Resort vacation in Varadero and back in Havana

As mentioned in the last blog, I had booked two nights at a resort in Varadero with all-inclusive meals. The resort itself wasn't that bad. It was located right behind a beautiful white sandy beach with crystal clear Caribbean water. Of course, the resort was a bit old in many places, but at least they made an effort.

After taking an early bus from Santa Clara to Varadero and checking in in the afternoon, I explored the very spacious hotel. However, it didn't take long and I grabbed my swim trunks, jumped into the pleasant cool pool, and had one, two, maybe even three ice-cold Piña Coladas right at the pool bar, delicious! A little tipsy, I made my way back to the room and waited for dinner. Unfortunately, this really darkened the mood. Because dinner was not dinner! It was more like an assault on the body. Even the simplest things like pasta and fries not only looked terrible but also tasted terrible. Not to mention the foul smell in the dining room. After a mini portion, I said goodbye to the dining room again. I really don't know what was worse, the smell, the looks, or the taste. There were plenty of ingredients available, but unfortunately, they were totally misused. It's an absolute shame to treat food this way.

In the evening, a swarm of mosquitoes descended on the hotel. There was no way to sit outside anymore. But the hotel is very open and so I watched the people in the lobby for a short time, who were more busy defending themselves against the mosquitoes than drinking cocktails.

The breakfast the next morning was not really any better. After breakfast, I went to the beach for a bit and walked along the water. Then I went back to the resort and took a dip in the pool. Since I had gotten quite hungry now, I wanted to give the buffet another chance for lunch. But after a few fries, rice with fish, and beans, it was over. I got such severe stomach cramps that nothing was possible afterwards. I spent the afternoon alternating between bed and bathroom. That was the end of the resort experience because the next morning a bus took me back to Havana. But even regardless of the food, I realized that I'm just not the type for this kind of vacation. Maybe 1-3 days, but then I would definitely want to move on.

Yesterday around noon, I arrived back in Havana and my Airbnb host, where I stayed again, picked me up with his car and took me to the apartment. In the afternoon, I spent some time exploring the streets with Kizito and later we watched the Champions League together. It felt really good to be back in Havana. Somehow I really missed this city.

I spent today strolling through Havana and getting some souvenirs. I spent the morning at Plaza de la Revolucion again. During my first stay in Havana, I was only here in the dark. Today in the morning, I even had the opportunity to take the elevator up to the top of the Jose Marti Memorial and enjoy the great view of the city. Luckily, I arrived just as the memorial opened, so I was all alone up there. Unfortunately, I could only take pictures through rather dirty windows. At noon, I bought some souvenirs and walked past the Granma boat again with Kizito. That boat brought Fidel Castro, Raul Castro, and Che back to Cuba - where they later fought the revolution. A tank that Fidel Castro himself drove against the American invasion was also not far away.

Tonight, I want to go out for dinner in Havana again, now that my stomach cramps have finally improved. During my first stay in Havana, I found a very good grill restaurant. I want to go there again tonight and I'm looking forward to it!

My conclusion about Cuba is: it's worth seeing, but it's not a must. The many problems and shortcomings make traveling here sometimes not very pleasant. The drastic differences between tourists and locals, both in prices and shopping opportunities, quickly get on your nerves. Not to mention the lack of public transportation for tourists. But the worst are the long queues everywhere. It's almost impossible to quickly go shopping, grab a snack, or have a coffee because it always turns into eternal waiting. On top of that, the Cubans have a rather slow and relaxed way of doing things. Some Cubans even proudly describe themselves as lazy.

I liked Havana and Viñales the best. Havana has a lot of charm and the many historic buildings and classic cars transport you to a different time. In Viñales, I was simply impressed by the landscape, the colors, and the very good food. The other cities were nice to look at too, but spending a full day in each of them is enough to see everything. The beach in Varadero was also very nice, but you can certainly find a similar beach in any Caribbean country. But I can only advise against a resort vacation there because apart from Havana Club, there are no real highlights. I think in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and other places, you get more value for your money. I liked Cuba and I don't regret being here. But I doubt that I will come back so soon.

Tomorrow, I will fly to Bogota and meet my girlfriend there. Finally! I've been looking forward to the reunion since the first day of goodbye. In Colombia, another adventure awaits me, unfortunately also the last one during my sabbatical :)

You will hear from us again from Colombia!

Until then!