles at a time at the El Floridita Bar in Havana where Hemingway was a regular. A must stop. Way too much fun!!

Cuba's beaches are beautiful but especially Cayo Jutias and Varadero but Varadero does not offer much Cuban feel. Get out and see the real Cuba! 

We stayed at the Royalton Hicacos.  Highly recommended.  Beautiful resort, fantastic service, large and fabulous rooms.  The resort shows its age a little but you can see that they are working on it and care very much about their level of service.  The food was ok, better then the rest of Cuba but still much improvement needed.  That will certainly come with time.  They have very little access to food staples. 

Luis, our favorite waiter at the Royalton.  The best Daquiris and Pina Coladas!  We had way too many of those!!

Here are a few tips if you plan to go:

1. Bring Cash. We could not use our Visa card anywhere except the bank where Canadian dollar has to first be converter to US dollars and then to Cuban CUC. Go figure. You get dinged twice with exchange fees.
2. Bring lots of Cash. The Cubans are learning capitalism very fast. Cuba is not cheap.
3. Be prepared to tip, a lot. So bring $1 us bills or loonies or get $1 CUC as soon as you get there. They will take anything if it is cash.
4. Bring Spanish book. There is very little English outside of Varadero and tourist areas.
5. Bring magazine and books, there is no reading material there other than Castro and communism literature.
6. Bring lots of facial tissues. Paper is rare.
7. Say goodbye to Internet, there is very little and it is expensive if they offer it at all.
8. Ask for the price before taking a cab. The price vary widely. 
9. Get the price of hotels or Casa Particulars in writing. 
10. Bring a note book and a pen. They are hard to find.
11. Bring a few shopping bags there are rare, and forget about shopping. There is nothing to buy at all.
12. Bring a small bottle of hot sauce. The food is ok most times but very bland and very basic. This is NOT foodies paradise! EXCEPT for the authentic Cuban pork sandwich.  Oh my!!! They can cook that!
Finally, make sure you go. It is so worth it! Cuba will sure be different when the embargo is lifted and the Americains will come back along with Starbucks, McDonald's, Victoria Secrets and the like!

Happy to have experienced Cuba and happy to be back home to our great country where we live in abundance and are free to do, say and think what we want!

Hasta Luego Cuba!  We will be back someday and visit Trinidad and Santiago de Cuba!!