Thursday, February 21, 2019

Cuba - What we enjoyed! -

Good Day,
The things we enjoyed while in Cuba. I am sad to report we did not leave the resort and there is a reason for that. Currently working in Northern Canada  and  when we decided to book the trip it was fro one reason! That reason was to escape the cold and the snow! there has been an abundance of snow here and I think even a few records broken with the amounts that have fallen in the past couple months. So you see it was simple......Get to the resort and enjoy the Sun, Heat , Sand and the Water. As it turned out that is exactly what we did!
   So when mentioning what we enjoyed , it is based on our experiences at other resorts through out Dominican, Jamaica and Mexico. This is just our impressions and experiences. I think this is also based on the time of year that we had visited Cuba. ( February as opposed to later in April). Not sure if that made a difference or not , just thought I would mention it.
   In other resort areas our experience is that you would have to get up early to find a spot with a bit of shade on the beach. At the resort we stayed this was not the case. We did get up early to enjoy the beach in the morning but did not have to in order to secure a spot. In saying that we did anyway, I suppose force of habit. We found that folks during this time of the year came to the beach all through out the day and were able to get a spot whether they wanted sun or shade. Lots of chairs available and they did range from old to new.
 Breakfast was always a good meal. Omelets were usually my choice but the array of fresh rolls and breads c/w cheese had me re-thinking that plan. The breads ,rolls and croissants fresh from the oven were fantastic and we ate bread every morning.
  The buffet at lunch had an ample choice to please anyone's palate. There was no fear of going hungry at this resort. If all else fails the pasta bar was cooking whatever you desired. We were told many things prior to going , one of those things had been that the steak was not good. Happy to report that we ate at the TEX-MEX restaurant three times and had steak every time. Of course it was not as good as home or should I same not what we were used to eating But was rather good. Going back three times speaks volumes.
   The beer served was Crisal and no matter where you went on the resort it was crisp and cold and certainly quenched your thirst. VERY ENJOYABLE!
  From the time we landed until the time we left we did not experience the folks asking for money or trying to sell you something around every corner. On the beach we were approached once and asked if we wanted to go on the snorkeling trip but when we declined that was it, the gentleman didn't bother us again. Once when we stayed in Puerto Plata there was a guy there that tried to sell us a time share multiple times a day on the resort grounds. It was so bad we had to change where we walked to the buffet and lobby bar just to avoid him. No was not the answer he was looking for. This certainly didn't happen at the resort we stayed at. I can't comment on the rest of Cuba but there wasn't anyone trying to sell you stuff on the beach.
   The staff was very friendly as well, no matter where you were they would always give you a happy greeting. That was with and with out a tip.
  The resort we had stayed at for the record was Melia Varadero.

Kind regards,
 









Cuba -review-

What to expect while traveling to Cuba,
Please note this is just our experience and was our first time in CUBA.
  The entry in to Cuba was a bit different, once off the plane ,of course everyone has to go through custom clearance which is what is expected. it was just a bit odd how it was completed. Everybody had to go through as single person, not as a family or couple. Your photo was taken and compared to your passport photo, once approved a door was unlocked to allow you to go through . From  this point you carry on luggage was checked before getting released to pick up the remainder of your luggage. Its important to note that when on the plane there is an entry/exit form to be filled out, this will be required when you exit the country so don't lose it.
  The collection of luggage was uneventful in fact not like other places like Mexico/Jamaica/Dominica where folks are swarming around you trying to carry your luggage for a tip , there was only a couple and they did not bother you if you said no. It was actually relaxing compared to the other southern destinations.
   There was a bank just outside the departures are where you could have your money exchanged and even pick up a cold beer if you so desired. Just finding the correct bus was very easy and again I will mention , you were not over run with people trying to carry your luggage or pull you in a different direction. So far so good.
  The Bus ride was like any other bus ride, just dropped folks around at the resorts in a logical manner I  suppose until we arrived at the resort we were staying at. We stayed at the Melia Varadero which was not the last resort to be dropped off nor was it the first.
  The resort was built in the late 90's so was a bit dated but was clean. The staff at the front was very welcoming and had us sorted out in a short amount of time. It was an easy transition from the front desk arrival to our room. The room was nothing spectacular but as I mentioned earlier was clean and accommodating. The bar fridge had a few beers and a few sodas, the bed was a king bed that sat low to the ground. It was firm but comfortable. the view wasn't bad, over looked the courtyard and a distant view of the water. We were on the fourth floor so you could see if there was any weather changes in the distance form our patio.
  The beach was a short walk away from the edge of the resort property. The sand itself was a brownish sand from the coral and rocks. This wasn't the best beach we have ever been on but still was quite nice. Water was warm and inviting. We saw the water transform from flat calm to large crashing waves and enjoyed each transition. The colors of the water was amazing. The greens and blues are to describe you truly have to see it to appreciate it. We would walk the beach in the morning and spend the rest of the day soaking up warm rays of the sun.
  I can't wait to go back to Cuba. I may pick a different section of the island to explore the next time.
 







Sunday, February 17, 2019

Morning walk -Cuba -

We were entertained one morning while strolling along the the warm wet sands in our bare feet with our flip flops in hand . Two local fishermen waist deep in the ocean ahead of us were casting a round white weighted net into the splashing waves. To us it appeared that it was for nothing but to our surprise when the net was drawn into the shoreline it would have plenty of small fish captured in the well worn net. We were not the only ones happy to see the full net, pelicans soon arrived and rejoiced in the harvest. The fishermen filled their bucket and treated the squawking birds to an easy breakfast on the sun drenched sand with the glow of the sun radiating off of their wet feathers. We enjoyed the show and together walked along the beach following the fishermen . You can’t beat an early morning stroll






Saturday, February 16, 2019

A last Minute trip to Cuba

With most travel  we look  in advance to see what are plans are , where we are going and such, But after spending the last couple of weeks in the snow I decided it was time for a change. Of course the decision was made easier as a co-worker had just returned from a Cuba trip as well. He was talking about the vacation in Cuba, with that I contacted a travel agent and between her and my charming wife a trip was booked to Varadero Cuba in what seemed like minutes! the nice part is I only had to wait a couple of days before boarding a 747 south.  I needed the liquid sunshine, I needed to walk in the sand with nothing on my feet, I needed to taste salt on my lips from the warm Caribbean ocean. I needed the warm tropical waters washing over my ankles... OK , I suppose that's enough, you get the picture. I wanted to go South!    We have listened to many reviews about Cuba by folks that where there, by people that were not there at all. The only way to get the proper perspective is to go there and see for yourself. We do not have all the same needs or wants so your experience will not be the same as ours. What I can tell you is We had a Great time, The food was good! weather was great. The people were great. 







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