Ok, I'm home now, I'll stop whining

My last couple of days in Cuba were better, in fact, I was almost sorry to leave with so much of Havana unexplored.  I think once I had been there a bit longer, was less pasty white and had lost the scared bunny look on my face, less people approached  me looking for handouts/salsa dates.  Plus, to be fair, 99.5 percent of Cubans pretty much ignored me.  I liked those people - alot. The Cuban people live much of their lives on the stoops and in the street.  Those grand old houses have very little light.  They may have 20 foot ceilings but they don't have any windows except the one facing the street, and that is only for the upper floor apartments.  With all of my walking around, I got to see lots of Cuban living.  I keep wanting to compare Havana to a crazy girlfriend (it has to be a girlfriend, not a boyfriend, because Havana is clearly female in looks, personality and character).  You meet her, she is beautiful and exciting but you just don't know what to expect from her moods from one minute to the next.  You know the relationship is going to have to end because it is crazy making but when it does, you look back fondly and remember the life and beauty but not so much the unpredictable personality.  I actually found myself defending the 'milk people' tonight and it has only been one day.  By next week, I will be calling Havana begging her to take me back.

Plus, in retrospect, I just wasn't getting enough sleep and therefore, my patience was not up to snuff.  That is the excuse I am going with today, anyway. 

So my last couple of days.  I believe I last wrote on my last full day in Havana.  After I left you, I walked back to my Italian restaurant.  I really wanted some flan.  But they didn't have any so I ended up with a concoction called Cuban dessert.  It was fairly awful, some sort of fruit (I think) mush with a slice of white cheese on top.  It was the same mush that I got with my breakfast each morning.  I used it as jam but maybe I was supposed to eat it like applesauce?? 

I got up the next morning, went out to find a cardboard box to use to protect the little etchings I had bought.  Then I packed up my stuff, now in two bags (but I am proud to say, I did not have to use my extra reserve large bag.  I knew that the rum would mean I had to check my backpack so I put anything that might be damaged if the rum broke or the beer cans exploded into my carry on, so that ended up quite heavy.  As it turned out, nothing broke or exploded on the flight home. 

the artist of my sketches. 

I arrived by bus in Varadera at around 3pm.  I walked to my hotel and was given a room in another building, which I couldn't find.  I walked around for a while with my two heavy bags until I finally broke down and had to ask someone, assuming the info would cost me some milk.  But it turns out the people of Varadero will actually speak and point you in the right direction without payment.  That was nice.  Eventually, I found my building and my room.  When I entered I found two unmade beds that looked like they had seen much better days.  They were both so droopy the each had one side where the bottom of the mattress touched the floor.  But I didn't really care.  I made one of the beds.  Just as I was completing this task, a maid arrived and said something in Spanish that I didn't understand.  To make my life easier, I said I didn't speak Spanish.  She then picked up the phone and started madly dialing but apparently, no one would pick up so she left.  I had arrived about 15 minutes before official check in so I assumed she was mad because I arrived before she had finished the room.  Once she left, so did I. 

After dinner I walked back to my hotel.  When I entered my room, first I discovered that my made bed had been unmade.  Then I realized that the hall light had been removed from the wall, leaving only the desk lamp as a functioning light source, under which I found a note.  It told me to go to the front desk because there had been an error and I had to change rooms. signed "The Maid".  By now, I had been walking for many hours and I did not relish having to walk back to the lobby with my heavy bags.  So I called the front desk and explained that if they wanted me to move, they would have to send someone to carry my bags.  But the front desk lady didn't know what I was talking about.  When I explained about the note, she said to ignore it and stay where I was.  As I mentioned, it was a crappy room, now even crappier with its missing light, but I was determined not to have to move.  So I stayed.  Only after this did I realize that the bathroom had not been cleaned and there was no towel.   No worries, I just used the unused pillow case from the second bed as the bathmat and my extra sheet as a towel.  I'm glad I wasn't around when 'The Maid' found that later the next day. 

The Room in Veradero

Can you see the awesome slope on that unmade bed

After Havana, Varadero seemed so ugly and boring. Yes, the beach is lovely but so are lots of beaches. It could have been any small Mexican tourist town. The main street is just a long line of stalls selling tourists junk.

Varadero beach

I walked around for a few hours but by 6 pm, I really needed some dinner. Lonely Planet listed a restaurant called Barracudas that served seafood. It turned out it was 30+ blocks from my hotel but when I finally arrive it was totally worth it. The dining room is under a thatched roof and it right on the beach. By chance, I arrived just as the sun was setting so it was very picturesque. I order shrimp flamed in rum. Delish!! It came with rice and cut veggies (and potatoes which I tasted but didn't eat). Then, once the sun had finished its show, a band came out and played. Cuban restaurant bands all sound pretty similar but they are all enjoyable. 

Baracudas

view from my table (left)

view from my table (right)

my mojito

My Shrimp in Rum dinner

The band.

I think my time in Varadero made me appreciate Havana. Varadero was nice and predictable and the people were pleasant but didn't have the zing of Havana. Havana has life, and even if that life is annoying at times, it wouldn't be Havana without it. And yes, if given the chance, I would go back. But I think a travelling companion is a definite requirement. There is so much that is different from Canada, one needs another person around with whom to discuss and laugh about it all.

Apparently these are the only two things on Veradero's main drag worth a photo

After 2 nights of almost normal sleep, my last night in Cuba was very not good. I had to get up very early (4am) so I had multiple forms of alarm. I had bought a travel alarm but I didn't know how to set it properly and I wasn't certain it was going to work. Plus, my watch alarm but I don't always hear it. And I also requested a wake up call, but those can never be trusted at the best of times, and this hotel was not the best of times. As it turned out, the hotel was very good at wake up calls. In fact, from what I could tell, every person who requested a call, got a call everytime anyone on the list got a call. So my phone rang at least three times in the night, before my 4 am call, which eventually came through at 4:20. But I had gotten up at 3:30 anyway. My flight was at 7:15 so I figured I would be at the airport by 5:15. I got there at 4:45 and I was literally the last person on my flight to arrive. I was a bit worried standing there at the end of a very long line. I know that those charter flights sometimes overbook and it you haven't confirmed (how do you confirm in a foreign country) you may be out of luck. But, once I finally made it to the agent, I was fine. Got an aisle seat to boot (I had expected a middle seat since I was getting the dregs). 

The flight was long and I didn't have enough water (side story:  As tourists leave, they have to cash out their Cuban money, and why not, you can't exchange it back in Canada.  So I went to the exchange on my way into the airport.  I was left with $3 CUC.  But then a man came up to me and had a twoonie.  I showed him my $3 and was willing to give it to him, but he left and came back with an additional loonie.  So I made the trade.  I didn't realize until too late, that I had left myself with no money to buy water once I was through the screening so I started the day at a hydration disadvantage).  Then my earphones broke with four and a half hours left in the flight (half way though Rise of the Planet of the Apes but fortunately, not before I watched all of Hangover II - very funny).

Anyway, whine, whine, long flight.  Melissa met me at the airport and poured water and coffee into me for a while, listened to my stories and drove me to the ferry.  Once the ferry left dock, I fell instantly asleep and didn't wake up until the narrows.  By that time, my headache was gone and I was good as new.  Chris picked me up on the Victoria side and here I am home.  Laundry done and DEET smell  mostly removed.  Non-poisonous medicine available and my own bed with only my cats to wake me up. 

Milk (money) please.

Rumour number two:  the people of Cuba are nice.  Call me a cynic but I think the truth is that practically every Cuban wants something and is nice in order to get it.  Every time a Cuban has 'helped' me, it has cost me.  My first day here, after I discovered that my bug spray was gone and I still thought I was going to the swamp, I stopped in at the first grocery-type store that I came across looking to buy some more but expecting that it would be next to impossible to find.  A woman, who I assumed worked there, asked what I needed.  I said repellent, she said no problem and off she went.  She came back a few minutes later with the Cuban version of bug spray.  8 bucks.  Cheaper than I expected.  No, no, don't pay at the cashier, pay me, she said.  Then the soon to be infamous line:  I have babies and I need milk for them.  No problem,  she had helped me out.  So off we go to another store where the cashier hands her a grocery bag FULL of powdered milk.  My lady turns tail and boots it.  Wait, I yell after her.  Fortunately, she stopped.  I asked the cashier the cost of all of that milk - $20!  Nope.  I gave the woman $5 for her 5 minutes of labour/assistance and called it fair. This was only the first of many.  Men and women come up to me in the street and ask for milk.  I have a new policy.  I will give money within reason to the old, the crippled and those who 'help' me.  I would be completely out of milk money (and all other money) if I gave to everyone who asks. I absolutely do not blame them for trying.  I blame us for perpetuating the belief that Cubans like us.  Colonialist rubbish.  I might believe if for a minute if a Cuban who is actually working at a job that requires them to help me, actually helped me without me forcing it.  But that doesn't happen either.

Ok, enough of my complaints, back to the daily happenings of my vacation.

Day 4 (Tuesday, I think- I am losing track). I walked to the Cemetery (Necropolis de Cristobal Colon).  It is far.  I like walking to these offbeat spots as it takes me through some very non-tourist areas.  I passed the National Monument where I was asked to move along.  No sitting on the Castros' office lawn.

Sights along the way

National Monuments (not very pretty but you get them anyway)

Che

Yes, that's a vulture flying over Castro's headquarters - fill in your own joke

Once I was almost there. again, someone stopped and offered to take me when he saw I was looking at my map.  Milk money exchanged and there I was.  The cemetery is huge.  It is so big, it has four lane roads.  It is acres huge.  I wandered around for a few hours, not a lot of shade.  The graves are white marble and are raised.  Many have very impressive statues.  I took lots of photos for your future viewing pleasure. There are no official resting spots and I didn't really want to sit on a grave but fortunately, the bereaved often incorporate a bench into their plot.  I suppose they know they will need to sit while they visit as it gets hot in there. I had lunch across the street, another hour or two with the dearly departed and some visiting birds then took a cab home. 

The Cemetery

the entrance

proof that I have no shame

more proof

there were alot of graves packed into this cemetery

More Cemetery Pictures (what can I say, I like cemeteries)

the cemetery was so big there were street signs

this poor guy ended up part of the road

this was my favourite grave so you get two shots of it

same headstone, close up

With my weird sleeping habits, I have been reading a lot.  I finished my book that I brought so I had to visit the used book market.  I asked a few sellers if they had any English novels.  Those are pretty rare.  I eventually had one guy find me a copy of Gone With the Wind.  I was sceptical but beggars can't be choosers. So now I am reading all about Scarlett and Rhett and Melanie and Ashley.  It is actually a good book if you can get past all of the slavery terminology and justification.  This particular copy was printed in 1946.  It seemed to be in pretty good shape when it was handed to me but now it is disintegrating with every chapter read.  Pages are falling out, the spine has detached and most of the pages rip when I turn them. 

Next day (Wednesday) was unintentionally expensive (a book of doom day as cousin John would say).  I figured I should visit at least one of the zillions of museums in Havana.  The Museo de Revolution is practically across the street from my casa so I headed there after breakfast. It seemed pretty deserted but that doesn't always mean much here.  So I went up the door and gave it a try.  It was chained closed. 

Museo De Revolution (closed so no pictures inside)

As I was walking away some 'nice' people explained that it was under renovation (Museo de Renovation - that works better if you  fake a Spanish accept and say it out loud - see, hilarious!).  But they would take me to a festival.  I explained that I was fine and didn't want to pay any more (milk) money for random assistance.  But off we went anyway.  Damn my polite Canadianess.  I can't complain too much because they took me to a bar/restaurant where a very old guy, (they claim he is a Bueno Vista guy but I'm not 100% on that) was playing.  Anyway.  Some fun Cuban music with a singer who was so flirty, it was embarrassing.  I was introduced to the Bueno Vista guy and he was very nice.  They took my picture with him and he kissed me on the cheek.  So, all told, 2 rounds of Mojitos for the table and a signed CD and a bit of milk money - $45. Old man kisses - free.  I suspect lead singer kisses would have cost me dearly if I hadn't gotten out of there before the end of their second set. I had spaghetti for lunch at my Italian/Caribbean place. No leftovers.

The band

me buying a CD

the over attentive lead singer.

Then that night, I figured I would check out the fort on the other side of the bay.  There are actually two forts, right beside each other. I had read that they have a cannon ceremony at 9 pm.  So I went over at about 5 so I could wander around and check if there were any interesting birds.  BTW - Havana sucks for birds.  But I got a few, at least one of which is new - the red legged thrush.  Sorry, no picutre.   It was more interesting looking than its name suggests.

Fort #1

it looks like a giant ship (note the mast)

the ubiquitous photo through a castle window (in this case, through a rifle hole in a fort)

On the beach below the fort at sunset overlooking Havana

Cannons facing the harbour

After getting somewhat lost on some dubious 'trails' as it was getting dark, I eventually found my way to the second fort where the cannons were supposed to happen but I was at least 2 hours early so I asked the guard if there was a restaurant inside.  Oops. He was very nice and took me to a nearby hostel and didn't even ask me for any money (the first time).  As soon as I entered, I knew I was out of my normal price range.  But, it was so nice and they had a kitten wandering around.  What's a girl to do. So I ordered Shrimp with Garlic appy followed by chicken - no description given - just chicken.  The meal included salad, eggplant that was just there to hold up the olive oil and garlic (Allan could have cooked it and that is saying something), black beans, rice, bread.  plus a beer.  Between my Shrimp course and my chicken entree course, some American ladies sat at the table next to me and started talking to me.  They were very nice and we ended up joining tables.  They were a bit silly but very friendly.  We compared notes. They had not been asked for milk but were often asked to exchange money on the street.  Obviously a better demographic. 

Dinner was excellent.  There was so much I couldn't  finish my chicken.  I couldn't take it home either which pains me. I'm still not quite sure how to describe it so 'chicken' will have to do.  Total for dinner $30 - again, worth it.  Hostel Dona Carmela in case you want to go and see the kitten. No picture of the kitten. 

Just one of the many animals hanging around the restaurant

my shrimp appy

Time to go to the cannon ceremony but the ladies were dithery so I ditched them at the door.  Just as well, I just made it in time - I hadn't realized there was an entrance fee plus quite a bit of ground to cover once inside the walls.  Costumed men arrived and took some time to prepare the cannon.  Everything was very dark. There were tons of people.  then BOOM!! Cannon shot, and off we all went - 15 minutes - $8 bucks. Plus cab fare there and back - definitely my most expensive day.  I enjoyed all of it though.

Cannon Ceremony at Fort #2

Today (Thursday) quickly, I have to save some card room for confirming my flight.  I woke up late - I finally slept during normal hours.  I headed to the Capital building as that seems to be a tourist highlight.  I really haven't done much touristy stuff.  I mostly just wander around and absorb the city.  But my American ladies was aghast that I hadn't done 'anything'.  I must go to the Tropicana, Hemingway's house, the Floridida etc etc.  I figured the Capital Building would do.  But alas, it is closed for renovations (Capital Rebuilding - haha - no accent required for that one!).

Capital Building (closed)

So, another touristy thing to do is go to the National Hotel.  It has tons of history, mob, revolution, movie stars etc.  I mozzied around a bit and then had a sandwich and a beer (I had meant to have a mojito as they were invented there but I forgot) and sat at an outside table that looked out over the water.  Very lovely.  I would have taken a picture of the seating area but they were making a movie and there was a big truck parked in front with the words Sunset Vista - irony noted as it totally blocked my Vista once I moved to the veranda to finish my drink. In fact, for my very cheap-o lunch, I really took advantage of the seating opportunities.  I spent hours there, just sitting in various places.  Again, it was far and I had walked.  Plus, I had finally found a Rum store and had stocked up on the heaviest bottle in there (or at least that's how it felt). 

National Hotel

my view from my lunch table

my National Hotel lunch

the fountain

the view from my second seat on the veranda

Anyway, I am almost out of time and I have a half sandwich waiting for me at my Casa, not to mention Scarlett. How will she save Tara?  Rhett to the rescue, I am guessing. 

Bus to Varadero tomorrow morning and then home on Saturday.   See you soon.