Adventurous 3 weeks in Cuba

I had trouble sleeping due to jet lag and woke up before 5 am. The hosts of our casa particular were friendly, they served us an amazing breakfast, and they switched to speaking Spanish when they realized I could understand them.

We exchanged money with our hosts and set out to buy SIM cards, but they were not available, so we settled for wifi cards instead.

We explored the city with a guide (we found him on square) and bought cigars and drinks along the way.

We returned to the casa to rest before our evening plans, which included dinner and a show at Cabaret Tropicana. We met some friendly couples from El Salvador and Serbia and had a great time despite the poor quality of the food. After the show, we visited a Fabrica del Arte, an old factory that had been converted into several clubs and galleries. We danced and had a great time before taking a taxi home.

The ride was bumpy, and we were locked out of our casa for a short while, but we eventually got in and rested for the next day.

We decided to take a free walking tour that we had missed the day before. We were delighted to find that for just 5 euros, we could enjoy a delicious breakfast at our casa particular that would keep us full all morning.

We spent a couple of hours walking through Old Havana and learning about the country’s culture and history. We discovered that Cubans drink a lot and talk about alcohol often. Despite the country’s challenging economic situation, the people we met were friendly and welcoming. We also learned about the country’s two main religions – Catholicism and African religion – and how they often blend together. We saw many interesting sights during our tour, including the ruins where people still live and the women doing fortune-telling outside the cathedral.

We also attended a salsa class where we learned some new dance moves. We found it on the Civitatis web page.

We began our day by waking up and preparing for the day ahead.

After saying goodbye to our hosts and buying wifi cards, we each went our separate ways. While I was using the internet, Tin went to the restroom.

During this time, a man approached me and begged for money due to his asthma, but I couldn’t give him the amount he asked for. Eventually, we gave him something before heading back to our accommodations to finish packing.

As we waited for our transportation, we encountered a problem when we realized we had too much luggage for the taxi we had arranged. We managed to fit everything in, and during our 3-hour drive (25 Euros per person from Old Havana to Viñales), we met some German tourists and had a conversation with them.

We arrived at our accommodations in Viñales and were warmly welcomed by our hosts.

The hosts were very helpful and provided us with plenty of advice and assistance. We were served cold mango juice, which was refreshing. We took a break and spent an hour on the internet, drank beer, and got a little tipsy.

We took a taxi to a restaurant located on a hill, where we were the only ones interested in getting close to the animals. We saw miniature pigs, which were cute but also a bit messy.

We had dinner at the El Paraiso restaurant (we took a taxi for 10 Euros), which offered a breathtaking view and a wide selection of food. The meal included homemade chips, soup, different salads, rice, potatoes, lobster, chicken, and tuna. We couldn’t eat everything, but we enjoyed the dessert and coffee. The highlight of the meal was a delicious piña colada cocktail, which was mixed with fresh pineapple and coconut. We had a great time and joked around. We also chatted with German tourists again, admired the stars, and then took a taxi back to our accommodations, where we fell asleep quickly. Overall, it was a good day.

After getting up at 8:00 a.m., we had breakfast that left us feeling quite full. As much as we enjoyed the meal, we both knew that we needed to do something active to burn off the calories.

We went on a carriage ride to a tobacco farm and learned about the process of growing and harvesting tobacco. We also went horseback riding  with a guide who taught us about the local area and its culture. We stopped at a farm where we learned how to make coffee, rum, and honey.  We had a great time and bought some honey and rum to take home with us.

We went through a narrow cave, gave candy to happy children, and returned to the apartment. After dinner and cocktails, we had an unpleasant digestive experience but eventually went to sleep.

We had an early breakfast so we could head to the beach by 8 o’clock.

Before we left, our host asked if he could clean our room, and we agreed since it needed tidying up. We also made some sandwiches for our beach trip during breakfast.

Unfortunately, it started to rain on the way and by the time we got there, it was still raining and the sun was nowhere in sight. We enjoyed building a fort and searching for shells and crab shells. Although we couldn’t catch any sun due to the bad weather, we still had a great time.

We headed back at 3 p.m., rested a bit, and then went to town for dinner. We had the best chicken curry risotto and Mango Colada cocktails in Viñales, again at Cubar.

The beach day wasn’t eventful as we couldn’t do much due to the bad weather, but we made the most of it by chilling under a roof and building a castle on the beach.

We decided to explore Viñales by renting  bicycles (20 Euros for the whole day). We woke up early, had breakfast, made sandwiches, and set off with our helmets on.

After stopping at a square to take pictures and surf the internet, we rode towards the Cueva del Indio, a cave about 6.5 km away with a bumpy and hilly road. When we  arrived, we secured our bikes and purchased tickets for the cave.  Before entering, we stopped at a gazebo to try fresh sugarcane juice with rum, which was delicious. Inside the cave, we walked through and saw various formations made by nature, including a snake, champagne bottle, crocodile head, pig on a spit, and Indian skull. We also rode a boat through the cave, which was really fun. The boatman showed us various interesting sights and asked for a small tip at the end.

After exiting the cave, we bought souvenirs and headed  back to our bikes. The bike rental agent talked to us about Viñales and charged us an extra 100 pesos, which we didn’t argue about.

Next, we biked back to the city and then to the Mural de la Prehistoria. The huge painted wall was really impressive and colorful. We took some pictures, ate some sandwiches, played with some goats, and used the toilet facilities before continuing on.

We then biked up a hill towards a La Ermita hotel with a stunning view of Viñales. It was tiring, and I accidentally stepped on some horse poop, but it was worth it for the beautiful view.

On the way back down, we stopped at Cubar for lunch and internet. The food was delicious, and we rested a bit before heading back home to watch some series.

Later in the evening, we went to the final cocktail at Cubar. Overall, it was a fantastic day filled with interesting experiences and beautiful views.

Indian Cave (Cueva del Indio)

Tickets, tip and sugar cane juice with rum: 1000 pesos

Parking: 400 pesos

We woke up early to pack our things, as we had been too lazy and tired to do it the day before.

At half past seven, we left the accommodation and met our host, Manuel, who was already awake. He offered us breakfast. We quickly ate, made some sandwiches for later, and had coffee before settling our bill and giving Manuel some gifts we had brought. He was pleasantly surprised and thanked us.

A taxi arrived, and we got in, despite having too much luggage. The journey took 4 and a half hours, with a stopover in Havana, where we switched to another taxi. The trip was eventful, with us witnessing various sights. We paid 80 euros for the trip (40 euros per person).

We finally arrived in Varadero. We were not too thrilled with our new accommodation and had to figure out breakfast for ourselves, as everything was a bit small and there was no breakfast provided.

We went to the beach, but a storm cut our visit short. After it stopped raining, we went for a walk and  found a shop with limited supplies. We attempted to pay with cash, but they only accepted card payments, so we gave up and ordered pizzas from a nearby restaurant to eat, but also to take back to our accommodation for breakfast the next day.

We woke up early and had pizza for breakfast before getting picked up by a taxi with our instructor, Yuri, for our scuba  diving trip.

Because of the strong current and wind in Varadero, we were unable to go diving there, so we went to the Bay of Pigs and Cueva de los Peces diving site instead.

During the break between dives, Yuri recommended that we go to a deep cenote located behind the toilet area, and we had a great time there. 

After the second dive, we headed back to Varadero, stopping to buy fruit in a village along the way. Yuri impressed us by eating guava like an apple. Despite the constant honking of car horns in Cuba, we were impressed by the politeness and kindness of the people.

We arrived in Varadero and went straight to a restaurant where I ordered the best pumpkin soup ever, and Tin had pasta with meatballs.

Etecsa Office

After 9 days had passed, we were finally able to purchase a sim card that includes 8GB of internet for 2250 pesos. The validity of this card is for 2 weeks.

To purchase a sim card, it is necessary to show your passport to the staff member.

About our dives

Only the three of us were diving, which was great. Yuri explained the plan and equipment, including the aluminum bottles and short suits, on the car ride there. Upon arrival, we discussed what creatures we could expect to see before beginning our first dive at  11:20am, which lasted 41 minutes and reached a depth of 21m.

The shallow part was followed by a wall with an incredible array of colors,  sponges, corals, and fish, which was an excellent experience. 

We had a 45-minute break between dives, and the second dive at 12:55pm lasted 44 minutes. This dive was even better as we went to the other side and dove to the wall and the sunken ship at 18m. Yuri took photos of us using his high-end equipment. The underwater scenery was stunning with a variety of fish, corals, and sponges. We spent around 10 minutes just observing and taking pictures before heading back to the shore, where Tin also took some excellent videos and pictures with our GoPro camera.

Yuri complimented our diving skills after completing only three dives, and he seemed pleased that he didn’t have to constantly check on us during the dives. Even though we only recently obtained our CMAS 1 Star certification in Croatia, he thought we did well and that we would be even better with more dives under our belts. We found it much easier to dive with lighter gear and less restrictive wetsuits.

We woke up early and walked 11 km in 2 hours and 15 minutes to reach the Dolphinarium.

We sat down and watched as trainers performed tricks with 6-8 highly trained dolphins. The dolphins did various stunts, including jumping through hoops and hitting balls with their nose, and they seemed to enjoy the interaction with their trainers. The show was entertaining, and we enjoyed watching and applauding the dolphins’ performance.

Following the dolphinarium show, we walked through a forest passage to reach a beach where we found some sunbeds designated only for hotel guests. We tried to ask if we could pay for the usage, but the person we asked did not understand English, so we decided to act confused and not speak to avoid any issues.

We swam and built a fort, and later, we decided to head  towards the botanical garden. We passed through a wild passage with a torn bridge and walked through a complex of bungalows and small houses, where we were stopped by a security guard who asked for our bracelets. We pretended not to understand Spanish and explained that we got lost while walking along the beach, which really was the truth. The security guard escorted us to the lobby and let us out, and we continued walking towards the botanical garden. However, it was too hot and tiring, so we eventually decided to head back home.

After waiting at the bus station, we decided to hop on a bus that cost us 5 Euros per person for the whole day. The bus took us to various luxurious hotels on the peninsula and finally to Varadero. We were hungry, so we went to a restaurant where I enjoyed a traditional Cuban dish called Ropa Vieja, which is actually a pulled beef.

After lunch, we went back to the beach in front of our street, which was similar to the others with long sandy beaches and big waves.

Varadero is really different from the rest of Cuba due to the luxurious 4-5 star hotels that exist there.

We packed up our belongings quickly in the morning so that we could tidy up and leave promptly after going to the beach.

We had breakfast at a nearby restaurant, then we went to the beach and took sunbeds. We went for our last swim before leaving at 11 am.

We showered, packed our remaining  items, and said goodbye to the owners, giving them gifts. We then went to a pink restaurant where we ate pork dishes. We then went to a souvenir shop to buy  some last-minute gifts before going to Viazul to collect our suitcases. We were offered a taxi ride to Trinidad for 60 euros by a worker there, and we agreed to cancel our bus reservation and follow  him.

We took a taxi to get to Trinidad. During the journey, we discovered that we would not receive a refund for our canceled bus tickets. However, we arrived earlier and had a pleasant conversation with host’s mother-in-law and the host Yoel himself. The taxi ride was uncomfortable, with the car falling apart and the driver speeding dangerously.

We arrived safely at our destination, where we found that there was a power outage and were greeted by the host’s mother-in-law with a flashlight. She made some quirky comments and introduced us to Yoel, who was humorous and outgoing.

During our conversation with Yoel, he shared several things with us about Cuba. He mentioned that cows are protected by law, and killing them is punishable by 10 years in prison. He also spoke about the challenges faced by Cubans, such as limited access to resources. He mentioned that many people are poor, but there are not many homeless individuals.

The country has limited access to electricity, and there are also restrictions on internet access.  Despite this, Yoel loves his country and family, but he acknowledges that life in Cuba is not easy, and people have to do things on the side to survive.

Hostal Morffi

There are not enough words to say how our stay was easy and beautiful with Yoel and his familiy. They waited for us and explained us everything, about having and not having electricity, about what we can do in and outside the city. Yoel offered help every day with arranging activities and taxis for us, which was awesome, another thing less for us to worry about. Also, we had most amazing breakfast every morning with coffee, tea, fruits, pancakes and homemade marmelade. Also, you can have dinner that Yoel’s mother in law prepares. We had dinner three times there and we cannot say which was the best. There was a lot of food, amazing, fresh and colorful food. Especially we have to praise the vegetable soup, best soup we’ve ever had.

Also, the family washed our clothes and cleaned our snickers after horse riding. My snickers were white as on the day I bought them!

So, only good and beautiful words for this family. They were so happy, full of energy and love for us! We thank them for making our stay unforgettable and for everything they did for us!

Expenses:

• Breakfast: 5 Euros per person
• Dinner: 10 Euros per person
• To wash clothes: 0.5 Euros for bigger items and 0.25 Euros for each piece of underwear

We got up at 7:30 a.m. and had a delicious breakfast of guava spread and pancakes, which surpassed our previous favorite breakfast in  Viñales. Yoel, our host, came to deliver the food, and we had a nice  conversation with him.

At 9 a.m., we  rode on a cyclist-carriage, a common transportation in the city,  although it made us uncomfortable to see someone else pedalling us around slowly. Despite this, we still continued with our journey.

Upon arrival, we were welcomed by Juanito, a strong middle-aged man who was our horseback riding guide. The area was different from the other places we visited since there were high mountains and untouched green forests, which was beautiful. We stopped at a stand where they prepared coffee, and we saw the whole process, from  grinding to roasting and cooking. The coffee tasted delicious, and we drank two cups, which made me tremble after the caffeine boost. We also sampled mango honey, and while I was in the toilet, Tin bought more cigars, which he claimed were his last.

After continuing further, we arrived at a spot where we went alone and walked for about 10 minutes to reach a waterfall. We took a refreshing dip and dried off for an hour before heading back. Juanito was waiting for us, and we moved on to a restaurant where we drank some cane juice, which tasted good. We noticed a family living there, and their living conditions seemed poor and a bit unhygienic.

We had a lot of fun and eventually reached the end point, where a cyclist-carriage took us back to our accommodation. Juanito insisted on taking care of us and paying for the ride, so we didn’t have to pay for the return journey. The area where he lived was populated by poor people who lived in bad conditions. In fact, they had to buy tanks to store water as they didn’t have access to it.

In the evening, while walking around, we were constantly approached by people offering taxis, excursions and currency exchange services. We sat in a square and commented on the restaurant buildings, which looked like old barns with pictures hung up.

As we walked home, the sun was setting, and we knew we’d soon be in the dark since there was no electricity until 8 pm. Along the way, a poor and slightly fanatical woman stopped us and asked for soap. We promised to bring her some the next day and arranged to meet her at the same   place and time. She spoke about her struggles as a single mother with two sons and how she relies on her faith in God and Jesus to get through. We listened to her for a while and then said goodbye before heading home.

When we arrived, dinner was ready and we ate a lot of food, including the best soup ever and delicious ropa vieja. The meal was so filling that we couldn’t finish everything. Eventually, the electricity came on at 8 pm, and we spent some time on the terrace before arranging our plans for the following day, including diving with a local guide. We also arranged for a taxi with Yoel. We then packed our things for the beach and went to bed.

Expenses:

• Tour: 35 Euros
• Coffees: 900 pesos
• Cigars: 10 Euros for 5 cigars
• Cane juices: 400 pesos

We had a restless night due to a bit malfunctioning climate control unit. As we had planned to go diving, but feeling tired from the lack of sleep, we decided to drink strong coffee to stay awake and alert. We had breakfast at 7 am and were impressed with the cleanliness of our washed clothes, and we enjoyed a delicious breakfast consisting of fruit, eggs, pancakes, and spreads.

The taxi driver arrived at around 8:10 am, and we headed towards the diving center. On the way, the road was rough, causing us to bounce around in the car. Upon arriving at the diving center, we went to the reception and met our diving instructor.

After completing two successful dives, we logged our experience and settled in at our accommodation before taking some time to rest and browse the internet. Later in the afternoon, we went for a walk to look for a woman from the day before. We also ran into a taxi driver from our diving trip who invited us to join him for a trip to a waterfall the next day. We stumbled upon his parked car in an old horse stable, which was amusing. During our walk, we came across some kids practicing roller skating, which was new and interesting for us. We finally met the woman we were looking for, gave her some items and received some vegetables in return. She invited us to contact her again sometimes, but we were curious about her living situation since she seemed to share a house with many others.

We returned home for a satisfying dinner that included fish and amazing side dishes. Yoel’s wife’s sister came to visit, and we had a conversation in Spanish, which was my first proper conversation in the language. She was encouraging and shared about her studies in economics and their focus on food. We declined an invitation to go out to the party and went to bed early.

About our dives

The instructor asked about our experience level, and upon learning that we had only done five dives before, advised us to take the first dive cautiously and the second one deeper.

During the first dive, we went up to a depth of 23m. The equipment at the diving center was slightly different from what we were used to, but we managed to figure it out. We entered the water from a boat, and our suits were thrown into the sea. We dressed in the sea without any issues. The regulators were different, with the octopus and frusta on the left and the pressure gauge and main regulator for breathing on the right. We also had to adjust to the weight distribution, with me needing 2kg of weights while Tin required 4kg, which we kept in their jacket pockets.

As we descended into the water, we were greeted by Lion Fish – huge and calm creatures but also poisonous, so we had to be careful not to get too close. Moving deeper, they encountered a wall that stretched to over 200 meters in depth. Here, the water became a deep blue, and we saw a large barracuda swimming in front of us. The sight of such a big fish wasinspiring, and we followed it as it gracefully glided away.

As we continued our dive, we encountered numerous other marine creatures, including crabs, all females because they lacked the large pincers of their male counterparts. The highlight of the first dive was finding a huge reptile in a big house, which the instructor allowed us to touch and hold, though it was difficult due to its size and weight.

After surfacing from our first dive, we had to wait for our bodies to desaturate before embarking on the second dive. This dive was even more exciting as we headed to the left of the bay, diving immediately to about 12 meters and setting off to explore. We saw beautiful toadstools and touched them, feeling their soft texture. The instructor was the first to touch them, followed by us.

We continued to see numerous marine creatures, including lion fish, brain coral, and various other corals. One big fish caught the instructor’s attention, and he followed it with our GoPro camera. As we went deeper, we encountered narrow passages, and I got a little stuck in one part. Tin was there to untangle me, and I eventually made it through.

The instructor then spotted a crack in the sand and approached it, touching it with his fingers. To our surprise, we found a creature that did not react at all when touched. The instructor put it on his arm, and it moved a little before waving to go back down to the bottom, seeming to be in a deep sleep.

After an eventful dive, we emerged from the water, filling out our logbooks and paying for the dives. As we dried off, we reflected on the amazing experience we had just had, feeling grateful for the opportunity to witness the beauty of the underwater world.

We woke up and had a good breakfast with hot dogs and sandwiches. Our taxi driver arrived ten minutes early, so he had to wait for us and talk to the owners. After we gathered our things, we set off for the National Park (Topes de Collantes). We stopped at a tourist center to buy tickets and used Tin’s Visa debit card to avoid additional commission.

We then drove to a viewpoint where we could see the entire Caribbean. We headed down and saw a big swing, so I took a turn on it, and Tin took a picture of me before we headed towards the park.

We arrived to the entrance, and the driver explained which way to walk and how long it would take to reach the waterfall – about 45 minutes. We passed through a coffee farm and saw the whole process again before walking through a forest with coffee trees and bananas, where we took pictures and had fun. Finally, we reached the ticket collection point, gave our tickets to a guy, and he directed us towards the waterfall.

We passed through a cave and reached a viewpoint before descending down a staircase with many steps for about 10 minutes. I couldn’t help but think that we would have to climb back up the same way. But seeing the huge waterfall made it all worth it. We took a swim, but the water was cold, colder than the sea. It was a bit difficult for me, but Tin persuaded me to go in.

After we came out and dried off, changed clothes, we headed back up. It was not an easy climb, and I played music on my cell phone to avoid silence. It took us 13 minutes to reach the top.

We returned to the taxi, and the driver asked us if we wanted to have lunch in the mountains. However, I couldn’t hear him properly and just said “yes”. Eventually, we arrived at a restaurant where we had a nice lunch for a reasonable price. We ate ropa vieja and drank natural guava and guanabana juices.

After resting a bit in our casa, we went to the town square and used the internet for about 40 minutes. Afterwards, we went for a walk and stumbled upon a drunk man who stopped us and repeated the same thing over and over again. He led us to a lookout point and ruined church. We tried to politely decline whatever he was asking for, but he kept repeating himself. Eventually, a security guard arrived and asked if everything was okay. In the end, we couldn’t understand what the drunk man wanted from us, so we just said “no, no”. He left us alone after that.

We continued our walk and came across a street full of people sitting around. Every single person we passed asked us for something – a little girl asked for a watch, a woman asked for my sneakers, and others asked for something from Tin. We felt uncomfortable and were relieved when we finally passed that part.

We arrived at a cave disco and saw a little bit inside, but then decided to walk down the road instead of the streets we came by. We went down to a playground and then back up to the ruined church and hotel where the drunk man brought us earlier. We watched the sunset and decided to have a cocktail there. We waited for the sunset, had a drink, and then went back home.

However, when we got home, there was a temporary power outage, and we had to turn on the lamp in our street. The electricity eventually came back on after 8 pm. I took a shower for a bit longer than usual to come to my senses, and we went to bed soon after.

Today wasn’t very eventful. We woke up at 7:30 am and had breakfast consisting of bread, croquettes, and made sandwiches to take to the  beach. We also packed fins, masks, and sunscreen. A taxi came at 8:30 am  to pick us up for the beach, but the car was in bad shape, with taped  glass, no doorknob, and everything was shaking. It seemed like the driver was a friend of our usual taxi driver. The drive lasted about 15 minutes, and we agreed to be picked up at 5:30 pm to watch the sunset.

As soon as we arrived at the beach, a small guy approached us and took  us to some chairs, charging us 200 pesos each. He offered us drinks, but we declined. We then considered diving and walked 15 minutes to the diving center, only to find out that it was closed due to a broken compressor. We decided to go back to the sunbeds, where I went for a swim while Tin walked. When we returned, the small guy approached us again, but we declined his offer for drinks.

After contemplating whether to go snorkeling (10 Euros per person for 1 hour on a boat), we decided not to and just relaxed for the day. We did some diving near the coast but found it boring due to poor visibility. We spent most of the day sunbathing, reading, and swimming. The guy who charged us for the  deckchairs kept bothering us to order drinks and food, but we didn’t want anything. Tin jokingly said he would like a mojito without a coconut, but the guy never brought it.

As the day was winding down, we watched the sunset and waited for the moment when the sun disappeared into the sea. By 5:35 pm, our taxi driver arrived to pick us up, and we left the beach.

Once we arrived home, we took a shower and applied some lotion for after sunbathing because we got a little red. We had a great fish dinner on the terrace, which was prepared really well, and we enjoyed it thoroughly.

We had a pleasant time at casa and had a conversation with Yoel, who shared interesting information about the naming tradition in his culture. We paid for  our stay and gave gifts to Yoel and his family, which made them happy.

During dinner, the neighbor’s dog caused a funny incident by urinating on the terrace.

Yamilka, the owner’s sister-in-law, offered to take us to a cave disco, but we declined due to our early morning departure.

Playa Ancon

• Taxi: 20 Euros
• Sunbeds: 400 Pesos

We woke up early, used the bathroom, and had breakfast before packing sandwiches for the trip. The host was cheerful and energetic in the early morning, and we thanked her for the good food. We headed towards the bus, and despite the difficult roads, we arrived at the bus station and watched a football match on an old TV. We went to a dirty toilet, where a woman collected money and poured water to flush it. We then took a 4-hour bus ride with stops, including a visit to an again disgusting toilet in Cienfuegos. We finally arrived at Playa Larga, a small village with only a few restaurants and houses, and it was extremely hot. We had to carry our suitcases so we became sweaty.

After arriving at our house and settling in, we spoke with the young host about restaurants and activities in the area. We then went to the beach to find a bar with a TV showing a football match between Croatia and Canada, which Canada was winning 1-0. We came across a seemingly closed restaurant where three men were sitting and we sat down behind them without being served. When Croatia scored their first goal, the men asked if we were from Croatia and we confirmed it. We cheered for every goal and the men were happy too, but they mainly support Canada due to the tourist income. Croatia eventually won 4-1.

After the Mundial match, we left the bar and felt hungry, despite having eaten sandwiches earlier. So we went to the restaurant recommended by our host and had a quiet lunch with just the waiter and cook present. The food, such as my super ropa vieja and Tin’s chicken, was excellent.

We returned to our casa and rested for a bit, but then went for a walk and stumbled upon a place with wifi. We even overheard a guy from a nearby cafe directing tourists to the wifi spot.

Later, we grabbed some queso doble pizzas, but got bitten by mosquitoes, so we went back home to watch some Harry Potter and quickly fell asleep. Although we were quite lazy today, we’re on vacation and plan to be more active in the  upcoming days.

Hostal “Fiallo”

We had a scheduled diving activity with an instructor. We woke up early and had a simple breakfast consisting of fruit, eggs, bread, and guacamole spread, which was decent except for the odd-tasting papaya. While we rested in our room, Jorge (our host) informed us that our ride had arrived.

We were picked up by a questionable car, unsure if our driver was the instructor or not. The car was in poor condition, with non-functioning  gauges, no fuel, and high revs. We arrived at a combined diving center and restaurant, where full bottles and regulators were waiting for us. The instructor and two Italian girls arrived in another questionable car. The instructor split us into two groups, and we were joined by three  other divers – one German girl and two Norwegian guys. We all checked our equipment, and I found my fins were slightly too big, but I managed to get by.

We had our first dive at “El Tanque” location where we had not so satisfying dive, explained in the note on the right. After the dive, we spent at least an hour outside. We spent some time chatting and waiting for our instructor to return and to take us to another diving location.

We had a nice second dive, so, after completing both dives, we returned to the restaurant and club. We used the outdoor shower to clean up and dry ourselves. Lunch was already prepared, so we ate and had a lot of conversations. We had a good time, and we stayed at lunch for a long time. When we returned to the house, we looked at the pictures, spent some time online, and it became dark outside. After purchasing pizzas, we quickly headed back home to avoid mosquitoes and other biting bugs.

However, the electricity went out towards the end of our WiFi usage. We used the flash on their phone to navigate our way back home, while Tin carried the pizzas. Later, we went to sleep, but the heat and lack of electricity made it difficult to  sleep well.

King Buceo (Scuba Diving Guide)

• Taxi: 20 Euros
• Diving: 100 Euros
• Lunch: 25 Euros

About the dives:

The diving trip began and after 10-15 minutes, we arrived at our first location called “El Tanque”. However, we were surprised to find out that it was a tanker ship and not an actual tank. The instructor divided us into pairs, but unfortunately, the other two divers were quite disorganized, swimming in different directions and not following the instructor’s guidance. This caused frustration for me, where I tried to stick to Tin and follow the instructor’s lead. One of the other divers had supposedly completed 25 dives before, but they still seemed inexperienced and lacked discipline. I found their diving  behavior chaotic and disruptive. Despite this, we managed to have a good dive while avoiding the others. However, I found the flapping of fins and disruptive behavior of the other group unsettling and unsafe. We decided to bring it up with the  instructor when we returned to the surface.

Another incident occurred during the diving trip when another group of divers joined us near the boat. One of the divers in that group panicked and surfaced, followed by another diver. Despite the efforts of the instructors, they were unable to prevent these divers from surfacing. We waited calmly and watched as their own group spun around.

Eventually, we continued the dive, seeing various sea creatures such as crabs, fish, lionfish, sponges, and corals. After the dive, I felt compelled to inform the instructor that we were nervous during the dive due to the lack of formation in the group. We later vented our frustrations about the disorganized divers in Croatian, but did not confront them directly. Despite this, we still found the group to be pleasant to talk to and had fun with them.

During the second dive, it was initially planned for only the instructos and us two to dive, but the Norwegians ended up joining as well. On our way to the second dive location, I discussed with the instructor our previous experience, and he promised to explain the situation to the Norwegians before the next dive.

Upon arrival, the instructor gave a briefing on what to expect and asked me to explain the concept of buoyancy control to the other divers. I firmly but politely explained the importance of discipline during a dive, emphasizing that it is not just about left and right but also depth, and that pairs should not swim side-by-side as it disrupts the visibility and feel of the dive.

Tin and I were the first to dive, followed by the Norwegians. The dive was calm, and we saw a variety of marine life, including a crab, a fish, and a strange flat fish that reminded us of a character from Finding Nemo. We also saw large sponges and corals, some of which were big enough to cover me. The instructor blew bubbles through some of the sponges, which was amusing. The Norwegians followed behind and took pictures.

After the dive, we commented on how beautiful it was, and I took out a small fossil given to me by the instructor during the dive. Unfortunately, Tin sat on the fossil and broke it, but I was not too upset as I had a picture of it.

We woke up early and have breakfast which was the same as usual except for a strange star fruit in the fruit bowl that I didn’t find delicious since it was still frozen. When scuba diving instructor arrived, we headed to his house to gather our equipment. I was given smaller fins that are attached to boots which were better than ones from the day before.

The instructor informed us about the dive locations and that two other divers, an older German couple, would be joining us. The couple were experienced divers with over 70 and 100 dives respectively. We had a nice chat about our  professions and our diving experiences.

At the first dive site, the instructor instructed us to conserve air and stay calm as we would be diving for over 50 minutes and reach a depth of 24 meters. We saw many marine creatures such as barracudas, sponges, and colorful fish. We entered a tunnel and saw a sunken ship before encountering a more challenging tunnel with a steep drop at the exit. I advised Tin to ascend as the depth gauge showed 26 meters, but we were likely at 24-25 meters. We dove alongside a wall and entered the last tunnel, where the instructor signaled us to turn left and watch our heads. We observed the colorful corals before surfacing after a 56-minute dive.

We proceeded to the next dive site, where we waited for 20 minutes before starting the dive. During the dive, we saw a sunken ship, and I managed to take a photo of myself standing on it. There were also different-colored corals, Lion Fish, and even a tiny, yellow baby Lion Fish. Sadly, they are invasive and dangerous.

After the dive, we went back to the owner’s house, showered, paid for the diving and taxi, and gave the owner some candy and a bottle of rakija (homemade alcohol drink from Croatia) as a thank you. We then went to lunch at a recommended Tiki restaurant, where we ordered a ropa vieja, but were disappointed with the taste and presentation. We paid without giving a tip and returned home.

After returning home, we rested for a while. We then went to the main square where we ordered pizzas, but we had to go back home due to the mosquitoes biting us.

We stayed in for a while, had the pizzas, and then took a walk on the beach, enduring more mosquito bites. After returning to the house, we fell asleep early.

Tiki Bahia de Cochinos

• Lunch: 24 Euros
• We weren’t so happy with the food we ordered, so I do not recommend this restaurant.

Both Tin and I woke up very early after a restless night due to mosquitoes. We did some reading and writing before getting ready for breakfast, which was the same as usual but with bananas and pineapple. We got more bananas as we needed energy for the day.

We left around 8:30 on not so great bikes that caused a little discomfort. We rode a total of 50km and stopped at a crocodile farm after an 11km ride. The farm didn’t open until 9:30, so we took a boat ride to the Indian reserve. I bought tickets and used the toilet for free before the expensive fee was implemented.

Moving on, there is a stunning place on the way to Playa Larga where an elderly couple runs a hummingbird house. They take care of several bird species, including two types of hummingbirds. We had the chance to hold water for the birds to drink, take pictures, and observe them up close. The grandma who ran the house was very talkative and joyful. She shared interesting facts with us, like how birds change their feathers and only eat nectar and sugared water. She even showed us the turtles they keep in their backyard. We felt grateful for the experience and the kindness of the couple. At the end, we gave them a 10 euro tip  as a gesture of appreciation, as there was no admission fee to enter. We parted ways with a warm goodbye and gratitude for the experience.

After arriving at the house, we noticed there was no electricity and spent about 15 minutes figuring out what to do. We ended heading to the beach, which was about 15 km away. Once we arrived, we were delighted to find it was no one there, and we had it all to ourselves. We enjoyed swimming, diving, and even took pictures  with our GoPro. Eventually, we had to leave and head back home, which was tiring.

When we arrived home, we changed our clothes and hurried to the Don Luis restaurant. We both opted for ropa vieja as it’s our favorite dish there. Tin ordered a mojito, and I had a cuba libre, which was a delicious cocktail. We were so famished that we almost ordered another ropa vieja but settled for mango marmalade instead. After paying 15 euros for everything, we left the restaurant and headed back home.

We started our day with a breakfast that included fried bananas, which was slightly greasy but manageable.

We had arranged to go to the national park at 8 am to see various birds, such as flamingos and pelicans. A guide and a taxi driver picked us up and were supposed to pick up two more tourists, but they didn’t show up, resulting in a 20-minute delay. We drove on a long and uneven road that was once used for a salt pan in the 1930s. The road was surrounded by tall leaning trees that made it look like a tunnel. As we continued, we saw many lagoons and ponds suitable for feeding flamencos, and we saw hundreds of them, along with some white storks, herons, and pelicans. We used binoculars to watch the birds. We had interesting conversations with the guide and driver about pelicans.

We had to pass through a checkpoint to register the number of people, guide, and car registration due to poaching. The guide was knowledgeable and shared many facts about flamencos, such as their mating rituals, their ability to filter food, and their migration patterns. After the sightseeing, the driver took us back home.

There was no electricity. However, we changed clothes and headed to the beach, where we walked up and down and sat at the same restaurant where we watched the football game. We ordered mojitos and followed the score on our cell phones until the waiter brought us his phone to stream the game’s last 5 minutes of the first half. By the second half, the electricity had come on, and we all watched together with the waiters. We found it amusing that as we drank, the waiter poured more rum into our mojitos. After the 0:0 match with Belgium, we decided to order another round of mojitos and some squid to eat. We had a really great time there.

After settling the bill at the restaurant, we returned home and found the taxi driver we had pre-ordered waiting for us. We hastily changed into appropriate clothing and hopped into the car. The driver took us to La Cueva de los Peces, where we were unable to go diving because we had been drinking, so we opted to swim, take photos, and snorkel for almost two hours. We also recorded videos of ourselves and the fish around us, including the sunken ship we had seen earlier with Yuri. As the rain started, we ran to a sheltered area and reviewed our recordings. When the rain stopped, we went back to the sea and continued filming and joking. We left the cave around 4:10 pm and chatted with our interesting and talkative taxi driver on the way back. He also showed us the poverty behind some of the houses we passed and explained the symbiosis of the white bird with a long neck and the horse.

Once back home, we showered and went to get pizza before returning to watch a movie and going to bed early to pack for the next day. We had a great time taking pictures and observing the fish, which were not afraid of humans and even approached us in the hope of being fed. We saw one woman feed them bread, and a hundred of them flocked to her, visible even above the sea surface.

We woke up early. After having breakfast, we packed our bags in around 30 minutes. Since it was Jorge’s birthday, we congratulated him and gave him presents. He enjoyed the rakija we gave him.

We packed, paid, gave presents, and chatted with Jorge. He told us about his life, including having a son who lived elsewhere in Playa Girón. He said he didn’t own a car since even used ones are expensive. He mentioned having relatives in the USA and how some people from there had successfully smuggled themselves from Mexico to the USA with coyotes. He found life in Cuba nice but challenging, and he might leave for a while when his son is older.

Later, we said our goodbyes and headed to the bus, arriving an hour early. We didn’t have to pay extra for our luggage, which we found amusing. We stopped at a rest area and watched the Portugal-Korea game for almost the entire half, as we didn’t bring any snacks.

When we reached Havana after a 3-hour drive, a group of around 20 taxi drivers were waiting outside the bus station. We bargained with them to avoid overpaying for a 10-minute ride. Eventually, we agreed to pay 15 Euros to reach the same casa particular we stayed in before.

After taking some rest, we decided to try out the recommended restaurant, Chachacha, which was slightly more expensive but had exceptional food and a specialized menu. We spent enough time there and then headed back to our place to rest by watching a movie.

Additionally, we decided to stop by a fair and buy some final presents and souvenirs before having our dinner.

Today, we woke up bright and early and enjoyed a nice breakfast before heading to the square where our walking tour began. As we already explored Old Havana, we took the tour in Central Havana.

The tour was excellent and very interesting, but uncomfortable for me because the day before I got bitten by sand flies. Blisters popped up all over my body. I can say it’s really itchy and doesn’t go away like a mosquito bite does. Unfortunately, we didn’t have any cream for insect bites, so I struggled until we returned home when I bought some cream. Luckily, this happened at the end of our journey.

During the tour, it was fascinating to listen to stories about the local way of life, including topics like public transportation, education, politics, and healthcare. Along the way, we passed notable landmarks such as Capitolio, Parque Central, surrounded by luxurious hotels, and the impressive Hospital Hermanos Ameijeiras. We walked through lively, bustling streets filled with numerous small shops and even stepped into a fruit market to purchase some fresh fruits. Our journey concluded at Parque de los Martires, where we expressed our admiration and gratitude to the guide before heading to El Biky restaurant to satisfy our growing hunger.

Following a satisfying lunch, we made our way back close to our accommodation, where we had access to WiFi. After taking a well-deserved rest from our extensive walking, we decided to experience one last Cuban cocktail at the Hotel Inglaterra. The nighttime view of Havana was truly magnificent, and the cocktails surpassed our expectations, bringing us great delight.

After enjoying our cocktails, we gathered our belongings and hailed a taxi to the airport. The security check and boarding process went seamlessly without encountering any issues. Many hours later, we arrived home feeling content and exhausted from our eventful journey.