Day 444 - Off to Varadero

This morning we were actually up early! Can you believe it? We had to have all of our things packed up & breakfast eaten in order to catch our bus at 1000.

Fernando y Marisol made us another yummy breakfast. I’m adjusting to the fact that I can eat a fruit plate for breakfast & then just snack on nut bars to get me through the day until supper time. I can make this food thing work!

Kim & I lugged our luggage (I’ve just realized the irony in those 2 words) up the steps at the bus depot & sat waiting to board our bus. While we sat in the station, I watched the TV en Español. It was a program about Greek & Roman history. I thought it rather cruel, considering that most Cubans would NEVER have the chance to hop on a plane & take a trip to Europe. I can’t imagine life without travel. As I type this post on a plane to Barbados, that would be the ultimate punishment. When I was in high school & stayed out past curfew, Mom would make me pick weeds in the garden. I dreaded that. No travel gets put in the same category. (Only times one million in its severity)

Why, on this trip alone, I’ve learned so much. I had so many people telling me, ‘Oooh, you’re going to Cuba? Be careful! What?! You’re staying in a hostel? Watch yourself! Don’t go out at night!’ etc, etc. My experience has been nothing closer to the extreme opposite. I would gladly hang out in the dark streets of Havana & Vedado than I would Calgary! And the people are smiling despite their oppression. They are warm & wonderful & making due with the little they have. (More on this later today)

The bus driver didn’t want me to take my carry-on suitcase on the bus with me. It has all my camera gear in it. No way was I going to let him shove it under the bus. I saw the force they were using! I couldn’t speak Spanish to him, but luckily another chap could & he explained to the driver that I had fragile items in it & he should let me take it on board. Good thing I did, as my ‘indestructible’ luggage from Eagle Creek came out from the bottom of the bus with a crack in the plate. Argh!

Our resort was BEAUTIFUL! We met the Bride-to-be, Cat, and her Groom, Darren. What a couple! I couldn’t wait to see them all dressed up. Cat is STUNNING!

Kim & I checked out the beach, settled into our room & did a little exploring. Tonight was a ‘rehearsal dinner’ with the parents of the couple & the photographers.

I finally met Jose & Joel & their friend, Jenn. I’m not sure if I mentioned it already, but when Kim asked me to come to Cuba with her many months ago, I was excited to come to Cuba for the experience of Cuba alone. Then she told me that she was going to a wedding & the Photographer was Jose Villa, whom Kim had taken a workshop from just over a year ago, I was EXTRA excited! Naturally I have peeked on his blog from time to time since Kim told me of him.

He is one of the top wedding Photographers in North America & he is in a class all his own. He is a Purist. He shoots film, no digital. But the best part of all, he is really nice! I had this inkling that he would be ‘uppity’ & that all the fame would have gone to his head. It couldn’t have been further from the truth. His partner, Joel, shoots 8mm wedding videos & was equally as friendly. I was so stoked to see them both in action tomorrow. What visionaries!

The rehearsal dinner was at a Japanese restaurant where they prepare your food in front of you. They make a base of fried rice & then add whatever meat or veggies you would like. Of course, they make it funny & entertaining & the food was really yummy. Darren cooked for us a bit – he’s actually a Chef in Ottawa & owns his own café. No wonder he looked like such a natural! Darren’s Dad was adorable. He had a camera & I think he captured every other second in photos. He was so cute, showing Cat & Kim the shots he’d taken (they are both professional Photographers) & all the fancy functions of his camera. It was refreshing to see someone fired up about photography.

After dinner we sat outside & everyone shared a drink. Kim & I went to Cat & Darren’s room to find out the plan for tomorrow & what we would have to do. I was so excited to see the décor, the dress, the suit, even the Fidel cufflinks! It was going to be an amazing day!

Lastly, we stopped by the pool, where the resort had a team of dancers performing water ballet. They were awesome! The costumes were a bit dated & tacky, but the skills were certainly there!

I loved that it was warm outside, dark & the sea breeze lazily brushed through the palm trees. And it is the first week of January. Life is good. Nah, life is GREAT!

As for my statement earlier about Cuba, I’ve come to the realization that most people don’t experience the REAL Cuba. They travel to this all-inclusive resort for a week. They experience the wonderful food, the drinks, the beach, the fancy hotels and they think Cuba is amazing. Who could blame them, right? But they miss out on the REAL Cuba. They don’t see how the people truly live. What is life really like for Cubans? What are they allowed to do? What can’t they do? What do they eat? What are there homes like? What is their personality when they aren’t being paid pennies to make you feel special? (They are still just as nice, btw) This country of old cars & Cuban cigars has many wonderful qualities, but what is the quality of life if you’re not free to choose & do as you please? Where a beggar on the street makes more money than a trained & qualified Doctor? Something just isn’t right. Where you’re not free to talk about your leader, without the fear of being caught on camera, audio or by a spy. And then what? The rumors say shot. It’s a very scary & disturbing idea for a girl who grew up in the middle of nowhere. Maybe that’s where the ‘no borders, no boundaries’ thing comes from?!

Anyhow, more on this stuff tomorrow. But first – a wedding is in order!

xxxx Maria