Like all vacations, they come to an end. And after spending a week in a Caribbean Socialist Paradise, it was time for my parents & I to head back to the snowed in Great White North. Our last day would not be wasted because our flight was scheduled to take off at 2300hrs (11:00pm), meaning we had to be ready for the bus at 1930 (7:30pm). As an added bonus, we were allowed to keep our room until 1600hrs (4pm), instead of 1200, the mandated check out time. All it took was effective negotiation by my mother. As I returned the borrowed towels, I wondered what the other guests do if they have seven hours to kill & no room to wait in? Most likely spend it at the bar. Should you find yourself in such a situation, you can store your luggage in a storage room located at the front of the hotel. Just keep the numbered cards the bell hops give you.
We spent the morning & early afternoon packing, reading, eating at the buffet, and leaving several clothing items behind. Tourists have been known to leave clothing and extra pesos for the hotel staff because the quality of the material is better and the staff do not make much money. If they don’t like what you leave them, they can still sell it for a hefty price on the black market.
At 1600, we bid farewell to our room, returned our keys to the main reception, and had our luggage put into temporary storage. We spent the next three hours loitering around the main lobby, reading, walking around, wishing the Internet wasn’t ancient dial-up (& not working), and trying to speed up time by drinking Cuba Libres.
Finally, our bus arrived at 1930hrs ‘Cuban Time’ (1945hrs), and we tossed our luggage in the bottom compartments before boarding. Of course, the bus drove to several more hotels to pick up more tired tourists. Unfortunately, the Cuban who was leading the bus thought it would be fun to lead everyone in a sing-a-long, followed by a ‘brief’ history of Cuba – which everyone has already heard! I can honestly say I wasn’t the only tourist who wanted him to be quiet & let us rest. Luckily I had my earplugs with me.
Once off the bus, we loaded our baggage onto a cart I snatched, and walked into the terminal, only to be greeted by a very long line of tourists. If yesterday’s flights to Toronto & Montreal hadn’t been cancelled due to adverse weather then the line to the Sunwing kiosks would have been smaller. Surprisingly, after 30 minutes, we made it to the front, checked in our luggage, and received our boarding passes. Next on the list was paying the 25 CUC departure tax. I wasn’t surprised because after 9/11, every international airport has a departure tax in place to pay for . . . I don’t know what.
I had to abandon my water bottle before going through security which only consisted of two metal detectors & x-ray machines. The Varadero terminal needs to expand; they only have 4 gates. After being waved through, we noticed a large billboard displaying 5 Cubans on trial in Miami. They didn’t say for what but the billboard went on about how unjust it was & that they should be released immediately. My guess was that the Cuban men were on trial for espionage, spying on the Cuban communities in Miami.
The departure area was packed with passengers because of yesterday’s cancelled flights to Toronto & Montreal. They would be flying out tonight like we were. The smoke from Cuban cigars made it tough to breathe. Luckily we found three vacant seats to sit & wait for our flight to be announced. The tumultuous atmosphere died down when the people on the Toronto & Montreal flights left. After another 15 minutes, our flight was announced at Gate 2 . . . which just happened to be on the other side of the departure area. Boarding didn’t take long and we made our way to the back of the plane. Next thing I knew, the plane was in the air & heading for Ottawa.
The flight back home was mostly uneventful, but not as stressful when we were flying to Cuba. To me, the flight back home is always the better flight. From what I remember, the midnight snack was mostly edible, and we were given a complimentary cup (not glass) of champagne. My only complaint was that the head stewardess had trouble talking in French. After three hours, the plane touched safely in the cold capital, the captain informing us that it was -4 outside. Getting through Customs & picking up our luggage didn’t take long, and we quickly threw on extra layers of clothing before leaving the terminal.
Just like in Cuba, we were hit with the sudden change in temperature; in this case, it was the numbing cold. We got into a taxi and were dropped off at our house by the emotionless driver. Once inside, the first we did, was unpack the Cuban rum, and make ourselves rum & cokes. We toasted our vacation ‘The End’.
Overall, our trip to Cuba was fun & enjoyable. I encourage everyone to go see the socialist utopia before the Castros leave power. However, I do wish to stress that you go there with an open mind. Yes, being asked to tip is constant but don’t let it get to you. Just be aware that it’s a different corner of the world and things are done differently. The Cuban authorities are on your side because you’re a tourist bringing in hard currency. And make sure to bring a calculator when you go to a Cadeca to exchange your foreign money for convertible pesos (CUC). There are stories of the tellers skimming a peso or two for themselves.
Viva Cuba!
No comments:
Post a Comment