Missing Betsy, King & Irvin

El Dandy

FARC

Day 3 was the most eventful day of my Cuban experience. An action packed day that allowed us to enjoy Central Habana as well as travel toward the countryside. After breakfast at El Dandy, Hayley, Lyndsey, Drew and I went to a BB gun range before walking around Old Habana sightseeing and visiting the local markets. Drew bought a fedora, cigars, and other trinkets, as I missed out on some precious art because my funds were low. Next, we visited the famous Plaza de Viaje seen in many television shows and films. Plaza de Viaje is a historic site built originally for processions, executions, bullfights, and fiestas. Day 3 would continue with a visit to the Malecón where we would coincidentally run into King, Alexis, and Irvin having brunch at the Monastery. The Malecón (officially Avenida de Maceo) is a broad esplanade, roadway and seawall which stretches for five miles along the coast in Havana, Cuba, from the mouth of Havana Harbor in Old Havana, along the north side of the Centro Habana neighborhood, ending in the Vedado neighborhood. The main purpose of building the Malecón was to protect Havana from the water and the so-called Nortes, but in reality, it would end up serving more for nighttime promenades by Habaneros, for lovers and most of all for fishermen. 

Later on, we flagged down a pink convertible taxi headed to Playa del Este in Terrara. Playa del Este is one of the few private beaches in Cuba, and also home to a yoga retreat center where Hayley and Lyndsey retreated. Drew and I eventually left the girls at the retreat and headed back to Central Habana for dinner at La Guardia. La Guardia is the top restaurant in Cuba; celebrities like President Obama, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Derek Jeter, Jack Nicholson and others whose pictures are on the wall frequently visit it. La Guardia was close to Betsy’s and a perfect way to end day 3.

Day 4 was the least spectacular day of my trip in Cuba but still refreshing. Drew and I walked around Central and Old Habana to capture more footage for our blog and vlogs. We also got haircuts at a barbershop to feel more like a local. I never cheated on my barber until I got to Cuba, and I definitely don’t regret it. We visited Capitolio, the capital building for Cuba which is identical to the United States Capital building in Washington, D.C., USA. Afterwards, Drew and I took another convertible car tour visiting Cristo and Castillo del Morro. Cristo is a marble statue of Jesus Christ gifted to Fidel Castro by the Italians. Cristo is a carbon copy of the Christ Redeemer statue in Brazil but on a much smaller scale. Castillo del Morro is a fort by the same name as the one in Puerto Rico which we visited. Castillo del Morro is a fort built to defend Cuba from foreign invasion as well as the war between France and Spain for the rights of Cuba. While visiting Castillo del Morro, Drew and I also made Guarapo Frio, sugar cane juice. Freshly made sugar cane juice with no additives is the sweetest, healthiest, most delicious drink you can find in Cuba and best I have ever tasted.

Day 5 was my last full day and the last day the gang of four would roam the streets of Cuba. We spent the day in Vinales, Cuba which is about a 2-hour car ride from Habana. We visited the Santa Tomas cave which is approximately 45 kilometers and has 8 levels. The cave is usually full of water during rain season, which is totally unimaginable once you crawl to its depths. The cave was pitch-black covered with minerals and limestone. Bats, snakes, eels, crabs, and other critters lined the walls, ground, and small pools within Santa Tomas. We definitely were not dressed appropriately for this cave hike, which I’d say is more suited for spelunking aficionados.

Drew + V. + Hayley + Lyndsey

I learned much from the locals, people who are happy with what they have and are happy to be alive. There are many misconceptions of historic Cuban figures such as Che Guevara, Jose Marti, the Castro family, and others. Che Guevara is a famous historic figure viewed with you see in movies, books, on posters and various clothing. Che is Argentinian and not Cuban and is usually looked at as a positive figure but to the Cubans, Che was a murderer who killed many Cubans and Mexicans. Che certainly gets mixed reviews worldwide, some good and some bad. Jose Marti was a Cuban journalist and national hero who worked for an independent Cuba. Cubans view Jose Marti as a drunkard whose journalistic ability was exaggerated. To the Cubans, the real hero was Camillo Cienfuegos. Camillo Cienfuegos along with Che and the Castro brothers led the revolution against the autocratic Cuban government in the 1950s. This revolution led to Fidel Castro’s rise to power which Cienfuegos mysteriously died shortly after. Cienfuegos, whose name translates in English to “one hundred fires,” is revered in Cuba as a hero of the Revolution, with monuments, memorials, and an annual celebration in his honor.

Cuba was amazing, sweet and simple. I enjoyed meeting all my new friends and I was sad to leave. Betsy took care of us so much and I will continue to pray for her and her family. Please check out How to Travel to Cuba and Where to go in Cuba video blogs by Drew. I hope you are inspired to travel and once you begin you will see that your experiences will become richer. I’m off to my next adventure in two weeks!