From Playa Larga to Havana and Back to Germany
October 28
Today we unfortunately have to leave Cuba. Our vacation is over.
After the truly generous and sensationally good breakfast (Hundi gets a few leftovers, whom we naturally run into again), Frank arranges our return trip by taxi to the airport in Havana (for 50 CUC, we ride in the classic car for 3 hours with a stopover to Havana).
Timo and Katharina are also moving on to Vinales. Saying goodbye is hard...
We spend a few more hours at the beach before freshening up and Daniel picks us up right on time to take us to the airport.
Our taxi driver Daniel Montes de Oca Torres tells us a lot about the country and its people. The car ride takes 3 hours, so we learn a lot about things like car costs, corruption, oranges etc...
At the airport, we give Daniel various soaps, pens, sweets, headphones and an MP3 player, and we also dig out our half-full sunscreen, as we've learned that the skin cancer rate in Cuba is extremely high - the reason: there's no sunscreen available here. If you need a taxi in Cuba, feel free to call him. He'll be happy to help: (0053) 5803 4499. If the number doesn't work, here's his Facebook contact: https://www.facebook.com/daniel.montesdeoca.5815
Email: daniel1.montesdeoca@nauta.cu
Complejo Touristico la Boca
Before hitting the highway, we make a stop at the tourist center Complejo Touristico la Boca - here it's all about crocodiles. At the crocodile farm, we see the endemic yellow-black speckled and dangerous diamond-pattern crocodile and the pointed-snout crocodile. There's also the prehistoric Manjuari fish, the Cuban bone fish or alligator gar, and the Jutia, a tree rat that doesn't look like a rat at all but rather like an oversized guinea pig. You can also pose with crocodiles and use a stinking fish tail to make them jump, and of course there are loads of crocodile souvenirs to buy.
From La Boca, those who wish can continue by boat in about 20 minutes to Guama. Here you'll find rustic stilt houses built in Laguna del Tesoro, the 16-square-kilometer "Treasure Lake." Those who wish can also stay overnight at the Villas Guama - but beware: mosquitoes!!
Taxi Ride to Havana
Now we continue towards Havana Airport. We still have plenty of time and it's a long wait until dinner on the plane. Our taxi driver Daniel recommends the Paladar de Lisett, located on the Autopista Nacional Km 55. Here you get a huge portion for really little money (we simply can't finish it) of local food like rice with beans and avocado - super delicious!
We chat a lot with Daniel - the car ride does take 3 hours, so we learn much about things like car costs, corruption, oranges etc...
At the airport, we give Daniel various soaps, pens, sweets, headphones and an MP3 player, and we dig out our half-full sunscreen, as we've learned that the skin cancer rate in Cuba is particularly high - the reason: there's no sunscreen available here.
On the bright side this evening, the exit tax of CUC 25 that's normally due upon departure at the airport is no longer being charged. Some German tourists told us that it's generally no longer required...? On the other hand, they told us that the exchange rate when converting CUC back to euros is extremely poor - about 20% is deducted, so if you exchange 50 CUC, you only get 40 euros back. We don't exchange, as a very good friend is also heading to Cuba soon...
So now we board the plane, which departs Cuba with a slight delay around 11 PM. Via Madrid, we continue to Frankfurt, where we land at 6 PM the next day and are already greeted by our friend Uschi. Another exciting vacation has come to an end.
