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Around the world travel, Backpacking, Bucket List, China, Compass Holidays, Guided Tour, Travel, Travelzoo

Guided China: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

January 25, 2018

TravelZoo Top 20 has offered some great trips in the past few years and I’ve taken advantage of some of their promotions, including to Ireland, The Azores, and Alaska. I’ve had my eye on the China trip for a while, and over the years, I’ve watched the price drop from around $1,000 to $499 for different trips respectively.

While January isn’t the best time to see China and while a guided tour isn’t my preferred way of travel, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to finally make this trip when the price dropped to $499 from Boston (and when I roped a travel buddy in.)

After a couple of days of deliberating, we finally locked in the deal for $588 for January 16th-24th. This included roundtrip airfare from Boston on award winning Hainan Airlines, one domestic flight from Beijing to Shanghai, all hotel stays (4 and 5 star), breakfast daily, guided tours to The Great Wall, as well as local city tours in Suzhou, Wuxi and Hangzhou and all transfers.

When I broke this down after the trip, I got this:

Airfare from Boston to Beijing and Shanghai back to Boston: $636.00

Airfare from Beijing to Shanghai: $153.00

3 nights at Beijing’s Garden International Hotel: $124 x 3 = $372.00

1 night at Suzhou Grand Metro Park: $80.00

1 night at Wuxi Jiangsui: $115.00

1 night at Hangzhou’s Xinghai International Hotel: $60.00

2 nights at Shanghai’s Crowne Plaza Pudong: $125 x 2 = $250.00

Before we even start adding in meals, local excursions, transfers, etc… we’re looking at over $1600.00 if you plan it yourself. This was too good of a deal to pass up.

However, the old saying, “If it seems to good to be true, it often is,” pops into my head. There was definitely a ‘catch’ to this trip. Obviously, tourism is suffering in China and the government have stepped in and are subsidising these trips. In turn, we get a good deal but have to make the obligatory daily factory visits.

If you know what you’re getting into, then ok, but know what you’re getting into. This isn’t for everyone. As an avid, independent traveler, I much prefer to plan my own itinerary, seek out my own hotels/guesthouses/restaurants and have the freedom to choose how I spend my own time.

That being said, having the assistance with the language barrier and all our transfers was extremely helpful. And as a budget traveler, I enjoyed a little bit of luxury at such a deeply discounted price. This isn’t for everyone, but if you’re up for a different sort of adventure and want to snag a good deal, I say go for it. At the end of the day, it is all what you make of it!

Around the world travel, Backpacking, Bucket List, China, long term travel, Shanghai, Travel, Travelzoo

Surviving Shanghai

January 24, 2018

Finally our moment of freedom has come. We have one more day in China and it’s a free day to explore Shanghai. Or so we thought. There’s mention of a morning factory visit and then optional city stuff followed by a farewell dinner and a boat cruise near The Bund, but we decide we will go our own way today.

I sleep in a little bit and leisurely head down to breakfast as the rest of the group is finishing up and headed to the bus. I grab a cup of coffee and pick up the local English paper. And just as I sit down with some dumplings, Katherine comes over to me and says, “We have to go on the factory visit this morning. And if we don’t, we have to pay $100 each.” At this point, I’m pissed. What kind of situation is this, where we’ll be fined if we don’t attend? I’ve visited more factories this week than someone on a business trip, and today is meant to be our free day. Katherine follows up with, “We’re free to go after the visit, but we have to go this morning.”

I look outside and the bus is waiting for us and a few others who had the same idea initially. I chug my coffee, grab my coat and head to the bus. I pass Michael on the way and say to him. “I know you’re in a tough situation, but this isn’t right.” I half jokingly tell him I feel like a hostage.

We make our way to the other side of Shanghai and as we turn into what will be the last factory visit of the tour, Michael says, “There’s something different about this business. This is the only factory that is not government run. It is private. They sell jade and jewelry.” Just what we all need more of!

We enter in and are taken to a fancy showroom where we’re seated around a big, dark wooden office table. A lady greets us and begins to ask us all about our trip – where we’ve been, what we’ve seen, what Chinese we have learned. She seems to be biding her time, and a well dressed overweight man walks into and out of the showroom a couple of times. I get the sense that something is off. I look to Jay and Ivy who are sitting next to me and say, “Are these guys Chinese mafia?” Ivy, who is Vietnamese starts nodding her head in agreement and says, “He is not Chinese, he is Vietnamese, and yes, I’m pretty sure he’s mafia.” As she goes on to explain the housing market crash and the relations between the Chinese and Vietnamese, I have visions in my head of what will happen if no one decides to buy anything. This really isn’t how I wanted to spend my last day in China.

Fortunately, I’m at the back of the room, nearest the exit, so Katherine and I walk out and wait by the bus. It’s at least another 30 minutes before the rest of the group finishes up. Michael asks us to sign a waiver, stating that we are choosing to leave the group tour and are responsible for ourselves for the rest of our time in Shanghai, as if we’ve never traveled before. And then, we truly are free.

Fuxing Road, Shanghai.

We begin our whirlwind tour of Shanghai, first jumping on the metro and heading over to Fuxing Park, where we watch a couple practicing their ballroom dancing moves (Yes, it’s a thing), while kids fly kites and a few practice Tai chi.

Shanghai is surprisingly orderly and modern compared to Beijing. I can see why people love this city. There’s a subtle energy here that isn’t overwhelming, but there’s definitely a buzz.

The master mixologist, Roger.

We decide to look for a spa to get a foot massage and then make our way over to The Bund, but Katherine recommends we stop at a little corner cafe for a drink. It’s still early, but after the morning we’ve had, we all oblige. We duck in to Sober Cafe, where we meet the friendly barman, Roger and spend the afternoon taste testing his award winning cocktails. Roger is originally from Japan, but he has been working in Shanghai for a couple of years now. He tells us of the speakeasy movement taking place right now and says he’ll message us later to see if we want to meet up.

A lot of the day has slipped away, but we head over to a local spa for one of our last opportunities for a massage. The boys opt for a one-hour traditional massage and Katherine and I take an hour of reflexology. I’m asleep 30 minutes in, but we all leave with a second wind and jump in a taxi to head over to The Bund.

Shanghai’s beautiful skyline.

Katherine, Warren, me and Ray.

The Bund is the former Shanghai International Settlement and is a collection of varying architectural styles, including Baroque Revival, Art Nouveau, Beaux- Arts and many more. Because of this, Shanghai boasts one of the most unique skylines in the world. We make it our mission to see it from a few different angles, heading up to Bar Rogue for one view and then over to the much more refined Hyatt hotel for a look down from the VUE bar.

The view from Bar Rouge.

It’s bitterly cold and Shanghai is due its first snowfall of the season tonight. As we sit huddled under heat lamps on the outside patio, the first flurries start to fall.

Katherine and I shoot each other a look that says, “I wonder if we’ll make it out of here tomorrow.” As much as we’re on the same page about being ready to head home, we both know we wouldn’t mind an extra day to explore independently.

Today was a reminder of how we travel – a free day to roam, explore, get lost, make friends, and discover the hidden gems on our own. It’s been a great trip overall, but to end with a day like today reminds me of how I like to travel. I’ve given the guided tour a try… and while there are many good things I can say about it, especially in China, I think there’s no better way than to go your own way.

Next post: Guided China, The Good, The Bad & The Ugly…

 

Around the world travel, Backpacking, Bucket List, China, Hangzhou, Travel, Travelzoo

Green Tea, West Lake & Outback ???

January 23, 2018

Terraced tea fields near Hangzhou.

The grounds of Dragon Well Tea Plantation.

Terraced tea fields near Hangzhou.

Hooray, it’s our last day of the guided tour before we arrive in Shanghai this evening. We start the day at Dragon Well Tea Plantation on the outskirts of Hangzhou. It’s a cool, damp morning and the mist hangs thick over the terraced tea fields. It’s a beautiful glimpse into an older, more rural China, away from the sprawling metropolises we’ve been spending a lot of our time in.

Lotus Lake

We tour the grounds and then head into a tasting room where we learn all of the detoxifying benefits of green tea, while leaves steep in cups in front of us. We finish our tea, and Ray and I sneak away across the road to frolic in the terraced fields.

West Lake pagoda.

West Lake.

From here, we head to our last group lunch, which is one of the better ones of the trip. We then head to West Lake, where we spend a damp and cool afternoon walking a small section of the 50 acres this park occupies. The lake is dotted with bridges, temples and pagodas, and despite being the off-season, it’s crowded with locals and tourists alike.

West Lake.

Despite being busy, there’s still a sense of peacefulness and I picture what the lake may look like on a spring or summer day, when filled with bright green lotus plants. We have a couple of hours to explore, so I wander off and watch house boats make their trips around the lake and then I stop to listen to a street musician playing guitar.

We reconvene at the bus at 2:30 and begin the almost 3 hour drive to Shanghai. I’m associating Shanghai with freedom, but learn that we won’t be going directly to the hotel. There’s an optional performance tonight, ERA- The Intersection of Time, Shanghai’s equivalent of Cirque de Soleil. The plan is to go straight to the show. If you don’t opt in for the show, well, you can just wait on the others who do.

I ask Michael if we can make our own way to the hotel, but no, he will need to be there to check us in. So there goes one free night in Shanghai. Katherine and Warren decide to opt in for the show, and Ray and I decide to grab a bite and then look for somewhere to get a foot massage. There’s a small shopping center near the show venue, and we agree on a western meal at Outback. Ray and I indulge in overpriced steaks and red wine. We then head over to the spa for a foot massage, only to find out the spa is under construction. We decide to tell Katherine and Warren we had the best foot massage EVER, as we’re sure we will hear ERA is the BEST show they have ever seen.

We all reconvene after the show, head to the hotel and have a nightcap, toasting to the end of our guided tour… and the full free day we have in Shanghai tomorrow.

 

Around the world travel, Backpacking, Bucket List, China, Hangzhou, Lake Tai, Travel, Travelzoo, Wuxi

Finally Wooed in Wuxi

January 22, 2018

Lake Tai

 We wake to a bright morning in Wuxi. Paired with the energy of our evening last night, I feel positive about what today will bring. After breakfast, we meet Angela in the lobby, where she again passes on her father-in-law’s compliments to the boys on their chopstick skills.

Lake Tai

We all load on to the tour bus and head back to Lake Tai. We have the chance for a short but brighter walk before heading to the pearl factory a few minutes away.

Cracking open oysters and counting pearls

You know the drill by now. We’re greeted at the factory doors, taken into a showroom, told about the cultivation of pearls and then let loose in the showroom. Well, we were all destined to break at one point in time, and apparently, today is my day. An hour (and a couple of hundred dollars) later, I now own two beautiful strands of pearls. (I keep telling myself it’s ok because the trip was so cheap!)

From the pearl factory, we head to a tea pot museum, home to the largest tea pot in China and some pretty impressive and detailed craft tea pots. However, after my little spree at the pearl factory, I won’t be spending $300 on a teapot and tea cups. Thankfully, this is a short visit and we then make our way to lunch before the afternoon drive to Hangzhou.

A typical lunch

Lunch is another game of “Is this pork or chicken?” but there’s an actual coffee shop downstairs, so Katherine, the boys and I excuse ourselves from lunch and indulge in a $5 cafe latte. It’s everything that lunch wasn’t!

From here, we part ways with Angela, thank her profusely for her hospitality and begin the 2 hour drive to Hangzhou.

En route, Michael comes around to collect the $90 mandatory gratuity that each person owes. This was clearly laid out to us at the time of booking and is non-negotiable. This money is to be shared amongst our two Michaels, all our local tour guides, and the bus drivers. It’s nothing when it’s broken down this way, and the trip still remains such a bargain.

Still, there are a few people who feel like the gratuity should be “optional” and not “mandatory,” and therefore decide not to pay it. It’s a little awkward for everyone.

Xing Hai International Hotel

Smoggy sunset in Hangzhou

We arrive in Hangzhou by late afternoon and check into a beautiful hotel. Michael checks in everyone who has paid the mandatory gratuity and we make our way to our rooms, curious as to the fate of the others… It turns out that the people who refused to pay up will be responsible for covering the cost of their hotel rooms in Hangzhou tonight. Michael says, “Sorry, in China, we have to punish you the Chinese way.”

Unfortunately we’re quite far from the city center and after venturing across the road to check out the dining options, we end up at the hotel buffet. I feel I’ve failed as a traveler again, but after all those meh lunches, a couple slices of pizza really hit the spot.

After dinner, we sit with Nick and Sue in the hotel bar, discussing our weird and wonderful group dynamics. The boys return from massages with a bottle of liquor that tastes more like lighter fluid, so Ray goes out to buy a couple of bottles of wine and we sit in the hotel lobby until the wee hours of the morning, talking life. We’re making the best of it, but there’s no denying we’re ready for our arrival in Shanghai tomorrow and to have our freedom back… Or so we think…

 

 

 

Around the world travel, Backpacking, Beijing, Bucket List, China, Compass Holidays, Travel, Travelzoo

How Do You Say “Softly” in Mandarin?

January 20, 2018

Ads on the Beijing metro.

We have one last free morning in Beijing, and Michael has organized a late checkout for everyone, so after breakfast, Katherine and I head to Tiananmen Square. We were here the other day but headed straight for the Forbidden City, and because of Tiananmen’s historical significance, I want to pay a proper visit.

Tiananmen Square

So, we head back to Happy Valley, make the journey by metro to Tiananmen East, clear security and walk from one end of the square to the other. Besides a few statues, there’s not much to see here, but I feel better having made the visit.

We hail a taxi and head northeast towards Dragonfly spa, a place that’s been recommended by a friend for massage and reflexology. Luckily, my maps is working without an internet connection, and I’m able to get us within walking distance to the spa. The language barrier is proving to make solo navigation challenging!

We arrive in an area that seems to cater to Westerners. A Hilton hotel sits next to a shopping complex that’s home to Starbucks, a wine shop, a public swimming pool, and the place we’re after, Dragonfly.

We take a few minutes to peruse the menu and both Katherine and I decide on a 1-hr traditional Chinese massage, which is a combination of deep tissue and acupressure. Andy, my masseuse, collects us from the waiting room, takes us to our respective rooms and shows us the linen tops and bottoms we’re to put on. They are made for petite Asian ladies, and I just about manage to get the pants over my hips.

Dragonfly Spa

Andy speaks very little English, but I tell him I like a strong massage. He goes to work, and I realize he has understood what I said. Maybe a little too much because as he works his way down my back, I’m literally twinging in pain. I start to say, “Ok, maybe not so hard.” But he thinks I mean the opposite and pushes so deep on my lower left back muscle, that I know I’m going to feel it for days. A little whimper comes out followed by “Owwww.” And he exclaims, “Ohhh, you mean softer.” Yes, softer, that’s the word I was looking for!

Andy finishes up an awesome massage, and tells me his name again, “You come back, you ask for Andy.” “Yes,” I say, not even attempting to try to explain I’m just visiting and actually leaving for Shanghai in a matter of hours.

I find Katherine in the reception area, and we laugh at the matching pillow imprints on our faces. We settle our bills, $30 each, head to Starbucks for something to wake us up, and grab a taxi so we can make it back to the hotel to check out and make our transfer to Shanghai.

A few people from the group flew out on a very early flight this morning, and the rest of us are on either a 5:20 or 5:55 flight from Beijing to Hongqiao. We drop half the group at Terminal 1 and the rest of us head to Terminal 2 and check in at the Hainan counter. We have lost Michael, who seems to have broken his own golden rule… “Follow Michael,” and don’t get the chance to say thank you and goodbye.

Katherine and I clear security, grab a snack at a Chinese fast food joint, top up our chocolate supply at one of the duty free shops, and board our flight.

It’s a short flight, but we have time to reflect on Beijing and the trip so far. Because I feel partly responsible for Katherine’s happiness on the trip, seeing as I’m the one that suggested it and sold her on China to begin with, I ask her, “So, what do you think so far?”  Her reply, “We’re in China. We paid less than $600. I’m just taking it for what it is.”

As independent travelers, it’s tough for us to have so many of our decisions made for us. We are used to doing the research, the planning, the bookings, the navigating. Doing that kind of work before a trip ensures (most of the time) an enjoyable adventure, and there’s a sense of satisfaction when you figure out a place. BUT, it IS China, and I’m not gonna lie, there’s something nice about these 4 and 5-star hotels, the bus that shows up for our airport and city transfers and the assistance with the language barrier, and oddly enough, the weird and wonderful members of our group are growing on me.

I think about what Katherine said, and agree that we could have never planned this trip for the price we got it for. (Hence the factory visits). I will move forward with an open mind about this “organized travel…” or so I tell myself tonight.

Around the world travel, Bucket List, China, Compass Holidays, Travel, Travelzoo

13 Hours and 13 Miles in Beijing

January 18, 2018

After surprisingly being able to sleep through the night, we wake feeling pretty rested and ready to tackle our first day in Beijing. First things first, breakfast… and oh, what a treat this is. It’s dinner time to our bodies and we’ve had nothing but airplane food for the past few meals, so we take advantage of what’s on offer, and that’s basically everything and anything you can think of… sushi, dumplings, steamed pork buns, preserved eggs, bok choy, omelettes, soup, fruit, etc etc.

A bike rental stand near Happy Valley.

While Michael rounds up the group for the guided tour, we try to get a cup of coffee from the very over-worked machine (It seems to be one employee’s job to monitor the machine, dump the coffee grounds, and generally encourage everyone to drink more green tea and less coffee!)

We  make plans for our day exploring Beijing. We’re on the southern outskirts of the city, and the closest metro stop is “Happy Valley,” named appropriately for the amusement park that sits between our hotel and the metro station. Unfortunately, we have to walk around it, but this affords us a little glimpse into rush hour. In a city comprised of 23 million people, there are 6 million cars on the road, but no motorcycles or trucks are allowed during the day. BUT, there are an estimated 10 million bicycles on the road (yes, you can google this to verify). Bicycles seem to have their own lane between walkers and the roadway, and all across the city are bicycle rental stops that look like the picture above. Bicycles are rented by using a QR code and are free for the first two hours. Michael informs us that funnily enough, most rentals last about 1 hour and 58 minutes.

Katherine getting tickets to Tiananmen.

Beijing’s metro system.

We make our way into Happy Valley metro station and begin to try to figure out our route to Tiananmen Square when a lovely young worker comes over to help us. She speaks no English, but chats away to us quickly in Chinese as we point to station names on the screen. She is all smiles and kindness and soon we have 2 tickets that will get us to Tiananmen Square East. The metro is extremely clean (like the rest of the city) and incredibly efficient. We have a couple of line changes, and about 30 minutes later, we arrive at Tiananmen Square.

Forbidden City

Forbidden City

We queue up with hundreds of Chinese tourists to clear security and immediately head over to tour the Forbidden City, which is the former imperial palace of the Ming (1490-1644)& Qing (1644-1912) Dynasties.

A giant marble carving at the Forbidden City

Details on the eaves, Forbidden City

This is a sprawling complex that occupies almost 200 acres and boasts 980 rooms. After two hours of exploring courtyards, pavilions, gates and halls of harmony and tranquility, we exit the Forbidden City to the north in need of our own tranquility.

Jingshan Park

Fortunately, we’re standing right outside Jingshan Park, so we purchase the 2￥ ticket and enter the grounds of this peaceful little park, which was built during the Jin Dynasty and opened to the public as a park in 1928.

Come to find out this is one of the best preserved imperial gardens in all of China and historically important as it’s the place where Emperor Chongzhen (a ruler during the Ming Dynasty) hanged himself in 1644.

Looking down to the Forbidden City

Beijing as seen from Wanchun Pavilion.

We climb the footpath up to Wanchun Pavilion (meaning Everlasting Spring) and enjoy incredible views of the Forbidden City below and panoramic views of Beijing’s skyline.

Candy apples for sale.

When we leave the park, hunger is setting in, but seeing no nearby restaurants or cafes, we’re at the mercy of the street food vendors. Lunch, or our snack, is street corn and candy apples.

The Temple of Heaven.

We begin the walk back to Tiananmen East station and take the train over to Temple of Heaven, where we spend the afternoon exploring another sprawling imperial palace complex.

After nearing the point of being “templed out,” we enter the Long Corridor and see hundreds of people gathered in groups of four, playing an intense card game. We take a break and look on for a bit, seeing if we can figure out who’s in charge, what the buy in is, and the rules of the game.

A lady debates her next move.

Scariest tuk tuk ride ever!

We’re getting seriously hungry, so we head to Hutong in search of food. We arrive (barely) by China’s equivalent of a tuk tuk. We were either going to die by ingesting fumes or getting leveled in traffic, as our driver seemed to think he was driving a truck, not a tuk tuk.

We begin to explore the many little side streets of this area, and it doesn’t take us long to spot a cook in the window of a noodle shop rolling out fresh dough for dumplings. We look no further and enter a stark, cafeteria style restaurant.

Best meal in Beijing.

Kung Pao chicken.

Dumplings!!

A lady ushers us to a booth and looks at us inquisitively. After using hand gestures to make the shape of a menu, she brings us a 40-page bound book with pictures of every dish available. We choose kung pao chicken and dumplings, which come out within minutes and immediately bring us back to life.

At this point in time, I decide to check my fitbit and see that we’ve walked close to 12 miles already. By the time we get back to the hotel, we’ve clocked another mile.

We see Michael who lets us know our start time for tomorrow is 8am, and there will be a 6:30 wake up call followed by breakfast at 7am.  I suck up all this “organized” stuff and let the excitement of our trip to the Great Wall set in.

 

Around the world travel, Backpacking, Bucket List, China, Compass Holidays, Guided Tour, long term travel, Travel

“Follow Michael” – The Beginning Of My Guided Tour Through China

January 17, 2018

Even just a few years back, if you’d asked me if I would consider booking, book, or actually go on a guided tour, the answer would have been “no.” Not just an “i don’t think so,” or a “let me think about it,” but an ‘it’s against my religion kind of “no.” ‘ You see, in the world of hard core travel, guided tours are like the cardinal sin. They’re the easy way out for the traveler who doesn’t want to do the planning, for the apprehensive traveler who’s afraid of the language barrier, or for the fearful one who thinks the location isn’t safe to tackle alone. They’re the opposite of authenticity.

Hainan Airlines from Boston to Beijing

Well, forgive me Father of Travel because I have sinned… and I’ve gone and booked a cheaper than chips 8-day GUIDED trip to China. I hope that given this is close to my 65th country, I have some sort of clout… but as I see the Compass Holiday flag in the busy arrival hall upon landing in Beijing, I wonder if I have sold myself out.

After the 13 1/2 hour flight, I’m too tired to really think about it that much, and in my zombie state, I curse the missing two travelers our group of 20 or so is waiting for.

After about an hour of waiting, our Chinese tour guide, “Michael” who refers to himself in the third person, rounds up the group, and exclaims very loudly and in his very thick accent, “Follow Michael.” And we do as said, and make our way to the tour bus waiting outside.

It’s 10pm now, 9am to our bodies, so we don’t know if we should feel ready to go to bed or start the day. We board the bus for the 40-minute drive to the promised 4-star hotel, and Michael begins our first Chinese history lesson… Communism, Socialism, Mings and Qings. My friend Katherine, who I roped into taking this trip with me, is asleep in the seat next to me. I fight sleep as Michael tells us, “China is a chicken: Beijing is the neck, Shanghai is the belly, Hong Kong is the foot. ” He then comes around to sell us water and see if we want to opt in for the Beijing City Tour the following day. No, no thanks. We’re all set and will explore on our own. Katherine and I are two of the four people not opting in to the guided tour the following day.

Garden International Hotel, Beijing

As we drive, I see a pretty, ornate building and wonder if it’s our hotel. I nudge Katherine. “Wouldn’t that be awesome if it was our hotel?” I say, as the bus turns around and pulls in to the entrance.

THE Toilet

We step off the bus, gather our bags and make our way to the lobby to get checked in. It’s late and the hotel is empty, but the staff is eagerly waiting to assist us. We get our keys and head to our room, which is just as luxurious as the view of the hotel from the roadway. Not to mention the heated toilet seat!

 

I call the front desk to confirm what time breakfast is, and the employee that answers the phone uses google translate to tell me to “hold on one second” and “I will call you right back.” And he does, breakfast is 7am-10am on the 2nd floor.

I quickly try to check Facebook, Instagram, email…Nothing. It’s looking like I’m going to have a nice digital detox while in China.

Despite the time difference, we crawl into our comfy beds and sleep. And I wonder what this guided trip has in store for us?

Ambos Mundos, Around the world travel, Backpacking, Bucket List, Cuba, Havana, Hemingway, Travel, Varadero

Adios Coche, Adios Christy…

January 6, 2017

Rocky’s ride

The following morning, we head to Cafe Ria for our last breakfast and wait for Rocky to pick us up. Just before 9:00, I move from the small patio to stand on the sidewalk and sure enough, I see Rocky’s car coming down the road. I give Christy a thumbs up. Our arrangement was made so hastily and under such odd circumstances, that we were slightly hesitant about it all panning out, but it had.

We throw our bags in the back and begin the 3 hour drive back to Havana, stopping every 30 minutes so Rocky can pour water over the car’s radiator. I don’t mind the stops as it affords us amazing views of the surrounding scenery. To our left are lush, green rolling hills and to our right are miles and miles of sandy coastline. It continues like this until we reach the tunnel that will deposit us back in Old Havana.

The journey that never was…

We’re booked in at Carlos’s B&B for the night, which is centrally located on Aguilar. Carlos is nowhere to be found, but the cleaning lady lets us in and shows us to our room. We drop our stuff and decide to head out to Hemingway’s finca for the afternoon.

We walk down Aguilar to the waterfront, stop in a corner cafe for a mojito and then begin to negotiate a ride to the finca. We find a driver and begin driving back towards Vedado. Funny, I thought it was in the other direction (?) I can’t really communicate this in my broken Spanish and trust the driver knows where he’s going. We pass the many embassies that line Quinta Avenida, and just as we’re admiring the beautiful architecture, our car stalls out.

This is nothing out of the ordinary really. If you think about it, these cars are ancient. Our driver gives us a reassuring nod as he gets out of the car to check out the problem. The look he gives us when he gets back in is not as reassuring. The car is dead!

Adios coche…

He doesn’t hesitate and flags down another driver on a side street to pass us off to, directing him on where to take us, and moments later we arrive at Hemingway’s Marina. No, not Hemingway’s finca… his marina. This jaunt has gone wrong from start to finish, and we explain to the driver where we’d been hoping to go. Not entirely understanding how we got here, but feeling a bit sorry for us, he graciously agrees to take us back to Old Havana. When we arrive back in the city, we exit the cab at Plaza des Armas and head to Ambos Mundos. If we can’t have Hemingway’s finca, we will at least visit his hotel.

Ambos Mundos, Hemingway’s Hotel

Floor to ceiling windows and doors let afternoon light stream into the first floor of the hotel, and an older gentleman plays piano near a corner entryway.  Everything seems to circle the large mahogany bar that sits in the middle of the room. People come and go taking a respite from the afternoon heat,  admiring the space and checking out the collection of photographs of Hemingway on one of the tiled walls. We take a seat at the bar and order a couple of rums and toast to the journey that never was. Wasn’t it Hemingway who said something about grace under pressure??

We walk back to our casa via Plaza Vieja, the square that always seems to be bursting with life. An outdoor concert is in full swing, so we grab chairs at a table nearby and listen to the last set. We then head back to Cafe de los Artistas, where Christy and I toast to our last night in Havana.

We head home, check email and hear from Sarah. She is home in snow-covered Boston, and another storm is on the way. She advises Christy to check her flight and then tells me she’s connected me with another traveler she met after we left Havana. His name is Matt and he’s also a photographer. I send Matt a quick message with details on where we’re staying and tell him to stop by in the morning if he wants to share a ride to Trinidad. One part of the adventure is over and another about to begin.

Around the world travel, Backpacking, Bucket List, Cuba, long term travel, Travel, Varadero

A Break from our Break in Varadero

January 5, 2017

We wake the next morning with one thing on the mind and one thing only, the beach. We pack up a day bag, grab breakfast at Cafe Ria (because it was so good yesterday), and begin the walk to the beach. We take a different route today, walking on a street parallel to the beach passing stall after stall of souvenirs. Sombreros, sundresses, tee shirts, postcards, jewelry, maracas…you name it, you can find it. Shops are interspersed with street side cafes and cantinas and the occasional casa or apartment complex.

We continue down this road to the to the bus station to inquire about transportation back to Havana, only to find out that all buses the following day are fully booked. I refuse to worry. I’m officially in a Cuban state of mind, and I tell Christy we shouldn’t worry… we will sort something out. It’s hot and we don’t want to sacrifice any more beach time, so we head straight there.

We cut across a couple of side streets and look for access to the beach. Much of the beach front is taken up by all inclusive resorts, where you have to be a paying guest to rent chairs and umbrellas or even be served a drink. We quickly find out they won’t budge on this rule and begin to seek out a public entryway to the beach, our dreams of reclining and being served fruity drinks from coconuts shattered. We find public entry to the beach at the top of the next street, next to a construction site for a new all-inclusive spot that will be opening next year. At the end of that small street is a little cantina that sells cheap Cristal and strong mojitos in plastic cups. This will work perfectly!

We attempt to set up our spot on the beach, but it’s impossible for me to take my eyes off the view. To the left and right of us is powder white soft sand for miles, and in front of us, as far as the eye can see is the most beautiful crystal clear aquamarine ocean. It’s one of the most pristine beaches I’ve ever seen. 

We dump our bags, strip out of sweaty cover ups and run down to the waters’ edge. The water is luke warm and inviting, and we wade out about 30 feet or so, playing in the small waves. As the water laps my shoulders, I look down and realize I can still see my pink toenail polish. I am well-traveled, but I have never been in water like this. 

We spend the day frolicking in the ocean, walking along the beach, and sunning ourselves with the surrounding half naked German, Canadian and Italian tourists. And occasionally, we pop back to our little cantina for a mojito or two. I can spend hours here and we do. But as the light changes to a softer shade, indicating the arrival of evening, we are reminded that we still have no way of getting back to Havana tomorrow.

We pack up and walk along the beach, back to the direction of the roadside stand where Pedro & “Potpourri” work. Before we stop in to visit with them, we pay a visit to the nearby all inclusive resort, where we manage to steal wifi for a few minutes. On the front steps of the hotel, we quickly check email and texts and I send my dad a “Happy Birthday” message. Then a beat up 90s Nissan pulls up. Without hesitation, I walk over and ask the driver if he wants to take us to Havana tomorrow. We agree on the price of 30 CUC and a pick up time of 9am outside Cafe Ria. Well, that was easy. With that sorted, it’s now time for happy hour and our last night in Varadero.

Around the world travel, Backpacking, Bucket List, Cuba, Travel, Varadero, Viñales

Viñales to Varadero

January 4, 2017

Christy only has a few more days of holiday, so our plans are to head to Varadero for a couple of beach days before going back to Havana, where she will return to the US and I will travel further east into Cuba.

As we’re wrapping up breakfast at Casa Izzy, we see an old green Land Rover pull up outside. Barbara comes in to let us know our ride has arrived, so we grab our bags and head downstairs. As we get closer to the road, we see that the Land Rover is packed to capacity – not just with people, but with bags too. After a couple of minutes of people getting disgruntled, two passengers bail, our bags are tossed in the back, and we’re both told to squeeze in the front passenger seat.

I sit squashed between Christy and the car door and watch as we leave Viñales, once again climbing through the forest and descending onto a potted road that leads to the autopista. The Land Rover accelerates loudly and leaves a trail of fumes behind us, but it handles the potholes in a way Louis’s neon orange sports car never could. I roll down the window and let fresh air hit my face as we again pass horse and buggies, bicyclists, work trucks, tour buses and classic cars.

Today, I feel like I’ve found what I call my ‘traveler’s groove.’ Six travelers sit crammed on two benches in the back of the Land Rover, with our backpacks strewn at their feet.  All of us are off to various places east of Havana, and we’ve entrusted our lives to this stranger, whose job it is to deliver us safely to Varadero, all for the price of 40 CUC. I am in my element!

I dig the Lonely Planet Cuba book out of Christy’s backpack and spend the morning reading the ‘History” section, venturing as far back as the country’s pre-colonial days and then landing in more familiar territory when I get to the names Batista, Castro & Guevara. One and a half hours later, we pull over at a little rest area for a break, my mind trying to sort the hundreds of years of history I’ve just crammed into it. We decide it’s late enough in the day for a cold beer, grab a Cristal to go, and continue on our journey to Varadero.

We cross Havana and head east, trucking across flat farmland. I can smell rain in the air and roll up the window as fat raindrops start to land on the windscreen. We’ve dropped a couple of passengers at a bus station on the outskirts of Havana, but Christy and I have decided to stay up front with our driver, Esteban, who educates us on Cuban pop music and points out his hometown as we pass it.

We’re soon arriving in Varadero, which immediately feels as touristy as Old Havana but without the charm and appealing architecture. The strip of beach to our left is lined with high rise after high rise and interspersed with small shopping centers. Fortunately, we’re staying at an Airbnb just south of here in an area called Santa Marta, which is like what Vedado is to Havana. Choc full of traffic and locals, I feel like we’ve made a right turn back into authentic Cuba.

After about an hour of driving around looking for where we’ll be staying, we finally connect with Irenia, who runs Santos B&B. We bid farewell to Esteban and follow Irenia as she welcomes us in and gives us a tour of the apartment where we’ll be staying for the next two nights.

We take a late lunch across the road in the little courtyard garden of Cafe Ria and then walk the 30 minutes to the beach area to scope out a place for tomorrow. We find a little snack stand en route to the beach and meet Pedro and his sidekick, who refers to himself as ‘Potpourri.’ They gift us piña coladas and make us promise we will return the following day.

We catch a glimpse of the beach before the sun has set entirely and then grab a taxi back to our neighborhood. We find a little market and grab a bottle of coke and settle into the chairs on our small patio. I dig through my daypack and pull out the cigars and rum we were gifted in Viñales, and we pour a couple of rum and cokes, toasting to a good travel day and our first night in Varadero.