Cigars

...are what tourists go nuts over in Cuba. These cigars would cost a bloody fortune here in Canada and are supposed to be fabulous, if you enjoy smoking them that is.

For example: We bought Cohibas @5 in a pack for 15 pesos (that's about $17 Canadian or something like that). Here in Canada those same cigars sell for about $35 each!!

This is the life

Yup, this really is the life....sitting in the sun on the beach overlooking the ocean...oh man, how I wish I could go back. And being in Cuba made me miss home because most of all (besides my family) I miss the ocean so much I can barely stand it! I swear I'd up and move back for that reason alone (if only I could convince my dear hubby)!

Cuban Flowers

I LOVE taking pics of flowers...sometimes they turn out nice, sometimes not...but here are some of my favs from the garden at the resort.




and of course, "down-south" pics wouldn't be complete without a palm tree

Cuba Pics

FINALLY! I've tried posting pics of CUBA for the last week and I haven't been able to get it to work.

So here goes...

Eagle Cam

Kristen just sent me this link where you can watch eagles in their nest in B.C. that are gonna have babies hatching soon. Isn't that the coolest?!

I'm a bit of wildlife geek so pardon my excitement. What a great idea to share this with the rest of the world, as long as it doesn't in any way disturb the natural habitat of the eagles, of course!

Check it out.

I think there are other cams as well at http://www.eaglecam.com/

OLA

Well I'm back from Cuba, so sad to say. Our vacation was amazing! I've been to Cuba before but it was such a long time ago that I had forgotten how wonderful it really is.

We arrived on Sunday morning, April 10th, immediately met 3 friends on the bus on the way to the resort who we hung out with until they returned on Wednesday. They were hilarious! I was so happy to have them to keep Jamie and I company.

First thing I did when I arrived in Cuba? I went to the lobby bar and ordered myself a "Mojito", the drink made famous by Ernest Hemingway. I love that drink! Mmmmm...

Here's how they made it at our resort:
2 tbsp sugar
3 -4 leaves fresh mint
1 shot lime juice (or the juice or one fresh lime)
crush using a pestle or spoon or other utensil in the bottom of a high-ball glass
add lots of crushed ice
2 shots light rum
top up with soda
stir and enjoy!

Jamie and I brought back some rum from Cuba so I can enjoy one of these every now and then from home but it's just not the same as having someone else make it for you.

Speaking of having someone else make things for you, I could really get used to having my meals cooked for me all of the time. Even tho' the food wasn't great in Cuba, I still managed to put back on the 3 lbs I had lost the week before :( Oh well, it's not every week I get to vacation in Cuba, not even every year. I expect our future vacations will be "kid-friendly" trips within Canada and home to Newfoundland.

I was a little disappointed that I didn't get to visit the city of Havana. I was really looking forward to that but Jamie didn't want to go. Oh well, we did get to do lots of other things, relax lots on the beach, see shows every night at the resort, etc. On Tuesday the 5 of us (Jamie and I and the 3 new friends mentioned above) rented mopeds for the afternoon and toured the countryside. That was awesome fun, loved that so much! We also went into the town of Varadero on a couple of different occasions to do some touring and a bit of shopping at the flea market. We rented a little Coco-Cab (these are hilarious!) once and then took horse and buggy two other times. I must admit, I felt really bad for the horses. It's so hot there and they're working so hard to pull the cart. The driver let me give the horse my bottle on water, I kept pouring it into my hand and she was lapping it up like crazy, poor thing!

At the market, I found some pretty neat souvenirs. The last time I was in Cuba, I bought some really interesting art so I was determined to get more. This time, I found paintings on canvas, 2 8x10's, really super colourful and fun (one of a cat and one of a dog) and they came in bamboo frames. Can't wait to find a good place to hang them in our house. Otherwise, I got neat little hand-sewn linen embroidered dresses for the 4 youngest nieces. For the older nieces, we got necklace and bracelet sets, bought from a vendor who set up his cart on the beach at the resort. From the same guy, Jamie and I also bought bead (made from shell or bone) necklaces. I really love how Jamie looks in his necklace with the tanned skin and all (sexy sexy..he he).

And let me tell how that tanned skin didn't come without a price for Jamie. Dumbass decided to stop re-applying the sunscreen and fell asleep in the sun while I was off playing volleyball. And then he burned his shoulders and his back SO bad, he was DONE for 2 days! Seriously, he had blisters ALL over, it's so nasty now that they're driving up and peeling and stuff. Ick! But otherwise, his tan looks really nice. I'm so upset when people tan easily. I have a "tan" but I'm so pale that I now just look like I'm normal skin colour rather than porcelein white. lol :)

Our hotel room was quite nice. Can't say that I spent any time there besides sleeping but it was nice, nothing fancy but it did the job just fine for us.

And then on Friday Jamie and I were so excited waiting for Jen and Chris, Christa and Kristen, to arrive. All day Jamie's like "Well they're on their way to airport now", "Yup, they're on the plane now", "Ok, they must be touching down in Cuba now" lol. They got to the resort around 11:30pm or so, Jamie and I were waiting in the lobby for them, sipping back on mojitos and "Miami-Vice" (a strawberry/pineapple slushy drink Jamie loved). We really enjoyed their company the last couple of days of our vacation, Christa and Jen LOVED the beach. Kristen was going nuts over the snorkelling, and Chris (another dummy...sorry Chris) but he refused to learn from Jamie's mistake and then brutally burnt his chest. Stubborn boys!

Everyone keeps asking me about the Cuban night-life and the clubs and all that. And let me tell you that we had every intention of going out at least one night. Everyday we were like "Ok, tonight. Let's meet at 11:20 and take the bus to La Mambo Club" (or wherever the happening spot was that night). And then after being up all day since 8am, being lazy on the beach, getting lots of sun, etc. by the time the evening show was over at 11pm, we were COOKED, DONE, and totally ready to go to bed. I know we sound like a bunch of old fogies, but com'on, we're not 19 anymore!! he he!

And as an added bonus, we got to stay an extra day in CUBA. YES! Isn't that great?! Here's what happened - we were supposed to flight out around 10:30 Sunday night and arrive in Toronto 2am Monday morning. Well, we're all checked out and packed and waiting for the bus to arrive and pick us up when one of the hotel staff come out and tell us "We just got a call, your flight has been cancelled". They told us there was a snowstorm in St. John's, NL. and the plane couldn't fly in. (Dad told me later that he didn't think there was snow but he heard there was crazy fog and they had a lot of problems getting planes in and out of St John's over a couple of days on the weekend). So there we were, Newfies stuck in Cuba....and all because of Newfoundland weather. How awesome is that? I tell ya, Jamie was a little bit in panic mode but then we got another room in our resort and got to spend another day of sunshine and beach with our friends. I was a little late for work (oops!) but oh well.

And now this week is almost done and before ya know it, Jen and Christa and the guys will be back to this craziness too! Wish I was still there enjoying the ocean air, that's what I miss the most.

Will have some pics to share soon.

OLA From CUBA

Bang

I have made a change.

I think it's drastic.

I've not done this since grade 7!! (that's 15 years ago!)

...

I now have bangs...gasp! (Yes, to me this is a big deal)

Had a hair appointment yesterday, didn't really intend for this to happen but I did it.

I'm sitting in the chair as the stylist is making snips thinking "Ok Myrna,...take a deep breath....in and out..."

But I like it. It's going to take some getting used to.

Jamie hasn't seen me yet. Got home late and he was already sleeping. His only comment was "You don't have 'newfie' hair do you?" (referring to the puffy teased bangs from the 80s I assume), to which I replied, "absolutely NOT!"

They're actually kinda just a side bang, sweeping a little "off kilter", but still short enough to make me think of my grade school pictures. It's a shocker - Didn't think I'd ever revisit those days.

And coming to work makes me a little nervous with the new hair. These people have been my disfunctional 2nd family for nearly 10 years so in a weird sick kinda way their opinions really do seem to matter. So far, good reactions...so that's alright I guess.

So there's my news for today....chant with me now: "Change is good, Change is good..."

The Countdown is ON

4 days and I'll by flying to Varadero, Cuba! Jamie has finally started to show some excitement too which is nice...about time, he was so "whatever" about it before. Now that we have our passports and have almost completed our last minute shopping, it seems to be finally sinking in for him that we are leaving to fly for vacation to a tropical island in the Caribbean! Warm weather, sunny skies, sandy beach....here we come!

I mentioned shopping...have had to do a bit of that (oh, poor me! note the sarcasm?). Jamie really needed shorts, I needed a couple of tankinis (the bikinis I had last year just not cutting it yet this year...for some reason they're just not covering the same amount of skin!) I got this one in green and another one from Sears that I can't find online, it's bright pink (aren't you proud of me for getting pink?) with orange trim, pretty cute. We also shopped for little gifts to give while we're visiting. Tips online said to leave the maid little gift bags with soap, shampoo, toothpaste, pantyhose, all kinds of things that we take for granted but are really expensive for them to purchase out of their meager wages. Today I think I'll head out to the mall, check out Old Navy, see if I can find myself a pair of shorts or a skirt. Again, a lot of my summer things don't fit....it's so upsetting!!!

On the bright side...I've lost 3 lbs...he he...not much I know but it's a start, right?

And today I get my hair cut and my eyebrows waxed, get my B12 shot at the doctor, go for a tan, etc. etc. Lots of last minute stuff.

Our flight leaves on Sunday morning EARLY...sucks to get up at 2:30am, drive to the airport, Park n Fly, wait in line to check-in only to wait another 2 hours for take-off...but hey, that means we arrive in Cuba EARLY too. On the way back will be much worse when we arrive in Toronto 2am Monday morning and I have to work at 7am!! Ugh, don't even want to think about that!