Cuban Blog Dat #6 Water, Water Everywhere

 After breakfast, I went to the center to find out about the tour the gringos were taking. I secured it. I found out they have bus that leaves every day for Playa Managua at 10 am and returns at 4 pm. I’d missed it by 15 minutes. I was upset to have missed it, but I ended up taking a taxi for $15 CUC. The ride was about 40 minutes in the back of a jeep and the driver waited the whole time we were there to take us back.

I woke early and went up to the terrace to write.

Playa Managua was not what I was expecting. It wasn’t exactly the pristine beaches I’d seen pictures of in The Lonely Planet, but it was the first beach I’d been to and the water was reasonably clean and the beach itself wasn’t very crowded. The water was colder of than I expected, hoping for the bath water of the Caribbean, but we were on the Atlantic side. I immediately ran into the ocean as soon as I arrived.

I set up base and lay in the sun. I read. Very few vendors bothered me. A German came from the left with two giant conch shells which prompted me to go walking. I found a few myself, along with some very cool rocks to bring home.  The waiter from one of only two restaurants came to offer me drinks. I wanted a Cuba Libre and water, but he said, ‘only natural’ so I settled for a mojito and a pina colada. I’d thought water was quite natural, but not, I guess when it only comes in bottles.  I wished I’d taken the water from the stocked fridge in the casa.

The drinks were very strong. The waiter was awesome and at one point, while I was in the water, came to my spot on the beach, lifted my empty drink, and motioned toward it to ask if I wanted another. Excellent service.

I met two Rasta brothers that live in Baracoa, Robert and Bobby (I think they gave themselves English names and apparently didn’t know they were derivatives of each other.) They had tattoos which they proudly showed me. There was one of the island of Cuba with the words, ‘we need freedom’ written in English below it. Another said ‘don’t forget to smile.’

I talked with them for awhile. When they discovered I spoke Spanish, they asked me to translate a phrase for them into English because they were getting another tattoo that day. I translated the phrase, ‘do not let the struggles of this moment break the tenderness of your heart.’ I was thrilled to think that my words, in a small way, would be upon their bodies.

I left the beach around 4:30 and had dinner at the casa. I stayed in for the night and read. I’m reading The Sun Also Rises, by Hemmingway and really enjoying it. Can’t wait to get to Havana and explore all the places he once was.

 

 

Traveling tip #7  Water, water everywhere. Buy water wherever and whenever you find it.  It has been incredibly difficult to find anything other than beer and rum to drink. Normally I wouldn’t necessarily have a problem with this, but one does need water.  I was lucky that the fridge in Baracoa was stocked with big bottles of water without gas.  Bring your own Nalgene to fill and keep a steady supply. Every casa so far has had a fridge to keep it cold.