I was very pleased to find the ‘shared taxi’ was actually a taxi with an air-con that worked; 

The taxi is shared with an Irish backpacking couple who are good value and were kind enough to share their water with us when I realised that ours were still in the refrigerator back at the Hostel.

About 40 minutes into the trip the drivers mobile phone goes off and he hands it to the Irish girl who is in the front passenger seat beside him (she can speak a little Spanish).  She turns around and hands the phone over to me and tells me the call is for me? I get on the phone and discover that it’s Hilcelia who tells me that I still have the room key. Good grief.  Forgot the water and still have the room key in my pocket.

I hand the phone back to the driver who speaks to Hilcelia and arrangements are made for him to drop the key off.  I’m starting to think whether I left the iron on at home.

We make good time as the driver goes near flat out weaving through and around traffic which would have scared me if I had kept my eyes open.  He suddenly pulls up because he wants to buy some fruit from a roadside vendor;

At around the halfway point he pulls over in one of the small villages and we have a driver change.  The next guy is much older (70’s) and I am sure he was senile because he would mutter to himself and then have this whole conversation that either ended in laughter or whistling.

Next stop was at a service station for toilet and water before back in the car and off again.  We arrive in Varadero just after midday which made the trip just over 3.5 hrs. As it turned out our Irish mates were staying just one street over from us so it all turned out quite easy.

I pay the driver his 60 CUC and we are greeted at the front door by our Host Elys.  Elys has hair dye all over her and was in the middle of treating her hair. She shows us in and I find that her mother, sister, daughter and best friend were are all having the same treatment.  It soon became a circus as they all tried to stop and help get us sorted.

On the outside the house looked a bit rough but found our room to be in really good shape.  It had a television (unfortunately all you get are Cuban channels here), fridge, air-con, brand new bathroom and amazing colour scheme (ha);

After unpacking we head down to the esplanade to find somewhere to eat.  Elys had recommended a restaurant that was near us but for some reason we couldn’t find it and I put it down to getting the directions wrong.  Varadero is only on a thin strip of land so you can walk from one side to the other in only 10 minutes. On one side their is a magnificent beach (best in Cuba) and on the other is only for fishing.

On the esplanade we run into the Irish couple who point us in the direction of where they had lunch.  We continue on and have coffee at the same funky place;

The beach is literally on the other side of the road and we go and check it out;

It is far too hot for us to hang around the beach as the sun is just beating down.  We decide to head back to the Hostel and come back when we have dinner. On the way we pick up a treat;

It is not like home where you can buy treats whenever you like it.  You generally don’t see things like chocolate, chips, etc for sale unless its in a big hotel foyer and even then its pretty limited.  Varadero is a tourist town and has a lot more in the shops but I still see people lining up just to get into a supermarket that has very sparse stock.    

Back at the Hostel I get on the net and book our final Airbnb in Havana for our last night in Cuba before we fly back to the US.  It must have been too big of an effort has I had a nap.

Around six I went to find Elys to sort out where the local restaurant was but all I could find was her elderly mother who was a bit deaf – language was not the issue as she spoke reasonable English but the volume was.

Off we go and head north along the esplanade until we walk over the sand hill to the beach.  As you would expect after a hot day it was pretty popular as it was starting to cool off as the sun went down;

We checked out one of the larger Hotels that was right on the beach not far from our Hostel.  The Hotel ‘strip’ is actually about 2 klms north of us and we intend to check that out the next day;

We go for a bit of a walk around the street and I can’t help but keep taking photo’s of the old cars;

After a while we find a strip of local restaurants and have dinner which cost us a total of 8 CUC and included a glass of cola.  

Whilst walking back to our Hostel we actually find the restaurant we had been looking for.  Back home it was time to relax and then call it a day.

It is Sunday morning and we get up reasonably early so that we can go for a walk along the beach before it gets too hot.  Hardly anyone in the streets but there are a few on the beach including a group who were holding prayer. The Cubans love their boom boxes and even the preacher had a portable amp to make sure EVERYONE could hear him;

One disappointing thing I saw was the about of rubbish left behind on the beach from the day before – heaps of bottles and plastic.  You just don’t see this back home and if you were to throw rubbish you would be told to pick it up. I mentioned it later to Elys and she told me that the locals are well aware of the problem and the Government is trying to crack down on it.

I did find this beachfront property (as in right on the beach) which appeared to be dilapidated and unoccupied – you could name your price if it was in Sydney Australia;

Helen and I stop walking and head into Starfish Hotel which is one of the largest on the strip.  To stay a night there is around the 90 – 120 CUC per night. If you are not a guest you can pay 20 CUC to have access to the facilities;

I see people hanging outside a cafe area in the Hotel lobby and head over to see if we can get some breakfast.  I wander into the cafe and get pulled up by a waiter who must have thought we were a couple of vagrants given we had beach sand all over us, barefoot and looked ordinary.

I am told that they only do coffee so I place an order for a couple of Americanos – it’s funny because he wants the money up front before we are allowed to go and sit down.  I get my wallet out and because I don’t have my glasses on I drop a 50 CUC note on the counter (I thought I was getting out a 5) – well did his attitude change then! We get shown to the table and are seated right under the television screen that has the last 5 laps of the MotoGP live.  Gold. Helen gets transfixed on the race;

We head off in search of breakfast and I come across a small market where I find hand made leather Cuban baseballs for sale – I purchased one for my little mate Jeremy back home and was even able to get the lady to burn his name on it;

We eventually find a restaurant that is open and we have breakfast before heading back to see Elys to get her to organise a shared taxi for tomorrow’s trip back to Havana.  On the way back we called in and had a look at a local Church service;

I keep taking photo’s;

The motorcycle cop is on a Moto Guzzi.  What you can’t see is that on his boots he is wearing spurs?

Back the Hostel we found Elys with her mum sitting in rocking chairs on their porch (I did tell the both of them that their hair look very beautiful).  We sat down and took the opportunity to have a long chat with them. Both are great value and have a keen sense of humour.

I learnt that Elys is a nurse and works at the local clinic – 24 hr shift and then 2 days off (I complain about 8 hrs).  She worked for 3 years in a Jamaican Hospital as part of a Government exchange program. She said that it finished about 8 years ago and unfortunately she can’t go back.  The money was good and she had access to Burger King, Pizza Hut and tasted strawberries for the first time. A local that she worked with had to point out what to buy in supermarkets – for example she had never seen pet food for sale before.

Elys explains the impact of the US pleasure cruise ships being stopped.  The development in the Hotel strip was based on the boom in tourism from the US and now that it has halted there is a flow on effect.  The luxury hotels are not full therefore their prices drop which makes places like hers having to drop their price to remain attractive.  I tell her I will try and drum up some business for her when I go back to the States.

A taxi is booked for our trip to Havana and at this stage we are up for 90 CUC if the driver cannot find another couple to share with us.  I am not fussed about this as it is in his best interest to find others as he will make more money overall. The worst thing that can happen is we get a ride with plenty of room (or maybe get picked up by the Prison Bus).

After a while we go and have a late lunch and walk down to the same place as where we had dinner the night before.  I don’t think we are meant to go to the recommended restaurant given when we walked past there was a lineup. In this heat lining up for a meal is far from being attractive;

Later in the afternoon the heavens open up and a typical wet season downpour.  Heaps of thunder and lightning with at least an inch of rain in 30 – 40 mins. Its like a river running off the room and flooding the street;

I check our CUC reserves and find that we only have 108 (including coins) left – I had hoped that we would be able to judge it right and not have to change more money but it may come down to how much we have to pay to get back to Havana.  I didn’t really want to have to change anything back to USD as there would be another fee and I am not sure how easy it actually is to do that.

We head out for dinner and this time we get into the elusive restaurant.  We sit down and all I can see is flies all over the place (may be due to the rain) and decide that even after all the effort we are going somewhere else.

Whilst walking past one of the larger Hotels we speak to the concierge and he assures us that if we come down to the Hotel by 8:30 am tomorrow morning we should be able to get a shared taxi to Havana for 50 CUC.  Given our CUC cash reserves were low this seemed a far better proposition.

After dinner and back at the Hostel I speak to Elys and she rings the driver and he is confident he can find another couple so we stick to the original plan.  The rain comes again and that is us done for the day.

The next morning we are up early and to get ourselves sorted.  Elys is at work but we sit out on the porch and mum makes us a coffee – it came in the smallest flask I had ever seen;

We talk to mum and get further appreciation just how hard life is for the Cuban people – this only because I ask a lot of questions.  Mum has a really bad ingrown toenail that Helen has a look at (podiatrist at work) and all that can be done is give advice given she does not have her instruments.  I got the feeling that it was easier for poor old mum to live in the pain compared to the effort it would take to get someone to treat her. Sad.

The taxi turns up half hour late and the original driver booked has brought over his mate who can do the job.  Long story short they couldn’t find another couple and that was the reason they were late. Normally all they have to do is swing by the bus station and there are tourists wanting a ride.  I believe them as its in their interest to find more passengers as they can make more.

The offer is to take us in the taxi to Havana for 60 CUC which I am happy with that and would have paid the extra 10 just to have a more comfortable ride anyway.  Our driver is Miguel and he turns out to be a good bloke. We say our goodbye to mum and head off;

The drive to Havana is 2 hours and is very enjoyable as its right along the coast.  Having plenty of room in an air-conditioned car also was a bonus;

Our driver has trouble finding our Hostel as the street that he thinks it’s in proves very difficult to get to due to a couple being blocked off re building works.  He rings our Host a couple of times and after about a 25 tour of the streets of Old Havana he finds it. I have found it critical that you have the phone number for your host as drivers need to phone them in order to find the right place – just having a written address doesn’t seem to work;

 

The Host comes down to meet us and shows us up to the 3rd floor – we have the 1 bedroom apartment to ourselves as he is renting it out on Airbnb for his father who is currently in the US.  It is a great setup with a small kitchen, bathroom, air-con, etc. Our bedroom opens out on to the balcony that over looks the street;

The apartment is still being cleaned so we leave our bags and head off in search of brunch given we missed breakfast.  I get my bearings and work out that we are only staying a couple of streets away from our other Hostel which makes it easy as we know our way around.  We go and have lunch at Cafe Suiza in Obispo St – I now really rate this little cafe;

Whilst we were having lunch we managed to find another 60 CUC that we had totally forgot about (secret stash) – total bonus in that we now had enough. From the cafe we walked to the other end of the street and checked out La Floridita which was Ernest Hemingway’s favourite bar;

We go inside and it is absolutely jammed packed with tourists who all want to have a cocktail.  The bar staff are flat out;

After checking out Hemingway we made our way back over to Parque Central as I wanted one last close look at the classic cars.  I did a video as well as taking a heap of photos;

Also went into a couple of the Hotels;

By now I knew that our room would be ready so we head back over and find that the front door has multiple dead locks – the host had given me a set of 5 keys and I never really thought much of it until I had to use them!  It took me a good 15 minutes before I broke through in cracking the locks and by this time we were both absolutely drenched in sweat as the hallway was like an oven. In we go and on goes the air-con;

As arranged I rang the Host so he could come back and take down our passport details – this is common practice everywhere you stay and there is nothing to worry about.  After a short time his girlfriend (who had been cleaning the room) arrives with a handful of ETECSA cards that we can purchase if needed – I explained that I am the Cuban internet guru now and its sweet.

Like the other Hosts these 2 are very friendly and in for a chat.  The girlfriend tells me that she has just finished her studies and is now a qualified Dentist.  Like we have heard before she is obligated to go and work at a facility at the discretion of the Government and it is likely that will be in the Prison system – she does get to stay in Havana.  If she does not complete the 3 years her qualification will be withdrawn.

Later in the evening we go over to the same Hotel where we saw our first band.  A different band is playing and its good fun just sitting under fan taking it in.  The band takes a break so we move up 2 doors to watch another;

After a while we leave the band and I ran straight into my mate Kikko – we have a laugh and this time I grab his card.  Its hilarious as the card as the contact details for his mum as he takes his orders from her!  Whilst speaking to Kikko it starts to rain which meant all of the drivers were hurriedly putting their tops up;

We walk across the square and into the fancy Hotel.  A seat is taken at the Bar and we celebrated our last night in Cuba with a glass of wine.  I had a glass of red and Helen white – I nearly fell off my chair after having it given I haven’t had a drink for a very long time.  The Hotel lobby is interesting itself with cigar area and entertainment;

The cigars on sale are top quality and rage from 2 CUC to 15 CUC – hate to think what they are worth back home.

We leave the Hotel and head over to O’Reilleys 403 for dinner.  It’s the third time we have been there but we enjoyed it so much it was hard not to go again.  I was also wary of trying something different when having to fly out the next day.

We walk back to the Hostel through very wet streets and call it a night.  Tomorrow we head to New York which is a big bucket list item.  

I will be doing a final Cuba blog once we get back into the US to wrap this leg up.

 

WP Rocket