For posterity, here's my notes/diary on our trip to Cuba:
Jan 17 (day 1)
Rode plane to Varadero (despise flying - neck is sore). Went through customs, only needed passport and entrance card, not the millions of other paperwork we were supposed to have with us. Changed money - mental note: next time, remember how much I want to change so I can tell the money changeer. Bus ride (bumpy, felt ill after flying) for 2 hours to hotel in Old Havana. Marble floors, open central courtyard, chirping birds that look like some type of parakeet, and tropical plants. Meal in the hotel restaurant was good. Sleep...
Jan 18 (day 2)
Slept well, ate buffet at hotel - good guava juice. Thought we were going on bus tour, but did quite a bit of walking in Old Havana. Saw lots of old buildings, a couple of squares. Then went on bus tour of important buildings and places near downtown. Missed most of it because I slept. Changed into runners at the hotel - Crocs are too slippery due to storm last night. Went to restaurant in one of the squares. Food so far is simple and quite bland. Soup at both meals was very good. Lunch - only choice of chicken or fish. Sadly, there was a band and dancers at lunch, very loud, wanting money. Not my taste in music at all. Then went to the tourist market down along the harbour, lots of artwork and jewellry and clothes besides the tourist crap. Some funky wood carvings, but too bulky and possibility of breaking on way home. Bought a painting for $90 CUC, oil on canvas, bright colours, of a "scene" in Havana. 5 minutes later the vendor had the exact same painting back up. Rested in the hotel (tired, hot, sore feet). After a rushed supper, went to the cannon shoot across the harbour. Since some people were slow, it was rather a waste of time, couldn't seen anything for the crowd. I hope the rest of this trip isn't going to be like this... Note: maids like pens (so do people on the street) and don't seem to care for brushes/socks. Most people we see are well dressed, very new clean clothes.
Jan 19 (day 3)
Breakfast at the hotel. Bus ride to Vinales. Lunch at a restaurant near there, El Palenque. Food was okay, only chicken for meat. Paella was extremely tasty, smelled like all dressed chips. Then stopped at hotel (La Ermita) in Vinales. Maid was sleeping in one of the beds in our room. "No problema," says another maid - maybe not for you, I think. But amusing. Rain kept us from visiting the Santo Tomas cave, so that was sad. And the only reason for being in Vinales. But I'm okay with not breaking an ankle, really. Turns out that the guide, Juan Carlos, is a spelunker. Oh well, there'll be another at Guajimico. Supper at the hotel was fine, buffet. Rice pudding, woot. Note: remember to bring alarm clock next time we travel - hotels here don't have them.
Jan 20 (day 4)
Buffet breakfast at the
To be continued at a later date - right now am packing up computer room...
