Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Cuba - getting there

On December 19, B and I flew to Miami and stayed on South Beach. We enjoyed a great night on the town and got to have our last night just the two of us for a LONG time. While I love family vacations - it is very different to be 31 and living on your own, married and having your own life to be thrown into an 8 day vacation of TOGETHERNESS with 9 people. We had a lot of fun!

So a day in South Beach, enjoying cocktails and great seafood was wonderful.

We met up with the other 7 people in our family on the 20th around 4pm at Miami International airport. Our flight was supposed to leave at 8pm - it did not leave until almost 12AM. Apparently this is very "typical" for the charter flights to Cuba. Never in my life have I been on a plane where everyone clapped when it took off and clapped when it landed.
Here is the plane....not exactly what we thought we would be taking - no wonder everyone clapped! 

My mom and dad after landing in Camaguey


We were through customs and onto our bus at around 1:30AM.

My grandfather, dad, husband and the bus driver. I am sure my grandfather is telling one of his MANY stories! 


At about 3AM, our bus driver needed to stop to get coffee
Here is the place we stopped for coffee - until we saw they had Havana Club rum. Then the party started. 






The whole family with our Rum! (and Cuban coke). We were all dead asleep until we got to this stop at 3AM and then we were awake for the next 2.5 hours to our hotel. The party started and we didn't sleep until the following night. We couldn't believe we were actually in CUBA actually seeing and being in the place we never thought we would be! 


We got the hotel in time to see the sunrise:
Sunrise in Puerto Padre, Cuba. 

The sand was so soft and so white.

We played a game called heads up and truly just couldn't believe we were here. In my grandfather's home town! 




It was a magical start to a true TRIP OF A LIFETIME. 

I cannot believe in 2013 I had 2 trips of a lifetime and I married my best friend. It was truly a year for the books! 
Next up - visiting my grandparents homes, cities, where they were married and the family we met along the way.

2 comments:

DC Minute said...

I love seeing you happy - you have had such a wonderful past year!! (though I am a little jealous of the beach and sun...) :)
xo,
Al

WorthyStyle said...

What an adventure! Did he leave before the Communist takeover or did he leave because of it's uprising?