Cuban Blog Day #12 Can you Spare a Square?

I was very excited to go to the beach the next day in Gibara.  I walked toward the ferry I needed to take to get there and was stopped by a man on the street who told e the ferry was not working. He walked with me while I went to confirm this, worried he was simply telling me this to get me to take a ride in his taxi.

He was telling me the truth, and I was upset that this information was not included when I asked the man at the hotel the day before, perhaps he didn’t know. I walked toward the beach in town disappointed about the change in plans and unable to afford the price the man who was still walking with me quoted me to take a taxi to the beach.

He walked with me and told me how he was learning English from various programs on TV. I was super impressed with the English he said he’d learned in just four short months. He told me it is the only way for him to make money.  This is a sentiment I heard many times while in Cuba. He was a mechanic by trade but made only about $30 US per month doing this. His wife was a nurse and made roughly the same. He told me he was learning English to get into the tourist industry and hopefully drive a taxi like his brother in law.

He walked with me all the way to the dirty little beach in town, and I wished I could do something more for him besides carrying on a conversation in English. I got my chance to do just that when, as we parted, he asked if I had any shampoo, soap, toothpaste, old cell phones, or memory cards. It seemed a peculiar list of items. I found a half bottle of lotion in my bag and gave it to him. I also gave him a magazine in English hoping he could use it to learn English.

I sat on the beach determined to make the most of my day, but it began to rain soon after I picked my spot and I rushed to a nearby shop to wait it out over a beer.  It continued to rain so I headed back to the casa.

The duena (owner) had two tour guides stop by, and they told me about a trek to the caves nearby. I had not planned on this, but since my beach day was ruined I thought I’d give it a go. They would come round for me at 4.

I walked up to the lookout on top of the city and had a lunch of crab and all the fixings. It was beautiful from the top to look down on the city and see the ocean below.  As I walked back down a couple ladies in a house asked me for a pen. I gave them the only one I had. They fought over who would get it.

I met the guides back at the casa, and we walked through town to the cave. I was even more impressed with this one. I had no idea what to expect except to base it off the last cave. This one was huge!  I had thought perhaps I didn’t need a guide mostly because I didn’t want to spend the money, but I was glad I had one once I realized how big and intricate it was. I for surely would have been lost in there for days.

The guides told me how they were working on getting the caves, of which there are plenty in Cuba due to the fact that the country is 70% limestone, to be declared national landmarks. The caves would then be protected and less abused by rowdy teenagers trying to find a place to party.  It was quite sad to see the various spray painted art and trash within the cave.

We walked on and on into the cave passing hundreds of bats and feeling drips of water as we went, till finally we came to a pool. This one was way bigger than the last, and I couldn’t wait to get in it. It was as deep as I am tall, and I could swim the length of it in a few minutes. I was in heaven.  It was most certainly the highlight of my trip at that point. And to think I might not have done it had the ferry not been broken. Serendipity!

 

Traveling Tip #14 if you can, that is, if you are not traveling on a shoestring and therefore simply have a tiny pack or suitcase, bring shampoo, toothpaste and other toiletries to give away. A few people had suggested this to me before I left, and I didn’t quite understand, nor have to the room to do so. But I wish I had brought more. I always take the tiny travel ones from hotels in the States, and it would have felt great to be able to bring them and give them away to those who need them.

Other things my friend asked for were old cell phones, memory cards and other electronics. These would be harder to come by and to bring, but are needed just the same.