Cuba. June, 2016

This time, we chose Cuba for our getaway to Caribbean. First of all, Cuba has absolutely gorgeous beaches and sea. Secondly, we hadn’t been there for several years. And thirdly, the Cuban borders seemed to be opening to Americans in the near future, which meant that resort prices were likely to go up soon 

And now, let’s take it all in order. When vacationing in Cuba, it’s worth choosing at least a four-star resort. As we all know, Cuba is not a wealthy country — quite the opposite, it’s relatively poor — so to avoid any unpleasant surprises or going hungry, we chose a resort we had already tried and trusted: Playa Pesquero.

The resort is quite large, located right on the ocean, with gorgeous pools and restaurants, as well as an interesting entertainment program. The grounds are beautiful, clean, and very well maintained

For the first time, we saw how mangoes actually grow, as well as the more familiar palm trees with coconuts and banana trees 

We ate our fill of tropical fruits. And speaking of food, I have to say that the selection was fantastic for Cuba. There were all kinds of seafood, several varieties of fish, a pretty good selection of cheeses, vegetables, and meat. Besides the main buffet, there were plenty of restaurants throughout the resort.

No matter how hard we tried not to overeat, we simply couldn’t resist our favorite Cuban dish — pancakes with fried bananas. And I have to mention Cuban coffee — they make it exceptionally well. The best coffee was served in the lobby.

By the way, the entire resort was designed around a railway theme

The buildings where we stayed were standard two-story units. The resort had more than 900 rooms.

We also ventured outside the resort to see what kind of vehicles the workers used to get to work. Cars in Cuba are a real luxury. There are still many American cars from the 1950s, and some of them can cost up to $40,000, while even a decent salary is only around $30 a month. So, for the most part, the lucky owners of these cars are people who inherited them from their families

Let’s head back to the resort, straight to the pool. This was probably the best pool we had ever seen at a resort. It was perfect for families with little ones, with plenty of shallow areas for children.

The pool was also huge, made up of several sections connected to one another, so it was always easy to find a comfortable spot. Near the pool was a recreation area with tennis, billiards, and other games, as well as a huge inflatable castle

I especially loved the little corner with swings and hammocks...

There was never a dull moment, either during the day or in the evening. Every evening started with a kids’ disco, followed by a live show, then karaoke and finally a nightclub that stayed open until morning. The shows were actually pretty good

The main attraction of Cuba is, of course, the sea. Turquoise water, white sand, and our sandcastles 

There were plenty of fish swimming in the sea, but they were so fast that we couldn’t get them on camera. We did manage to capture some of those who were happy to pose for us, though. :)

As usual, we had several photo sessions at sunset, by the sea, and at the bar

One day, my husband took a little photo trip to the nearby city of Holguín. The city looks beautiful from the hilltop. Once you come down, you can get a glimpse of how the locals live. Many people make a living selling fruit that they grow themselves 

Private cars are rarely seen. Most city residents rely on local taxis to get around. There are taxis for people living in rural areas as well. Cubans jokingly called them the “Cuban Ferrari.” 

Yes, the last time we stayed at this resort was six years earlier. Back then, we were all together, but by 2016 our teenage sons had decided they were too grown-up to travel with us. 

It was fun to look at the photos from then and compare them with the ones from this trip. 2010 and 2016... Time really flies!

So, that was a little glimpse into our vacation. Summer is just around the corner in Toronto, and we already have some plans: trips out into nature, a cottage by the lake, summer camps for the kids, and a couple of trips to the U.S.

And, of course, hopefully all of it will come with good company, sunny weather, and a great mood!