W is for Whale Shark

I think it’s every diver’s dream to dive with a whale shark.  It’s most certainly mine. As the largest extant fish species, its average length is 46 feet. 46 feet! It can weight up to 15 tons.  It is rather docile, and it is quite common, once finding one, to swim along with it. Talk about realizing just how small you are while swimming about with an almost 50 foot giant in the ocean.

In Honduras, where I learned to dive, whale sharks are quite commonly spotted during the spring months.  And while I dived a lot during that time, I was never lucky enough to find one.  So, I’ll keep diving and perhaps on that live aboard, or perhaps somewhere else on my adventures around the world, one day I’ll swim with this gentle giant in the sea.

Top Ten Highlights of my Cuban Adventure Part II

5. Havana Club Rum

I know this may not be a highlight for many, but for me, it was a huge part of the reason I wanted to travel to Cuba. I am a huge fan of rum, especially a Cuba Libre, and the fact that Havana Club is forbidden in The United States of America made it all the more enticing. I’ve tried a lot of rums to discover my favorites and Havana Club has remained the all elusive bottle amongst bottles.  It was time a discovered what all the hype was about.

While traveling in Cuba, I had the opportunity to drink a Cuba Libre in the country it is named after, kind of a dream come true; right up there with a Singapore Sling in Singaporeor a Long Island Iced Tea in Long Island.  I also was able to drink the luscious liquor morning, noon and night if I chose. It was often more plentiful and available than water, even coming in convenient juice boxes for traveling on the go.  I visited the distillery where it is made and watched sugar cane pressed into juice to make the liquor.  I was also able to get three bottles back to the United Stateswhere I can indulge in it whenever I want which is sparingly because of the worry I may never get it again.

If you are in Cubayou would be remiss not to try some of the magical liquor, either in a famous Cuba Libre or an equally delicious true mojito.

4. Cave Pools

I explored several caves throughout my time in Cuba. Nearly every one had some sort of pool in it, some only the size of a small hot tub, others the length of a full size swimming pool.  I took full advantage of each underground pool I came upon.  And true to my traveling motto, I never regretted it.  The pools were often a mix of fresh and salt water coming in through the ocean and always refreshing, if a bit cool.

It is still amazing to me that a whole other world exists below ground.  Huge caves filled with secret passageways that lead to sparkling, clear lagoons and ponds. I felt a bit like a little child each time I entered the caves, like I was discovering something new and unknown for the first time. I would have never have known these caves existed were it not for a well trained guide.

3. Cave Bar-Disco Ayala

I had heard of the cave bar even in my planning for Cubaand lots throughout my trip.  I was excited to get to Trinidad and see what all the hype was about. I was able to go with the Germans I had met in the casa in Trinidadwho had also had it on their list of top sites.

Disco Ayala was like nothing I could have imagined. It was huge and sprawling and entirely underground. Electricity was pumped in to provide lights and music, otherwise it would have been pitch black and a bit scary. As we sat at our table watching the live dancers, we were constantly reminded of the fact that we were in a cave by the dripping of water on us from the roof of cave. 

It was an experience like none other, one I highly recommend.  It is not often one gets to drink a Cuba Libre in a giant underground cave bar.

2. El Nicho Waterfall

Waterfalls are a lot easier to spot than caves, and I search for them wherever I travel. I’ve seen and swam in some pretty amazing ones, but none compare to El Nicho waterfall located between the cities of Trinidadand Cienfuegos in Cuba. 

I went very early in the morning and avoided the crowds and the entrance fee. I hiked just a little ways through the park before I came to the first of the falls. I stood in awe. There were three falls falling into about seven natural pools.  It looked made up. I immediately stripped down to my bikini to plunge into the pools.  It was still a bit chilly that early in the morning, but again, you never regret a swim and this one was no different.  I wanted to take advantage of the solitude the early morning allowed me and enjoy the pools on my own.

After swimming all around, I got out and sat on a bench to do some writing near the falls. I was soon attached by mosquitoes, really the first of my trip, and decided to keep exploring the park. I took several paths that led along rivers and ended at more falls. Each one was a bit bigger and more impressive than the last.  These falls are absolutely a must see and I recommend going as early as you can as big tour groups come in hoards later in the morning.

1. Cenote Diving

I am a SCUBA diver and I’ve dived lots of places around the world, yet I hadn’t heard of cenote diving till a friend told me he’d done it in Mexico. I couldn’t even believe such a   thing existed and instantly knew I had to try it.  This was another reason I choose to visit Cubawhere the country is 70% limestone and full of caves to dive in. 

I was pretty nervous and wasn’t even sure I would do it after my third ocean dive in Cuba. It was a little spur of the moment when I told my Dive Master I would in fact be going with them on the cenote dive, so much so that they didn’t have enough flashlights once I decided I’d go.

I’m not exactly claustrophobic, but I’m not a fan of being in places I can’t easily get out of- a cave dive was exactly this. Add a finite amount of air to breathe should I not be able to get out of said tiny space and it was enough to scare the daylights out of me. And with no flashlight, that was about right.

But I did it. And it was truly amazing.  I am a fan of new experiences and possess a keen awareness of how very few we get in our lifetime. Cave diving brought with it all the excitement and joy the first Christmas you can actually remember might.   It was absolutely out of this world. 

After descending, we had to pass through a very narrow tunnel to get to where the cave opened up. As we swam around, we aimed our flashlights up and down (the Dive Master gave me his) and looked at the various stalagmites and stalactites hanging from the top and bottom of the cave.  There were no fish to see, which was different than every other dive I’d done, but it didn’t matter, I was in a cave diving!

The best part was upon our return where from above a tiny sliver of sun shone through and penetrated all the way to the bottom of the 70 some foot cave.  It was spectacular. Each individual ray shone bright and deep like jewels sparkling. We each hung there for a long time just admiring it. It was truly like nothing I’ve ever seen and is something I will never forget.

When we ascended, I was speechless, underwater I was too of course, but above, when I finally could speak, I had no words.  If I can encourage divers to do anything, it would be to dive a cenote… doesn’t have to be in Cuba, but wherever you can.   

Top Ten Highlights of my Cuban Adventure Part II

5. Havana Club Rum

I know this may not be a highlight for many, but for me, it was a huge part of the reason I wanted to travel to Cuba. I am a huge fan of rum, especially a Cuba Libre, and the fact that Havana Club is forbidden in The United States of America made it all the more enticing. I’ve tried a lot of rums to discover my favorites and Havana Club has remained the all elusive bottle amongst bottles.  It was time a discovered what all the hype was about.

While traveling in Cuba, I had the opportunity to drink a Cuba Libre in the country it is named after, kind of a dream come true; right up there with a Singapore Sling in Singapore or a Long Island Iced Tea in Long Island.  I also was able to drink the luscious liquor morning, noon and night if I chose. It was often more plentiful and available than water, even coming in convenient juice boxes for traveling on the go.  I visited the distillery where it is made and watched sugar cane pressed into juice to make the liquor.  I was also able to get three bottles back to the United States where I can indulge in it whenever I want which is sparingly because of the worry I may never get it again.

If you are in Cuba you would be remiss not to try some of the magical liquor, either in a famous Cuba Libre or an equally delicious true mojito.

4. Cave Pools

I explored several caves throughout my time in Cuba. Nearly every one had some sort of pool in it, some only the size of a small hot tub, others the length of a full size swimming pool.  I took full advantage of each underground pool I came upon.  And true to my traveling motto, I never regretted it.  The pools were often a mix of fresh and salt water coming in through the ocean and always refreshing, if a bit cool.

It is still amazing to me that a whole other world exists below ground.  Huge caves filled with secret passageways that lead to sparkling, clear lagoons and ponds. I felt a bit like a little child each time I entered the caves, like I was discovering something new and unknown for the first time. I would have never have known these caves existed were it not for a well trained guide.

3. Cave Bar- Disco Ayala

I had heard of the cave bar even in my planning for Cuba and lots throughout my trip.  I was excited to get to Trinidad and see what all the hype was about. I was able to go with the Germans I had met in the casa in Trinidad who had also had it on their list of top sites.

Disco Ayala was like nothing I could have imagined. It was huge and sprawling and entirely underground. Electricity was pumped in to provide lights and music, otherwise it would have been pitch black and a bit scary. As we sat at our table watching the live dancers, we were constantly reminded of the fact that we were in a cave by the dripping of water on us from the roof of cave. 

It was an experience like none other, one I highly recommend.  It is not often one gets to drink a Cuba Libre in a giant underground cave bar.

2. El Nicho Waterfall

Waterfalls are a lot easier to spot than caves, and I search for them wherever I travel. I’ve seen and swam in some pretty amazing ones, but none compare to El Nicho waterfall located between the cities of Trinidad and Cienfuegos in Cuba. 

I went very early in the morning and avoided the crowds and the entrance fee. I hiked just a little ways through the park before I came to the first of the falls. I stood in awe. There were three falls falling into about seven natural pools.  It looked made up. I immediately stripped down to my bikini to plunge into the pools.  It was still a bit chilly that early in the morning, but again, you never regret a swim and this one was no different.  I wanted to take advantage of the solitude the early morning allowed me and enjoy the pools on my own.

After swimming all around, I got out and sat on a bench to do some writing near the falls. I was soon attached by mosquitoes, really the first of my trip, and decided to keep exploring the park. I took several paths that led along rivers and ended at more falls. Each one was a bit bigger and more impressive than the last.  These falls are absolutely a must see and I recommend going as early as you can as big tour groups come in hoards later in the morning.

1. Cenote Diving

I am a SCUBA diver and I’ve dived lots of places around the world, yet I hadn’t heard of cenote diving till a friend told me he’d done it in Mexico. I couldn’t even believe such a   thing existed and instantly knew I had to try it.  This was another reason I choose to visit Cuba where the country is 70% limestone and full of caves to dive in. 

I was pretty nervous and wasn’t even sure I would do it after my third ocean dive in Cuba. It was a little spur of the moment when I told my Dive Master I would in fact be going with them on the cenote dive, so much so that they didn’t have enough flashlights once I decided I’d go.

I’m not exactly claustrophobic, but I’m not a fan of being in places I can’t easily get out of- a cave dive was exactly this. Add a finite amount of air to breathe should I not be able to get out of said tiny space and it was enough to scare the daylights out of me. And with no flashlight, that was about right.

But I did it. And it was truly amazing.  I am a fan of new experiences and possess a keen awareness of how very few we get in our lifetime. Cave diving brought with it all the excitement and joy the first Christmas you can actually remember might.   It was absolutely out of this world. 

After descending, we had to pass through a very narrow tunnel to get to where the cave opened up. As we swam around, we aimed our flashlights up and down (the Dive Master gave me his) and looked at the various stalagmites and stalactites hanging from the top and bottom of the cave.  There were no fish to see, which was different than every other dive I’d done, but it didn’t matter, I was in a cave diving!

The best part was upon our return where from above a tiny sliver of sun shone through and penetrated all the way to the bottom of the 70 some foot cave.  It was spectacular. Each individual ray shone bright and deep like jewels sparkling. We each hung there for a long time just admiring it. It was truly like nothing I’ve ever seen and is something I will never forget.

When we ascended, I was speechless, underwater I was too of course, but above, when I finally could speak, I had no words.  If I can encourage divers to do anything, it would be to dive a cenote… doesn’t have to be in Cuba, but wherever you can.   

Cuban Blog Day #19 We're Gonna Need a Bigger Cup

More diving!  I ate breakfast at the casa and then caught the dive bus with the Germans to the dive shop.  There were way more people than I expected, and at first I was nervous about the ratio of divers to instructors, but it turned out a few people were just snorkeling.

This was my first shore dive, and I didn’t know what to expect. The bus pulled up along the coast and we geared up. Then, we simply jumped off a cement platform into the water.  Eva hadn’t dived in a few years, so she went with a different group. I was sad we wouldn’t be dive buddies. I was much more comfortable on this dive. We went through several tunnels, saw another wreck and some awesome schools of fish.

Back on land, we loaded up into the bus and headed to our second dive, my first cenote. I’d only heard about cenotes about a year prior. A friend had dived a few in Mexicoand couldn’t sing their praises enough.  We drove up along the coast a ways, but then we took a right turn away from the coast and into what looked like a forest. I was very confused. I’d thought we’d enter the cave through the ocean somehow.  We drove through the woods for a bit longer before we came to a curious stop.  I did not know where exactly they thought we’d be getting into water.  They pointed toward the left, and I walked toward it. I could see a tiny opening with a ladder and climbed down.  There was an even smaller opening from which I would soon learn I would be jumping into the water. I questioned my desire to actually do this for a moment as fear got the better of me.

We all suited up and one by one jumped directly forward into the water and waited for our Dive Master to join us and give us whatever instructions we needed to dive in a cave.  Soon, we turned our flashlights on and descended.

We immediately had to pass through a very tiny, narrow opening; perhaps the scariest part of the whole thing for me. Once through, the cave opened up to a vastness I would never have believed existed while I was above ground. I began to wonder if the whole world was like this, so deceiving in its greatness and ready to be discovered.  I have to admit, I felt a bit like a great explorer, it was aided ever so slightly by the knowledge that very few people explore caves the way I was finally getting to do.

We swam slowly through the cave looking up and down, shining our flashlights here and there.  Niels and another fun diver had to wait for us up top, and they had jumped in and were swimming around a bit at the opening of the cave. It was great to be able to look back and see their feet dangling 100 or so feet above us. Great perspective of where we actually were.

I’d feared I’d be more claustrophobic than I was. The cave was so enormous that I couldn’t see from one side to the other, nor could I see the ceiling. Our Dive Master would point out various cave drawings or stalagmites which would remind me that I was indeed inside a cave. The cold helped with that too.

At one point, we surfaced into a tiny pocket of air, the roof just above our heads.  The whole bunch of us were simply in awe. This was the first cenote dive for all of us, and it was clear that we were beyond impressed.  Our dive master explained that we would be returning the way we came, and we descended again.

Upon our return, from the opening of the cave above, the sun was shining down into the water. You could see each individual ray penetrating the water, glowing. It went all the way down to the depths of the cave, bright, strong.  It was the most magnificent thing I’ve ever seen. We lingered there for a long while, thankful to be underwater so that our speechlessness did not matter. I did not want to leave.

Back above water, the Austrian couple and the Hungarian women I’d dived with and I could not tell the others enough about our dived. I hugged Niels, so thrilled that I had accomplished this goal. We rode the bus back to the dive shop with permanent smiles on our faces.

We met Eva at the shop and Neils convinced the Austrian couple, who had a rental car, to come with us, and therefore drive us to the all inclusive resort we’d heard about from other travelers. We all piled into the car and drove the 15 or so miles to the resort.

It was $15 CUC for all you could eat and drink. We took full advantage of this, first eating a big lunch of the usual and then finding a spot by the crystal clear water.  We drank cocktails of Havana Club and Tu Kola out of tiny plastic cups. We took turns diving from the cement platforms into the green blue water.  We enjoyed each other’s company.

Near four pm a worker came and told us they would all be leaving, but we could stay as long as we liked.  They advised us to fill up on drinks. We didn’t need to be told.  We filled all the water bottles we had and each of us took as many cups as we could and gathered them at our spot by the sea. We stayed another hour or so enjoying our private paradise.

We drove back and planned to meet later that night at one of only two bars in the town. After showering and eating another meal with Dimitri, I headed to meet the others where we continued our shenanigans late into the night. It was a perfect day!

 

Traveling Tip #22 Bring a Bigger Cup

 

At the resort where the dive shop is located and where we borrowed ice and cups the first day we arrived, I noticed several Cubans with their own, giant 7/11 type cups. I soon realized the purpose of these cups at our resort. The bigger the cup, the less frequently you have to go to the bar to refill. 

Cuban Blog Day #19 We're Gonna Need a Bigger Cup

More diving!  I ate breakfast at the casa and then caught the dive bus with the Germans to the dive shop.  There were way more people than I expected, and at first I was nervous about the ratio of divers to instructors, but it turned out a few people were just snorkeling.

This was my first shore dive, and I didn’t know what to expect. The bus pulled up along the coast and we geared up. Then, we simply jumped off a cement platform into the water.  Eva hadn’t dived in a few years, so she went with a different group. I was sad we wouldn’t be dive buddies. I was much more comfortable on this dive. We went through several tunnels, saw another wreck and some awesome schools of fish.

Back on land, we loaded up into the bus and headed to our second dive, my first cenote. I’d only heard about cenotes about a year prior. A friend had dived a few in Mexico and couldn’t sing their praises enough.  We drove up along the coast a ways, but then we took a right turn away from the coast and into what looked like a forest. I was very confused. I’d thought we’d enter the cave through the ocean somehow.  We drove through the woods for a bit longer before we came to a curious stop.  I did not know where exactly they thought we’d be getting into water.  They pointed toward the left, and I walked toward it. I could see a tiny opening with a ladder and climbed down.  There was an even smaller opening from which I would soon learn I would be jumping into the water. I questioned my desire to actually do this for a moment as fear got the better of me.

We all suited up and one by one jumped directly forward into the water and waited for our Dive Master to join us and give us whatever instructions we needed to dive in a cave.  Soon, we turned our flashlights on and descended.

We immediately had to pass through a very tiny, narrow opening; perhaps the scariest part of the whole thing for me. Once through, the cave opened up to a vastness I would never have believed existed while I was above ground. I began to wonder if the whole world was like this, so deceiving in its greatness and ready to be discovered.  I have to admit, I felt a bit like a great explorer, it was aided ever so slightly by the knowledge that very few people explore caves the way I was finally getting to do.

We swam slowly through the cave looking up and down, shining our flashlights here and there.  Niels and another fun diver had to wait for us up top, and they had jumped in and were swimming around a bit at the opening of the cave. It was great to be able to look back and see their feet dangling 100 or so feet above us. Great perspective of where we actually were.

I’d feared I’d be more claustrophobic than I was. The cave was so enormous that I couldn’t see from one side to the other, nor could I see the ceiling. Our Dive Master would point out various cave drawings or stalagmites which would remind me that I was indeed inside a cave. The cold helped with that too.

At one point, we surfaced into a tiny pocket of air, the roof just above our heads.  The whole bunch of us were simply in awe. This was the first cenote dive for all of us, and it was clear that we were beyond impressed.  Our dive master explained that we would be returning the way we came, and we descended again.

Upon our return, from the opening of the cave above, the sun was shining down into the water. You could see each individual ray penetrating the water, glowing. It went all the way down to the depths of the cave, bright, strong.  It was the most magnificent thing I’ve ever seen. We lingered there for a long while, thankful to be underwater so that our speechlessness did not matter. I did not want to leave.

Back above water, the Austrian couple and the Hungarian women I’d dived with and I could not tell the others enough about our dived. I hugged Niels, so thrilled that I had accomplished this goal. We rode the bus back to the dive shop with permanent smiles on our faces.

We met Eva at the shop and Neils convinced the Austrian couple, who had a rental car, to come with us, and therefore drive us to the all inclusive resort we’d heard about from other travelers. We all piled into the car and drove the 15 or so miles to the resort.

It was $15 CUC for all you could eat and drink. We took full advantage of this, first eating a big lunch of the usual and then finding a spot by the crystal clear water.  We drank cocktails of Havana Club and Tu Kola out of tiny plastic cups. We took turns diving from the cement platforms into the green blue water.  We enjoyed each other’s company.

Near four pm a worker came and told us they would all be leaving, but we could stay as long as we liked.  They advised us to fill up on drinks. We didn’t need to be told.  We filled all the water bottles we had and each of us took as many cups as we could and gathered them at our spot by the sea. We stayed another hour or so enjoying our private paradise.

We drove back and planned to meet later that night at one of only two bars in the town. After showering and eating another meal with Dimitri, I headed to meet the others where we continued our shenanigans late into the night. It was a perfect day!

 

Traveling Tip #22 Bring a Bigger Cup

 

At the resort where the dive shop is located and where we borrowed ice and cups the first day we arrived, I noticed several Cubans with their own, giant 7/11 type cups. I soon realized the purpose of these cups at our resort. The bigger the cup, the less frequently you have to go to the bar to refill. 

Cuban Blog Day #18 Explore First and Check Out Che's Eyes

I had planned to take the same taxi driver on to Playa Girón. When a taxi showed up, I was disappointed, yet not surprised, to find a different driver and two passengers already in the car.  I asked if it would be cheaper and explained the deal I had made with the driver the day before, but he didn’t go down in price. That made it easy to tell him to take a hike and wait around to take the bus with the Germans.  I was actually happy to be on a comfortable, nearly empty bus where I could easily nap my hangover away.  It was, as always, good to be moving again.  I had recently realized just how soon my trip would be over, and it was a relief to be getting closer and closer to Havana as I made my way up.

Playa Girón is a two hour bus ride from Trinidad.  It is a tiny beach town on the east bank of the Bay of Pigs and is famous for diving. When we arrived, the Germans had a car waiting to take them to their casa. They dropped me at another around the corner from where the Germans would be staying.  I negotiated my casa with Demitri, the owner of Hostal Moya.  I secured the room for $20 CUC with breakfast, again much to the Germans’ chagrin as they were paying $10 CUC more. They made me promise to teach them how to bargain the rest of the trip.

I met up with the Germans, and we walked around the ghost town that is Playa Girón.  Several abandoned buildings and no people in sight made us wonder why the guide book had even mentioned Playa Girón.  We found the one ‘resort’ hotel and secured our dive trip for the next day.  We ate lunch at one of only two restaurants in town when we were told the hotel restaurant was for guests only.  We paid in peso national which made the total bill for all of us about $6 US. Then we bought a bottle of rum and Tucola. Again, I paid in peso national. This time, I was asked if I wanted any of the Che coins. I traded and got four more coins, grateful for the offer.  They would make great gifts upon returning.  As the man was handing the coins to me, he held up one coin and told me that it was dated 1990 and it was a hard one to find because in it, Che’s eyes are closed.  No one was able to tell me what the significance of this is, nor could a google search, but it is true. The coins before 1990 all have Che’s eyes closed, while those after 1990 depict him with open eyes. If anyone knows anything about this please leave me a message. I’m quite curious.

Not knowing what else to do in this little deserted town, we made our way back to the ‘beach.’ It was quite ugly with a giant concrete wave breaking wall so big that you could not see beyond it.  We sat under a thatched umbrella and made cocktails.  A couple strolled by and joined us for a bit. They told us there was another, nicer beach a ways up. I felt like a rookie. Why hadn’t we explored a bit more before settling down on a subpar beach?

We headed back to my casawhere we had an excellent dinner of swordfish and lively conversation with Dimitri about all his travels in the navy. I was grateful to be able to understand everything and wondered how different this trip would be if I didn’t speak Spanish. I went to bed early in anticipation for the dives the next day.

 

Traveling tip #20

Always, always explore before you settle down into a place. Of course this is often easier said than done, especially when you’re hung over and tired and just want a place to sit around. 

Traveling tip #21

When in Cuba, collect both the Che peso coins as well as the bill. 

Cuban Blog Day #18 Explore First and Check Out Che's Eyes

I had planned to take the same taxi driver on to Playa Girón. When a taxi showed up, I was disappointed, yet not surprised, to find a different driver and two passengers already in the car.  I asked if it would be cheaper and explained the deal I had made with the driver the day before, but he didn’t go down in price. That made it easy to tell him to take a hike and wait around to take the bus with the Germans.  I was actually happy to be on a comfortable, nearly empty bus where I could easily nap my hangover away.  It was, as always, good to be moving again.  I had recently realized just how soon my trip would be over, and it was a relief to be getting closer and closer to Havana as I made my way up.

Playa Girón is a two hour bus ride from Trinidad.  It is a tiny beach town on the east bank of the Bay of Pigs and is famous for diving. When we arrived, the Germans had a car waiting to take them to their casa. They dropped me at another around the corner from where the Germans would be staying.  I negotiated my casa with Demitri, the owner of Hostal Moya.  I secured the room for $20 CUC with breakfast, again much to the Germans’ chagrin as they were paying $10 CUC more. They made me promise to teach them how to bargain the rest of the trip.

I met up with the Germans, and we walked around the ghost town that is Playa Girón.  Several abandoned buildings and no people in sight made us wonder why the guide book had even mentioned Playa Girón.  We found the one ‘resort’ hotel and secured our dive trip for the next day.  We ate lunch at one of only two restaurants in town when we were told the hotel restaurant was for guests only.  We paid in peso national which made the total bill for all of us about $6 US. Then we bought a bottle of rum and Tucola. Again, I paid in peso national. This time, I was asked if I wanted any of the Che coins. I traded and got four more coins, grateful for the offer.  They would make great gifts upon returning.  As the man was handing the coins to me, he held up one coin and told me that it was dated 1990 and it was a hard one to find because in it, Che’s eyes are closed.  No one was able to tell me what the significance of this is, nor could a google search, but it is true. The coins before 1990 all have Che’s eyes closed, while those after 1990 depict him with open eyes. If anyone knows anything about this please leave me a message. I’m quite curious.

Not knowing what else to do in this little deserted town, we made our way back to the ‘beach.’ It was quite ugly with a giant concrete wave breaking wall so big that you could not see beyond it.  We sat under a thatched umbrella and made cocktails.  A couple strolled by and joined us for a bit. They told us there was another, nicer beach a ways up. I felt like a rookie. Why hadn’t we explored a bit more before settling down on a subpar beach?

We headed back to my casa where we had an excellent dinner of swordfish and lively conversation with Dimitri about all his travels in the navy. I was grateful to be able to understand everything and wondered how different this trip would be if I didn’t speak Spanish. I went to bed early in anticipation for the dives the next day.

 

Traveling tip #20

Always, always explore before you settle down into a place. Of course this is often easier said than done, especially when you’re hung over and tired and just want a place to sit around. 

Traveling tip #21

When in Cuba, collect both the Che peso coins as well as the bill. 

Cuban Blog Day #16 Ask For What You Want. You Just Might Get It

Diving! When you live in Colorado, it’s a little hard to SCUBA dive.  I make sure every trip I take includes some sort of diving so as not to get rusty.  It still doesn’t work all that well. Each new dive, I’m a little nervous and worried that I may have forgotten how to do it.  To ease that worry I’m not shy about telling my Dive Master that it’s been awhile since my last dive.  This usually results in a little extra attention underwater, which in turns relaxes me a bit.

I got to the dive shop and was happy to see it wasn’t a full boat, just a Canadian girl and two older Mexican men.  While getting ready, I casually mentioned to no one in particular that it was a dream of mine to see seahorses.  They are so tiny that they are often hard to spot. Generally the Dive Master needs to know where they are and take you there. They are also bottom dwellers that prefer sea grass beds, so they are usually out of the way of typical dive sites.

We suited up and got situated on the boat.  We didn’t ride far before we stopped and the Canadian and our Dive Master and I jumped in. To my surprise, we were first going to the sea floor to find some seahorses.  We floated on the bottom of the ocean and watched five seahorses tiny enough to fit in the palm of my hand dance up and down in the water.  They were beautiful and magical and everything I’d hoped they would be. I checked that dream off my list. It was hard to leave that spot.

But we had to move on, first to a wreck where there was a plaque dedicated to The Cuban Five.  I had been seeing posters all around Cuba, my favorite being a hand in a high five position, saying, ‘Obama, give us five.’ I did a little research and found out that these are five Cuban spies who were ‘captured’ and are detained in a Miamiprison.  You’d think the destiny of Cubarested solely in these five men’s hands by they way they are honored and revered around Cuba.  I couldn’t believe I was actually seeing this propaganda underwater as well!

After the wreck, I was more comfortable underwater and really enjoyed roaming through The Labyrinth with all its nooks, crannies, tunnels and holes to swim through. The wall was just amazing and teeming with fish and coral. 

We surfaced and went back to land to wait for our next dive. This one was two different wrecks. I saw an awesome lionfish and later learned from one of the Mexican men that lionfish are actually very unwelcome and not endemic to these waters. He told of an aquarium in Floridawhich burst open during Hurricane Andrew and said this is how the lionfish came to be in these waters.  He said in Mexicothey pay people to catch these fish to help keep the other fish around. Such a shame that such a lovely fish causes so much harm.  I also saw a trumpet fish, an eel and the biggest school of parrot fish I’ve ever seen. I mean, it just kept going and going.

They were both great dives, and I was so happy to be back underwater again.  I was also thrilled to see how comfortable and relaxed I was and very much looking forward to more dives in Cuba.

The Mexican men were staying at the all inclusive resort and invited me to a Cuba Libra. I wasn’t sure it would work, but they assured me it would. And it did. I sat and drank with them for an hour or so after our dive. They also treated me to lunch.  We talked about other places we’ve dived. They’d been everywhere, and they invited me to come visit and dive with them in Mexico. I hope to one day take them up on that.

Traveling Tip # 18 Ask for what you want. You just might get it

 

I never thought we’d actually go and find some seahorses. It was just one of those things divers talk about, their ‘White Whale’ (pun intended.)  We shoot the breeze while gearing up chatting about what we have yet to see (side note- My new ‘White Whale’ is in fact a whale of sorts… my diving life will be complete as soon as I dive with a Whale Shark.) I think due to the small size of our group, the Dive Master was able to make my dream happen, but he’d never know to do it if I hadn’t have thrown it out there.  Always, always ask for what you want. It can never hurt.

Cuban Blog Day #16 Ask For What You Want. You Just Might Get It

Diving! When you live in Colorado, it’s a little hard to SCUBA dive.  I make sure every trip I take includes some sort of diving so as not to get rusty.  It still doesn’t work all that well. Each new dive, I’m a little nervous and worried that I may have forgotten how to do it.  To ease that worry I’m not shy about telling my Dive Master that it’s been awhile since my last dive.  This usually results in a little extra attention underwater, which in turns relaxes me a bit.

I got to the dive shop and was happy to see it wasn’t a full boat, just a Canadian girl and two older Mexican men.  While getting ready, I casually mentioned to no one in particular that it was a dream of mine to see seahorses.  They are so tiny that they are often hard to spot. Generally the Dive Master needs to know where they are and take you there. They are also bottom dwellers that prefer sea grass beds, so they are usually out of the way of typical dive sites.

We suited up and got situated on the boat.  We didn’t ride far before we stopped and the Canadian and our Dive Master and I jumped in. To my surprise, we were first going to the sea floor to find some seahorses.  We floated on the bottom of the ocean and watched five seahorses tiny enough to fit in the palm of my hand dance up and down in the water.  They were beautiful and magical and everything I’d hoped they would be. I checked that dream off my list. It was hard to leave that spot.

But we had to move on, first to a wreck where there was a plaque dedicated to The Cuban Five.  I had been seeing posters all around Cuba, my favorite being a hand in a high five position, saying, ‘Obama, give us five.’ I did a little research and found out that these are five Cuban spies who were ‘captured’ and are detained in a Miami prison.  You’d think the destiny of Cuba rested solely in these five men’s hands by they way they are honored and revered around Cuba.  I couldn’t believe I was actually seeing this propaganda underwater as well!

After the wreck, I was more comfortable underwater and really enjoyed roaming through The Labyrinth with all its nooks, crannies, tunnels and holes to swim through. The wall was just amazing and teeming with fish and coral. 

We surfaced and went back to land to wait for our next dive. This one was two different wrecks. I saw an awesome lionfish and later learned from one of the Mexican men that lionfish are actually very unwelcome and not endemic to these waters. He told of an aquarium in Florida which burst open during Hurricane Andrew and said this is how the lionfish came to be in these waters.  He said in Mexico they pay people to catch these fish to help keep the other fish around. Such a shame that such a lovely fish causes so much harm.  I also saw a trumpet fish, an eel and the biggest school of parrot fish I’ve ever seen. I mean, it just kept going and going.

They were both great dives, and I was so happy to be back underwater again.  I was also thrilled to see how comfortable and relaxed I was and very much looking forward to more dives in Cuba.

The Mexican men were staying at the all inclusive resort and invited me to a Cuba Libra. I wasn’t sure it would work, but they assured me it would. And it did. I sat and drank with them for an hour or so after our dive. They also treated me to lunch.  We talked about other places we’ve dived. They’d been everywhere, and they invited me to come visit and dive with them in Mexico. I hope to one day take them up on that.

Traveling Tip # 18 Ask for what you want. You just might get it

 

I never thought we’d actually go and find some seahorses. It was just one of those things divers talk about, their ‘White Whale’ (pun intended.)  We shoot the breeze while gearing up chatting about what we have yet to see (side note- My new ‘White Whale’ is in fact a whale of sorts… my diving life will be complete as soon as I dive with a Whale Shark.) I think due to the small size of our group, the Dive Master was able to make my dream happen, but he’d never know to do it if I hadn’t have thrown it out there.  Always, always ask for what you want. It can never hurt.

Cuban Blog Day #15 Don't Take 'No' for an Answer

I was happy to be on the road again.  So much of visiting a country for is actually about the traveling, the getting there, the being on the way.  After a failed attempt to visit the closed on Sunday, even though everyone said it wouldn’t be, tobacco factory and a brief visit to the cigar store which was open and had plenty of cigars, the cheapest of which was $10, and several lovely bottles of Havana Club rum, I was on my way to the bus station.

While I waited to get on the bus, grateful to be taking a bus that I was pretty certain would be more or less on time, and on which I was sure to have a reclining seat and air conditioning, I chatted with a Danish girl.  She was traveling on her own and had several similar stories to mine. It was nice to know it wasn’t just happening to me. She was one of very few other travelers I met along the way.

The bus ride was a short one hour to Cienfuegos.  Getting off the bus, only one tout accosted me, and I walked with him to his sister’s casa.  I got settled in and then walked around a bit to see the town and get some lunch. Cienfuegoswas a lot more traveler- friendly and looked more exciting than Santa Clara.   I returned to the casa and then walked with the sister back to the bus station where she told me I could take the locals’ bus for only $1 peso national.  She also told me it came every 10 minutes. Half an hour later, I’d gotten a taxi driver down to $4 CUC and decided to stop wasting time and rode with him to Rancho Luna Playa.

The beach was where I would find out about SCUBA diving. I walked along the beach to the hotel in the guide book. Once arriving there, I asked several employees where the dive center was and was told simply that it was closed. No one seemed to have a phone number or was even willing to take a message.  I was upset because I needed to plan the dive trip today if I wanted to go the next day.

I walked out toward the beach and the dive shop and was thrilled to find some people there.  It wasn’t even closed. I arranged with the instructors there to go on a $60 CUC two tank dive the next morning.

It began raining, and I hustled to the thatched roof bar across the way to wait it out. I waited seated at the bar for quite awhile while the bartender completely ignored me.  When I finally asked if I could get a Cuba Libre, he told me no, and pointed to a vending machine behind me.  This was an all inclusive resort, and I did not have the proper jewelry, in this case a green paper bracelet to signify I was a paying guest.

I put the $1.50 CUC into the vending machine and had my choice of Bucanero, Cristal or Mayabe in cans.  I chose Bucanero.  I wish we had such vending machines in the states.  I drank a few beers while watching how the other half live at the all inclusive resorts.  This was not a resort I would want to spend much time in. It looked like the last time it was ever updated was somewhere in the early 80’s if not even earlier, and I briefly wondered how much people actually paid to stay here.

Once the rain let up, I walked toward my taxi driver, finished off my last beer while sitting on the beach people watching and rode back to town.  I walked along the famous Malecón (best English translation is ‘seafront’, I guess. Very similar to a boardwalk in some cities.) It’s a few miles long and is a general meeting spot for locals to sip beers and take children on strolls.  It was great people and sunset watching.

I ate dinner along the way and then settled in for an outdoor cabaret show. While waiting for the show to start, music videos played on large screens. This is apparently very popular entertainment as they advertised this almost as much as the show itself. I watched several videos, one of which appeared to have all of the members of ‘N Sync dancing and singing impeccable Spanish.  

The show was a mix of live singing and dancing.  It went through all the different dances of the different regions of Cubaand included several costume changes.  The show was not something I had read about, and if I’d not walked by it, I would have missed it, though I’m glad I didn’t. It was very enjoyable and fun and told a great story about Cuba.

 

Traveling tip # 18 Don’t take ‘no’ for an answer

 

Along with people simply telling you what they think you want to hear, there are also those who simply cannot be bothered by you.  I have a feeling this was largely the result of the hotel being an all inclusive and employees not caring about you if you don’t happen to sport the pretty bracelet.  Don’t be discouraged by these folks.  Simply keep asking, and if that doesn’t work, keep walking. If I’d listened to them, I may have missed out on diving the next day. Instead I walked to the dive shop and found people still there who could help me.  

Cuban Blog Day #15 Don't Take 'No' for an Answer

I was happy to be on the road again.  So much of visiting a country for is actually about the traveling, the getting there, the being on the way.  After a failed attempt to visit the closed on Sunday, even though everyone said it wouldn’t be, tobacco factory and a brief visit to the cigar store which was open and had plenty of cigars, the cheapest of which was $10, and several lovely bottles of Havana Club rum, I was on my way to the bus station.

While I waited to get on the bus, grateful to be taking a bus that I was pretty certain would be more or less on time, and on which I was sure to have a reclining seat and air conditioning, I chatted with a Danish girl.  She was traveling on her own and had several similar stories to mine. It was nice to know it wasn’t just happening to me. She was one of very few other travelers I met along the way.

The bus ride was a short one hour to Cienfuegos.  Getting off the bus, only one tout accosted me, and I walked with him to his sister’s casa.  I got settled in and then walked around a bit to see the town and get some lunch. Cienfuegos was a lot more traveler- friendly and looked more exciting than Santa Clara.   I returned to the casa and then walked with the sister back to the bus station where she told me I could take the locals’ bus for only $1 peso national.  She also told me it came every 10 minutes. Half an hour later, I’d gotten a taxi driver down to $4 CUC and decided to stop wasting time and rode with him to Rancho Luna Playa.

The beach was where I would find out about SCUBA diving. I walked along the beach to the hotel in the guide book. Once arriving there, I asked several employees where the dive center was and was told simply that it was closed. No one seemed to have a phone number or was even willing to take a message.  I was upset because I needed to plan the dive trip today if I wanted to go the next day.

I walked out toward the beach and the dive shop and was thrilled to find some people there.  It wasn’t even closed. I arranged with the instructors there to go on a $60 CUC two tank dive the next morning.

It began raining, and I hustled to the thatched roof bar across the way to wait it out. I waited seated at the bar for quite awhile while the bartender completely ignored me.  When I finally asked if I could get a Cuba Libre, he told me no, and pointed to a vending machine behind me.  This was an all inclusive resort, and I did not have the proper jewelry, in this case a green paper bracelet to signify I was a paying guest.

I put the $1.50 CUC into the vending machine and had my choice of Bucanero, Cristal or Mayabe in cans.  I chose Bucanero.  I wish we had such vending machines in the states.  I drank a few beers while watching how the other half live at the all inclusive resorts.  This was not a resort I would want to spend much time in. It looked like the last time it was ever updated was somewhere in the early 80’s if not even earlier, and I briefly wondered how much people actually paid to stay here.

Once the rain let up, I walked toward my taxi driver, finished off my last beer while sitting on the beach people watching and rode back to town.  I walked along the famous Malecón (best English translation is ‘seafront’, I guess. Very similar to a boardwalk in some cities.) It’s a few miles long and is a general meeting spot for locals to sip beers and take children on strolls.  It was great people and sunset watching.

I ate dinner along the way and then settled in for an outdoor cabaret show. While waiting for the show to start, music videos played on large screens. This is apparently very popular entertainment as they advertised this almost as much as the show itself. I watched several videos, one of which appeared to have all of the members of ‘N Sync dancing and singing impeccable Spanish.  

The show was a mix of live singing and dancing.  It went through all the different dances of the different regions of Cuba and included several costume changes.  The show was not something I had read about, and if I’d not walked by it, I would have missed it, though I’m glad I didn’t. It was very enjoyable and fun and told a great story about Cuba.

 

Traveling tip # 18 Don’t take ‘no’ for an answer

 

Along with people simply telling you what they think you want to hear, there are also those who simply cannot be bothered by you.  I have a feeling this was largely the result of the hotel being an all inclusive and employees not caring about you if you don’t happen to sport the pretty bracelet.  Don’t be discouraged by these folks.  Simply keep asking, and if that doesn’t work, keep walking. If I’d listened to them, I may have missed out on diving the next day. Instead I walked to the dive shop and found people still there who could help me.  

P is for Panama

10 Things I loved about Panama

 

1. Diving- Some of the cheapest diving in the world is in Panama. I had thought Honduras had that racket till I got to Panama.  Each dive I went on was just me, the dive master and one other diver. We saw more sharks than I ever have in my life. Awesome!
2. Using the US dollar- So nice when you don’t have to figure out the exchange rate, or fear you’ve calculated it wrong and gotten ripped off.
3. Bocas Del Toro- Tiny little islands everywhere, where the main mode of transportation is water taxis.  I would take one to a different island each day and often have the dock and water to myself.  I’d lay in the sun reading and jump into the water every so often to cool off. Absolutely my idea of paradise.  I planned to stay just a few days and ended up staying over a week.
4. The beer there is called Soberana. I think that is funny.
5. It was the first place I saw a wild blue and gold macaw, ironically Honduras’ national bird.
6. Boquete- A tiny little mountain town that reminded me of Fort Collins. The air was fresh and it was so much cooler than the rest of the country. A welcome relief. Plus they had their own version of cows on parade.
7. The brightly painted chicken busses.
8. Being able to drink Flor De Cana in lieu of Ron Abuelo, Panama’s poor excuse for a rum.
9. Anticipating the reunion of my friend Karen Crone and two of her sisters in Costa Rica. Crossing the border on foot.
10. Isla San Cristobal – Some of the clearest waters and so many starfishes.

P is for Panama

10 Things I loved about Panama

 

1. Diving- Some of the cheapest diving in the world is in Panama. I had thought Honduras had that racket till I got to Panama.  Each dive I went on was just me, the dive master and one other diver. We saw more sharks than I ever have in my life. Awesome!
2. Using the US dollar- So nice when you don’t have to figure out the exchange rate, or fear you’ve calculated it wrong and gotten ripped off.
3. Bocas Del Toro- Tiny little islands everywhere, where the main mode of transportation is water taxis.  I would take one to a different island each day and often have the dock and water to myself.  I’d lay in the sun reading and jump into the water every so often to cool off. Absolutely my idea of paradise.  I planned to stay just a few days and ended up staying over a week.
4. The beer there is called Soberana. I think that is funny.
5. It was the first place I saw a wild blue and gold macaw, ironically Honduras’ national bird.
6. Boquete- A tiny little mountain town that reminded me of Fort Collins. The air was fresh and it was so much cooler than the rest of the country. A welcome relief. Plus they had their own version of cows on parade.
7. The brightly painted chicken busses.
8. Being able to drink Flor De Cana in lieu of Ron Abuelo, Panama’s poor excuse for a rum.
9. Anticipating the reunion of my friend Karen Crone and two of her sisters in Costa Rica. Crossing the border on foot.
10. Isla San Cristobal – Some of the clearest waters and so many starfishes.