March 2020

As Coronavirus (Covid-19) sweeps through the world, so naturally Steve and I have had to draw a halt to future plans for rambling, coastal walking or overseas adventures. Desperately hoping this will be temporary.

I thought I would use this wonderful platform to record a bit of history – as grim as this feels right now, keeping a journal of days of ‘social distancing.’

24/03/2020 – Day 1 of Lockdown

Yesterday evening at 8.30pm, Boris Johnson announced an official National Lockdown. The Coronavirus (Covid-19) continues to wreak havoc on our shores and across the globe. There is little else up for discussion right now, despite everyone’s best efforts to keep each other laughing (virtually of course) and making use of free online activities – fitness workouts, learn a language, music lessons etc.

We fortunately snuck in some family time with Tom, Alice and Jess this weekend – Mother’s Day celebrations. And we partied like there’s no tomorrow, literally. Have felt unbelievably emotional saying goodbye to them all as they returned to their homes for isolation – already my heart is heavy, longing to hug them.

So lockdown – one daily walk, run or cycle (and only with people you live with), shopping trips limited to food and medicines only – apart from that we are confined to our house and garden, no visitors allowed. This will be a test for sure.

Today the Government has sent out an urgent appeal for 250,000 NHS volunteers. At the same time we are hearing that once this virus has reached its ugly climax, the over 60s will not be prioritised when it comes to saving lives. Quite rightly, the limited medical equipment will be used firstly to save young lives. And so it makes this chance to ‘make a difference’ such a tricky decision … I feel incredibly torn.

This first day of lockdown has seen the Rambling Roses running, walking, YouTube exercising, reading, catching up on TV, listening to music and blog writing. It’s now 6pm and the wine is being poured, dinner is cooking and all is well in our isolated household.

Good luck everybody … Stay Home and stay safe. ❤️

Thursday 20th February 2020

Getting ready to set out this morning, it was a damp, drizzly grey day … we could so easily have talked ourselves out of walking. But oh no, we Roses are intrepid explorers and there is more Essex coastline for us to conquer!

To be honest, it’s not the easiest part of the UK coastline to master, in terms of planning. Fairly easy walking due to its flatness but a nightmare to get your head around the numerous estuaries that break up any straightforward path. Steve (the main planner) has had his work cut out for him this week. And to be honest, estuary walking isn’t exactly scintillating, it’s a tad sameish! But we can’t pick and choose if we want to complete our project of walking the UK coastline … we have to join up all the dots. Today’s plan therefore was to walk from Beaumont Quay back to Walton-on-the-Naze where we had ended yesterday.

We managed to get a train as far as Thorpe-le-Soken and from there, due to lack of buses, we had to walk 2 miles to our start point. And this included walking on a non-pavement national speed limit road – not my favourite!

Finally got to turn off onto a farm track to take us down to the disused quay of Beaumont Quay.

And this is clearly a disused quay (and has been since the 1930s) and we started off eagerly to find our path along the estuary to Walton-on-the-Naze. The raised path which acts as a flood defence in these wet areas provides a clear vista of the extended area but also sets you up to the elements. And as the path meanders (this word always reminds me of my Geography teacher Mrs Sawyer) the wind changes direction as the path turns each corner, you either find yourself facing the wind head on, sweeping you to the side or pushing you along from behind. I know this sounds exaggerated because I’m not exactly lightweight but I felt I was being picked up by the wind at times!

The path continues along the same vein for the next five miles, winding in and out along the same sort of terrain with similar views. The only thing that varied was the amount of wet ground and mud underfoot – it was SO horrendously muddy in places. And yes we had a few slips and trips – no serious injuries or breaks, just muddy bottoms and temporary loss of pride!

Occasionally we came across a few remote properties that set the country scene and we could envy that tucked away style of life.

But mostly it was just about placing one foot in front of another to get the walk done because it really wasn’t very interesting. It’s on walking days like this that I do loads of thinking … and I love that. I’m always thinking about what I’m going to include in my blog. I also conjure up ideas for books which I will write one day …. and poetry … I get all creative! And when the day hasn’t been wonderfully scenic, varied and interesting, at least it’s been a few hours of fresh air and exercise.

After 5 miles of wending our way through these raised estuary paths we came to a point where it was fenced off and we were therefore forced to take a country lane up to the main road. For once we welcomed the change, despite walking with cars, because we were sick to death of estuary paths. And so we walked our way into Walton-on-the-Naze.

Friday 21st February 2020

No walking today. A leisurely morning and ventured into Colchester in the afternoon. Went to a fabulous Curzon cinema to see ‘Parasite’ – amazing must-see film.

This is our last full day in Wivenhoe. In the morning we will be doing the local Parkrun and then packing up to head home. We’ve enjoyed getting to know this part of the country. Part of our retirement plan is enjoying the experience of living in different parts of the UK and this hasn’t disappointed.

We’ve loved getting to know Charlie too. He was a little wary of us to begin with but the last few days we’ve had a more play and cuddling up time … and now it will be sad to say goodbye.

How different can two days be?

Tuesday 18th February 2020

Today we had to get to Point Clear to start our walk. Having finished in Brightlingsea yesterday, this was the nearest place on the other side of the estuary and, in the absence of a ferry at this time of year, this involved two bus rides and a mile’s walk to just get to our starting point.

Funnily enough, on the bus ride there, we couldn’t help but admire the houses – all detached, sizeable properties, individual designs with large gardens … not a terrace or semi in sight.

Such a different story though once we got to the seafront area of Point Clear … and it’s so hard to describe. We walked down a street which could have been named “Clutterville” – the majority of the houses had serious hoarding issues going on, inside and out. Yet mingled in with these Steptoe’s yards were some attractive well maintained properties too …. it was weird. And it was the same once we reached the actual seafront, beach houses incredibly fortunate to have such a location – but most of them incredibly run down with rubbish filled gardens. A little way along there seemed to be an area of beach front properties undergoing modernisation but it all seems to be a work in progress.

Today was incredibly blustery with a cold wind blowing in all directions it seemed. It was also grey and cloudy and with the area feeling so desolate it was simply a case of getting the job done …. and getting out of here!

We hadn’t walked far before we had to veer off the promenade and head inland for a while. There’s still no official coastal path on this stretch yet so Steve had planned a route using Ordnance Survey and another walker’s suggestions. We seemed to do a very large loop that took us roadside for a while and then through farmland. This included walking through a farm that had some smart glamping pods as well ‘Private Road’ signs …. if you make yourself look inconspicuous no-one can see you!! The road to the sea continued for some time after this … in fact it seemed to go on for miles. Finally we found a track that brought us onto the sea defence wall and led to the beach at Lee-over-sands.

But absolutely nothing to get excited about. Again the houses looked so ramshackle and there was fly tipping everywhere. We said we had honestly never seen anything like it. From here the path took us through St. Osyth and then Jaywick Sands and, apart from a few examples of smarter properties, this whole stretch of coastline seemed so deprived … almost third world in places. I’m sure they were fabulous back in the day but they are now seriously tired – just couldn’t imagine turning up here for a holiday!

At Jaywick however at least the beach started to look more attractive, beautifully sandy … hence the name I guess – Jaywick Sands. Steve’s Mum and Dad holidayed in the area in the early fifties and we have some fabulous photos of them at Jaywick Sands.

From here it was a simple promenade walk into Clacton-on-Sea. We passed a new development of affordable looking housing right at the seafront, literally yards from the shore … you don’t see that very often. And so we found ourselves at Clacton Pier where a mug of tea and a toastie revived our spirits (and appetites) after 10 miles of walking. We had a wander through Clacton on the way to the station …. starting off with the Amusement Arcade strip … but to be honest, we didn’t find Clacton as run down as many of the seaside resorts we’ve visited on our walks, despite the negative press it gets. Big up Clacton-on-Sea!!! 😎

Wednesday 19th February 2020

And today by contrast there was very little wind … the sky was blue and at times you could feel the warmth of the sunshine.

We caught the train to Clacton to start our walk where we had left off yesterday. We even managed to escape the wrath of the ticket inspector – Steve had managed to buy the wrong tickets but she didn’t pick up on it!! Phew!

It was an easy 6 and a half mile stroll today, all promenade, with the sound of sea lapping and miles of golden sand. With the sun shining and the beach huts looking so glorious, what more could you ask for. It was fabulous to see so many children out playing on the beach and cycling on the promenade.

At Frinton-on-Sea, the beach huts became even smarter and there were so many of them, all shapes, sizes, colours and designs. I love looking at the names – ‘Once Upon a Tide’ ‘Go with the Flo’ ‘Sandy Toes and Salty Kisses’… but today’s favourites were ‘Jabah’ and ‘Pizza!’ And the smartness carried on into Walton-on-the-Naze where we ended today’s walk.

Jumped on the train and were back in Wivenhoe by lunchtime …. and treated ourselves to lunch and beers at the local … well, we are on holiday, sort of!! 😘

Saturday 15th February – Monday 17th February 2020

On Saturday afternoon we drove down to Wivenhoe, on the Essex coast to take up our week’s house-sitting assignment, looking after a young Maine Coon cat named Charlie. This is a part of the country we have no previous experience of … and of course we’re taking the opportunity to walk along the nearby coastal paths, to add to our ongoing collection.

So, our previous assignment was looking after a huge Bernese Mountain Dog and now it’s a Maine Coon cat – oversized pet sitting could perhaps become our speciality!

Our drive down on Saturday was pretty eventful with Storm Dennis brewing nicely … wind and rain a’plenty. On Sunday it was even worse with the storm in full flight. And so we made the sensible decision to abandon our walking plans for the day and stay put in the safety of our ‘borrowed’ house. We just nipped out in the morning to stock up on the ingredient essentials for a Sunday roast, some decent teabags and the newspapers. Strangely enough there was an England v South Africa T20 cricket match on from lunchtime (might have aided the decision). I indulged in a few hours of snuggly sofa time wading through the Sunday newspaper, supplements, magazines and all … bliss.

Monday 17th February

No excuses today – the storm has passed! Walking boots on and layered up to keep warm, we set off from the house around 10ish. We wandered down through the pretty town of Wivenhoe to the Quayside. There’s a mixture of old and new houses here but it blends perfectly to make a very attractive and interesting place. The quayside, on the banks of the River Colne, was our starting point to walk to the seaside town of Brightlingsea. This meant one of those annoying estuary walks which involves walking miles along one side of the river, crossing over and walking back miles along the other side … distinct lack of bridges and ferries!

The first part of today’s hike was along a sea defence wall – lovely views and quite pleasant underfoot. “We’ll be alright if we stay up this high” says Steve, “shouldn’t be too muddy.”

Of course that didn’t last. The path led us through some pretty woodland area and at first we relished getting away from the wind … it was a beautiful day but still Dennis’ wind was lingering. It was like walking through trip hazard alley though, with the heavily exposed tree roots consuming the path – had to watch our every step. Then the inevitable puddles kicked in and it got muddier and muddier. It was safer just walking through the murky puddles rather than risk slipping in off the muddy sides. The trouble was you just couldn’t gauge how deep they were … ‘Dr. Foster went to Gloucester’ sprang to mind! All good fun.

In planning the walk, Steve had discovered that you could cross the estuary at low tide (which it was) at a certain part. When we got to that spot it certainly didn’t look very crossable … we took a good look and Steve even attempted one step from the bank … finding himself knee deep in soft mud swiftly indicated that this was not the way forward!

We continued along the path until we found a proper bridge to take us across to the other side, safely. There was a pretty mill house located here as well as a couple of other stylish houses. After that we were diverted inland for a while, which involved walking roadside for a short time until we reached the beautiful church of All Saints on the outskirts of Brightlingsea.

At this point we could see that we could walk into the town of Brightlingsea by continuing along this road. “But it’s not the coastal path.” “But, who would know?” “It’s only yourself you’re cheating!” At times this coastal walking is testing!

We headed down a country lane, passed some quarries and then found a path leading us into more woodland. More boggy woodland!

Eventually found our way back onto the Sea Defence wall, walking back along the river, the other side. And this time, there was a strong oncoming wind to battle against. Have to admit, this stretch seemed eternal at times. And so into the town of Brightlingsea. Our first introduction was it’s promenade … and today it’s prettiness was marred by the devastation of yesterday’s storm. Something we’d never seen before – numerous beach huts had literally been blown off their bases, some had travelled quite far away too (wouldn’t have wanted to have been walking around there yesterday).

So, there it was – just over 8 miles and today’s walk was done. We had lunch in a local cafe and got the bus back to Wivenhoe … all very straightforward and we’d had a fabulous day out.

We haven’t spotted any orange botoxed Essex celebrities yet – guess you wouldn’t come across them on the coastal path. We’re off to the local in a bit … who knows? 🤣

Monday 27th January 2020

And so our house-sitting/dog-sitting week came to an end. A great experience all round and we managed to tick off this stretch of coastline walking. Despite the winter weather, soggy and slippery ground in places and me coughing and spluttering, we managed to cover the stretch between Sandbanks and Lymington … roughly 26 miles (every little helps)!

This, our second ‘Trusted House-sitter’ assignment, has been another success – a beautiful house which we managed to leave in good shape. And we’ve loved getting to know another area of the country, a perfect retirement area I would say – I’ve never seen so many bungalows. But most of all we have absolutely fallen in love with our big furry friend Bugle and getting to know his funny ways. His favourite thing is to walk between your legs, from the front and from the back … and when you’re only 5ft 4in, a Bernese Mountain Dog coming through is fairly noticeable! Being nine years of age he’s a couple of years past his sell-buy date, so you can imagine our relief that he made it through the week. We’ll miss him bounding up to meet us, dragging his toys as a welcome gift, knocking on the door when he wants to come in from the garden and generally craving company and cuddles.

So bye bye Bugle and farewell to the land of bungalows and beach huts … it’s been a blast.

Wednesday 22nd January 2020

By contrast to yesterday, we woke up to a grey, damp, cloudy day – I know it’s winter but it could do with being a bit more inspirational for walking. I’d woken up with a sore throat and the beginnings of a cold. Also, Caroline and Jim were due to arrive mid-afternoon so we could easily have talked ourselves out of getting those boots on today, but oh no, we wrapped up and set off for a shorter day on that coastal path.

We caught the bus to Mudeford Quay, today’s starting point. Immediately greeted by row after row after row of beach huts as we walked away from the quay along the promenade.

Leaving Mudeford Quay

Along this busy stretch of promenade we passed numerous holiday homes priced from £99,000 and bundles of beach huts, one priced at £80,000!! (madness)!! This was definitely the most populated stretch of coastal path we’ve experienced so far but I still kept up my ‘Good Mornings’ and ‘Hellos’ despite the required frequency. This was generally reciprocated but naturally there were the odd few head down/eye aversions … “who is this woman? Do I know her?…”.

After some promenade walking we were taken up onto the higher paths and through some woodland areas. Spectacular views. Took every choice to stay up at the cliff top level (not going to repeat yesterday’s mistake) … but round about Highcliffe we had no option but to take the zig zag path down to beach level.

It was a short sandy walk before we were presented with the option of going back up … and up we went …. but it was SO easy, there were wooden steps and a handrail and everything!

A left turn took us through an area called Chewton Bunny, pretty woodland – saw two bunnies and a lively waterfall. Then unfortunately we were up on to the Christchurch Road which was incredibly busy and noisy. And all because the holiday parks are unwilling to share their stretch of coastal path! Once we were signposted off the main road, were taken on a trip around the Barton-on-Sea houses literally, an easy off road path that led us to the seafront. And so ended the walking for today – just short of 5 miles.

Caroline and Jim joined us for the rest of the day – a drive and stroll around Lymington followed by a delicious lasagne dinner served up by Steve. And of course lots of playtime with Bugle.

Friday 24th January 2020

(Thursday was a bit of a write off day as my cold and sore throat were taking a hold – hoped that a day’s chilling would pay off).

Unfortunately today I felt much the same but decided I needed to plough on – it would be worth it! No return of Tuesday’s blue skies as yet – still grey but at least no rain.

Today’s plan (and believe me Steve puts in a lot of planning!) was to cover about 10 miles, in two phases. So we drove to Bournemouth and set off from the Pier heading towards Sandbanks. Again we made the decision to take the ‘high road’ which took us up a steep hill past the ‘Marriot Highcliff Hotel’ … speaks for itself. Love a good climb at the beginning of a walk though and the views were spectacular.

The clifftop path came to a natural end and we were brought back down to the promenade, dodging between the many walkers. No hellos today – far too many people and my throat was too sore anyway! For some reason the sand is piled up at the back of the beach most of the way along and the paths swept clear – it looked just like snow clearance.

When we got to Sandbanks the promenade was no more … it was now a case of walking on the shoreline, but still very easy walking. We viewed the amazing seafront properties, ranging from Art Deco blocks to modern architect designed houses.

Kept an eye out for Harry and Doreen (Redknapp) but they weren’t about. To get to the end point of this part of our walk we had to go out into the Sandbanks streets full of swanky houses – oh my …. such home envy!!

Finished up at the Ferry Point where we hopped on the bus back to Bournemouth.

Once back in Bournemouth we stopped for a bite to eat and made the decision to save phase 2 of the walk for tomorrow – best to spread it out!! Another 5 miles under the belt and tomorrow’s another day!

Saturday 25th January 2020

After a sleepless night of having to sit up due to tickly cough I was feeling pretty washed out. So didn’t exactly jump at the chance to join in with the Lymington Parkrun. Steve went of course and came first in his age category and 26th overall, so one very chuffed Rosie. I did manage to get up and take Bugle for his morning walk in the meantime.

After breakfast we drove to Mudeford Quay where we took the ferry to Hengistbury Head. Very efficient little service – pleasant boat crew.

As soon as we stepped off the ferry we were greeted with the inevitable line up of beach huts – they certainly love a beach hut in these parts.

Now today was definitely a few degrees chillier – an icy bite to the wind. I was well and truly layered up – thermals + 2 long sleeved tops + two waterproof jackets, with hoods. It was a pleasant first couple of miles to the walk with some uphills and downhills (for added interest), bit of walking through sand dunes and great views from the high points.

And then it was just about an easy walk alongside Christchurch Harbour and promenading through Southbourne and Boscombe into Bournemouth. But really, just how many beach huts does a stretch of coastline need – I have never seen so many!

In the distance we could see a pier and jumped to the conclusion that it must be Bournemouth … turned out to be Boscombe Pier however, so it was another 3km to completion (mind tricks)! Saw at least 6 swimmers along this stretch of beach – yikes – what is it with these people (I have a mad friend Helen who swims all year round)!! 🤣

So after 6 miles we enjoyed a cuppa and a slice of coffee and walnut cake back at Bournemouth Pier. Then it was a bus ride back to Mudeford Quay, a drive back to our house in Barton on Sea, a walk round the block with Bugle and then snuggling down for the evening with our furry friend.

On Sunday 19th January 2020, we drove down to Barton-on-Sea, a beautiful cliff top village in Hampshire.  We’re here to do a week’s house-sit, including looking after a magnificent Bernese Mountain dog called ‘Bugle.’  Bugle’s owners, Sally and Gary, are the editors of a local magazine called ‘The Barton Bugle’ in which there is a regular feature based on Bugle’s life and antics.  And so our charge is apparently quite a celebrity in the area – walking him should be interesting!

 

Sadly on our first day, Monday, we had to drive up to Oxford to say our goodbyes to Sheila, Steve’s Stepmum, who passed away at New Year. It was a beautiful blue sky day and Sheila’s life was celebrated as we said our farewells. After lunch with the family we drove back down to the South Coast to resume our house-sitting duties. Bugle was pleased to see us on our return and after a walk around the block (Bugle is elderly and only manages short walks) we all settled in for a cosy evening.

Tuesday 21st January 2020

So today we were ready to get back on that coastal path. Unfortunately this stretch of the coast doesn’t have an official coastal path but we worked out our own coastal route to Lymington and off we set, all excited on our first day back. When we got to the beach Steve said “shall we take the clifftop path or go further down towards the beach?” Now, being all eager to get back to those smells, sounds and feel of the lapping waves we opted for the lower path.

Magnificent weather today, clear blue skies and bright sunshine but still some frost and ice lingering. The manageable path continued for a while as we meandered our way through throngs of dog walkers and large groups of ramblers busily clacking their walking poles as they chatted and rambled.

But inevitably the path ran out … and we had to clamber over some slippery rocks, then plough through some sticky clay underfoot to make our way down onto the shingle beach. We trudged along the shingle for some time (not great on the calves), praying that the tide would be on our side. Noticing that the shingle route stretched for miles ahead, we made the decision to get up onto the clifftop path. Oh we have such a chuckle about how great hindsight is!

Now, getting up to that path was no mean feat – first a spot of rock climbing was required and then a scramble up a steep vertical ascent on all fours … planting my hand into a gorse bush in the process. It was a relief to get to the top and find the path much more manageable, although pretty muddy and slippery in places – we really had to take it easy and watch our footing all the way.

A little further on the path had been fenced off due to cliff erosion. There was me thinking it would mean an early finish to the day’s adventure but of course, Steve in true Mrs T form, was “not for turning.” And so it was a careful squeeze through the barbed wire fence on to the farmer’s land for a stretch until we could safely return to the clifftop path.

At Milford-on-Sea we stopped for a cuppa and snack. A sweet old man started chatting to us in the queue, firstly commenting on Steve’s size and then trying to flatter me by remarking “is he your son” … then quickly realised his mistake and added “I mean, are you his daughter!?” Turned out he lived in Barton-on-Sea and he was so impressed that we were looking after Bugle for the week – he was quite a fan!

We passed so many fabulous beachfront properties – quite the place to come and retire I would imagine.

The day’s walk was completed by pacing the long winding embankments through the salt marshes – plenty of bird life to be seen …. as well as huge clusters of twitchers and photographers.

We had interesting views of the Isle of Wight for most of the day, partly shrouded in low mist at times and watched as the ferry made its way back and forth.

And so into the picturesque town of Lymington … greeted first by its spectacular sailing club, then past the outdoor swimming pool and into the streets lined with arty shops, bars and cafes.

Hope to discover more of Lymington during the week – after 10 miles of walking we were ready to jump on the bus back to Barton and catch up with our large furry friend Bugle. It was a wonderful first day back on the path.

Our last few days in Cuba raced by as we continued to explore the delights of Havana.  As well as fitting in a little relaxation time each day, we certainly enjoyed more sights and learnt a great deal about Havana and Cuba during this time.

 

On Sunday morning we went to the Museo de la Revolucion and it was an absolute eye-opener.  Great details about the characters involved in the 1959 revolution plus those that had inspired the movement and of course how it all worked.  There was a display of military transport used, including a reconstruction of the boat, “Granma” that Fidel Castro and Che Guevara had sailed on from Mexico.  Having spent so long in Cuba, it’s impossible not to be impressed with its history and admire these brave men who finally achieved the independence and freedom from dictatorship they had long sought.

And on Sunday evening we learnt even more – we’d booked an airbnb experience and met up with our host, Fernando, at 5.30pm … it was a fabulous evening. Fernando’s English is perfect and he’s so likeable, interesting and knowledgeable that it made for the great two hour stroll around Old Havana.  We visited and learnt about the four main squares, the architecture, the significant landmarks, the churches, the best place in town to get a daiquiri and the best place in town to get a mojito (both famous old haunts of Ernest Hemingway).  We went up in an ancient cage lift inside a very old hotel to see spectacular views over Havana Vieja – I could wax lyrical – I learnt more in that evening than the whole 6 weeks in Cuba.  After the walk Fernando joined us for a beer and then stayed to have dinner too …. and so we talked on and on, learning more about the history of Cuba and getting some in depth thoughts about post-Revolution Cuba, communism, modern socialism and Cuban culture.  If you’re going to Havana, certainly get in touch with this amazing young man.

 

On Tuesday we squeezed in a final bit of cultural research by going on an airbnb experience with Talia … the theme of this was a walk and talk about Cuban religion.  A lovely young girl and again so well informed.  We visited churches and cathedrals, a mosque and a synagogue and discussed all about the religious habits in Havana and Cuba.  We also visited an area where Sainteria is most practised, a version of the Nigerian Yoruba religion.

We spent our final evening at Sofia’s oh-so-friendly Italian restaurant, as during the week we had come to know Sofia and her staff … it was such a happy place to finish off this incredible trip.

Its’s been six weeks since we arrived in Santiago de Cuba.  We had a few tough moments but on the whole it’s been a fascinating experience, one we wouldn’t have missed for the world.

 

Things we’ll miss about Cuba!

1. Funny motor cycle helmets.
2. Vultures flying overhead.
3. Flash American cars.
4. Pastel coloured houses
5. Che Guevara images
6. Mojitos
7. Geckos with curly tails

 

And things we definitely won’t miss!

1.  Internet cards and lack of Wi-fi
2. Pork and rice/Chicken and rice
3. Beeping!!!

 

 

Thanks for joining us on this amazing journey to the beautiful island of Cuba  😎

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday 29th October 2019

Oh yes, today was travel day. Having made the decision not to stop off at Guanobo, this meant a straight through bus ride to Havana. Our previous experience of the Viazul bus service had not been too cosy an affair, so we’d mentally prepared ourselves (we were saving ourselves around £60 after all)!! We said our farewells to Varadero and walked along the dusty streets wheeling our suitcases (in the midday sun) to the bus station.

Now being British we had all our strategies in place – (1) arrive early to get near the front of the queue (2) Steve deal with the suitcases while I nip on to the bus and grab seats. And mission accomplished – we got two seats together near the front of the bus … and it was actually a really comfortable ride. We would have had to negotiate with the driver if we had decided to disembark at Guanabo, and when we reached that area we saw that it would have been a case of being dropped off a fair way from the destination … so all in all we had made a winning decision.

Stepping off the bus in Centro Havana we were bombarded by taxi drivers and room-renters of all sorts – a tad overwhelming! I retired to sit on a bench while Steve retrieved the luggage … but became even more of a target as I was a woman alone! I was particularly receiving a barrage of information from a chap with one arm …. I know it’s probably not very PC and not particularly promoting diversity – but there was no way I was going to get into a taxi with a one-armed driver, whether it was a car, bike or horse and cart!! We managed to escape and find ourselves a yellow state taxi to drive us to our very splendid hotel – Hotel Sevilla.

So, our first luxury accommodation since we’ve arrived in Cuba, it’s stunning. A very old hotel, steeped in history – a little shabby in places – but oh, the joy of having a large bedroom, big bed, cotton bedding and pillows, a grand lobby filled with people, live music in the cafe area day and night, fabulous pool, roof top bar – we are appreciating every scrap of this magnificent place.

As soon as we had dumped our bags, we went to explore the hotel facilities. The pool area, the gym, sauna, patio bar/coffee area, dining area etc. And then we ventured outside to get the local area sussed. We battled our way through the hordes of city tour guide touts, though very tempted at some of the gleaming American cars … and walked into the streets of old Havana. We found a couple of pretty streets, with bars, cafes and shops – there for the tourists of course but still in a very Cuban area. We stopped for a beer before going back to the hotel.

Rather than change we thought we’d keep going so up we went to the 9th floor of our hotel to try out the Roof Terrace bar and enjoy the fabulous views over the city – 2 pina coladas later we headed back to old Havana and enjoyed a delicious meal in an Italian restaurant. We had great chats with the owner, a young girl called Sofia …. and she insisted on us having free rum after we’d polished off a bottle of red wine! And so by 9.00pm we’d had rather a selection of alcohol beverages and were ready to get our heads down on those comfy pillows.

Wednesday 30th October 2019

Surprisingly we were up early and excitedly went down to discover what was on the breakfast menu. Not great! A buffet of course, and fairly limited – we were disappointed but made the most of what we could find. And then we were straight out for more exploring of the city. We’re so pleased that we’ve based ourselves in Havana Centro as it’s in walking distance of so many of the great sights. It’s an architectural dream here – you literally can’t help but take photos, we have hundreds of them. Definitely a city of contrasts however – the most magnificent buildings, that compete with the likes of Paris, Rome and London …. but so much of the city has been left to crumble. The pavements and plazas near these grand places are clean and neatly paved but as soon as you enter the side streets where the Cuban people live you’re walking in unhygienic conditions and pothole ridden streets. But we love having a good root around all the different areas – it’s fascinating. Again we were constantly approached by men selling city tours – you get the hang of it after a while.

By midday it was getting too hot so we returned to the hotel. Thought we’d give the gym a go – 20 minutes was all we could manage … there was no A/C and the sweat was literally pouring onto the equipment – it became a health and safety hazard!! So we showered and enjoyed some lunch at the poolside and then an afternoon of lounging.

In the evening we walked into Old Havana again and found another lovely restaurant that was affordable – I had my first salad for 5 weeks – a blue cheese salad, it was heaven. I say affordable because we’ve been so surprised at the prices in Cuba – it really is not cheap at all, especially when you’re having to eat out every night. We called in to see our new friend Sofia at the Italian restaurant and enjoyed a sangria before heading back.

Thursday 31st October 2019

Up and out walking again this morning … it’s great to be able to walk but I think the tour guides think we’re a bit odd. Today we walked down to the seafront and along the Malecon – Havana’s 7km long stretch of coast road …. and then back to the hotel. We didn’t do the whole 7km as it was getting incredibly hot so we cut up a road to bring us back …. and, despite Steve’s complete faith that we were heading in the right direction, we WERE lost. After 3 hours of walking we finally recognised some landmarks and were relieved to get back into the air-conditioning of our hotel. Saw some amazing sights along the way though … and had the afternoon to cool of poolside.

In the evening we stopped off for cocktails in the patio bar and joined in with some salsa dancing lessons – Steve had a go too but didn’t enjoy it as much as me … I love a bit of salsa and rumba … I was in my element.

We had dinner at Sofia’s again and enjoyed watching the young children parade up and down the street in their Halloween costumes – didn’t seem to be bagging many sweets however!

Friday 1st November 2019

Had a bit of a lie in this morning – holiday’s can make you weary you know! After breakfast we went to listen in on a talk by the concierge about the history of the Hotel. Fascinating stuff. Built by the Seville Orange family from Spain. Al Capone, Graham Greene, Ernest Hemingway were all previous visitors here in the hotel. During the prohibition, the mafia requisitioned it as their operations centre. There was a bank for money laundering and two casinos. Looked at some great photos.

Steve and I then split up for the rest of the morning . Steve went for a run and to do some more walking and I continued on a cultural path – I went to visit the National Museum of Cuban Art. An absolutely fabulous gallery and would definitely recommend it if you are in Havana. A huge amount of modern art poignantly reflecting Cuban life. Naturally a fair amount of pieces depicting thoughts on the Revolution and Fidel and Che get the odd look in. I loved some of the paintings from the earlier days of sugar plantations and slavery – some beautiful artwork and very thought provoking.

It was lovely to reunite over lunch and share what we had done – it was the first time we’d been apart in over 5 weeks!!

And in the evening we had a real blast … we went on an AirBnB experience. We met up with Rocci (a lovely young Cuban girl) and her two sidekicks Victor and Mario in a trendy bar in Centro Havana. Rocci explained that the bar had been set up on the ground floor of someone’s home – it is only in recent years that private enterprises have been allowed and so some people are using their family homes to set up bars, restaurants, shops etc. We were joined by 12 other visitors of all ages and nationalities and we had a few drinks while getting to know each other. Naturally Steve and I were the oldest members! Then we all walked together to a music venue called the Buena Vista Social Club. It was a huge old building with a room tastefully set out with long tables and fancifully dressed chairs. I guess it was for tourists but it was a pleasant environment … and our group were having lots of fun. We had drinks and a meal (pork and rice, naturally) and then more drinks. The music was absolutely first class – Cuban music from the 40s and 50s and going – a whole line up of solo artists taking turns, the majority of them looked well into their 70s. The atmosphere was amazing – impossible to sit still. And then there were the dancers who were a real showpiece. But the best bit was that we were all up dancing, Steve too (and he loved it this time) We danced the night away … I had two ‘young men’ (Victor and Mario) asking me to dance all night – it’s been a long time since that’s happened. And Steve and I were in the final 7 of our group that stayed to the very end – 11.30pm!! It had been a terrific night and we giggled our weary dancing legs home!

Saturday 2nd October 2019

We ventured out on an open top bus tour this morning – always a good way to get an overall impression of a city. We stopped off at Plaza de la Revolucion and also the Cemetery … can’t help but be amazed at the grand headstones here in Cuba. The tour also took as down to the cruise ship area and the docks where we had a brief look at a local craft market. You had to be so careful of low bridges and low hanging overhead cables – I even found myself crouching so goodness knows how Steve felt … and if you’d stood up you’d have lost your head!! Hundreds of photos of course, so much to see.

So we’re halfway through our Havana week – countdown now … these last few days will fly!

A teeny bit excited about coming home to be honest! 😊❤️

Tuesday 22nd – Monday 28th October 2019

This week has not been so much about rambling and exploring but instead languishing on the golden stretches of Varadero beach. It felt good to get a break from city life … and we felt we earned a break!!!

The journey from Santa Clara was a scenic one and with a wonderful driver, Franco. His English was little but enough to give us a guided tour all the way – all 3 hours of it. And he was so jolly, when words didn’t come then actions kicked in and so we had great rapport. Cuba is very flat so you can see miles and miles of countryside. We passed oxen working in the fields, sugar plantations, pineapples, mangos and bananas being grown. I love seeing the buffalo in the fields, each one supported by its attendant upright egret. We passed through numerous villages and towns, all of which they seem to call cities. Franco pointed at a brewery and a prison with explanations – it was better than a fully paid up excursion.

The roads in this part of Cuba (reaching tourist land) are 100% better, a little bumpy in places but nothing like the potholes we encountered further south. Franco was a sensible driver and we had seat belts so not a shred of anxiety! It still seems strange though speeding along at 70/80 mph on what is the equivalent of our motorway and then suddenly (and quite regularly) having to slow right up as you come upon a horse and cart!

We reached Varadero by early afternoon and got settled into this week’s self-contained apartment – again, not the Ritz but it has plenty of space – as well as bedroom and bathroom we have a sitting area, a kitchen and a roof terrace. The host is Marguerita and she seems very easy going and helpful. We would absolutely love to be able to self cater but unfortunately it’s impossible to buy the essentials here – the ‘mercados’ do not sell bread, eggs, cheese, ham, any meat, fruit or vegetables … it’s so weird – the local people must get it from somewhere!!? So, it was still a case of finding local cafes and restaurants to eat, and this week that included breakfast.

But it’s been a fabulously lazy and chilled week. The 20km stretch of white sand and palm trees that is Varadero beach is the epitome of paradise – the warm turquoise sea is the most stunning I have ever experienced. I definitely get this Caribbean thing now! And really there is nothing of much cultural interest here so we maxed out on beach time. Some days we would float around in the millpond like sea, other days it was quite big waves, so fun to splash around in. Lifeguards were on hand though and liked to use their whistles at frequent intervals, keeping us under control. The water is unbelievably clear – literally see through … and up to today no visible sea-life. But in our very last swim this afternoon I said to Steve ‘look some little fish’ … ‘oh some bigger fish’ … ‘ahh some really big fish!’

On the weekend days, the locals like to come to the beach in huge groups – families and friends – and they like to party. They often bring large music systems and bang out loud music … and they sing, dance and laugh loads. They also gather in the sea, fully clothed, and drink from bottles of rum – Dads mostly but some Mums join in too, while the kids sort of just amuse themselves.

The only variation to beach time has been an open-top bus tour which took us down the whole strip, from our end (which is more for casual travellers in rented rooms) down to the more salubrious end where the huge all inclusive hotels are situated. Our part of town definitely has more local life going on – some of the resorts are so set back that I doubt that the guests get much opportunity to wander outside of the complexes. But I guess they have private stretches of this wonderful beach …. and I hope their food has more variety than Cuba’s average restaurant.

Oh and Steve got his haircut …. including his ear and nostril hair!!

It’s definitely been a little easier on the food front this week, we have certainly hit a tourist area – we’ve even indulged in lasagne, hamburger AND … had some bacon for breakfast! But mostly we’re still chomping through chicken & rice, pork & rice, seafood & rice …. and fried bananas! One cafe we’ve been going to does generous portions of ice-cream so that’s a new treat. Plus it’s been a bit of a cocktail week – mojitos, sangria and margaritas – it really feels like a holiday now.

We’ve been doing a fair amount of walking, just along the strip, but it’s probably a good 3-4 miles each day and in this heat & humidity it feels like a good work out. Steve’s also started a bit of running, taking it easy, just trying to build up.

The strip has taxis of all sorts cruising up and down – as well as the traditional cars it has some classy American cars in stunning condition (so different to the others we’ve seen in previous places), smart vintage cars, horse and carts (again in good condition for tourists) and these zippy little high tech tuc tucs. They’re collectively quite a spectacle – have yet to use their services, despite regular beeping.

We pushed the boat out on Friday and walked up to the posh end of town where the first lot of hotels are. Had a great meal in a fancy restaurant and even heard some English being spoken – Americans and Canadians however. After dins, with lovely wine, we moved on to a salsa bar and enjoyed some sangria whilst listening to the music – and then we moved next door to The Beatles Bar. This was incredibly lively – an American band were playing outdoors and there was much singing and dancing going on. Once we had shaken a friendly but very drunk traveler from Chile who wanted to know everything about us, we mingled in with the movers and groovers. We certainly saw more people out tonight than we’ve seen all week – but not one English person as yet – I think they must be hiding from us!

And a little more head banging this week – in the form of low lying bus mirrors and road signs – Steve’s been sporting yet another graze on his head!

If you’re a beach person you couldn’t fail to love Varadero. However, we popped into a Cubatour office today to enquire about transport to our next destination … Guanabo. The girl was quite puzzled as to why we would possibly want to go there – her face was a picture. So after much consideration … and I guess needing a bit of home comfort … we have decided to make our way straight to Havana on Tuesday instead. We’ve booked a ticket on the local bus (cheap and cheerful) but will be staying in an actual posh hotel – am dreaming of a comfortable bed with proper pillows and crisp sheets – to end our 6 weeks of travelling.

And we won’t be lying around on beaches – too much to see and do in Havana, can’t wait. 😎