Cuba Visit 2017 -- Traveling Disabled

Although I had a stroke last May, we decided to go ahead and travel to Cuba again. Only this time in a wheelchair. We left Canada the end of January and returned the end of March. Following is our experiences….
 

At Deer Lake airport, they were sweet at security, let us take our time. She felt all over my body gently and visually checked the wheelchair. Still had to take off my coat/sweater, watch, travel bag, etc.

Arriving in Toronto - When we reached the luggage carousel, the wheelchair attendant guy left us (asshole!)! So I wheeled myself out and Brian pushed the luggage cart.
Leaving Toronto the next day, an attendant helped us through security. They upset me, said I had to use their cane and walk through the x-ray machine. It was a straight cane which I can't balance with. They wouldn't give me my quad cane after scanning it. She said if l didn't do it that way, I   couldn't get on the plane. I told her they searched me in the wheelchair in Deer Lake. She said "oh" -- dumbass! She then did just that and an attendant helped us to the gate. Sure was nice not to have to do all that walking through the airport. But Brian, poor guy, he had to almost run to keep up with us!


Arriving in Cuba -- Cuba customs was so easy for once, no detaining to ask about my insurance (I have an American passport but Canadian insurance -- always a problem with them). All I had to show was my passport and they asked me no questions!  We had an attendant meet us and stayed with us all the way to getting our taxi. I gave her a 3 Cuc tip and Brian gave her another 5, so she did good that day! She took care of me while Brian did his part. They scanned me in the wheelchair just like at Deer Lake. She even put all my stuff in the scanning tub for me. The cab driver helped Brian.

Got a taxi to Cienfuegos = $150!  Usually around $70. When we got to our usual casa it was a good thing we brought the inflatable lantern because there was no lamp at all! Just overhead dim light. The inflatable pillows worked great, too. No backaches, this year, from their iron rail headboard, whenever we wanted to sit in bed and read, etc.

Rey (runs the casa) wrapped a string of green LED lights around a pineapple tree in his front yard. They come on automatically when it starts to get dark. Cute advertising gimmick!  

                                                                                         

We packed a shower chair that didn’t need tools. I’m so glad we did as Cuba didn’t have things for the disabled. When we left, our casa owner said we could leave it there as I already had one at home. Plus we didn’t want to dismantle it and pack it again when their casa was the only place I needed it.

I must say traveling in Cuba, in a wheelchair, sucks!! There are no ramps to get across the street and the curbs were about 8 inches high! Every time Brian had to tilt me back, to get up the curb, I felt like I was going to slide out backwards -- terrified me. And half the time, we had to ride down the roads, which were very bumpy! It rattled/shook my whole body.

We went to a restaurant once a week, only a block away; and to the hotel (about 8 blocks away) once a week for the wi-fi. That's it!

We mainly enjoyed the warmth for 2 months, so that was nice. And no snow!

I told Brian  I  think it's  funny that he always said "I  don't  need no stinking tablet" - -he's  on it all morning, some in the afternoon, and all evening til bedtime!! Playing games I downloaded for him.

Brian wheeled me to the bigger store. Half the shelves were empty! No cereal, nothing but juices, milk, candy and yogurt/pudding. And, of course, liquor! Last year there was 4 or 5 kinds of cold cereal. There was only cereals that were the baby kind.

Brian paid up for the week - $295 counting laundry and meals. Not bad!!

There's a vendor here on a 3 wheel bicycle/cart and he has it rigged up to play music like you'd hear on an ice cream truck. Plus he has a recording saying what he's selling. He never has to say a word, just ride along selling his wares. New to us.
It rained all afternoon, brought temp down to maybe 23C. Brian put on his canvas pants because he was too chilly. What a doofus. I'm in my thin cotton pj's and very comfy!

Poor Brian -- all his friends are gone, Juan Carlos works uptown, instead of across the street at the cadeca.  Terry, from Vancouver who moved to Cuba, moved uptown. Mario, also from Canada, stays at another casa because his old one was sold to someone not interested in the casa business. Anthony, the taxi “pimp” is still around, apparently he goes by Christian now??? We use his services, every year, to set up taxi service from Cienfuegos back to Matanzas and any other long excursions we may take. His service is free but I bet he gets kick-back from the taxi drivers. He, also, used to ride his bike around but he’s graduated to an electric scooter. Business must be good!

  Immigration today, oh boy. Left at 1015a, back at almost 1p! Taxi stayed with us through the whole thing and cost $15 plus a $5 tip. Now comes the insurance crap again. NIGHTMARE!! When we got there she said my actual name was not on the insurance letter. Apparently “Brian Robson and FAMILY” is not enough!! We left there to go to the insurance place to get a verification letter. It was very busy, had to wait 1/2 hour. My wheelchair wouldn't fit down the hallway due to an old air conditioner sitting there. They let Brian take all my papers back there and go through the process which only took 15 minutes. Then back to immigration  for another 20 minute  wait, then THAT process took another 20 minutes  and I had too pee so bad! Finally it was over!! When we got home, Brian wheeled me straight to the bathroom door.

We met some unhappy Americans -- too noisy, can't sleep at night for the noise, renewing Visa too much trouble, casa owner wouldn't strike a deal - he insisted $30 CUC was fair. They said "Never again!"

  I think we're going to try the new “McDonald's" tonight. Went down there and it DOES say McDonald's res (beef), chicken, etc. They have a hot dog literally -- perro caliente! -- we have ketchup packs and the place has mustard. It was really good! 2 hot dogs cut in 1/2 on a 6 inch bun. They put mustard on it, then I added our ketchup. Only weird thing was they had lettuce on it -- who does that?

We've seen several wheelchairs here, never paid attention before. They were all Cubans, too, not tourists. Most of them were regular ones but one was modified, looked more like a 3 wheel bicycle. On a regular wheelchair he'd added a third wheel on the front and put the pedals in front of him to propel it with his hands! Very ingenious! He even popped a wheelie for me!

Brian was lying on the bed, playing on his tablet, and I said "You look like a man on vacation, and enjoying it." He said "It's only a facade, baby." I asked "You're not enjoying your vacation?" He said "Nope!" Then I said "Are you out shoveling snow, splitting wood, breaking up ice?" He said "Nope." I said "Then you're enjoying your vacation." There was no comeback to that.

We've had some different veggies, at the casa, this year: radishes, red cabbage, lettuce, beets, and cold cooked carrots or cold, cooked green beans. That’s instead of the usual tomato slices, cucumber slices, and shredded cabbage.

We went down and got the "McDonald's" burger -- lettuce, burger patty, thin slice of ham. Didn't taste like a burger at all, I could mostly taste just the ham.

We've been here 3 times and someone told us that "cadeca" was pronounced 'ca-dee-sah'. So all this time that's how we said it with no questioning looks or comment. Today, a taxi driver (who spoke fair English) told us it was pronounced 'ca-deck-ah'. ?? Maybe it is a regional thing?
And I  know many 'food' words but the street vendors, in their carts or bicycles, peddling their wares and are calling out what they have for sale -- I  can't  understand  a word they're  saying. What up with that?

While here we saw first-hand what happens when you put toilet paper in the toilet (you’re to put it in the wastebasket). A casa across the street had plumbing messed up because of it. They had to have  the  city come out and jackhammer the  street  to get to the  plumbing  then have a plumber  fix it then the city had to come  back  and pour new concrete. Took a week to finish!

Varadero airport wouldn't let me keep my wheelchair. It was checked as baggage but they'll bring it to the gate when the plane lands. I had to use one that belonged to the airport. An attendant took us to the smoking room and would come back in 50 minutes. In the smoking room, on a chair, we set the seat pad, to the wheelchair, and my coat and bag on top of it. When the guy came back he hurried us along as they were already boarding, so we grabbed all quickly and left. After being on the plane for 1/2 hour, I asked Brian where the pad was because I didn't see him put it in the overhead. Guess what? In the rush, he forgot the pad as it was black lying on a black chair. The attendant had me turned away so the chair was behind me so I didn’t see it or I would’ve reminded Brian. When we got home and found out, from WestJet, we’d have to pay for its flight back we just ordered a new one -- much cheaper indeed!

Even though it’s cold and snow laden, it is good to be home. 

Cuba Visit 2016

Matanzas/Varadero Arrival

Feb 9 … I had to put up with the same bullshit, in Varadero airport, as last year -- took me an hour to get out of there! Lots of questions, misunderstandings until I finally got it across to them that I lived in Canada. I found out later, when renewing my visa in Cienfuegos, the problem is that my travel insurance is on a Canadian company but my passport is American which causes the confusion. Live and learn!

We stayed at Villa Loreto -- nice room, great lighting, full size fridge with ice tray but it never got cool and on the 3rd day it rattled loud constantly so we unplugged it. Martha was healing from a broken ankle. She spoke fair English. Noisy busy street one block away (the casa was on the playa side of Matanzas, about 4 or 5K from downtown). She said breakfast was fine but supper would be hard for her so we’d need to eat out. She arranged for a taxi and a casa for Jesse and JF (Brian’s daughter and hubby) who would be arriving in Santa Clara on the 12th.

We ate supper at a restaurant right around the corner -- the Bukan -- fine dining, excellent food and service.

Temps were really cool -- 12-15 C (53-59F) during the day plus real breezy!

Feb 12 ... Jesse and JF landed in Santa Clara at 1:30pm. They arrived here at 5:15pm.

$130 for 400K round trip. The driver took all of us to their casa which was very nice and quieter than ours.

Then we walked to the Bukan restaurant for supper -- $43, including tip, for appetizers and meal each, plus 2 rums and 3 beers CHEAP!  Jesse and JF were very impressed and ate heartily! (More about this great restaurant later)

Feb. 13 … We took a taxi to Rio Canimar ($10). We rented a motor boat for an hour ($40 per BOAT, not per person.) We had a great time! Brian drove first but refused to turn around where we were supposed to. This upset Jesse, as she didn’t want us to end up in a Cuban jail, so she made him switch with her and drove 1/2 way back, JF drove the rest of the way. We saw lots of pelicans!

Back at the main building, we watched a show put on by the locals which involved dancing and drums. Interesting!  

He's having way too much fun!

                                         

Playa Larga

Feb. 14 ... We got a taxi, for the 4 of us, to Playa Larga ... 10am ($80/123K). We arrived at noon to Hostal Juaquinillo. Owner Julio was very sweet, accommodating and spoke very good English! The rooms were nice but not much storage. It was very noisy because neighbors played loud music all day until 10pm. Biting mosquitoes in the room didn’t help us sleep either!

We went to the bank to exchange money. Arriving back to the casa, Brian counted his money and found the clerk gave him $32 too much. He said he'd return it the next day. Well, later, she showed up at the casa crying. The bank was going to dock her 2 months pay! Brian explained he was coming back, then he gave her the extra money and she cried from relief -- poor girl was really upset!

Feb. 16 ....  9am. We’re off to the Parque Nacional Cienaga de Zapata several K from Playa Larga. We went to the bat cave first. Climbed a makeshift ladder down to it -- very scary going down for me. Not too bad going back up. Saw hummingbirds, woodpeckers, terrapins -- no snakes (thank god)! We did the tour through VERY rocky/coral terrain -- climbing involved about 2 feet up or down coral rock. You better have sturdy footwear and strong ankles! We stopped 1/2 way for 30 minutes, for diving/snorkeling which the kids did while we watched/rested. We were back to the casa by 1pm. 

     

Feb. 17 ... JF went to the beach this morning, came back with sand flea bites all over his legs, Jesse has mosquito bites all over her back from yesterday. They had applies insect repellent but it didn’t help at all. Poor kids!

 9:30 am ... off to the crocodile farm ( Criadero de Cocodrillos). 10 minute drive. We took photos of Brian in front of our 1954 (year he was born) Chevy taxi -- "2 antiques". There were tree rats (sooo cute) in a cage with an iguana. We toured all the craft shops/tiendas. There were hens with baby chicks everywhere! Jesse wants some chicks now -- haha.

Got to the croc area which is all fenced in with chain link. There were about 3 dozen in all sizes. Most didn't move until feeding time. Then they crawled, very slowly, over each other to get the food. Took lots of photos and Brian took a video. I took a photo of an odd coconut tree that grew lengthwise before growing upward. We were back by 11:30 am.