The sun beats down hard and leaves no corner untouched. Even seated in window seat 4F of a Flair Air 727, I can feel the powerful rays hit my arm through the tiny airplane window. As the cabin crew prepare for takeoff, I think back to the moment, two weeks ago, when I landed for the first time on Cuban soil.
I was embarking on the romantic adventure of a lifetime, a wedding and a honeymoon all rolled up into one unforgettable journey.
What followed was the quintessential Cuban experience -- I sipped mojitos under a dark sky and swam in the crystal-blue waters. I felt the sun burn my bare shoulders and drank coconut milk from a fresh coconut. I bought cigars, tacky souvenirs, Havana Club rum and said "hola" and "gracias" to every Cuban who crossed my path. However, I would soon discover there was more to Cuba than Cohibas and coconuts.
For the first seven days, I hung my hat at the Occidental Grand Playa Turquesa in Guardalavaca (translation: Guard the cow), an hour outside of Holguin City. On the fourth day, in front of 63 of my nearest and dearest, I said "I do" to the love of my life, barefoot in the sand as the sun set over the ocean. We had our first dance on the beach and sipped champagne until the sun disappeared into the evening sky.
The next day, the magic of Cuba swept us away again, this time on a horse and buggy ride through Guardalavaca. After browsing at a craft market and strolling on a beach, we accepted a tour from Daniel, a local farmer, and his horse Dimitri. Daniel took us from town to countryside pointing out plants along the way -- mango, guava, coconut, banana -- even stopping to pick a pink oleander for me.
We stopped to wave at his niece, a teacher, and to pick limes at the side of the road. Together, the three of us, Daniel, my new husband and I, laughed at the wandering goats, the free-roaming horses and even a big fat pig tied to a post in the middle of the town.
The fun was just beginning. There were bikes and mopeds to rent, excursions (snorkelling, deep-sea fishing, horse-back riding, dolphin swims, city tours) and lots of quaint villages to explore.
At week's end and with a heavy heart, I bid "ciao" to our guests and was whisked away on my honeymoon adventure. Together, my husband and I explored Holguin City, Cuba's third largest, and dined at Restaurant Chrystal -- a dated eatery that overlooks the city, which even in its ruined state still shone with a beauty you can only find in Cuba.
That night, we hopped a 90-minute flight to Havana. After a much needed rest at The Oasis Panorama Hotel in Havana's Miramar district, we requested an English-speaking taxi driver to continue our journey. We soon learned our driver, Eduardo, no hablas englais. Sensing our disappointment, Eduardo offered to pick up his English-speaking wife, Samantha, to join us. Seven hours, two provinces, three Cuban rest-stops, a detour around an oxen and a stop at the Che Guevara memorial, we arrived at our destination filled with memories only a cross-country trip in a Cuban taxi can provide.
Quickly, we settled into ultimate honeymoon relaxation at The Occidental Royal Hideaway, Cayo Ensenachos. This five-star resort left nothing to be desired. With extra-large suites, three pools, entertainment, 24-hour room service and a postcard worthy beach, we spent our days sunning and our evenings eating fresh lobster. We had a couples' massage at the spa, a lobster dinner on a sunset cruise and sipped champagne every evening on our ocean-view terrace.
Four days later, we emerged from seclusion, hopped a 50-minute flight back to Havana ($80 per person) and checked in to NH Parque Central Hotel. This historic hotel in the heart of Old Havana features a rooftop pool and bar, spectacular views of the city and world-class service.
Havana's energy took us by storm. In 48 hours, we took in the Tropicana show, sipped the world's best mojitos at Ambos Mundos (where Hemingway reportedly wrote The Old Man and the Sea), and daiquiris at the Floridita (another Hemingway fave). We saw the Granma, the yacht that transported Fidel Castro and 80 others from Mexico to Cuba in 1956, the Capitolio National (a replica of the U.S. Capitol Building but 4 metres taller), and classic American cars zipping down the street.
We toured museums and left a wish at the wishing tree at El Templete. We cheered on stilt-walkers, waved at Habaneras smoking cigars, scoured old book markets, browsed the work of local artists and even toured Havana's China Town.
Our journey ended on day 14. The sky is dark now and I listen as the pilot announces our descent into Toronto. I rest my newlywed head onto my husband's shoulder and smile at the memories our escapades have brought us. We came in pursuit of romance and adventure, and Cuba -- from the green hills of Holguin to the white-sand of Cayo Ensenachos to the hustle and bustle of Havana -- delivered with a quality that only Cuba, and its people, ever could.
MORE INFORMATION
For information on travel to Cuba, visit gocuba.ca.
