Catamaran

My father & I got up pretty early the next morning (around 0615), to wash up & change into swimming gear, before heading to the buffet to catch a quick breakfast at 0700. After that, we bid farewell to my mother and waited for the tour bus at the front entrance of the hotel. In this country, everything runs on ‘Cuban Time’ meaning that nothing is according to schedule due to the laid back atmosphere. So even though the bus was supposed to arrive at 0800, it didn’t show up until 0815.

When the catamaran representative stepped out of the bus, we showed him our paper ticket & were cleared to board. The bus continued picking up more customers at several more hotels, before heading towards the Marina Gaviota, located at the eastern end of the peninsula. I was surprised to see mostly modern European & Asian vehicles on the road rather than the 1950s American cars that Cuba is known for.

A line of 10 white catamarans bobbed slowly in water as our bus & several others arrived at the marina to unload passengers. No shoes are to be worn on the catamaran and smoking is only allowed at the back. They packed about 35 tourists (including children), and a crew of 3 onto a single catamaran; a little crowded in my view. Our catamaran was called the Ra and its crew consisted of a captain, first mate, and bar manager. They can speak Spanish, English, French, Russian, & German. The captain was in possession of a Russian Baltic Fleet top hat, and the bar manager wore a Canadian ball cap. The bar would be open all day offering various alcoholic & non alcoholic drinks.

The catamaran left the marina and sailed into the hot morning sun as my father & I drank Cuba Libres. Sunscreen is just as valuable as alcohol on this kind of excursion; just don’t drink it. Passengers spread themselves out, tanning in the sun, taking photographs of their friends wearing the Russian top hat, and lying on two nets that hung above the water at the front of the boat. As the Cuban mainland slowly disappeared behind us, a lonely seagull flew behind us, thinking that we had food onboard. A couple threw pieces of bread, forcing the seagull to land in the water several times before finally catching a piece in mid flight.

We arrived at the first destination in the late morning; a dolphin pen built in shallow waters. You’re led into one of the pens, and get to pet a dolphin, receive a kiss, and watch them perform several tricks. The dolphin trainers charge 10 pesos if you want a professional dolphin kissing photo, and stress that none of the dolphins are called Flipper. There are washrooms but there are no toilet seats or running water. And of course, once it was time to leave, the trainers asked for any tips.

Our next destination was snorkeling at a coral reef in the sea, several kilometers from the dolphin pen. (It’s hard to figure out the exact route when Google Earth doesn’t provide clear pictures over Cuba). There also happened to be three other catamarans at the coral reef when we arrived. You’re given a face mask, snorkel, and a plastic pad around your waist as a life jacket. Adults don’t have to wear one but you have to sign a tedious waiver. Swimming in the sea was fun, looking at all colourful fishes darting around our bodies & trying to find Nemo. But the snorkels were low quality and my father & I found it difficult to breathe underwater.

Once everyone was on board and not swimming to Miami, the crew sailed the Ra to a remote island that had a pristine beach and an open lodge. We all had to sit in one area so that the lodge staff knew whom to serve the lobster lunches. Getting drinks at the bar was your responsibility. As we munched on lobster, rice, fries, and bread, we listened to a trio of men singing songs. Cuban music is so joyful. Like the crew of the Ra, these singers spoke Spanish, English, French, Russian, and German. After lunch, we we’re free to swim in the salty ocean until 1530. Plenty of small shellfish crabs walk around the sandy beaches so don’t be shellfish and step on one.

The crew of the Ra distributed sandwiches as a snack when we began our journey back to the mainland. I washed mine down with another Cuba Libre. Of course, there were always seagulls around to take what you didn’t want. A huge swarm flew around our catamaran, fighting over pieces of bread thrown by tourists. I was surprised that the crew had no problem with this, maybe because they were sheltered by the roof.

Upon arrival at the marina, the crew thanked us for putting up with them, asked for any tips, and if anyone wanted to by the mix CD they played during the voyage. My father and I stepped off the catamaran and gone onto the bus that would drive us back to our hotel. I have to admit that for 75 CUC per person, you get a lot out of this catamaran cruise: free lunch & drinks, getting up close with dolphins, snorkeling at a coral reef, and spending several hours at a secluded beach. Definitely an opportunity to try out!

(Off topic: Happy New Year!)

Lounging About

The following morning, my parents & I woke up and proceeded to try out the breakfast buffet. The sun was out & shining brightly as we walked along a concrete path surrounded by palm trees, and grass. We passed a large sitting statue of Buddha in front of the Japanese restaurant, looked at the many fish that swam in a pond, made mental notes of the swim bars, and averted our eyes from the Quebec men who were tanning in their Speedos.

Like on a cruise ship, the buffet area was packed with adults walking around, scooping up whatever food they wanted before heading back to their tables to devour it in a calm manner. All four food groups were spread across five tables; you name it, they had it. After claiming a table, we armed ourselves with plates & cups, and proceeded to the buffet tables. I filled my plate with bacon, smoked salmon, bread, hard boiled eggs, & various fruits. Waiters & waitresses walk around, offering coffee, tea & espresso, and/or picking up plates. For a five star rating, the food was quite good.

Once our stomachs were satisfied, we left the buffet and walked to the main lobby for a briefing with a Sunwing Representative. Us and another family of three had made reservations via Sunwing at Melia Las Americas. The representative explained the hotel’s facilities, the monetary system, what tours are offered, and the best ways of traveling. For five pesos, you can buy a day pass and travel on the bus to Varadero and up & down the peninsula.

Cuba uses two currencies: Cuban Peso (CUP) & the Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC). The convertible peso is strictly for tourists, brought in to take out all foreign currencies from circulation. The CUC is worth more than your foreign currency, because this enables the Cuban government to skim some money for themselves when you make the trading transaction. Resorts have a CADECA Casas de Cambio where you can buy pesos, but make sure you have a calculator to check that the teller made the right calculation and always ask for a receipt. Don’t trade at the reception desk because you’ll get less pesos.

The Sunwing pamphlet we were given offered: tours in Havana, Varadero, Mantanzas, & Trinidad; a catamaran cruise; and a jeep safari. These tours & trips last the whole day and the prices are high when you realize how many dollars you need to convert to purchase the tickets. After examining the pamphlet, my mother purchased catamaran tickets for my father & I at 75 CUC each for the following day.

Once the meeting was over, we went where everyone else was; the bar. We ordered Cuba Libres (rum & coke), and pina coladas. The alcohol flows like a river down here & it’s free! Socialist Tourism rules. After that there was nothing left to do except walk around a bit, swim in the pools, and sit in the sun. Day one was devoted to lounging about the resort.

The next thing we knew it was night and time for dinner. The dress code is more formal with shorts & flip flops not allowed. It’s so nice to have a meal and not have to worry about annoying little kids running around. You just sit back, drink some wine, talk, eat, and listen to two guys play Spanish guitars. The playing quality doesn’t disappoint. Just be prepared when they come around asking for a tip or to buy their CD. They got lucky that night because one table treated them to large glasses of red wine.

Adults Only

The bus ride to our hotel was uneventful aside from the tour guide, I’m guessing, who talked over the PA system about why we made the right choice in coming to Cuba for a vacation, mentioning the warm weather, the sunshine, and that there are plenty of activities to do.

After around 35 minutes, the bus dropped us off at the 5 star hotel resort called Melia Las Americas. The all inclusive adults only (18+) resort is located on an 18 kilometre strip of land that looks like a hook from the air. This strip in the of is strictly used for tourism and is the most populous in the with fifty resorts spread across the sandy coastline.

The spacious lobby, filled with many chairs, couches, and tables, was alit by Christmas decorations and several ceiling lights, as my family and I entered. We proceeded to the check in counter to claim our room reservation. Upon inquiry about upgrading to a junior suite, it would cost an extra 20 dollars per person each day. However, the check in clerk gave it to us without the extra charge. My guess was that she did it to be nice and maybe get something out of it. During the USSR times, this kind of informal agreement & transaction was known as blat, helping someone out to get ahead and/or to get something in return.

She handed us our keycards, safe key, and special bracelets which subtly indicates to staff that we paid for the all-inclusive treatment: free drinks at the 24 hour bar, access to the breakfast & lunch buffet, free beach towels, and 3 free dinners at any of the resort’s exclusive restaurants (Cuban, Italian, & Japanese).

A bellhop who spoke pretty good English took our baggage & lead us through the deserted resort to our junior suite, located near one of the pool areas, and not connected to the main building. The room has three beds, small kitchen, living room, closet & safe, washroom, and patio that looks towards the sea. The refrigerator is stocked with complimentary water, canned cola drinks & beer, which are replenished every day upon request. At first, I was surprised to see ‘two’ toilets facing each other in the washroom, making me think it was for conversation purposes. But upon closer inspection, one was a toilet and the other was a bidet. People still use such a device? I guess Melia Las Americas really goes all out to earn the 5 star rating.

With our bags unpacked and passports locked up in the safe, there was nothing left to do except freshen up and go to bed because we were tired from our travels, and it was the dead of the night. We could have gone to the bar for a drink but no one was in the mood for alcohol. Rest was needed to tackle the following day.

Packing & Flight

Preparing for a trip to Cuba is no easy task. There are plane tickets to buy, hotel rooms to reserve, and excursions to book. As well, there is the question of time. My parents decided that it would be best to travel before the Christmas holidays because of the hordes of people & harsher snow storms. Despite researching first class tickets (PC term is executive class) from Air Canada, my parents settled for the charter carrier Sunwing. It’s like West Jet, only without the too friendly flight attendants.

When it comes to traveling, I follow a simple saying, “Always prepare for the worst. That way, you’ll only experience the best.” With that in mind, I stocked up on Gravol, Imodium, sunscreen, Off! repellant, and earplugs. For entertainment, I packed several books & a pack of cards.

Our flight was scheduled to depart at 1900 but Sunwing suggested that passengers arrive up to three hours early when the check in counters opened. They didn’t offer online check in. Upon our arrival at the airport, my parents & I were stunned to see a lineup in front of the Sunwing counters. We guessed these people were also traveling to Cuba. Despite this, we only had to wait around 20 minutes before we checked in our suitcases and received our tickets. Getting through security wasn’t a problem and thankfully none of us were taken aside to be stripped searched. Murphy’s Law states that ‘anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.’ In our case, the flight was delayed for an hour and the reason was never explained. But after that, the plane was filled with passengers and we took off into the cold winter night.

Since international flights last several hours (in this case, four), I prefer to sit in an aisle seat so that it’s easier to access the washroom. The entertainment system consisted of several channels of music, and the movie Ice Age 3. As for dinner, it was okay but could have been better.

After some time, the flight attendants began distributing the temporary VISA cards, stressing that no mistakes would be accepted by the Cuban authorities. The worst part was that you’d be charged $20 for a new card if you did make a mistake. Rip off! With the mounting pressure on my shoulders, I slowly filled out the VISA, writing maybe two letters at a time. It felt like I was trying to diffuse a bomb. Luckily, I didn’t make a single mistake, and I breathed a sigh of relief . . . before ordering an alcoholic beverage.

Because VISAs are on separate cards, there's no need for the authorities to stamp your passport. This also acts as a loophole for Americans wanting to visit because it's illegal for them to travel to Cuba via the USA. They have to either fly to Canada or to Mexico first before continuing.

The plane touched down in Varadero at around 2300 and came to a rough stop, then proceeded to taxi to the main terminal. I was surprised to see the ground crews operating modern vehicles and that we exited the plane via an air bridge; my parents & I were preparing to exit onto the tarmac. And yes, there is electricity.

Getting through Passport Control is like in Eastern Europe and Russia. You hand over your passport, VISA card, and plane ticket to an official sitting in a glass booth. You’re to look ahead at a camera & not smile as they check your face with the picture on your passport. When cleared, you receive your documents, and they buzz a door to unlock, letting you enter the Arrivals Area. However, you have to walk through security again; Cuban authorities are really thorough so don’t make a fuss and just do what they say.

After picking up our suitcases from the carousel, we exited the terminal and were greeted by warm 25 degrees Celsius weather. It certainly felt better than the -4 degrees cold we endured on the way to the airport in Canada. A Sunwing representative approached us and pointed to the bus that would take us to our hotel. We boarded post haste and the bus sped off into the night.

Intro to Cuba

Just 180 kilometres south of Florida, lies the largest Caribbean island in the shape of a traditional vacuum cleaner. This tropical climate filled archipelago is 1,250 km long, 100 km wide, and has a total surface area of 110,922 square kilometers. But it’s not alone. A smaller island, as well as hundreds of tiny others, surround it, as if making a shield against the powers of the sea. The landscape is divided into 4 groups: mountains, plains, marshlands, and tropical forest, and all of them contain many varieties of exotic flora. The island that I speak of is Cuba.

Before the Spanish discovered the island in 1492, Cuba was inhabited by three Amerindian ethnic groups (Guanajatabey, Siboney, and Taino). They were conquered by the Spanish who ruled if for the next 4 centuries. Although the people of Cuba gained their independence in 1899, they found their country being heavily influenced by the United States to the north. It wouldn’t be until 1959 when two communist guerillas would overthrow the American backed dictator and establish a ‘socialist utopia’ that exists to this day, managing the lives of 11 million people.

Today, Cuba is one of the prime tourist destinations in the world, known for its cigars, rum, sugar, music, and doctors. For me, I would be visiting this tropical place for the first time, just for a week in December to relax in the sun, swim in the sea, and get away from the cold winter that had engulfed Canada with mounds of white snow. I would join the million Canadian tourists who visit this place every year.

Aside from going for the first time, the other reason to travel to Cuba is to see a communist society before it changes. Unfortunately, I was too young to visit the USSR and Eastern European countries before they collapsed in 1989 & 1991. So Cuba looks like a good start. Then, if I’m lucky and there’s enough time, visit Vietnam, China, and North Korea before democratic reform kicks in.

But for now, on to describing a tourist’s vacation in Cuba . . .