After the alarm jolted us from our slumber, we look for Grant’s backpack and realize… OMG, we left it at the museum! We had to check it at the door at the Museo de Belles Artes Cubanos, and were so tired by the time we left, we forgot to pick it up. Grant almost has a heart attack, and stress levels are at an all-trip high. After waiting patiently (or not so patiently, actually) for the museum to open, we run over and explain what happened. After what we think was a wide-eyed “gulp” from the front desk, and nerve-wracking 20 minute wait, our bag is returned with EVERYTHING intact. Upon inspection, we realize we were incredibly, INCREDIBLY lucky, because we find that we had accidentally left our passports in the back pocket of that bag.
Key takeaway: losing your passports while in a country you are not supposed to be in (and the US government does not know you are in) would’ve made for a pretty unpleasant situation.
We were told repeatedly by the security team to check the bag before we leave, but everything is there *YAY!* / *Thank goodness!!*
With our goods and sanity restored, we celebrated with jittery relief over breakfast and then hopped in an classic car cab which took us to Playa del Este for a beach day! We were definitely the only non-locals around, which was refreshing in its own way. We spent the day lazing, sunning, watching Cuban kids get pummeled by shorebreak, swimming in the bathwater-temperature sea, and discussing how sad it is that the beach is so dirty (lots of trash). Luckily, we manage not to get completely fried by the Cuban sun and headed back to the parking lot to meet our driver for our trip back to the city.
Along the way though, we had realized that we would be passing the bar/restaurant where Hemingway spent many hours chatting with an old sea captain. That’s pretty neat, but what was more interesting is that 1) this sea captain was the inspiration for the old man in ‘Old Man & the Sea’ who lived to be nearly 100!; and 2) there’s a table permanently reserved and set in the corner for Ernest himself, should he ever return.
After a quick bite there, while we were serenaded by the house band at our table, we walk a little ways down the street to see the Ernest Hemingway Memorial — this wasn’t visually impressive, but the backstory is: when Hemingway passed, all the fishermen in town donated one brass ring from their boats, which were all melted down and used to create the bust at the Memorial!
From there we finally let our patient driver take us back to Havana, hopped in the shower, and then hustle off to quickly buy postcards and then catch the sunset along the Malecon. However, the universe had other plans for us. On the way to the Malecon, we instead run into a local family (Dad, daughter, mom) in front of the Cuban Revolution Museum. We started chatting, find out that it’s the dad’s birthday, that the mom somehow speaks Italian, and that their daughter is adorably chatty (but only in Spanish, so we only catch one out of every 50 words 🙂 ). Before we know it, we’re sipping drinks at a local bar where Ché used to hang out and learning about their life in Cuba. Even more amazingly, they insist we join them at their home for coffee and of course, some local Cuban rum. So yes, we did unfortunately miss the sunset, but instead had an amazing experience with a lovely, friendly, and fun Cuba family. Definitely a memory that will stick with us longer than another red/orange sun dipping into the sea.
After thanking them profusely and exchanging contact info, we make a made dash out to the Malecon to catch the very last few last whisps of sunset – it is lovely, and we’re amazed that we still were able to catch it for our last night in Havana.
As the sun sets on our final moments in Cuba…
From there, we walked back towards our casa to finally dine at Donde Lis — this was the spot in Havana where the staff the first time yelled “Hey Piqué!” to Grant, and then the second time greeted us “Hola Piqué, are you joining us for dinner tonight?”, so after that, we felt like the least we could do is check it out. It was a new spot, with great service and great food. Jess enjoyed some killer Pollo Asada and Grant was happily filled by a hearty bowl of Seafood Stew.
You can’t tell, but I was dripping with sweat…
This one’s for you, Suraj & Neil!
After eating, we bid our restaurant friends farewell, and drag ourselves home to finally start the inevitable: packing our things for the last time on this two month adventure. We tidy up, practice our story for border control upon re-entering (hopefully) the US, and of course, bed.
-G & J