Hola Friend,
Como estas? We had a fun filled.. well Yoanis did. I got to watch from the distance and live through him and our traveller vicariously as they have wondered through the cobble stone streets of Trinidad, the luscious greens of Soroa, the fields of Vinales and the beautiful streets of Havana. And guess what, Sandra, our visitor absolutely loved it!
Not only did she have Yoanis and a diver all to herself for the whole trip, there are still very few tourists venturing out past the Havana boundary line, so she basically had the place to herself! How good is that!!!
As always, they started in the hustle and bustle in Havana. We have chosen to stay at Casa Cuarteles on this occasion, as they are in the heart of Old Havana, with fantastic views, perfect location and just the best service ever by Lillevi and Alberto. (I have to say I personally also love their story 💘 check it out on their site 👉 here). From here they ventured to Trinidad, on the way through checked out the Che Guevarra mausoleum before getting to Trinidad. Here they settled into Casa Jesus before the city walking tour.
Breakfast the next day here didn't disappoint! They always out do themselves with fresh fruit, juice, ham & cheese and yoghurt... delicious. Perfect to charge you up for a day of discovery before a salsa lesson in the afternoon. And boy oh boy! Alex and Sandra had a fantastic time dancing. Gotta be easy when you are as natural as Sandra is 😍 The rooftop dinner with the sunset with a view over the Caribbean Sea, the old faithfull bell tower and the hills behind Trinidad didn't disappoint either.
El Nicho delivered it's natural beauty also on the way to Trinidad. I believe Sandy used the words, breathtaking to describe it. 🥰 Followed by a great time in Cienfuegos, with great enjoyment in the French colonist buildings and some delicious lobsters for dinner.
They then moved onto Playa Larga - the snorkelling here got a special mention as it was high on the enjoyment scales along with connecting with Yoanis' daughters and also our casa hosts as well as musing at the world's smallest bird in the backyard of the casa.
I got to have a quick chat with Sandy, whilst she was in Soroa... and was thinking what a surreal experience it may have been as she was being welcomed by our casa host, Dunia and her family - often three generations in the backyard, the neighbours popping by and then me joining the conversation on the phone via video link from the other end of the world. 😃 I'm glad she enjoyed Dunia's cooking tho! She does make some amazing meals 🤤 Oh and the views here for breakfast, Sandy agrees with me - are just stunning!
They went onto Vinales from here. We were lucky enough to get Floyd as our Valley Walk guide. They got on like house on fire. He is an absolute character. Sandra also got to visit Clara, who made her a delicious traditional coffee... Just the day before I asked Yoanis, what the 'real Cuba' means to him... he sent me a picture of Clara making coffee... with a pot over charcoal, and a filter (see in photos) in a wooden hut. There's no mod cons like what we are used to.
The organic farm delivered a feast as always. I was drooling getting the photos. Considering Yoanis told me it was cloudy, with 'no sunset' - the views on the night were extra beautiful if you ask me.
The venture to Cayo Jutias also was fun. Both came back looking a little like the cooked lobster had a few days back! So on beach days, I do recommend that you wear your sunscreen and do bring some after some aloe cream too. 🤣
Back to Havana for the last few days to wind down and relax, with a classic car cruise and Old Havana discoveries. All enjoyed immensely! As Sandy put it
"Yoanis is so generous with his knowledge and the various activities and experiences were first rate. I loved the salsa lesson, the snorkelling, and seeing the different architectures of the various towns. I also very much enjoyed learning about Cuba’s history, and am saddened that such a wonderful country should be suffering such hard times.
There was plenty of food. I must say that on the last breakfast in Vinales when we were served grapefruit, i was very glad that Yoanis doesn’t like it, so I ate the lot and loved it. I did enjoy the lobster, which as you know is very expensive here in Australia, so I made the most of it in Cuba."
Just imagine... you could have your own private experience too 😃 and help the families of Cuba through your stay.
Next Simply Cuba Tour is kicking off in November.. will we see you there?
