Trip to Cuba! what!
I thought of making this one private, but decided against it, as I think I'm now in the mood to convince anyone and everyone to go on a vacation! I'm serious.
So, from the beginning. We arrived in Varadero late Friday night, so we basically just spent time getting lost around the hotel and trying to get used to the fact that we weren't actually in Canada anymore. On saturday, there was a red flag on the beach which said very clearly that we were not to go in to the ocean, so we went into the ocean. The waves were monsterous, and they tossed us about like toys until we nearly (and probably did) pissed ourselves laughing. Just giving back to nature LOL. We then met with a representative who basically gave us the run-down on all the off-resort excursions we could go on. On Sunday I got my period and the weather sucked, so we pretty much stayed in all day and just knapped and played cards and all of that wonderful stuff you can do in a hotel but nowhere else in the entire world haha.
Monday brought about slightly better weather, and we went in to the market place in Varadero. It's a great feeling to argue with the vendors (in Spanish, of course) about why their prices are ridiculous and how your offer is so much better. An even better feeling when it works and you go home happy as Rusty would say.
Tuesday, however, was when the weather really picked up. The sun shown brilliantly in a deep blue sky and the ocean was legally swimmable. We spent much of the day in a semi-buzzed state taking in the sun. That afternoon we also went horseback riding, which was unlike any other horseback riding I've ever done. We went along the beach, and there were times when the waves would come up so high that my ankles were sprayed and there was nothing around us but ocean, sky, and endless beach. It was encredible. What wasn't encredible of course was how sore I was afterwards, but I suppose everything comes with a price eh?
That night, Rusty and I had dinner at a really fancy restaurant on our resort. I can't tell you how utterly happy I was that night. we both looked good in what we were wearing, and there was soft, live piano music in the background. Dim lighting, an elligant room, and being in the presence of the man I love were enough to bring tears of pure joy to my eyes. No anxiety, no depression, and I can't even begin to tell you how perfect it all was.
But the real, true highlight of my trip took place on Wednesday when we went swimming with dolphins. Swimming with dolphins was the first item on my "before I die" list, if that gives you any indication how excited I was. First we saw a show, a very sighted show of course. Rusty did such a good job at describing all the tricks these encredible animals were pulling off, and now I want to be a dolphin trainer God damnet!! After that, we actually got to swim with them for about half an hour. First, two dolphins would come up next to us and kiss us on each cheek. I took that oppurtunity to hug them and give them a quick kiss myself because I was just so thrilled. Then, they jumped over us, and if we weren't yet used to the chilly water, we certainly were well acquainted after being splashed by them!! but whoa, whoa, whoa!! after that, we had to lay flat on our stomachs, arms and legs spread. Two dolphins then came charging up, pressed a nose in to each foot (so there were two dolphinios-one for each foot yeah?) and push us forward and straight up and out of the water...and no, falling wasn't really an option!! And everyone who watched said I went the highest!! They said I was the dolphin princess and what what what!! I am!! ok so I'm just remembering it and going mental all over again, forgive me. After flying on the water in a verdical position for some time, they dumped me in and after a while, I did resurface (we had life jackets, of course). We were supposed to grab their fins afterwards to have them swim us back to the group, but I had no idea where they were. Then I heard Rusty telling me to turn around and so I did, and they were patiently floating there, waiting for me!! they forgot about some other people though, and the trainers had to send them back...but dolphins are known to be intuitive like that, and often sense when people need more help...and they did!! they waited until I had one of their fins in each hand, and then we went back, only to have more kisses.
Wow, there are some eexperiences in life for which no words can justifiably describe, and this was one of them. It was just unbelievable.
On Thursday, we went on a safari excursion. This entailed snorkelling (yes, I snorkelled!), swimming in a cave in fresh water (a welcome change, actually), a boat ride across to another island, an authentic Cuban lunch, and "chill" time. The snorkelling was a bit over-rated, as I didn't really get the visual high from it that so many others do, but it was still a really cool feeling to be able to breathe while under water. I felt kind of bad, because I know that holding hands with Rusty while we swam slowed him down, but he really did have to guide me as we often had to swim through narrow passages between coral reefs. And the rest of the day was pretty good as well, and I'm really thankful I was there with Rusty because many times he had to literally carry me up and down some of the unevenly spaced, jagged rock steps. But everyone there was really helpful and I honestly couldn't complain.
On Friday (our last day, boohoo), Rusty and I rented a scooter and went to the market to pick up stuff for our families. It was like being on a motorcycle, and I'm now in the process of convincing Rusty to buy one so we can go on one all summer long!!!
That afternoon, we absorbed some more sun, took advantage of the swim-up bar, and just took it easy. When we left varadero, it was 27 degress with gorgious weather, and when we arrived in Toronto, it was -15. Yup. Not a big difference at all eh?
And now I'm back. I left my life in shambles, and now I'm still having to sort it all out, but I can do it. It was a very worthwhile investment, and one that I'm thinking of hopefully investing in once a year if possible. I could go on and on about how encredible it was, really. But I'm running out of words and my hands ache.
So, from the beginning. We arrived in Varadero late Friday night, so we basically just spent time getting lost around the hotel and trying to get used to the fact that we weren't actually in Canada anymore. On saturday, there was a red flag on the beach which said very clearly that we were not to go in to the ocean, so we went into the ocean. The waves were monsterous, and they tossed us about like toys until we nearly (and probably did) pissed ourselves laughing. Just giving back to nature LOL. We then met with a representative who basically gave us the run-down on all the off-resort excursions we could go on. On Sunday I got my period and the weather sucked, so we pretty much stayed in all day and just knapped and played cards and all of that wonderful stuff you can do in a hotel but nowhere else in the entire world haha.
Monday brought about slightly better weather, and we went in to the market place in Varadero. It's a great feeling to argue with the vendors (in Spanish, of course) about why their prices are ridiculous and how your offer is so much better. An even better feeling when it works and you go home happy as Rusty would say.
Tuesday, however, was when the weather really picked up. The sun shown brilliantly in a deep blue sky and the ocean was legally swimmable. We spent much of the day in a semi-buzzed state taking in the sun. That afternoon we also went horseback riding, which was unlike any other horseback riding I've ever done. We went along the beach, and there were times when the waves would come up so high that my ankles were sprayed and there was nothing around us but ocean, sky, and endless beach. It was encredible. What wasn't encredible of course was how sore I was afterwards, but I suppose everything comes with a price eh?
That night, Rusty and I had dinner at a really fancy restaurant on our resort. I can't tell you how utterly happy I was that night. we both looked good in what we were wearing, and there was soft, live piano music in the background. Dim lighting, an elligant room, and being in the presence of the man I love were enough to bring tears of pure joy to my eyes. No anxiety, no depression, and I can't even begin to tell you how perfect it all was.
But the real, true highlight of my trip took place on Wednesday when we went swimming with dolphins. Swimming with dolphins was the first item on my "before I die" list, if that gives you any indication how excited I was. First we saw a show, a very sighted show of course. Rusty did such a good job at describing all the tricks these encredible animals were pulling off, and now I want to be a dolphin trainer God damnet!! After that, we actually got to swim with them for about half an hour. First, two dolphins would come up next to us and kiss us on each cheek. I took that oppurtunity to hug them and give them a quick kiss myself because I was just so thrilled. Then, they jumped over us, and if we weren't yet used to the chilly water, we certainly were well acquainted after being splashed by them!! but whoa, whoa, whoa!! after that, we had to lay flat on our stomachs, arms and legs spread. Two dolphins then came charging up, pressed a nose in to each foot (so there were two dolphinios-one for each foot yeah?) and push us forward and straight up and out of the water...and no, falling wasn't really an option!! And everyone who watched said I went the highest!! They said I was the dolphin princess and what what what!! I am!! ok so I'm just remembering it and going mental all over again, forgive me. After flying on the water in a verdical position for some time, they dumped me in and after a while, I did resurface (we had life jackets, of course). We were supposed to grab their fins afterwards to have them swim us back to the group, but I had no idea where they were. Then I heard Rusty telling me to turn around and so I did, and they were patiently floating there, waiting for me!! they forgot about some other people though, and the trainers had to send them back...but dolphins are known to be intuitive like that, and often sense when people need more help...and they did!! they waited until I had one of their fins in each hand, and then we went back, only to have more kisses.
Wow, there are some eexperiences in life for which no words can justifiably describe, and this was one of them. It was just unbelievable.
On Thursday, we went on a safari excursion. This entailed snorkelling (yes, I snorkelled!), swimming in a cave in fresh water (a welcome change, actually), a boat ride across to another island, an authentic Cuban lunch, and "chill" time. The snorkelling was a bit over-rated, as I didn't really get the visual high from it that so many others do, but it was still a really cool feeling to be able to breathe while under water. I felt kind of bad, because I know that holding hands with Rusty while we swam slowed him down, but he really did have to guide me as we often had to swim through narrow passages between coral reefs. And the rest of the day was pretty good as well, and I'm really thankful I was there with Rusty because many times he had to literally carry me up and down some of the unevenly spaced, jagged rock steps. But everyone there was really helpful and I honestly couldn't complain.
On Friday (our last day, boohoo), Rusty and I rented a scooter and went to the market to pick up stuff for our families. It was like being on a motorcycle, and I'm now in the process of convincing Rusty to buy one so we can go on one all summer long!!!
That afternoon, we absorbed some more sun, took advantage of the swim-up bar, and just took it easy. When we left varadero, it was 27 degress with gorgious weather, and when we arrived in Toronto, it was -15. Yup. Not a big difference at all eh?
And now I'm back. I left my life in shambles, and now I'm still having to sort it all out, but I can do it. It was a very worthwhile investment, and one that I'm thinking of hopefully investing in once a year if possible. I could go on and on about how encredible it was, really. But I'm running out of words and my hands ache.