Cuba. Summer. Havana. Anniversary. Aug, 2017

This was our first time visiting Cuba in the summer. You might think — it’s hot back home too. But there’s a big difference between summer when you’re working and going about your daily routine, and summer when you’re on vacation, by the sea, doing absolutely nothing. :) And on top of all that, we were celebrating a very special milestone — our silver wedding anniversary... 25 years together... It’s hard to believe... 25 years... so much time...

We headed to Varadero, the part of Cuba that makes it convenient to visit Havana. And Havana was a place we had been dreaming of visiting for a long time.

The temperature was around 30°C during the day and about 27°C in the evening. We had rain only twice during the entire week, and it didn’t last long.

The sea was absolutely wonderful — calm, with hardly any waves, crystal-clear water, and incredibly warm. By evening, the water was even warmer than the air. The sand was white and almost completely free of shells

Food. Well, as is usually the case in Cuba, there wasn’t an enormous variety or an abundance of gourmet food, but for us, as people who aren’t particularly picky eaters, there was more than enough. Besides the main buffet, we had dinner at two other restaurants — a Japanese restaurant with traditional teppanyaki cooking and an international restaurant. Both were very good, and the food was delicious.

I also liked the fact that there were pitchers of infused water everywhere — mineral water infused with pieces of different tropical fruits.

The resort had a beautiful lobby, and the sea was literally just “around the corner.”

The resort seemed to me to be better suited to middle-aged guests, although there were actually quite a few young people staying there as well. The overall atmosphere was very relaxed. There were no late-night discos, and the evening shows were quite laid-back, without the usual jokes and contests like “Best Couple.” 

The resort was located not far from the town of Varadero. One day, we hopped on a bus and headed into town for a little sightseeing. By the way, it was a very convenient bus — it ran in a loop all day, stopping at the various resorts and around town. And it cost just $5 for the whole day. Varadero is a completely tourist-oriented town. There isn’t really much to see or do there. Of course, you can pick up some souvenirs and take a look at the local young people enjoying their carefree lives

The next day, we spent in Havana. We found a taxi driver who agreed to drive us around the city for the entire day. The drive from Varadero to Havana takes about two hours.

Along the way, we stopped at a viewpoint at Bacunayagua Bridge, the highest bridge in Cuba.

And here we are in Havana, standing on a hill overlooking Havana Bay. The Christ of Havana is looking out over the city with us. At 20 metres tall, it is the tallest statue in Cuba and is made of white marble. The marble blocks were purchased in Italy and blessed by the Pope himself

Then we headed into the city centre. To be honest, Havana really surprised us. I expected to see neglected, crumbling buildings, but much of the city has been beautifully restored, with stunning colonial architecture throughout. We walked around the city’s main squares and took in the atmosphere 

Of course, the local residents live in very poor conditions 

But for tourists, Havana is a truly beautiful city. It felt very safe, full of character in its people and architecture, and delicious when it came to food. We would definitely visit Havana again if we ever have the chance.

But for now, let’s head back to the resort. By the way, it’s a popular destination for golf lovers. Just look at those beautiful, lush green golf courses! And the surrounding nature is gorgeous too — it feels like eternal summer

Ну а теперь я немного покажу одни из главных достопримечательностей острова — раритетные машины 

And happy anniversary to us! ❤️ Love each other and be happy!