Cuban Blog Day #20 Pretend You're One of Them

I spent one last day in Playa Giron.  Eva wanted to do the cenote dive, and I wanted one more day on a beach before we made our way to the big city. I went back to the all inclusive in a $5 CUC taxi and paid the $15 CUC for all I could drink and eat for the entire day. It was a beautiful day, and I lay in the beach chairs, read magazines and jumped into the turquoise water every now and again.  The perfect hangover cure.

The chef became friendly with me and before I knew it, I was getting chair side service with Cuba Libres delivered to me every five minutes or so.  He informed me that there would be a bus soon for the hotel guests to go back to Playa Giron. I decided to try my luck and see if I could take it back.

When it arrived I got on like all the other guests. When we passed by my casa, I asked if he could drop me off there.  It was no problem.  I sat out in the Adirondack chairs in the front of the casa and wrote and watched the world pass by.  Soon I joined Dimitri’s daughter-in-law in their back patio and had a wine and coke concoction she made.  I chatted with the whole family and played with the little boy, Jonathan.

For our last dinner in Playa Giron the Germans came over and Dimitri served us fresh barracuda caught that day by him and his son. I’d only had it once before at a restaurant in Utila, Honduras and loved it.  Dimitri told me it was actually illegal. I thought he was joking until he explained to me that it is poisonous.  Barracuda will apparently eat anything and because of this they sometimes eat poisonous things and then become poisonous themselves.  He told me not to worry though, because before they ever serve it, they first give it to a chicken and wait an hour. If the chicken doesn’t kick the bucket, they serve it up. Lucky me! I enjoyed it very much and had more than my fair share as the Germans are not fond of seafood. Pity.

We chatted around the kitchen table and arranged plans for Dimitri to take us to Havana the next day. It was cheaper than a bus because we were splitting it, and we could go when we wanted to.  We wanted to get there early so as to have a full day there when we arrived.  Due to an oversight on my departure day- I had thought I was flying out on a Tuesday rather than a Monday, thus giving me only two days in Havana, instead of the 3-4 I was hoping for. I was not too disappointed by this fact as I am never too fond of big cities and prefer quiet beach towns like the one we were about to leave.  It was also nearing the end of my trip and as much as I hate that it happens, it always does, I start winding down, losing my zest to go go go and it often alters my plans anyhow. Does this happen to anyone else on long trips?

Traveling Tip # 23  Pretend you’re one of them-  as a solo traveler it is often much easier to blend in with the flocks of other tourists.  This comes in handy when hotel busses come to get guests and you need a ride back to town.