Last week, some of my friends and I went on a trip to Cuba while on a cruise, and it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. We booked the cruise on a whim and going to Havana Cuba was definitely a selling point. We had to jump through a few hoops in order to actually get off the boat
When we docked in Cuba it was sunny and looked like it was going to be a beautiful day, but somehow while we were grabbing our things and getting ready to get off the boat it started pouring. Initially, my friends and I were really bummed out. We had a tour booked in a classic convertible and thought we might have to cancel, but right as we reached the car the rain cleared up and it turned into a nice, overcast day.
At first, we couldn't find our tour guide because of the rain and we were even more upset because we had bought a 75 dollar visa in order to get off the boat and we thought it might go to waste. At the last minute however we decided to look for Mike, our tour guide, and thankfully we found him. We hopped in the car with our new friend named, Mike.
Mike was great and took us to all of his favorite local spots and showed us all of the things you're supposed to see while in Havana all while we were piled 7 deep in a 6 seat car. We got "the best Mojitos in Havana" and Cuban sandwiches. We saw all of the sites in Havana that might be labeled as a must-see and even got a great taste for the city and way of everyday life in Cuba.
The next morning was much sunnier than the previous day and much hotter. We decided to walk around the markets near the cruise terminal and it was gorgeous. There was a gorgeous cafe that was selling Cafe con Leche which was started in Cuba so it was a must buy. After enjoying our coffee, we continued to walk around and take in all the sights and sounds the city had to offer. There seemed to be a band on every corner and all the buildings were painted bright, fun colors. We even got to eat some ice cream in a coconut shell and of course bought souvenirs for our family and friends (cigars, duh) who couldn't be there.
The next day we found ourselves in Cozumel Mexico. We spent the whole day doing nothing but eating tacos, guacamole and reading books on the beach. This was by far the most relaxing day we had during the whole vacation and I loved every minute of it.
This was my first cruise experience and was definitely made better by the people on the boat. I met people from all over the world and we all got to experience Havana, Cuba together. It was the highlight of the year so far and I'm so thankful I had such great friends willing to adventure with me!
