Fascinating, Sad, Uplifting, Magical
Cuba was always one of those places I thought I’d never get to visit. Like the former eastern-bloc countries I visited last April, this was a forbidden part of the world. But when I learned that Charter Club Tours was organizing a trip to Cuba, I was eager to sign on. And then I tossed the idea to my friend Cathy, and she jumped at the chance.
Cuba is a mixed bag: beautiful but faded glory in Havana. Stunning scenery and poor people. Some excellent food and some that was bland and boring. Excellent amenities and services for tourists, while shelves in markets and other shops were either half-empty or filled with far too much of the same product.
I am so glad I got to go and see this interesting country and meet some of its warm, friendly people. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to blog too much, as our schedule was full and the wifi was slow and spotty (or, at our final hotel on the beach in Varadero, non-existent). However, I did post lots of photos, which tell much of the story I couldn’t write.
Photo Albums
- Everything (427 photos and videos)
- Top 50 (50 photos)
- Havana and environs (329 photos and videos)
- Viñales Valley (64 photos and videos)
- Varadero (43 photos)
Blog Posts
My Cuba Itinerary (1/25/2020) - Just a week from tomorrow I’ll be on my way to Cuba! On my first trip to Europe in 1989 I went to Hungary, which was still behind the Iron Curtain. This trip feels like that. I’m not sure how… more…
Excited and Enchanted… (2/3/2020) - Monday, 8:00 am I started out planning this trip to Cuba feeling excited. It always seemed like one of those forbidden, exotic places I’d never get to visit. So when I learned about this tour, I jumped on the opportunity.… more…
Intro to Havana (2/4/2020) - Tuesday, 8:00 am Tour Yesterday part-bus and part-walking tour made for an excellent first day in Havana. Our guide, Felix, is a fount of information. So much information, in fact, that, interesting as it was, sometimes I just had to… more…
Am I drunk, or do they have chandeliers on their heads? (2/5/2020) - Wednesday, 9:00 am The answer to this question, posed last night by my friend Cathy, is below. But before I write about the really important stuff, here’s a rundown of yesterday’s sightseeing. Market Our first stop yesterday morning was at… more…
A varied picture (2/7/2020) - Friday, 9:00 am I have some catching up to do. Sorry I haven’t had a chance to blog since Wednesday morning, but we’ve been on the go a lot and it’s been exhausting. Today is our last day in Havana,… more…