Cancun to Cuba!

Basking in the sunset's glow!

Different things to do in Playa. Fly somewhere close like Cuba.

My first communist experience…different. Did enjoy seeing the Canadian flag flying above the oil rigs though. Had no idea we did business with them or that they even had oil for that matter. Shocking! I am unaware of a foreign current event. And I try so hard to keep up with the news.

 But I had heard the important stuff like they have beautiful beaches and the food sucks. It had been about 7 years

since my husband had been there and

Hard to get a good shot in the cab!

he said it has come a long way baby. We did pack along our own Mexican hot sauce though figuring that might help things out and surprisingly they actually had some there. We stayed in an all-inclusive in Veradera and it was good for Cuba, I understand, but paled in comparison to a Mexican resort, no contest. The rooms were pretty nice though and we even had some really tasty meals. Their fresh bread was to die for hot everyday and they had tons of delicious seafood. No steaks for us beef loving Albertans that’s for sure. Moo.

Where we stayed

The biggest difference was when we would order stuff (like a diet coke or agua for example) from the beach bar and they would say, ‘We are out.’ Or like when they had no power and couldn’t cook a burger for us or when they allotted only 3 french fries / burger. Perhaps they watched the movie ‘Supersize Me’ and were watching out for our health. They also have no chips or nachos in Cuba. I always crave salt with my beach drinks, it was hell well…on a beach suntanning while drinking. You know that kind of hell. One last food mention and I’ll shut up about it…don’t go to Cuba for chocolate, pack a Hershey bar if you must. I never realized how much emphasis I

placed on good food during my vacation time until I just wrote this. Evidently it is so. But I am spoiled I love the food

Golf course with a view

in Mexico. Hell let’s just say it out loud. I love food. Period.

  However, I really enjoyed the different experience and would go back. Bag of chips and a chocolate bar and I’ll be all set. The cool thing was it was like walking back into the past. All the 1950 cars were blowing me away. They were very common and many were still in  pristine condition with new paint jobs making them look brand new. We had to be transferred from Havana to Veradera as

Can't you picture Al Capone here?

we booked a last minute get away from Cancun so we had to take whatever was available.

  I don’t know if it was my imagination or

Best seat in the house.

if I have just been living in happy Mexico for too long, but I felt an overall sadness to the people. People weren’t as quick with a smile as they are on the streets of Playa. In the resort, if you were tipping, absolutely they were smiling and most spoke English. I also must mention the incredible live music. Man those guys were musicians and could they sing. Big bands too with all the instruments. I tried to get a picture of one of them but all were blurry. They moved too fast!

 It’s also the first place I had ever been

Coolest Dudes!

to that when people were speaking English you could pretty much bet they were Canadian. They weren’t American at any rate, except a very few that we met. Mostly missionaries in the airports and one lad who knew he was caught before he even got back on the plane and was talking about his court date when he got back to the States.

 We saw a couple of Al Capone’s houses that were amazing and now have been turned into hotels or restaurants or restaurants in hotels. We also saw a lot of smart Canadians and it was obvious

This was the sky every night...breathtaking.

that it wasn’t their first barn dance. They brought along huuuuge plastic insulated mugs to order their drinks in. We had to order our drinks in bulk as they served them in micro-mini plastic glasses. Word to the wise, bring a big plastic beer mug. You’ll love me for it.

 So I have saved the best for last…the sunsets. Like I have never seen. Absolutely worth the trip! Pictures say it all. The ocean was lovely too and I do want to go back as I was only there a few days and need to return when I

My favourite vacation destination...breathtaking.

have a week. The history was fascinating there. (OK what’s up with the font changes? It must be the ghost of blogs past. It wasn’t me…computers…yet another area that challenges me. I have a list.)

But my bottom line is that really there’s no place I could go with Paul and not have a good time. Not possible. He is my vacation. He makes it all worthwhile.

 Happy Birthday Honey! xox