[ Apr.2010 ] We spent the night at a strange resort hotel on the outskirts of Santa Clara, Cuba.
After breakfast at the restaurant at the end of the porch where many cats were hanging around, a taxi driver, like a retired pensioner, came to pick us up.
This person’s job was only to take us from this hotel to the next hotel, but we pleaded this hard-headed driver to go to the mausoleum of Che Guevara, where couldn’t go the day before.
The Guevara Mausoleum was a spacious place with a lot of wasted space, the typical socialism architecture, and for some reason, we were told strongly that we shouldn’t go to the back side, although the front side was fine.
We couldn’t communicate well enough to ask why, and I felt a little frustrated.
Speaking of Che Guevara, he is still a symbol of rebels all over the world.
I’m not that keen myself, but my husband has a couple of T-shirts with Che’s face.
I think the important point is that he was killed by the CIA.
Also, it is important that according to the well-known image drawing, he was a relatively good looking person.
Well, after that, we came all the way to Varadero, sleeping in the car on and off.
On the way, we passed some peaceful looking towns.
As we approached Varadero, the number of cool antique American cars increased, and I thought it was a wealthy town that could afford to repair them.
I suppose a lot of money are dropped by foreign tourists in Varadero.
The Hotel Blan we arrived at was reminiscent of the one on Djerba, Tunisia.
It was a typical resort hotel.
Unfortunately, our room on the 12th floor was facing the land, but I was surprised when I went out to the balcony and leaned forward!
The colour of the sea was fluorescent blue that didn’t seem very natural.
It was the second amazement (the first was the crab) on this trip.
This hotel was all inclusive.
In other words, you can eat and drink anything in the hotel.
At check-in, we had a prisoner-like bracelet put on our wrists.
It was the evidence that we were the guests of this hotel.
We had lunch with shrimp and French fries at the poolside self-service restaurant before arriving at the fluorescent sea.
Everything was free as this was the all inclusive hotel, which was easy.
Most of the guests seemed to be Canadian.
It’s a relaxed atmosphere, but there’s no “exotic Cuba” which we had been feeling during this holiday.
After eating, we went to the sea.
The sea was so beautiful that the clear sky looked dark.
It’s as unrealistic as the painting of a crappy painter.
I enjoyed an unrealistic time by drinking a drink that was a mixture of coconut juice and rum.
Or rather, a holiday is something to enjoy away from reality.
Because it was a decent hotel, I dressed up a little for dinner, but it was not at all necessary.
Other people were all so casual.
Canadians, who made up the majority of the hotel guests, were no different from Americans.
The Canadians themselves seem to think they are different from the Americans, but from our point of view, they are indistinguishable.
Both are talking in American accent and most of them are fat and loud.
Well, those who come to all-inclusive holidays, everybody may be at this level.
The lobster I ate for dinner was plump and delicious, so let’s say the dinner was good enough.
After the meal, we took a peek at the stage and piano bar showing songs and dances, and drank a couple of cocktails for free again, and that was the end of the day.
I wanted to dance salsa, though…
