I can’t even write about the next 2 days because I was so sick that all I could focus on was that. I swore that would never happen to me but there you go. I wanted my Mommy. I know we were at the Bay of Pigs and people swam there but that’s about all I can say. No, I can say that the kindness of people – even complete strangers – definitely came through. From a nice man in the local paladar setting me in a comfy chair under a fan to people carrying my bags and letting me lean on them and offering me medicine and water. It meant the world to me and helped me get through those 2 days. Now I’m just hoping to be able to eat again!
Day 4 was a full day spent exploring Viinales and it’s surrounding area. I got a small amount of free time before we all met where I parked myself on a bench in the main square and wrote. I do have to say, while I’m THOROUGHLY enjoying this tour and the super cool people on it, I need my alone time as well.
VinalesSuper-cool rock formations in Vinales
We were on and off the bus a lot today, seeing incredible views of the valley and some amazing limestone rock formations. We stopped by a local tabacco farm to learn about how they make Cuban cigars. The owner of the farm was hysterical. He spoke enough good English to have us all laughing. Surrounded by young tabacco plants, we went into the barn where the leaves are dried. You can’t imagine the yummy smell in there! Tabacco and dirt and humidity. It was great! While in there, he sat and showed us how he splits the leaves and rolls the cigars. It literally took him about 2 minutes to make one. Then he shared it with the group. Finally I got to try my first Cuban cigar. Do I like it? Eh, it’s ok. I love the smell, I’m not a huge fan of the taste.
A young tobacco fieldA lesson on how to roll a cigar
We were then invited into the farmers home where we had some beautiful coffee and, of course, a shot of rum. Rum is definitely the theme of this trip! It was very nice to visit with this family because we could communicate and appreciate someone’s sense of humor. And I got to buy cigars for family and friends. You know who you are….
Me and the tobacco farmer
In the afternoon, Tony took us to a friend’s casa for a salsa lesson. Yay! More dancing! What a lovely home this was with a charming covered back patio where we danced. Since it’s the theme and the men needed it just to get onto the dance floor, there may have been more rum involved.
Finally we were off to another local farm where we were to have a cooking lesson and then dinner. This farm was on the side of a cliff so a different type of beautiful view. Absolutey stunning and the breeze looking out over the valey felt like silk on your skin.
Why not make fried plantains with a beer bottle?
We were taught how to make sauce for dipping bread, rice and beans, pork stuffed with garlic and orange juice (YUM) and friend plantains.
They cook everything on a charcoal stove outdoors. The don’t have electric stoves on these farms. It’s about a 5 foot long slab of concrete with an impression in the middle where they put the charcoal. Then they use handmade metal grills on which they place the pots and pans. Its very impressive and again, the smells are mouth watering. So we al stood around watching the cook work her magic as we sipped wine and sampled her offerings.
Tony helping our cook on their charcoal “stove”
We sat down for dinner at a table right on the cliff. It was a long dinner and we ended up playing games and laughing and telling stories as the sun went down and we filled our bellies. Another amazing meal and experience.
Our table for dinner…More beautiful Vinales – the view from our table
Of course, next was dancing – again at the lone club. This time the boys had the balls – and a bit of liquid courage – to get out there with us. We closed down the bar. They had to kick us out. Ha! When was the last time that happened to me?! I honestly can’t recall!
Today started out with a tour of Ernest Hemingway’s mansion. He spent a ton of time in Cuba – as in Key West – writing. I’ve never been a huge fan of Hemingway (don’t judge!) but his mansion was fascinating. Mostly because of the oppulence and wealth you could see there in relation to the rest of the houses in Cuba. He had private tennis courts and a pool. His furry friends are even resting there in their own graveyard.
The room where Hemingway wrote
We then checked out Fusterlandia. Jose Fuster is a local Cuban artist. He is still alive and decided to start a community project in his neighborhood. He started adorning the neighborhood with tile mosaics. So all of the entrances to the houses on the streets are covered in tiny mosaic tiles, including the doctor’s office. The style pays homage to Barcelona’s Gaudi. It is remarkable! Eventually you come upon Fuster’s residence which literally looks like a playground done entirely in mosaics. It is 3 levels – indoor and outdoor – and every spot is covered in tile. He still lives and works there but there are very few areas of the residence that are restricted to visitors.
Me at Fusterlandia
We then visited another local community called Las Terrazas. This small, green village was built as part of a government reforestation project. This place was breathtakingly beautiful. It had a small man-made lake surrounded by walking paths and hiking trails and mini huts where people can spend time together out of the blazing sunshine. The “terraces” advance up the hill to where a stunning hotel – Hotel Moka – sits. It is all open air and cool breezes and amazing views. I imagine it’s just tourists who stay here as the cheapest room is 90 CUCs/night.
A view of Las TerrazasHotel Moka – Las Terrazas
Tony had been promising us some basic rice and beans for lunch. And that we’d stop along the way. I seriously thought that we’d stop and have a picnic lunch but we pulled off the highway and drove on a dirt road for less than a mile to Restaurant Don David. OMG, another amazing meal of “rice and beans”. Of course we did have rice and beans as well as fish, chicken, pork, lamb, vegetables, fruit…Anyone who says the food in Cuba is tasteless and boring is just plain wrong! The sauces are unique and flavorful, the meats rich and succulent and the fruits and vegetables fresh and ripe beyond words.
Restaurant Don David
We were back on the bus for a couple of hours on our way to Vinales where we’ll spend two nights. The bus rides – although not my favorite part of the trip for sure! – are where we get to pick Tony’s mind about life in Cuba.
We learned about how the people find loopholes to get around government restrictions in daily life. I’ve already written about how little salary even a highly educated person makes. So what the people do is search for jobs with “perks” – also called “side effects” in translated English and said with a grin. So there’s the receptionist who sells coffee to the patients that come to see the doctor. There’s the attorney that drives a taxi on the weekends. These people take any opportunity they see to make a better life for themselves. It’s admirable.
We learned Cubans still have ration cards given to them by the government for specific food staples like rice, eggs, milk, bread and meat. So they are only allowed to buy the food that the government chooses to sell to them. They are given additional rations for children, the elderly and pregnant. Every Cuban must register with a local supply store and obtain their rationed food from there. A family gets 1 ration card per year. 1 per family, not per person. It is difficult and expensive to buy food outside of the ration store and sometimes Cubans simply don’t have enough food.
All news transmitted to the Cubans is “good” news. They don’t ever get to hear – on local television – about anything negative happening in the country. It is either spun to take on a positive tone or not discussed. For example, last year President Obama negotiated a deal with Raul Castro to exchange 5 Cuban prisoners who were caught spying in America for 1 American prisoner held here. Apparently this was shown as a huge win for Cubans via the media. They weren’t given any back-information about the negotiations. On that same vein, advertising is not allowed in Cuba. The only billboards you see depict the strength and power of the government. You see Raul and Fidel Castro’s face everywhere. In fact, we got to see locals watching a baseball game at dinner. During game timeouts or inning changes, they show videos of past revolutionary events or current images of the regime. No ads and nothing negative.
We made our way to Valle de Vinales – which is in the Western part of Cuba and known for its dramatic landscape. The countryside consists of mogotes – which are craggy, flat-topped hills made of limestone. These hills are unlike anything I’ve seen. Not like mountains because of the lack of hard edges. They look more like someone dropped dirt and rocks onto the Earth and left it to figure itself out. The town itself consists of just 3 streets, 2 more than were here just a mere decade ago. The main drag contains multiple restaurants and souvenir stores in brightly colored buildings – each one boasting an outdoor terrace perfect for cocktails and people watching. Unfortunately, it is definitely a tourist town.
We got to Vinales just in time for the sunset – one of the best I’ve ever seen! And I’ve seen quite a few. To watch God at work, we went to a local eco-farm called Finca Agroecologica. There were rows and rows of fresh-growing vegetables in every direction you looked. It was so impressive. I got to watch the beautiful sun drop behind the random, oddly cool mogotes. It was outstanding! These are the moments I live for. These are the places I find peach and religion…
Beautiful sunset – Finca AgroecologicaA view of the restaurant – Finca AgroecologicaFinca Agroecologica – see the little lookout hut in the top left of the photo?Me on the farm
The farmer who owns the land also has a restaurant where he serves the food he grows and the animals he raises. Here you are surrounded by all of the beauty I just described while you bask in the smells and tastes of fresh vegetables and meat. We all sat down at a table on the terrace and were immediately brought what Tony called “Stress relievers”. Let me just say, none of us are stressed but even less so after having this drink! It is a mixture of coconut milk, fresh coconut and herbs – all from the garden. Then they set down a full bottle of rum. You can add as much or as little to the drink as you like. Very dangerous and very, very tasty. Can I just say that our table when through 3 full bottles of rum!
Shortly after that, I had to move out of the way as 2 of the farmers brought us our main protein. A full pig who had been roasting for 4 hours. It was awesome! He had a big ‘ole knife stuck right out of the center of him and looked delicious! Tony had the pleasure of carving him. Talk about fresh right?! They also brought fresh raw vegetables and fresh cooked vegetables and fish and chicken and soup and rice and beans. That was the most packed table I’ve seen table for all of the food and drink! Tony told us to not feel bad about not eating everything as it’s just their custom to keep bringing food to the guests. It was so delicious! Again, I don’t know why multiple people have said not to have high expectations for the food in Cuba but I have to say that what I’ve had has been scrumptious. YUM!
OMG!Tony excited to carve the pig
What a lovely night so far! We really have a good group of all ages and stages of life. We all seem to be getting along like long lost friends and just having a fantastic time together. This is one of those nights that I live for! Beauty in the land surrounding me and, more importantly, in the PEOPLE surrounding me!
A few of us wanted to take advantage of the nightlife in Vinales. Ok, maybe I shouldn’t call it that. It is a sweet, SMALL tourist town filled with restaurants but there’s only 1 dance club 🙂 Who cares as long as it’s a good one? And I was ready to DANCE!
Off we went to the lone dance club in Vinales and I loved every moment. It was all open air with a large dance floor surrounded by tables and a long bar at one end. When we went in there was an amazing Cuban band playing salsa and bachata music. Unfortunately none of the men in the group were ready – i.e. drunk – enough to dance but Tony, our group leader, came back shortly after that so I got to dance with him. Which was amazing! Again, again, again, I need to dance. On a very regular basis! One of the guys on our tour said “Aimee, this is the happiest I’ve seen you!” Yes, that’s the truth. We danced for quite a while, in between a Cuban singing some bad music and some worse American music and a bunch of teenagers showing off their dance skills to the crowd for tips. But it was all worth it to dance with Tony – so, so, so fun!
Day 2 started with the yummiest juice I’ve ever had – a frothy mixture of guava and papaya made by my guesthouse. Then we were off on our first planned excursion – a walking tour of Old Havana. This was something I’ve been looking forward to for months! Old Havana is the city center and the former positions of the city walls form it’s outline.
Alejandro was our local guide during the tour. He was fascinating to talk to. By education – which, it should be noted – is free in a communist country – he is a criminal attorney. He has a wife who also practices law and a 7 year old son. When the country embraced more tourism, he was finally able to use his entrepreneurial spirit to earn some more money. So he leads tours one day a week and drives cars for the tourists. In his “normal” job he makes 20 CUCs a month. That’s 20 American dollars! A MONTH! He says he makes more money during these tours than he ever could make working as an attorney. Interesting…I know for a fact that he made over 20 CUCs just in tips from our tour alone. Because he can supplement his income so considerably, he loves doing tours and he loves the throngs of tourists entering Cuba. He’s also looking forward to the cruise ships that will be starting to come to Havana in just months.
Old Havana is what I pictured it to be – quaint, eye-droppingly beautiful, sad, in varying stages of decay and bustling. But, I had no idea how many tourists would already be here. I can’t even imagine how it will be when Americans really start to come here.
Immediately upon entering the city, I got to see Cuban children and teens dressed up in dresses and suits practicing their dances. Apparently they do this every weekend and it is similar to what you’d see in the states – children not at all focused on what they’re supposed to do as their parents rile them in. And then there are the teens fully made up and looking like someone forced them to be there. It was nice for me to see that this section of the city is filled with Cuban life – it doesn’t just serve the tourists.
Old Havana
The buildings in Old Havana are simply lovely – built in the baroque and neoclassic style. The buildings fell into severe disrepair in the late 20th century because of a lack of funds for upkeep during the revolution. Some of them continue to be very shabby but in 1982, Unesco declared this area a world heritage site and the money for restoration began. We wandered around the cobblestone streets and squares learning tidbits for Alejandro. One of the interesting things and perhaps it should have been obvious but weapons are illegal here unless you’re part of the police or military. You will go to prison if you have them. And unlike other areas of Cuban law where the people “find a way” around it, people simply do not have weapons here. He actually said that even if you’re a member of the police, you are not legally allowed to shoot anyone – even in self defense – unless whoever is trying to hurt you also has a gun. So if you’re police and someone attacks you with a machete, you’d better be prepared to run!
This little guy “belongs” to the government. They take care of him – making sure he gets food and meds
The government has embraced tourism in Cuba. They pay to have entertainers in the streets. We saw bands and individuals playing instruments. There were dancers and a group on stilts. Apparently the government pays these individuals to entertain but, of course, they make the majority of their income in tips. And Cubans come to old town as well. Alejandro said he brings his son here. Not often, because he can’t afford it, but because his son loves it.
Stiltwalkers in Old Havana
We got to go into the train that the president used to ride in during his very long term. A friend in the group called it “Air Force One for Cubans”. An appropriate name. But it was cool to see where the “first family” ate and slept and made decisions back in the revolutionary days.
The tour ended with a cocktail on a rooftop bar in one of the beautiful old hotels in Old Havana. There’s a room in the hotel where Ernest Hemingway used to stay. I’m getting used to these rum drinks. This one was called Ambros Mundos and was what? Rum and juices of course!
After our tour of Old Havana we took the bus to see different parts of the city. For those that know me, this is not the way I like to see things. But, per my pre-trip intentions, I’m going with the flow and staying present and appreciating things 🙂 We drove by the U.S. Embassy where the American flag recently started flying. This building has been around for decades but until last year didn’t even have a sign on it. The drive toward the building is interesting. In front of the building are 150 massive flag poles. The story behind these flag poles is fascinating: when the embassy was closed, it was demoted to only an interests section, and the diplomats remaining there were forbidden to issue public statements or communicate with Cubans in general. To get around this, in 2006 they set up an electronic billboard across 25 windows near the top of the building on which “subversive” messages were posted. One of which included Abraham Lincoln’s quote: “No man is good enough to govern another without his consent.” In response, Fidel and his regime raised 150 black flags to obscure the billboard from view from any angle. They no longer raise the flags and the electronic billboard is gone , but it’s interesting to see how the government works to keep its people under it’s thumb.
We went to the Plaza de la Revolution next. This square is Havana’s largest and is the scene of important public events and political rallies. On the two ugly buildings housing the offices of the Ministries of the Interior and Communications are steel memorials of two of the most important, deceased heroes of the revolution – Ernesto “Che” Guevera and Camilo Cienfuegos. Across the street sits a humongous memorial to Jose Marti who is a national hero in Cuba for dedicating his life to the promotion of liberty and political independence for Cuba from the Spanish in the 19th century. It is the tallest structure in Havana and features Marti in the famous Thinker pose. Fidel Castro is not yet memorialized in the square because he is still alive.
In front of the memorial to “Che” Guavera – Plaza de la Revolution
We continued on to the wacky and slightly perverse Callejon de Hamil which is an alley where local artist Salvador Gonzalez has adorned every space with murals and sculptures inspired by the religion called Santeria. Santeria resulted from African Americans slaves in Cuba combining their religion with Roman Catholicism. Their customs include a trance and divination system for communicating with their ancestors, animal sacrifice, and sacred drumming and dance…you can see how the art of such a religion would be a bit crazy. Let’s just say one of the places to rest your weary bones is in a former bathtub now called art. I loved this little avenue – it had a wild and no-one-cares attitude! The art was al-encompassing, the music was blaring and Cubans were perched carelessly over brilliant pieces of art. Freakin’ cool.
Callejon de HamilCallejon de Hamil
Our evening ended with a wonderful dinner at a local Paladar called Karma. Perhaps obviously, the paladar focuses on the meaning behind the word and has some Indian tendencies. The restaurant is owned by a local WOMAN. Apparently this is pretty rare and people have really tried to support and grow women-owned businesses. It was packed so they were definitely succeeding. In fact, according to Tony, there was a famous Cuban producer waiting for a table when we left.
We were off to the famous canon ceremony that takes place in the The Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabaña. The fort was built around 1774 by the Spaniards to control the access of the Havana Port. The canon ceremony takes place every single night at 9 pm. There is some pomp and circumstance performed by Cuban soldiers with guns and fire and a huge canon! At about 10 minutes after 9, they light the canon and the sky lights up and the people in the crowd – including me – jump! The ceremony symbolizes the times when the Cubans had a curfew and prior to that – when the gates to Old Havana was to be closed. The curfew was at 9 pm so when they heard the canon blast, Cubans knew that it was time to return to their homes. Obviously there is no longer a curfew but the ceremony remains and even locals come out to it. There were many, many families with children vying for a spot to see the canon blow!
Day 1 in Cuba did not disappoint and I already feel like I’ve made some amazing new friends.
There was a significant amount of time spent in airports today – combined with some panic when my bag didn’t appear for 90 minutes – I won’t go into those inconsequential things. But, in true traveling Aimee fashion (man, I like her so much more than non-traveling Aimee!), I met some amazing people on the flight from Miami as well as in the airport. Perhaps that just happens over sweat and lost-bag panic but I love it just the same. I met Michael Chinnici who runs a tour group called Photo Workshop Adventures that specializes in worldwide tours where the group focuses on arts and photograpy. He’s been to Cuba many times and was sweet enough to offer his wisdom on the place. And of course I peppered him with questions because…what an amazing job he has! He said he started this company about 8 years ago because he had a passion for travel and for photography. So this is one of those “follow your passion and the money will come” stories. And he has been to some incredible places and…gotten paid for it! I asked him for a job 🙂 I also got to meet his coworker Ena and some of the Americans on his tour – one of which did the amazing job of finding my almost long-lost bag. We exchanged information in the hopes that I’d hook up with their group on my free night in Havana. It was a wonderful beginning to the trip and made me SO hopeful that I’ll meet similarly fascinating people here.
The smells and sounds assault you when you leave the arrivals terminal. Throngs of people make more noise than you ever thought they could – all speaking so rapidly in Spanish that I could only catch one or two words here and there. And it is HOT. And sweaty. And either Cubans wear a lot of cologne or my nose is becoming as sensitive as Candace’s. Luckily I easily found my taxi and we were on the road to my guesthouse. Immediately I saw the countless classic American cars Cuba is known for. And the smell of exhaust is overpowering. On the road fresh air was not to be found. But the cars??? AMAZING.
After just a short trip I was brought to my guesthouse. I am staying with a family here in Cuba. When tourism became big in Cuba – about 20 years ago (it’s been open to American for only a hear and a half) – families – if they had a big enough house and a private bathroom for guests – were given the opportunity to open their homes up to tourists as a way to make some additional money. I actually prefer to travel this way as it gives me a chance to learn more about the Cuban way of life. And, of course, practicar me Espanol. The homes in the neighborhood I’m staying in are absolutely massive. And in varying stages of decay. The have gorgeous architecture and huge picturesque balconies but they have just not been kept up. Cubans have not been able to buy or sell real estate until 3 and a half years ago. They have acquired their homes by any number of previous generations and since you couldn’t buy a home, children live with parents and grandparents. It’s certainly a different way of life. And the home that I’m staying in is one of the massive one that haven’t been kept up. It’s perfectly fine – there’s a bed and a shower with hot water but, again, it’s interesting to see the way of life here.
I didn’t expect my roommate to already be here but Sallie was just getting ready to head out. Sallie is from New York and just recently purchased a brownstone in Brooklyn. Just tying that sounds cool! She works as a grant writer for the performing arts – in NY! Totally cool. Anyway, one of my first questions to her was, “Can I join you”? We wandered the neighborhood of Vedado which is a mile + away from Old Havana. We were on the lookout for a CADECA (a money exchange) and some traditional Cuban food.
Havana’s Neighborhoods
Sallie is also a petite redhead so we had to get used to “piropos” – which is what Americans call flirting. Linda hermosa – pretty lady – with a couple of kissy faces and a lot of stares. Me? I like it! All flattery is good flattery and when you don’t speak the language and therefore don’t know if they’re saying something inappropriate, I’m all good! It was just fascinating – I guess the two of us are just so different from what Cubans see on a day-to-day basis…
We found a sweet outdoor paladar where we had some lunch. Paladares are privately owned restaurants; not run by the govenment. The have been legal in Cuba since the early 1990s but only in 2010 were goverment restrictions on the restaurants removed. Until then they were only allowed to seat 12 people and had to be run out of a Cuban house and all of the workers were required to be family members.
My first paladar
I ordered whatever sounded good in Spanish – cerado was the only descriptive word I knew – and ended up with a lovely plate of grilled pork on the bone. And of course I had my first local beer – it’s called Crystal and tasted like heaven on a hot and humid day in a beautiful new country.
After a nice siesta, we met up with the rest of our tour group for a brief introduction. Our local guide, Tony, gave us a restaurant recommendation and Sallie’s friend, Anne, had heard about another place we should go called Fabrica de Arte Cubano (FAC). We decided to hit FAC first. FAC an avant-garde art co-op that opened in 2014 to promote the interchange of artistic ideas and happenings.
Fabrica de Arte Cubano
OMG what an amazing place! Of course the first thing we did was get the typical Cuban cocktail () made by a beautiful Cuban man who spoke no English. Who needs it, right? This was an amazing drink! It tasted like the best Kool-Aid ever and went down way too quickly. We retreated to an outdoor area that was decorated with tires that served as cocktail tables and a shipping container as the bar.
Sallie, Anne and Me – first rum drink at FAC
The gallery itself was phenomenal. It was room after room after room after theater after rooftop gallery filled with local Cuban art. Every space – and artist – was so radically different and beautiful and creepy and touching and happy and scary. There were religious-themed photos depicting locals with angel’s wings. There were nude photos depicting all sizes, colors and backgrounds of Cuban women. There were photos depicting a historical Havana overlaid with modern Havana. There were abstract paintings and fashion. I loved and hated everything I saw! We got to meet one of the artists and just wandered around being inundated with the arts scene here in Havana.
We then moved to a restaurant recommended by our guide called El Cocinero. It has 2 levels of outdoor seating in a beautifully landscaped setting. We sat on the rooftop deck and started with some Chilean white wine and appetizers. Dinner included more wine, gossip and wonderful food. I told Sallie and Anne that I felt like one of the cool kids. We had an evening of wine and food and art and shared stories in such lovely and fascinating place filled with beautiful people. Being one of the cool kids might be as nice as it’s cracked up to be!
I’m off to Cuba in just a few hours. When people ask me about it, I’ve been telling them that I think it will be unlike any trip I’ve ever been on. But then I realized that I say that about every trip! And I think it’s because I make sure each trip is unlike any of the others. I hope to do that this time as well.
Trip Itinerary
As with other adventures, I’m nervous. This one is unique in some ways because I’ll be completely disconnected. I haven’t experienced that since my Africa trip and those that know me can probably recall what happened during that time and how late I heard about it. So this makes me a little scared. I hope and pray that everyone I love stays safe and happy while I travel. Please…please…please…
This one is also different in that I’ll be part of a group tour for the whole time. Currently, this is the only legal way to travel to Cuba so I don’t have much choice but I’m pretty excited about it. It’s a rare opportunity when I leave all planning to someone else! I don’t have to do anything but show up and be open and have a freakin’ blast! I’ve been wary in the past of group tours but the entire point of this one is to expose me to the true culture of Cuba and its people. And after so much research on the tour and the group, I’m pretty confident that will happen.
Another thing I do before each adventure is set my intention(s) for the trip. Honestly, they’re usually the same. But it’s worth it, I think, to think about them and voice them and in this case, write them down. I’ve found that it makes me more accountable. So here goes.
I’m going to be myself, not who I’m expected to be and maybe not who I’ve been in the past, but exactly who I am. And I’m going to own that.
I’m going to be vulnerable – to others in the group and anyone I’m lucky enough to meet. I think that goes along with being your true self. Doing that is a vulnerable thing.
I’m going to try to remain present. Even when things don’t go according to plan or I’m completely sweaty or sunburnt. I’m going to feel the burn and stay in the moment as much as I can. P.S. You all know I’ll be wearing SPF 70!
I’m going to pay attention to the people I meet, the things I see and the experiences I have so that I can learn as much as possible while I’m there. I appreciate these crazy differences between my culture and others and I want to lean into that.
I’m going to blog. Unfortunately I won’t be able to post on a timely basis as there’s no free Wi-Fi in Cuba. But writing about my experiences is kind of like a diary to me. It also makes me accountable for the decisions I make because I know that they’re going to be written down. Don’t be surprised if you see a post starting with “Dear Diary” 🙂
I’m going to dance with abandon and a huge grin on my face. I’m going to try at least one Cuban cigar. I’m going to drink mojitos and local beer and local wine and rum. I’m going to swim in the ocean with the sharks and fishes.
I’m going to wander – yes alone – but safely.
And I’m going to explore…and come back a different person for it. Stay tuned.
I’m trying to find the perfect word to describe Cartagena Columbia. It is sweet and romantic, with its cobblestone alleys and balconies overflowing with Bougainvillea. But it is also hot and sassy, sexy and loud, with music blaring from every corner, even people walking down the street rapping.
I am staying in the walled-in old town, which is a UNESCO world heritage site. This area is teeming with peopl – it seems both day and night. I can see why people don’t wear a lot of clothing here. It is so darn hot! And humidity like we don’t even see in Charlotte.
It was early evening when I arrived and got settled into my apartment. The first thing I needed to do was get a map and go to the grocery store. After that, all I did all night was walk along the alley ways in the city. I must have looked like a complete dork because every time I turned a corner in the city my mouth dropped open and I uttered the word “wow”. There are horse-drawn carriages. And local selling their wares. And honeymooners out for a stroll. And teenagers getting drunk in the streets. It just seems like the city has so many personalities. And each one of them is pretty freaking cool! I bought a cervesa on the street and just walked around drinking beer. Every once in a while I’d pop into a boutique or check out some crafts or sit on a curb. The people watching here is amazing! I can see how people fall in love with the city and never leave.
I don’t usually take pictures of my food but…this is Filete Marinero – fish fillet with shrimp, octopus, and scallops. Served with guacamole and a banana with hot sauce on it!
Tomorrow morning I’ll take a tour and get my bearings. Then I’m off for a private salsa lesson which I can hopefully use tomorrow night and one of the many clubs
Finally…this was to be the day that I’d get pampered before returning to the real world. But first, a little splurge on typical Colombian coffee. Where else would you go but Juan Valdez, right? Anyway, I returned to my apartment to pick up some things before my massage appointment and while I was there the power went out. Apparently this happens often in the Old Town. I didn’t think too much about it – just left to get rubbed!
Las Bovedas – former dungeons that now house local vendors
I went to the old Santa Clara Hotel in Old Town which is now a Sofitel property and absolutely stunning! Here if you had a spa service you got access to the facility for the day so I planned to spend my day getting touched and pretty and then spending some time by their incredible pool.
Upon entering the ladies lounge, I made a new friend in Jess – a woman from Manhattan who was in Cartagena for an event planning conference. She’d been wined and dined all week long. She also let me know that Martha Stewart was at the hotel and I’d just missed her in the spa by 20 minutes. So I was in the company of Martha…kind of…it was going to be a great day.
I had the BEST massage I’ve ever had in my life here – and I’ve had quite a few. You know the kind? When the pressure feels so good that your eyes sort of roll back in your head and you can’t do anything but concentrate on the luscious feeling? It was one of those…oh so good. It was followed by a mini-facial and a pedicure that was long overdue. On returning to the ladies lounge, I realized that —– I did not have my credit card AND I did not have enough cash to pay for the service AND my credit card (and license and passport) where in the safe in my apartment whose power was out. It being an electronic safe, I was pretty much screwed. Oh my goodness, was I embarrassed! I immediately got in touch with both the property manager and the building manager to see if they could loan me money. And then did what I always do when I’m freaking out. I called my Mom! It was an agonizing 30 minutes or so but the property manager, Barbara, made a trip from her apartment to downtown to let me borrow enough money to pay my bill. I really needed a drink at that point! But – you can’t buy a drink with no money. It was seriously a comedy of errors all around. And I overreacted, of course, but was just so embarrassed about the whole thing. It was a little chink in the armor of what was supposed to be a picture perfect day.
The incredible pool at the Santa Clara Hotel
I do think things happen for a reason, however, because after the whole debacle, Barbara and I went to have a bite to eat and a much-needed glass of wine. We had such a nice time! She and I are very similar and it’s refreshing to see that there are other slightly crazy yet pretty cool women out there in the world. I’m very grateful I got a chance to get to know her.
I had planned on going to the Havana Club to dance with Henry, my building manager, who is a local and would show me the ropes. Unfortunately, in all the events of the day, I drank some water at the spa that definitely wasn’t agreeing with this gringo L So instead of dancing ‘til dawn, I was in bed at 10! I was also reasoning that going to bed early would be better for my day at the beach on Friday.
I woke on Friday to another HOT, HOT, HOT day and was leisurely sipping my coffee and slowly waking up when I checked my email to find that my flight was delayed. How strange – how do they know it’s delayed when it isn’t departing until tomorrow? I honestly didn’t think twice about it but thought I’d just look at my Expedia app to see what I was in for the next day. It said, very clearly, “Your flight departs in 2 hours and 36 minutes”. WHAT?!?!?! Yes, I’m a natural blonde! I had seriously thought for months that I was returning on Saturday, not Friday. Well, here we go. I put some clothes on and literally sprinted down the streets of Cartagena to an ATM because of course I didn’t have any money for a taxi! I can only imagine what people were thinking by the looks they gave me. It was absolutely hysterical. But by 7:30 I was out of the apartment and shuffling down the streets with 2 suitcases in search of a taxi. When I found one, all I had to say was “mas rapido”!!!
All is well that ends well, right? I’m hoping to be in Charlotte by day’s end. Everyone needs a little jolt of excitement on their last day of vacation, right? Just don’t hold it against me…
OK, the city is just cool! But not literally cool – it’s hotter than the Amazon here!
I woke up nice and early and had a coffee in my apartment while the rest of the world got up. This town definitely sleeps in.
Have I mentioned how hot it is here yet??? I left early for my tour and sweat was literally dripping from my chin within 5 minutes I had to return to my apartment and get what I’m calling toalla del sudor – the sweat towel
Welcome to Cartagena
The free walking tour started at 10 AM from the old Naval Museum in the walled in part of town. I really love the free walking tours! This tour lasted a little over two hours and our tour guide had been doing tours in Cartagena for 26 years. He didn’t have the richest of personalities but he sure did know his facts. I always learn so much about a place when I do these tours. I also get a chance to figure out where I’d like to go and spend more time. And I get to do it all for the cost of a tip which – in this case was only 5 dollars. Nice!
I’m not much of a historian but some of the history of Cartagena is absolutely fascinating. For example, the Inquisition of Cartagena. People deemed as heretics against the catholic religion were tortured and then executed in one of the city’s squares.
The Inquisition Museum and the square where the torture would ensue.
Also, the history is reflected in the architecture of the old town. It is a mix of colonial and republican architecture. The balconies of the colonial style housing have sharp pointed corners, allegedly to scare the witches away. Cartagena is 50 to 75% Catholic, and you can see that evidence in the multitude of churches within the city. Also, the doors of the houses give an indication of the wealth of its owners. They are massive – big enough for a horse to pass through – and have brass knobs on them. Legend has it that the more brass knobs, the wealthier you were.
I am much more interested, however, in the modern day secrets of the city. Like where I should go to eat! And drink! And dance! And shop! I learned that there are a few types of cuisine here. The one that I really needed to look for is called la comida corriente. This is typically what the locals eat. It is a set meal of rice, a meat, and a salad for next to nothing!
I also learned that there is a local market called Las Bovedas. It is a colonial structure that was built into the walls and used to be dungeons. It’s now a shopping destination with multiple vendors selling everything from art to magnets. I’d have to make it there.
A beautiful view of the towerThe famous fat lady sculpture in Plaza Santo DomingoOne of the wealthiest families in the city lives hereA great sign: un cafe ( a coffee) $10,000, un cafe por favor (a coffee please) $7000, buenas un cafe por favor (good morning, a coffee please) $4000
After a great tour I took the guide’s advice on a restaurant and had la comida corriente for lunch. A full dish of local food – including a plantain with hot sauce on it (GENIUS) and a local Club Colonial beer – for the dollar equivalent of $6. Awesome!
Beer!
Beer + vacation = nap in my world and after that I was off to my first private salsa lesson. It was at a local dance school called Crazy Salsa and I’d booked this lesson weeks ago. My first realization was how different it was from my lesson in Quito. There, all we really did was dance. Here, I learned the names of the moves and ways to perfect my form and footwork. My teacher was a local who grew up about 2 hours from the city – Mauricio. Perhaps the better experience had something to do with speaking the same language? Who knows; either way I learned so much and totally loved it!
I had previously asked the building manager to recommend a place where I could go for just a glass of wine – no food. I looked last night for something and had a hard time of it. He suggested Cafe del Mar, which is located on the city wall where tourists go to watch the sunset. Hated it! The view was nice but it was 20-something people and techno and neon lights…seriously not my thing.
I began to wander and found myself chatting with the manager of a spa I was inquiring about. He suggested a restaurant called La Vitrola for dinner and wine. Loved it!! It’s a Cuban restaurant with live music and an even more lively atmosphere. From the moment I stepped in I felt good. From the older gentleman hitting on me at the bar to the young waiter who said, “come with me, I’ll take care of you”. It was just what I wanted. I didn’t even look at the menu – I went on recommendations alone and enjoyed a beautiful fish, yummy white wine, sweet music and people-watching. Another great day in an amazing city 😊
Super cool doorway at La Vitrola. See the little door within the bigger door??Live Cuban music at La Vitrola
Day five of our tour took us on our last jungle hike – about a 2 mile walk to the jungle to a waterfall. It was a beautiful and very hot and sweaty trip but it was so worth it. The waterfall was like out of a movie. It was huge and stunning and it fell into a small pool surrounded by gorgeous vegetation. Wow, amazing! We’d all decided we’d use the waterfall as a shower so we stripped down to our skivvies and went for it. The water was cold and clear and refreshing. Roberto said that going under the waterfall itself would “get rid of the bad stuff”. I’ll translate that to “cleansing your soul” and I was all for it. Consider me cleansed – literally and figuratively. We giggled like school children, threw the soap around and took way too many pictures. In short, it was perfect.
A stunning waterfall in the middle of a jungle
We had to say goodbye to some of the staff at that point and we got into the dugout canoe for our last cruise down the river. This time we were going in the direction of the road. We got to see the end of the Huaorani land, which is very clearly marked. After leaving were on the land, we enter land belonging to the Shuar tribe. This tribe is known for shrunken heads!
The crew at our campsite before we left
We ended our cruise at the bridge that begins what is called Zona Intangible. This area was set aside to guarantee the subsistence of people in voluntary isolation. This is where the Tagaeri tribe and the Taromenane tribe reside. These two tribes want no outside influence and maintain their culture and traditions from centuries ago. These traditions include hunting with only spears and blowguns and, basically, killing anyone outside their tribe when they infringe on their land. From the stories we’ve heard from the Huaorani, they don’t discriminate. They’ll kill members of other tribes as well as oil company workers and illegal lockers.
This was where we had to say goodbye to Uweme, Eloy, Edison and Marco. Since these were the staff we got to know the most, this was difficult. All I could do was sincerely thank them and hope they know how much their brief presence in my life meant.
We got into our taxi that would take us to the city of Coca for our flight to Quito. Right away Roberto called this the Toxic Tour and you could immediately see why. It’s disgusting! The stark difference between the lush, alive, green jungle that we spent five days in and what we now saw was so extreme. There were oil rigs everywhere you looked it seemed. Literally I saw two within 1 mile of each other. Anything tall had been knocked down and there were pipes following the whole road. Terribly sad… I don’t know much about drilling for oil but apparently what is drilled contains a waste product that cannot be used. So to get rid of this, near most rigs is at least one huge fire. The fires I saw were over 6 feet tall and they burn all the time. So not only are the oil companies polluting the land, they’re polluting the air as well. It’s just awful!
It was a quick and smelly flight back to Quito where Jen, Roberto and I said goodbye to Louise and Shane. The three of us then (finally!) indulged in a local beer called Club. I couldn’t leave Ecuador without tasting the yummy local beer!
It was time to say goodbye to Roberto and Jen. It’s always so hard for me to do this. I know that I don’t really know these people all that well but when you share this kind of experience with them, it feels as if you do. And to think that I might not see them again makes me very sad. I honestly don’t know what I would have done without Jen opening up her cabin to me. Just having someone in the room with me eased my fears so much and I could never thank her enough! So who knows, maybe our paths will cross again one day. I sure hope so! At the very least I’ve made friends and so many memories. We’ll always share those…
Tomorrow I’m off to Cartagena where I’m going to indulge in some good old-fashioned pampering. Wine, dancing, food, shopping, exploring… And more great stories please…
Stories from a newly married, adventure seeking woman looking to see the world.
