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Cuba gave us all much to think
about. The contrasts, be it in the form of government, economy,
culture, or even climate, were magnified by our lack of knowledge
for life in Cuba.
Citizenry: Cubans are an incredibly friendly,
resilient and resourceful people. Those we met at the resort,
mostly customer service folks lucky enough to be working and
garnishing tips in the tourism industry, were very obliging and
went out of their way to make sure we had everything we needed,
knew where we were going, and were comfortable. Everyone we spoke
with had time for us! We interacted with very few Cubans off
resort. It seems to us, however, as though they have little in
regards to possessions, but were outwardly content and comfortable
in their existence. Peter described it as the "equal sharing
of poverty"... it felt accurate. We were so happy to have
been able to bring our children, as it feels so important to
have exposed Peter and Monica to this hidden gem, and to do that
together as a family with Eileen.
Planning: Usually, by the time I depart on vacation
the vast majority is planned for and paid in full. This trip
was somewhat different. We purchased our resort package in November
so the flights, accommodations and sustenance were in the hopper!!!
Yet we had no attractions (in the form of excursions) plans or
reservations. With a lack of understanding in how the currency
works and limited experience in the companies and tours, we waited
to get on the ground. Thus, we brought a fair bit of Canadian
cash with us to avoid credit card fees and ATM searches. Our
buck was worth (on the average) around .92 CUC during the span
of the week. We tried to convert only what we needed... instead
of getting hit with another fee on the way out!
An Experiment in Socialism: I 'd like to break this out into the
following visuals from off resort...
- What we saw... roadside billboards extolling the
virtues of revolutionary heroes, hoards of hitchhikers, palm
trees, mountains and valleys, a coral reef, piña coladas,
classic cars, guava, buildings in disrepair, smokers, sunburns/tans,
sugar cane and cigars...
- What we didn't see... highway signs, golden arches, lettuce,
military personnel (unlike our visits to other countries), snow,
toilet seats (not so bad for the guys), Americans...
What's it speakin' for? As for weather, it was pretty darn
good. The daily breeze from the ocean and the north was perfect.
It really never got too warm, nor too cool... with daily temperatures
around 26-28 Celsius and usually a drop to cooler pillows overnight.
Except for samples of the humidity during our walks in the cities
on excursions, we were continuously comfortable. We saw no rain...
or snow for that matter!!!
Food: We had read the reviews... Cuban food had been
much maligned as dull, tasteless and even questionable in quality.
However, we got along just fine at our resort. There was lots
to pick from and although sometimes not piping hot, we managed
our five eaters very well in regards to narrowing of favorites
and experimenting in new dishes. Breakfasts couldn't have been
better after we figured out that we should grab hot coffees at
the bar prior to arriving. Lunch and dinner always had multiple
choices or one could just grab a sandwich for something lighter.
Deserts were definitely a hit... everyone liking the vanilla/coconut
(almost like piña coladas) flavour. We ate a la carte
twice as well... and although later we enjoyed the change in
venue. No complaints from me!
Transportation: We accessed plane (first time for
the kids), tour bus, paddle boat, kayak, Double Decker hoppa
bus, 56 Chevy gone taxi cab, catamaran... and saw more modes
of transport in a crossing Cuba than we have in a lifetime. In
an interesting discussion with our last guide, he noted that
during his 22 years in Cuba he had never traveled that far!!!
I was entertained, glad I wasn't driving, never felt unsafe,
and think it's a must see for those that have the great fortune
to visit! |
