Cuba, Day Two

The Cuba Trip Day Two:  Tuesday, July 24, 201

No, none of the Cubans wished me a Happy Pioneer Day, even though I was wearing a, “Utah” t shirt.  I know this is going to come as quite a shock to some of my Mormon friends, who believe this is a holiday that the entire world, will one day celebrate. 

This is Deb and I’s first stay at an all-inclusive.  We usually like to experience the local culture, the local restaurants, meet the local folks in the stores, etc.   As Jimmy Buffett said, “I don’t  want to swim in a roped off sea…”

But we didn’t book this trip.  A travel agency did, for KUER, and they booked us into an all-inclusive.  We were told by our Cuban guide/minder, that it was one of the finest on the island.

That being the case?  Let me give you a little advice if you are thinking about trying an all-inclusive for the first time?  Pick ANY other country but Cuba!

We had to have someone come to fix the toilet five times.  Still not 100% fixed, water ran into the bowl from the tank all night long, but at least when you needed it, it would flush.

The air conditioner and the fridge ran all night long too, but neither one of them got anything any cooler.  Warm room, and warm bottle of water, even in the morning.

After scoring big on the cigars last night, a bunch of us sat around smoking them, and I figured out how an all-inclusive keeps its costs down.  You get a couple of hundred, drinking, young people from all over the world in the court yard to hear a band.  Then you close the lobby bar, where the adults would be getting their drinks.  You keep the one bar open by the band stand, and you staff it with only one bar tender.

This results in a long line, and a lot less drinks sold!  The resort can say, “Yes, you can drink all the alcohol you want”, while still not serving much actual alcohol.  I sent, Danny to get his mother a Mojito and he was gone about an hour, so I went looking for him.  Found him second in line for drinks, talking to a Canadian kid, not much older than he is, who was here on his honeymoon!

Today started early.  We were going into Trinidad so see a pottery shop run by a family who has been doing this for years and according to the Cubans, at least, is world famous.  We were going to take a walking tour or Trinidad, see the famous town square and cathedral that are supposed  to be as pretty as any in Cuba.  The morning started at the resort. 

Here in Cuba, you get fish with every meal.  After all, it’s a poor country, and it’s surrounded by fish.  If the Irish had noticed this during the, “Potato Famine” things might have been very different in OUR immigrant history.  Just sayin…

Well, the Cubans like to batter, then fry their fish.  Unfortunately for Americans?  They like to leave the skin on, too.  Not very appealing, especially for breakfast.  The grapefruit was roughly the consistency of a hockey puck.  I ended up eating a small omelet, and some mango.

Then, onto to bus.  We all have assigned seating now.  Barbara, our tour guide doesn’t have enough to do, so she gave herself the assignment of deciding where everyone was going to sit every day.  Knock yourself out.  I’m still going to let Danny sit next to his mother so he can help her, and I’m going to be right next to them.

I have to admit, the pottery shop was awesome.  El Alfarero was the family name.  I have never seen someone do, “tricks” with a pottery wheel.  This guy was amazing.  He would make something you though was going to be a pitcher, take out a piece of string, make a cut, and you had a frog, and a cowboy hat!  WTF?  How did he DO that!

 We then spent most of that touring Trinidad, Cuba.  Might be the most dirty, depressing, poor city I have ever been in.  They took us to see the Cathedral, said (by our tour guide) to be one of the most beautiful in Cuba.  It was not.  And I've included a picture.  For those of you who have been to Europe?  You will notice the ornate wood carving (since wood is cheap, and when you don't have a job, you have all day to work on it) and the LACK of gold.  That says it all.

 The museum was not very interesting.  The beggars were pushy.  It was hot and humid.
The one nice thing about the day, was they gave us about an hour to hang out in a Cuban bar where they made this really interesting drink with rum and honey, served in a little clay pot.  And there was an awesome Cuban band playing.

 For lunch, we went to a former plantation outside of town.  And again, more awesome Cuban music.

The problem with the Cuban music?  I always seem to get seated right next to it.  So when my wife or son says something to me, I have no idea what they are saying.  I figure it's probably something along the lines of, "It's hot", "It's humid", "I like the music".  So I just nod.

Given the choice to go back to Trinidad, Cuba or not?  I'd pick, not.  Not a nice town.