Who is Krizia?
my journey my journey my journey my journey. MY JOURNEY MY JOURNEY MY JOURNEY MY JOURNEY
my journey my journey my journey my journey. MY JOURNEY MY JOURNEY MY JOURNEY MY JOURNEY
Growing up in Miami to Cuban parents, and true to my Latin roots and Sagittarius spirit, I wasn’t what one would call a “wallflower”.
Apparently I’ve always enjoyed putting on a show, so much so that I would produce my own magic shows in the Bajos’ family living room. Though my brother, Stefano, may disagree, those were a hot ticket.
LA is now my home, but I keep my Caribbean heritage alive and well, thankyouverymuch, by cooking as much Cuban food as my hips allow me to ingest while shimming up a storm with the sounds of Pachyman or Surprise Chef on my record player.
Replicating the alluring GPS voice I heard in my car when I first moved to LA was, what i thought, a party trick. After several friends commented that I should try voiceover, I sought out classes, found a mentor, and made GPS voices my income generator! In all actuality, acting in any medium is my joy. The fact that I get to ‘work’ doing cartoons, video games, audiobooks, commercials, and more is a cherry on top of the hell-yeah sundae. Video Games have become so cinematic, grounded and real that it takes just as much, if not more, of my skill as an actor to convey these beautifully complex character’s realities. What a joy.
Voiceover was a fun side quest that became a much bigger part of my journey.
The transition occurred thanks to the creation of Voiceover Camp and unlocking my teacher/coach potential, plus, several titans in the field who pushed me into the directing deep end. I’m so grateful for their not-so-gentle nudge because voice directing is a path that fits so seamlessly with my skills and personality type. What a great surprise! My first job was a sweet, cozy, indie game called Wylde Flowers. I had the great fortune of working with an insanely talented cast and the most supportive dev team. From there, the bar was set and I couldn’t turn back.
Directing was not something I ever wanted – or better said – knew I wanted.
Which I later understood makes for good detective work in my chosen field. Instead of making stuff *disappear*, I’m now more of a creator; forging work for myself and my friends by way of directing, coaching and developing ideas about how I see the world - which has been quite freeing. I’ve learned I don’t have to “put on a show” to succeed, I can embrace the energy and enthusiasm I’ve spent many years trying to temper and go full Krizia.
I’m a curious creature who is constantly fascinated by people and why they are who they are.
Who am I when I’m not working?
I love traveling to Hawaii (Kauai esp) or any beach getaway, or tucking away in an Idyllwild mountain or really traveling to ANYWHERE. I’m a Sagg, remember? When I’m at home base, I really enjoy catching concerts or outdoor movies at Cinespia, and lazy Sunday afternoons with my Love and my little rescued rascal, Lucy.
,xoxo
ps. in the dancing mood? watch this love letter to Havana by Queen Omara
What do smores and microphones have in common?
GREAT QUESTION.
As the founder of Voiceover Camp, I'm dedicated to sharing my expertise and creating a welcoming community for voiceover enthusiasts.
At Voiceover Camp, we've discovered the perfect blend of two worlds: the cozy camaraderie of sharing s'mores around a campfire and the art of crafting your voice in a professional setting. Our offerings, led by working voice actors, provide the essential ingredients for your vocal adventure. Join us to experience the sweet harmony of skill-building and a kind, encouraging atmosphere that makes us more than just a school - we're a family of vo devotees.
La Botanica Productions
Birthed from the desire to tell other people’s stories in a way that feels in alignment with my husband and I, we created several passion projects that call to our soul.
BABY PICTURE PROJECT
SPOILER ALERT: GRAB A TISSUE.
Many of us battle with an internal voice of self-criticism. We criticize, berate, and even disparage ourselves, treating ourselves far worse than we'd ever treat other people.
We (La Botanica Productions) wanted to bring to light how impactful our thoughts and negative self-talk are. We’re usually quick or casual about saying things like “you’re not good enough”, but we would never say those things to someone else, even less, a child.
This idea came from my own personal experience of being very rough on myself and further exacerbating my insecurities. I've done a lot of work on this, some which included what you see in this video. That experience coupled with a lot of other developmental work has really helped me rise above my limiting thoughts. I am forever grateful for this exercise and pray that others find some light within this as well.
I went to Cuba. I've gotten a smorgasbord of reactions with that sentence, depending on someone's personal or political ties, along with just a general interest and lots of questions. This constant curiosity, whether coming from a negative or positive place, prompted me to write this blog. I had a travel diary on my journey and wanted to share that on an online space where I can better illustrate my experiences and more importantly my intentions for Returning to my Roots. This trip wasn't a vacation, it was an enlightenment.
Please be advised: I'm not a professional writer by any means, these entries were often in a car (Almendron) or late at night and they are raw thoughts, unfiltered and not edited. Just me.
THE CUBA CHRONICLES
my *only* travel journal
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Since Cuba is not a trip you can plan as easily as say, Hawaii, there are steps that you need to take to obtain a ticket and visa, you also need to know certain rules to enter/exit this mysterious island.
Ticket and Visa: I used the Travel Agency DMC/ Destination Management Consultants and dealt with Sheyla Diaz, a very helpful agent based in Miami, FL. Contact Info: 1850 SW 8th Street, Suite 204-A, Miami, FL 33135 // 305.443.0417 // sheyla@dmcandtravel.com. We flew through Marazul Charter which are either American Airlines, Delta, or JetBlue planes. I paid $400 round trip and Marazul includes the exit tax ($25) in that price.
Should your charter not include the exit tax, please keep 25 CUC handy at the end of your stay so you can leave the island! Also, cash is the only method of payment in Cuba, no credit cards, travelers checks, or anything else is accepted there.
Tips: Your phone will not work over there. There is only wifi in the hotels, should you stay in one (I highly recommend staying at a Casa Particular, more on those below). You're able to rent one through DMC but I loved being off the grid for a week.
Bring medications (prescriptions and over the counter), sunscreen, hair products and anything else you may need as these items are difficult to find there and you don't want to waste time trying to find them.
I recommend rummaging through your closet and packing clothes that you may not have worn in a while and don't mind leaving to the beautiful people there. I brought outfits and shoes that I knew I could easily part with at the end of my stay. Even if you don't have family in Cuba, there is always someone who will know what to do with that thoughtful care package. Clothes and shoes are not easy to find or cheap for them, so this is something special you can leave behind as a token of gratitude.
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Casa Particular: My intention for this trip was to see Cuba from the realest POV possible, and that would definitely omit staying in a hotel. Casas Particulares are plentiful in Cuba. We stayed with family in Havana but in Varadero we secured a wonderful little Casa for three days. Roberto & Martha's home was a 1 minute walk from the legendary beach, a short stroll to local Artisanal shops, and a quick taxi/Almendron/horse carriage ride to plenty of delicious restaurants. Roberto charge 30 CUC a night because we were in an off peak time. it's 35 CUC if you're there during the peak months. Contact information: Street 17 #102A, 1st and 2nd Ave, Varadero, Cuba. // +53.45.612958 mobile +53.52.775806 contact@bbinnvinales.com
Bonus: If you also have Cuban roots, I highly recommend trying to locate the homes of your family. My grandfather made a map for me before I left and he circled the home where he grew up and lived until he was 17. He also showed me the home where my mother and aunt lived until they fled Cuba in 1961. He asked me to take pictures of them if I could. My aunt on my dad's side gave me the address where we have a cousin I never met. He still lives in the home where my dad was born and most of his family lived. These were very special landmarks for me and created a powerful adventure which I detailed in my travel diary.
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I can't believe we're actually going to Cuba. I'm on the plane now and we're preparing to land. It still doesn't feel real. Today was an emotional day. I can't fully comprehend why I feel the way I do. The only way I can describe it is: my Roots. My history that always felt like it was stuck in a dusty book, is finally coming alive! Abi and Belo came to the airport to send us off with a map of their homes and the place where they first met and I left them with several tears shared. I felt... so overwhelmed with whatever they were feeling. They said they longed to go with me and wished they could share this experience together. That makes my heart ache. Even writing this, gives me a runny nose and wet eyes/ I just looked out the window and there it is!
((Insert from Jay)) We just landed. The entire plane clapped. I expected nothing less.
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First official day. Last night we got picked up by Aramis, Estrella, and Aramisito. What a beautiful family. So genuinely excited to us and show and explain SO MUCH! I feel like my head is trying to wrap itself around these 'politics' and concepts and their way of life. We ate at our first 'negocio privado' - not bad food but definitely not exciting. I don't mind at all because my intention is to absorb as much as I can and food will be just to sustain me. I do have to say that I may be addicted to their mango juice. Holy shit, that stuff is good.
Our lovely Casa Particular mom made us some this morning .We slept well. Sheets were not soft but we were so tired we fell like bricks and passed out till 10am. Aramisito was waiting for us. At this very moment I'm surrounded by bodies and bones. This is the craziest cemetery I've ever seen. El Cementerio de Colon. My mom would love the huge memorial for the Bomberos. There is nothing taller or bigger here, it isn't allowed. The cars are impressive. I feel like I've been transported through time. I can't believe I'm walking down the streets where my grandparents lived and breathed. I feel so lucky to be able to be here. My heart is full.
Now eating at our first Havana Restaurant- Cafe Paris. We had a mojito (shit was strong!), an appetizer of shrimp (meh) and a Ropa Vieja type dish with moros. It was a bit over salted but good enough. The music is incredible. A band started playing almost at the end of our meal, which is better than most live music I've heard in Hollywood- the capital of entertainment. Pssh. The singer was heavenly, and the amount of joy and love I felt just listening to them jam took my breath away. Oh, tipping 1 CUC is more than enough here. ONE. It's difficult for me to leave just that but Aramisito says that's plenty. He's been a great tour guide; such a sweet guy but also sassy and funny. I love the sense of humor here. I hope it rubs off on me this week. I wish I had their chispa!
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The Art! Wow. Wow. Wow. We just left El Artesano del Muelle. We're in a taxi now, so excuse my jumpy handwriting. So much art. Yes, some were touristy but really cool stuff nonetheless. I enjoy talking to the artists and hearing their stories. It's funny how they are so fascinated by us but we think they are the fascinating ones. We fell in love with some pieces that we're coming back for on Wednesday. Havana is falling apart but I can see the beauty. I felt like I understood why it's hard for my grandparents to come back. This place must have been insanely gorgeous 50 years ago. But it's definitely sad, a tragedy. They are rebuilding some streets and some buildings. We don't feel foreign here, our spanish has improved- I'm getting complimented on it, which helps me not feel so insecure! Jay has too. Aramisito says he looks more foreign because of the intense beard he's sporting and his light eyes. After he said that, I noticed no one had beards.
Ok, so although the home we stayed at sufficed, Aramis and his family insisted we stay with them. We'd have our own keys and bathroom . So of course, we went. I left Alicia and Raul's home by saying that Varadero was available to us earlier, and with a mango juice in tow and some pictures, we were off. I left her 50 CUC, some Kiss Perfumes (thanks Dad), and clothes for the young girl that I think was their granddaughter.
Just got back to our new home in Vedado at 3am. Pretty beat. We were fed some delicious (by Cuban standards) chicken and rice & beans by Estrella. She cracks me up. Straight shooter but with a lot of animated sass. I love that broad. We had to be ready by 8pm because Aramis' brother, Tito, was going to pick us up to see El Cañonazo. He picked us up with this wife, Grisel, and his daughter, Claudia. Very sweet and cute girl. We witnessed this tradition where sometime in the 1800's (I believe) Havana had to shut down the Port so pirates and other enemies wouldn't try to invade them. They signaled this with a loud canon shooting. This happens at 9pm every night. Locals and tourists alike gather around the Morro and Canons and watch as young military men in ridiculous garb
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and white wigs start the ceremony. It ends with a loud bang, shooting blanks, and everyone claps. Pretty cool alarm clock. Quite the fuss. We then enjoyed an hour or so on El Malecon. It's the Cuban PCH, a wide bank divided rocky water with the street, and locals use it as their hang out. It's free, all their friends go, there's a constant breeze and occasionally you get serenaded. I could see Stefano spending hours upon hours on this thing. We talked about Cuba and reasons to why it is the way it is, and other topics like that until a man with a guitar and a humming-buzzing instrument came by. That was awesome. Oh yeah, it's called a kazoo. He sang 5 or 6 songs. His name is Deste. What a character. I got teary eyed in one of the songs thinking about my ancestors hanging out en El Malecon. The idea that my roots are expanding to meet my history, people who made me who I am, astounds me. Also, Cuban people, for the most part, are simple and happy. They're expressive and live life to the fullest of what they can realize. It's inspiring. After our mini-concert, we headed to a little dessert/pastry place and I had a delicious lemon tart. Claudia was quiet but laughed at some of the stupid things I said. You can tell she was excited to have us around. She nearly flipped out of her chair when Jay told her I was a SIM. Actually, more people here know the SIMS than I expected. She likes to take pictures... photography is her hobby. Tito is a kind guy, more soft spoken than his brother but opened up more as the night went on. Grisel was a little chatterbox and full of life and energy. She definitely has opinions and expresses them freely.
I'm pooped but loved today. I feel blessed to be here and I hope time moves very slowly tomorrow.
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Woke up pretty late. It was a long, full day yesterday, and I'm a sleeper... need my 8 hours! I did forget to mention being in Tito and Grisel's house yesterday. They were very excited to show it and also lots of pictures on their computer. Pictures of their beach vacations from all parts of Cuba. I noticed that they had a lot of knick-knacks. Alicia and Raul's place had those too. Little items scattered all over the house. I guess when you don't have much you save everything. It was interesting to me.
We're back in Tito's car after treasure hunting. We were able to go into my grandfather's first house on San Carlos St and my Tio Juanito's house next door. We found them after asking many locals for directions. The entire neighborhood was... heart wrenching. These were huge beautiful homes, sometimes mansions, that were forgotten for decades. We found #14 and #16. My grandfather's place (#14) was locked but #16 (Tio Juanito) had inhabitants. Miguel came out, we explained our cause and they graciously let us in. They being the house owner, Dora, a sweet, very old lady, whose 93 year-old husband lay dying on the couch in another room. She said he was by her side all her life so how could she abandon him now. I cried. Miguel and Dora showed us the entire home. They showed us the original parts and the modifications. There was an incredible rooftop area where we saw the entire Havana. They restored it as much as possible but most was original marble and other materials. They created rooms in several parts of the house to rent them out. Dora and Miguel treated us like family. She said "Aqui tienes familia y no me llores" ((You will always have family here, and don't cry anymore)) I loved that. As we were leaving and taking pictures of Belo's house, a man came out. A bit more reserved but he let us take pictures of his place too. It must have been so beautiful back in the day. Huge marble columns and original tiled floor. After that, we went to the house in Nuevo Vedado. This is where my Mom and Tivivi lived and the last house they all had as a family before finally leaving Cuba. Again, we hit the jackpot and a sweet girl came out named Maria Carla, and she opened her home to us. I explained why we were there and she happily showed us around. We really hit the lottery. No way would people open their homes like this in the US.
Hotel Nacional. Basically what Cuba was 50 years ago. Abi and Belo would stay there for sure. Absolutely beautiful but not real Cuba. Great drinks.
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Hotel Nacional. Basically what Cuba was 50 years ago. Abi and Belo would stay there for sure. Absolutely beautiful but not real Cuba. Great drinks.
4am again. We were talking en la sala with Estrella and Aramisito after coming back from a jazz outing at the Jazz Cafe. Great freaking band yet again. So after Hotel Nacional we went to grab a bite at Rum Rum* in Old Havana. Great Ropa Vieja, run by a guy Tito and Grisel knew named Morro. Awesome dude. We walked back to the car where I saw an epic beard, finally! It was long and white and his mouth inhabited the biggest cigar I've seen yet. I had to have him take a picture with Jay, so we have documentation of that. Afterwards, we visited Aramis and Tito's mom and dad. She hadn't seen Jay since he was a baby. They were very sweet. Their dad is a famous author (Arnaldo Correa) and he gave us a packet he wrote explaining one of his books. He showed us some of his published copies. Impressive stuff, he was so full of energy in wanting us to hear about them and his mark on the world. She gave us a partying gift, two mugs with Cuban art on them. So sweet. Claudia was there too, and she had one of her prints (she loves photography) rolled up and she dedicated one of them for us to take back home. I just loved all of that. Memories to cherish for years. Family is so important and everyone has their story to tell. From there, we ventured to my grandfather Bito's house. Where my Dad was born and where they all lived until shortly after the Revolution. This was really cool because my family was still there! Enrique Iñigo Bajos lives there with his family. I called him to alert him that I was coming and off I went. They were so awesome and inviting. Actually, I would use those adjectives to describe almost everyone so far. This guy definitely looked like he belongs in my Dad's family. He looked like his younger brother! He showed us around along with his lovely wife, Anais and his daughter, Amanda. We sat for hours trying to understand our family tree while looking at older pictures and finding Tita and Bito's faces in some of them.
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Anais made us lemonade while Amanda kept trying to get our attention. Enrique loves racquetball- so does my Dad! Tennis too. It was so cool to actually share with family I had no idea I had in Cuba until a couple of weeks ago. Blows my mind. I can't wait to show my Dad and aunts, and hopefully Tita can understand a little.
Aramis made us delicious lobster dinner tonight. This family is so hospitable. So genuine and giving and honest and loving... just because. It's really refreshing. I wish we had a longer trip here.
** Rum Rum Cafe: Calle Empedrado No. 256 Entre Cuba y Aguiar, Havana 10100, Cuba
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Spent the day with Aramis, Jr, and Estrella. We started the afternoon... yes after a late breakfast and much conversation... we started our day, back at Los Artesanos del Muelle. That's the thing here, lots of conversation throughout the day which is nice, makes you slow down for a bit. So we came back to make some purchases, particularly a big blue number Bubb had his eye on since the first time we went. I also wanted to get these tablets, the 'plates' where artists place their paint, well one artist turned them into works of art themselves, which I thought was very unique. I bought three of those. We talked her down from $45 for the set to $35. The large piece was originally $150 and we were able to get it for $110. I also bought a cool canvas type bag for Stefano and Jay bought a weird small piece of art for Tato. We all walked around like we were on a mission because Estrella was helping us secure better deals. It was an interesting situation. So much life in there and lots of cool pieces. A & E bought us two bottles of Havana Club for us to take home. They're awesome. I crack up with them a lot. Estrella has such a funny spirit, always laughing, and Aramisito is like a little Cuban old man. Aramis papa expresses himself in such a way that you pee your pants. From there, we went in search of Jay's record shop he saw in a documentary QuestLove found a couple of months before. We couldn't find that one exactly but he was able to score 3 Cuban vinyl records. That made him happy. Hunger hit and we went to Starbien Restaurant, but on the way there we apparently ran over a pile of shit and it got stuck on the car or under the car or something. We were cracking up so bad with that ordeal. We pulled up to the restaurant still smelling like shit and Estrella and I were in stitches as Aramis was asking the parking attendant for a hose to find this mystery shit and wash it off. I am literally laughing with Jay right now just thinking and talking about it. So as the poor parking guy started on his task, we sat down and ate an amazing meal for only 10 CUC each. It included a drink, an appetizer, a main dish, a side dish and a dessert/coffee. I had the grilled fish (pargo) and Jay had the ropa vieja. Both were great. I had fried malanga for an appetizer and I really loved those.
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As we were about to pay, Aramis goes to the bathroom and to check on the car, and when he comes back he says, "Tengo malas noticias, el carro todavia huele a mierda"-- we died. The poor guy was working on the car the whole meal and he still had his work cut out for him. It made for some really great laughs though. From there, they wanted to take us to this ritzy neighborhood where the diplomats and millionaires live. Aramis Jr. wanted to get dropped off before then to shower and rest before going out tonight. He also confessed que se estaba cagando, which made us laugh again. "Ni tengo que abrir la puerta que ahi esta". LOL. I love me some toilet humor. So we dropped him off and went sight seeing. Insane houses. Guards in front of most of them, especially ones with flags on them, diplomats and such. They also took us by Fidel Castro's compound. Security was pretty tight around those parts. duh. We finished with a bit of a wild goose chase in search of the Buena Vista Social Club. No luck, so we went home to rest and shower. When we did, Aramis went online and found the exact address so he and Jay went out again while I stayed behind with Estrella and Aramisito. We talked for a while, they are definitely chatterboxes but I love it. So many funny 'disparates' and stories and mannerisms. I laugh really hard with them. In the meantime, Jay found the spot and the man who lives inside. He was able to take pictures and videos and briefly go inside. Needless to say, he was thrilled with that. We showered when he got back and got ready to go to a bar called Espacio. Maria Carla, Aramisito's girlfriend, joined us too. The place was a house - casa particular / negocio privado - with a cool outside and fun ambiance. Low key, nothing crazy. We had good sangrias and enoyable conversation. I just wish we didn't get tired so easily! We got home around 2am. Tomorrow is VARADERO!
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One last night at the Correa's place, what a shame. I really enjoyed being with them till the wee hours at night and waking up to breakfast and conversation to start the day. But another adventure awaits. Tito and Grisel picked us up and we started our road trip to Varadero. We bought a banana branch on the way. Seriously, like two dozen mini bananas on a branch for 3 CUC. We stopped in Matanzas and had the best Piña Colada I've ever tasted. No joke. Like the nectar of the gods. We didn't even want to put rum in it and possibly tarnish the perfection. Then we went to La Cueva de Saturno. Holy Moses. A short hike took us to a cave with water that looked like crystal. You could see the rock formations below and stalagmites like beautiful chandeliers in every corner. We stripped down to our bathing suits and jumped in. A little cold at first but since I'm used to the frigid Pacific Ocean in Santa Monica, this was nothing. It was perfect. Refreshing really. I felt like I was in Pandora, no one else was there which made it even more special and almost mystical. We swam and explored for a little before hiking back and sitting at the bar for some water. Grisel presented us with a sweet gift from her and Tito. One box for Juana, which had three tea light candle holders handmade by Artisans here in Cuba with a sweet note and for us, some cute figurines: a couple and a dog, with another personalized note. Very kind and sweet gesture, they wanted us to remember them. From there, we were off until we hit Varadero. He pointed out all the hotels and rated them- the paradiso ones are the best. We hit the end of Varadero and turned around until we found our Casa Particular. Martha y Roberto were outside to greet us. He showed us to our room which had a private entrance from the side of the house. There's a fridge in here, two beds (one queen and one twin). Roberto seemed excited to meet us and said he was preparing for our breakfast tomorrow morning that includes his famous pancakes. Can't wait for those! He says he loves renting out the rooms and meeting people from all over the world. And now a quick walk to the beach and explore the town.
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Nowww I understand. That water is like crack. You never want to get out! The sand is powdery soft and the water's a perfect temperature. We got there around 7pm so the sun wasn't as strong but still no sunset until 8:30! We walked back (5 min walk!) to our new home to shower and get dinner. While washing our feet in the outside shower, we were introduced to a woman who was staying in the room next to ours: Yolanda/Yoly. We started talking and found she's Costa Rican (tica), a chef, here with her husband Alejandro, and she's been to Cuba now 6 times. She recommended Don Alex to eat and started describing some of the dishes which sent our stomachs to heaven. Her husband gave us directions on how to get there, we thanked them and went off to shower. We took a horse carriage/taxi ride there and as we were getting off the cab, a car pulls up right behind us and it's the Costa Rican couple saying they screwed up and gave us the wrong street and didn't feel right not chasing us down to help us. So we jumped in their car and all went to Don Alex together. This is another reason why I love to travel so much. Meeting people from all over the world and sharing meals and conversation. We had a wonderful meal with our new Tico (I learned that Costa Rican people call themselves Tico's and Tica's because they say CafeTICO, un poquiTICO, etc) friends. Don Alex was a gentleman and very serviceable. The food was stupendous; we had a cazuela de Mariscos with rice and tostones. I had a sweet and hungry kitty next to me almost my entire meal. He would even place his paw on my lap every so often to remind me to give him food. The couple had such great personalities. I found out that they have two daughters, one 16 and one 20 along with 3 cats and one dog. They live in San Jose and he's a banker or in the banking business and she's taking a sabbatical from work. They adopted their two daughters when each were 14. I thought that was pretty amazing. Their dog was run over, well it wasn't their dog yet, they found him like that and took him to the vet. After they cleaned him up and stabilized him, they took him in their home. They seem like pretty badass people.
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They seem like pretty badass people. They wanted to adopt those girls to give back to God for all the blessings they have -- "you may not change the world but for someone you can change theirs" (that's what she said about that). They were Christians but not the kind I grew up with, she cursed like a sailor and was really funny and natural about it. I liked that. On our way home we noticed a show going on in front of our casa - salsa and dance show. We hung out for a couple of minutes and then walked back to say our goodnights. So appreciative of great company and another wonderful day. I love how every day, if you're open to it, can bring you surprises. So fun!
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Had a serious breakfast courtesy of Roberto y Martha. He made his famous 'trigo' pancakes with Cuban Honey. We also had a torta (egg omelet), cafesito, jugo de mango, papaya, piña, guayaba, mango, and dulce de coco, which I (nor J) had ever had before. Little shavings of coconut, sugar water and leche condensada all blended together... yum.my. We discussed our family background at the table. Roberto was excited to share his thoughts and ideas with us since we we were Cuban. "it's in your veins", he said, "politics shouldn't dictate how we feel about our roots." He got misty- eyed when he mentioned a song we should hear - ME DICEN CUBA. He explained the arduous process on how to obtain a visa to visit the US, and because of the length of time it takes, amount of money and uncertainty of actually being able to get one after all the work, he doesn't have ay desire to go. He said his son tried, spent months waiting for an appointment for an interview, spent almost 500 CUC, and they denied his request. He's angry with the embargo and the restrictions the US puts on Cubans to travel there. He doesn't want to live there, he would never leave Cuba. Why would he? He has a beach house and constant entertainment from tourists! But I understand his point of view. Anyhow, he fed us well and filled us with knowledge and off we went to the little shops down the street. They had a lot of the same things but still cute souvenirs for the family. I bought a leather baseball for Belo which I engraved 'TIGER' on it. Bought some sandals for myself, along with a photo album. A leather lighter holder for my mom. While I was going through the many many rows of artisanal shops and making conversation with the artists, I managed to lose my sunglasses. I noticed at the end of one of rows and J suggested we head back to the casa to see if I left them there. Nope. I dropped off the stuff I bought and Roberto assured us that if a Cuban found them in his or her shop, they would hold them for me. And if that were to happen, I should compensate them. Well, back we went, talking to every vendor I had already talked to before asking if any of them had seen my glasses. None of them had, but, like Roberto said, they assured me that if I did leave them in their shop, they would have held them for me, or
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should I find them in a neighboring shop, they would hold them. I loved how much faith they all had in each other. I honestly felt like I lost hope but was inspired by how highly they regarded each other. J also had kept faith alive and reassured me to keep looking, so on the last row we spoke to the last vendor we bought some pot warmers from and she said yes, she found some glasses and knew they weren't hers so she saved them just in case the owner would come back to claim them. Can you believe that? She refused to take the 2 CUC I was offering but I insisted along with a huge hug of gratitude. I just loved that attitude. Very cool. From there, we jumped in a taxi and went in search of Hotel Internacional, which my grandparents talked about in the video before leaving Miami. It was being demolished but still holding on, I took pictures anyway. We were then dropped off at Club Marlin, which used to be called Club Nautico. This is where Abi & Belo met and danced together for the first time. We took video and pictures of everything. I wonder what their reactions will be seeing all these places again. From there, we jumped in a cocotaxi - these things are like a motorcycle/go cart hybrid. Looks like a yellow coconut on wheels. Six CUC's took us back into town to find food. We walked for a bit and didn't find anything appetizing. Most spots looked like they were run by the 'estado', which means they were all unmotivated in there and bored out of their minds. We asked Roberto and Martha and they recommended a negocio privado called Super Machi down the street. We said goodbye to our Costa Rican friends who were headed to La Habana and said hello to our new friends, Hansel and his girlfriend who were from Havana and off we went to Super Machi. This little spot was steps away from the beach and served a mountain of rice, plus half a chicken, potatoes, and fresh lemonade for 70 CUP which translates to less than 3 CUC!! So good and insanely cheap. I felt like I was robbing them. I met a couple there from Czech Republic and Italia who were in love with Cuba and we shared that sentiment in a short conversation. With full belly's and sleepy eyes we hit the beach.
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We found a hut with some shade, J chose the shade and I scooted my towel slightly off into the sun and we passed out for a couple of hours I think. I don't know. That's another great thing about this trip. I don't have a watch/phone on me, so I'm rarely conscious of time, which is very liberating. We woke up and Aramisito and Estrella called us to make sure everything was going ok. (Ok, we had HER phone that only allowed calls between them and us so they could know we were ok, so that's the only purpose it served). We told them about our day and they were happy to hear about it. From there we jumped in the ocean until the sun was setting. Delicious. This beach town is heavenly.
We're back in our room after an amazing meal at SALSA SUAREZ. I did not expect that. Roberto said to try it tonight and I"m so glad we did. We had a fish croquetta appetizer with a rosa sauce (mayo + ketchup, seriously) so simple yet perfect. Then we shared a penne pasta with crab and garlic sauce. We were still kinda full from our lunch so sharing worked. It was so effing good. This was also the first time we had cortaditos in a champagne flute and it was also SO GOOD. Our dessert was a brownie a la mode. UGH. 5 stars for everything. Including impeccable service. All that for 25 CUC. Tip included. Unreal. We were supposed to go to Havana Cafe for some party Hansel told us about but when he said they were mostly going to play Reggaeton, that scared J off and he was trying to get out of it since before dinner. So once we left the restaurant all I heard was how uncomfortably full he was and so we walked home and called it a night. What a viejo. To be honest, I didn't care to pay 15 CUC for a party I wasn't crazy about either but I did want to experience the nightlife a bit. Just wish it was salsa or son. Apparently, there's a party on the beach tomorrow from 10-4pm so that should be fun. And he can't get outta that one.
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Holy crap. We just came back from a mini catamaran ride in ocean that looks like pool water. So many beautiful little fish came over to us and surrounded us as we fed them bread. It reminded me of the times I spent with Belo in Puerto Rico, feeding the silver fish on a yellow raft. They pecked on our fingers, it was so cute. We swam like crazy and had a professional photographer come by halfway in and take great underwater photos of us. We had to meet him at 5 pm at the casa. Now we're off to the beach party. What a great start to the day already!
I finally look more Cuban with this tan directly from Varadero! The beach party was almost two hours late, and although the music wasn't exciting, (it wasn't Cuban music) it was entertaining to people watch.
We got back to our casa a little before 5pm to meet with the photographer of the excursion from this morning. We ate again at Super Machi but they ran out of Pollo al Carbon and Pierna Asada. It was crazy busy today. The pictures came out great, it looks like we were photoshopped in. After we left, we stuck around our casita, enjoying the lush breeze in the patio directly in front of our room. J figured we could call Miami from the phone Estrella lent us so he called his parents and then I spoke to them. They can't wait to see pictures and hear stories. Next, we called Aramisito and he was hilarious as usual. He told us that they would be by to pick us up tomorrow around noon/1pm. We told them we miss them and he said 'te queremos mucho' - so sweet. After that call, I called Abi and Belo and they thought I was calling them from Miami, when they heard I was still in Cuba it's like they couldn't contain themselves with questions and comments. I said we were in Varadero now and they mentioned they had a house here and if we could check it out. Calle 33 y Avenida de la Playa - Casa Balerdi. So after hanging up with them we went straight there. Hopped in an Almendron and got dropped off right before the intersection. We took pictures of all 4 corners in case something looked familiar to them. The sun was starting to set and the sky looked magical with pinks and purples all over.
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It was breathtaking. We decided to walk back to our casa (calle 17) on the beach. I'm so glad we did. It was beautiful to walk along the shore, chasing the sunset. You couldn't take a bad picture with this backdrop. Also, you could walk way past the shore in the water and the sea level barely reached your knee. That was awesome, it's like walking on water. Plus, it was so warm and the air was breezy. I could have walked for miles. The sun finally went mimise and before we knew it, we were back on our street. As I looked up shore, I was saddened at the amount of garbage left from the party earlier before. It took me back a bit, I had never seen so many bottles and cans and crap sprawled all over paradise like that. I wanted to badly to find garbage bags and start cleaning but I did see people start to clean them up and I hope they start putting more garbage cans around so a beautiful place like this doesn't get ruined by inconsiderate jerks.
We again ate at Salsa Suarez and called it a night shortly after. I had to take 2 benadryl to calm my itching feet who had been mauled by tiny mosquitos - or gegens (sp?)
Out like a light.
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Please say it isn't so, our last day in Cuba :( We woke up early to enjoy a little more of Varadero before we get picked up in a couple of hours. My tan has deepened and heart has grown.
I'm on the plane now next to a kind Filipino woman who I just cried to, leaving Cuba in my rearview window. I am feeling so many feelings. Overwhelmed with emotions, questions, answers, understanding. I'm happy that I was blessed, lucky to be able to go. I'm sad seeing the state of everything. I'm hopeful that these beautiful people will find resolve soon. I'm anxious to return again soon. I'm so many things.
We were picked up by Aramis and his family and we said goodbye to Roberto y Martha. We went back to Starbien to eat one last Ropa Vieja with the gang while we joked in the car and they filled our brains with hilarious Cuban dichos y disparates that are on the next few pages. The day grew gloomy and rainy, which was the perfect send-off. It echoed my sentiments exactly. Once we got to the airport and they announced our check in, Estrella's eyes started to water. I knew this was coming. So mine started to go too. She gave me the biggest tightest hug and cried hard into my shoulder. Like she was gasping for air, hard. I felt so much love for her and that family in that moment. Aramis was next and the smile on his face was awesome. Aramisito gave me a super tight hug and kissed my head and said how much he loved us. Then we went for a second round of hugs. Aramis papa and Jr. at least get to travel because of their Spanish Visa but poor Estrella is stuck so us being there was, I'm sure, really special for her. For the whole family. But the pleasure was really ours. To have them as our home away from home and tour guides was... well, I couldn't have asked for anything better... Tito and Grisel were also wonderful with us. This whole week was absolutely magical and we couldn't have planned it better. Everything came as it was supposed to and happened when it should.
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So if you're scrolling through and have hit this portion of the blog, I suggest starting from the beginning of this journey and on chapter one titled: Return to Roots and scrolling up from there. It will all make more sense.
These are excerpts from my travel journal (how Clarissa Explains It All of me) to Cuba and all the stories I shared and feelings I feeled.
I've also included some tips for those who have asked me about how to go about traveling to this mystical island and sources I've used to make your travels easier.
Cuidate, que los buenos quedamos pocos!
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Yes, my Spanish got stuck at times, but the Cubans there never made me feel stupid or bad for messing up or not knowing a word. They were incredible, through and through. Human, yes of course, but humans with a tremendous amount of heart and soul and joy for a life that is unfair and unjust. I'm so grateful for this week and I'm immensely grateful for them, for everything they shared with us; their hearts, homes, minds, time, food, thoughts, laughter, dirty jokes, late conversations, knowledge and so much more. I am honored to know them and feel I am a better person because of them and this week. I can't wait to go back and learn more, experience more. I feel I just hit the tip of the iceberg.
OUTRO
I went to Cuba. I've gotten a smorgasbord of reactions with that sentence, depending on someone's personal or political ties, along with just a general interest and lots of questions. This constant curiosity, whether coming from a negative or positive place, prompted me to write this blog. I had a travel diary on my journey and wanted to share that on an online space where I can better illustrate my experiences and more importantly my intentions for Returning to my Roots. This trip wasn't a vacation, it was an enlightenment.
Please be advised: I'm not a professional writer by any means, these entries were often in a car (Almendron) or late at night and they are raw thoughts, unfiltered and not edited. Just me.
THE CUBA CHRONICLES
my *only* travel journal
Since Cuba is not a trip you can plan as easily as say, Hawaii, there are steps that you need to take to obtain a ticket and visa, you also need to know certain rules to enter/exit this mysterious island.
Ticket and Visa: I used the Travel Agency DMC/ Destination Management Consultants and dealt with Sheyla Diaz, a very helpful agent based in Miami, FL. Contact Info: 1850 SW 8th Street, Suite 204-A, Miami, FL 33135 // 305.443.0417 // sheyla@dmcandtravel.com. We flew through Marazul Charter which are either American Airlines, Delta, or JetBlue planes. I paid $400 round trip and Marazul includes the exit tax ($25) in that price.
Should your charter not include the exit tax, please keep 25 CUC handy at the end of your stay so you can leave the island! Also, cash is the only method of payment in Cuba, no credit cards, travelers checks, or anything else is accepted there.
Tips: Your phone will not work over there. There is only wifi in the hotels, should you stay in one (I highly recommend staying at a Casa Particular, more on those below). You're able to rent one through DMC but I loved being off the grid for a week.
Bring medications (prescriptions and over the counter), sunscreen, hair products and anything else you may need as these items are difficult to find there and you don't want to waste time trying to find them.
I recommend rummaging through your closet and packing clothes that you may not have worn in a while and don't mind leaving to the beautiful people there. I brought outfits and shoes that I knew I could easily part with at the end of my stay. Even if you don't have family in Cuba, there is always someone who will know what to do with that thoughtful care package. Clothes and shoes are not easy to find or cheap for them, so this is something special you can leave behind as a token of gratitude.
Casa Particular: My intention for this trip was to see Cuba from the realest POV possible, and that would definitely omit staying in a hotel. Casas Particulares are plentiful in Cuba. We stayed with family in Havana but in Varadero we secured a wonderful little Casa for three days. Roberto & Martha's home was a 1 minute walk from the legendary beach, a short stroll to local Artisanal shops, and a quick taxi/Almendron/horse carriage ride to plenty of delicious restaurants.
Roberto charge 30 CUC a night because we were in an off peak time. it's 35 CUC if you're there during the peak months. Contact information: Street 17 #102A, 1st and 2nd Ave, Varadero, Cuba. // +53.45.612958 mobile +53.52.775806 contact@bbinnvinales.com
Bonus: If you also have Cuban roots, I highly recommend trying to locate the homes of your family. My grandfather made a map for me before I left and he circled the home where he grew up and lived until he was 17. He also showed me the home where my mother and aunt lived until they fled Cuba in 1961. He asked me to take pictures of them if I could. My aunt on my dad's side gave me the address where we have a cousin I never met. He still lives in the home where my dad was born and most of his family lived. These were very special landmarks for me and created a powerful adventure which I detailed in my travel diary.
I can't believe we're actually going to Cuba. I'm on the plane now and we're preparing to land. It still doesn't feel real. Today was an emotional day. I can't fully comprehend why I feel the way I do. The only way I can describe it is: my Roots. My history that always felt like it was stuck in a dusty book, is finally coming alive! Abi and Belo came to the airport to send us off with a map of their homes and the place where they first met and I left them with several tears shared. I felt... so overwhelmed with whatever they were feeling. They said they longed to go with me and wished they could share this experience together. That makes my heart ache. Even writing this, gives me a runny nose and wet eyes/ I just looked out the window and there it is!
((Insert from Jay)) We just landed. The entire plane clapped. I expected nothing less.
First official day. Last night we got picked up by Aramis, Estrella, and Aramisito. What a beautiful family. So genuinely excited to us and show and explain SO MUCH! I feel like my head is trying to wrap itself around these 'politics' and concepts and their way of life. We ate at our first 'negocio privado' - not bad food but definitely not exciting. I don't mind at all because my intention is to absorb as much as I can and food will be just to sustain me. I do have to say that I may be addicted to their mango juice. Holy shit, that stuff is good.
Our lovely Casa Particular mom made us some this morning .We slept well. Sheets were not soft but we were so tired we fell like bricks and passed out till 10am. Aramisito was waiting for us. At this very moment I'm surrounded by bodies and bones. This is the craziest cemetery I've ever seen. El Cementerio de Colon. My mom would love the huge memorial for the Bomberos. There is nothing taller or bigger here, it isn't allowed. The cars are impressive. I feel like I've been transported through time. I can't believe I'm walking down the streets where my grandparents lived and breathed. I feel so lucky to be able to be here. My heart is full.
Now eating at our first Havana Restaurant- Cafe Paris. We had a mojito (shit was strong!), an appetizer of shrimp (meh) and a Ropa Vieja type dish with moros. It was a bit over salted but good enough. The music is incredible. A band started playing almost at the end of our meal, which is better than most live music I've heard in Hollywood- the capital of entertainment. Pssh. The singer was heavenly, and the amount of joy and love I felt just listening to them jam took my breath away. Oh, tipping 1 CUC is more than enough here. ONE. It's difficult for me to leave just that but Aramisito says that's plenty. He's been a great tour guide; such a sweet guy but also sassy and funny. I love the sense of humor here. I hope it rubs off on me this week. I wish I had their chispa!
The Art! Wow. Wow. Wow. We just left El Artesano del Muelle. We're in a taxi now, so excuse my jumpy handwriting. So much art. Yes, some were touristy but really cool stuff nonetheless. I enjoy talking to the artists and hearing their stories. It's funny how they are so fascinated by us but we think they are the fascinating ones. We fell in love with some pieces that we're coming back for on Wednesday. Havana is falling apart but I can see the beauty.
I felt like I understood why it's hard for my grandparents to come back. This place must have been insanely gorgeous 50 years ago. But it's definitely sad, a tragedy. They are rebuilding some streets and some buildings. We don't feel foreign here, our spanish has improved- I'm getting complimented on it, which helps me not feel so insecure! Jay has too. Aramisito says he looks more foreign because of the intense beard he's sporting and his light eyes. After he said that, I noticed no one had beards.
Ok, so although the home we stayed at sufficed, Aramis and his family insisted we stay with them. We'd have our own keys and bathroom . So of course, we went. I left Alicia and Raul's home by saying that Varadero was available to us earlier, and with a mango juice in tow and some pictures, we were off. I left her 50 CUC, some Kiss Perfumes (thanks Dad), and clothes for the young girl that I think was their granddaughter.
Just got back to our new home in Vedado at 3am. Pretty beat. We were fed some delicious (by Cuban standards) chicken and rice & beans by Estrella. She cracks me up. Straight shooter but with a lot of animated sass. I love that broad.
We had to be ready by 8pm because Aramis' brother, Tito, was going to pick us up to see El Cañonazo. He picked us up with this wife, Grisel, and his daughter, Claudia. Very sweet and cute girl. We witnessed this tradition where sometime in the 1800's (I believe) Havana had to shut down the Port so pirates and other enemies wouldn't try to invade them. They signaled this with a loud canon shooting. This happens at 9pm every night. Locals and tourists alike gather around the Morro and Canons and watch as young military men in ridiculous garb and white wigs start the ceremony. It ends with a loud bang, shooting blanks, and everyone claps. Pretty cool alarm clock. Quite the fuss. We then enjoyed an hour or so on El Malecon. It's the Cuban PCH, a wide bank divided rocky water with the street, and locals use it as their hang out. It's free, all their friends go, there's a constant breeze and occasionally you get serenaded. I could see Stefano spending hours upon hours on this thing. We talked about Cuba and reasons to why it is the way it is, and other topics like that until a man with a guitar and a humming-buzzing instrument came by. That was awesome. Oh yeah, it's called a kazoo.
He sang 5 or 6 songs. His name is Deste. What a character. I got teary eyed in one of the songs thinking about my ancestors hanging out en El Malecon. The idea that my roots are expanding to meet my history, people who made me who I am, astounds me. Also, Cuban people, for the most part, are simple and happy. They're expressive and live life to the fullest of what they can realize. It's inspiring. After our mini-concert, we headed to a little dessert/pastry place and I had a delicious lemon tart. Claudia was quiet but laughed at some of the stupid things I said. You can tell she was excited to have us around. She nearly flipped out of her chair when Jay told her I was a SIM. Actually, more people here know the SIMS than I expected. She likes to take pictures... photography is her hobby. Tito is a kind guy, more soft spoken than his brother but opened up more as the night went on. Grisel was a little chatterbox and full of life and energy. She definitely has opinions and expresses them freely.
I'm pooped but loved today. I feel blessed to be here and I hope time moves very slowly tomorrow.
Woke up pretty late. It was a long, full day yesterday, and I'm a sleeper... need my 8 hours! I did forget to mention being in Tito and Grisel's house yesterday. They were very excited to show it and also lots of pictures on their computer. Pictures of their beach vacations from all parts of Cuba. I noticed that they had a lot of knick-knacks. Alicia and Raul's place had those too. Little items scattered all over the house. I guess when you don't have much you save everything. It was interesting to me.
We're back in Tito's car after treasure hunting. We were able to go into my grandfather's first house on San Carlos St and my Tio Juanito's house next door. We found them after asking many locals for directions. The entire neighborhood was... heart wrenching. These were huge beautiful homes, sometimes mansions, that were forgotten for decades. We found #14 and #16. My grandfather's place (#14) was locked but #16 (Tio Juanito) had inhabitants. Miguel came out, we explained our cause and they graciously let us in. They being the house owner, Dora, a sweet, very old lady, whose 93 year-old husband lay dying on the couch in another room. She said he was by her side all her life so how could she abandon him now.
I cried. Miguel and Dora showed us the entire home. They showed us the original parts and the modifications. There was an incredible rooftop area where we saw the entire Havana. They restored it as much as possible but most was original marble and other materials. They created rooms in several parts of the house to rent them out. Dora and Miguel treated us like family. She said "Aqui tienes familia y no me llores" ((You will always have family here, and don't cry anymore)) I loved that. As we were leaving and taking pictures of Belo's house, a man came out. A bit more reserved but he let us take pictures of his place too. It must have been so beautiful back in the day. Huge marble columns and original tiled floor. After that, we went to the house in Nuevo Vedado. This is where my Mom and Tivivi lived and the last house they all had as a family before finally leaving Cuba. Again, we hit the jackpot and a sweet girl came out named Maria Carla, and she opened her home to us. I explained why we were there and she happily showed us around. We really hit the lottery. No way would people open their homes like this in the US. Hotel Nacional. Basically what Cuba was 50 years ago. Abi and Belo would stay there for sure. Absolutely beautiful but not real Cuba. Great drinks.
4am again. We were talking en la sala with Estrella and Aramisito after coming back from a jazz outing at the Jazz Cafe. Great freaking band yet again. So after Hotel Nacional we went to grab a bite at Rum Rum* in Old Havana. Great Ropa Vieja, run by a guy Tito and Grisel knew named Morro. Awesome dude. We walked back to the car where I saw an epic beard, finally! It was long and white and his mouth inhabited the biggest cigar I've seen yet. I had to have him take a picture with Jay, so we have documentation of that. Afterwards, we visited Aramis and Tito's mom and dad. She hadn't seen Jay since he was a baby. They were very sweet. Their dad is a famous author (Arnaldo Correa) and he gave us a packet he wrote explaining one of his books. He showed us some of his published copies. Impressive stuff, he was so full of energy in wanting us to hear about them and his mark on the world. She gave us a partying gift, two mugs with Cuban art on them. So sweet. Claudia was there too, and she had one of her prints (she loves photography) rolled up and she dedicated one of them for us to take back home. I just loved all of that. Memories to cherish for years. Family is so important and everyone has their story to tell. From there, we ventured to my grandfather Bito's house.
Where my Dad was born and where they all lived until shortly after the Revolution. This was really cool because my family was still there! Enrique Iñigo Bajos lives there with his family. I called him to alert him that I was coming and off I went. They were so awesome and inviting. Actually, I would use those adjectives to describe almost everyone so far. This guy definitely looked like he belongs in my Dad's family. He looked like his younger brother! He showed us around along with his lovely wife, Anais and his daughter, Amanda. We sat for hours trying to understand our family tree while looking at older pictures and finding Tita and Bito's faces in some of them. Anais made us lemonade while Amanda kept trying to get our attention. Enrique loves racquetball- so does my Dad! Tennis too. It was so cool to actually share with family I had no idea I had in Cuba until a couple of weeks ago. Blows my mind. I can't wait to show my Dad and aunts, and hopefully Tita can understand a little.
Aramis made us delicious lobster dinner tonight. This family is so hospitable. So genuine and giving and honest and loving... just because. It's really refreshing. I wish we had a longer trip here.
** Rum Rum Cafe: Calle Empedrado No. 256 Entre Cuba y Aguiar, Havana 10100, Cuba
Spent the day with Aramis, Jr, and Estrella. We started the afternoon... yes after a late breakfast and much conversation... we started our day, back at Los Artesanos del Muelle. That's the thing here, lots of conversation throughout the day which is nice, makes you slow down for a bit. So we came back to make some purchases, particularly a big blue number Bubb had his eye on since the first time we went. I also wanted to get these tablets, the 'plates' where artists place their paint, well one artist turned them into works of art themselves, which I thought was very unique. I bought three of those. We talked her down from $45 for the set to $35. The large piece was originally $150 and we were able to get it for $110. I also bought a cool canvas type bag for Stefano and Jay bought a weird small piece of art for Tato. We all walked around like we were on a mission because Estrella was helping us secure better deals. It was an interesting situation. So much life in there and lots of cool pieces. A & E bought us two bottles of Havana Club for us to take home. They're awesome. I crack up with them a lot. Estrella has such a funny spirit, always laughing, and Aramisito is like a little Cuban old man.
Aramis papa expresses himself in such a way that you pee your pants. From there, we went in search of Jay's record shop he saw in a documentary QuestLove found a couple of months before. We couldn't find that one exactly but he was able to score 3 Cuban vinyl records. That made him happy. Hunger hit and we went to Starbien Restaurant, but on the way there we apparently ran over a pile of shit and it got stuck on the car or under the car or something. We were cracking up so bad with that ordeal. We pulled up to the restaurant still smelling like shit and Estrella and I were in stitches as Aramis was asking the parking attendant for a hose to find this mystery shit and wash it off. I am literally laughing with Jay right now just thinking and talking about it. So as the poor parking guy started on his task, we sat down and ate an amazing meal for only 10 CUC each. It included a drink, an appetizer, a main dish, a side dish and a dessert/coffee. I had the grilled fish (pargo) and Jay had the ropa vieja. Both were great. I had fried malanga for an appetizer and I really loved those.
As we were about to pay, Aramis goes to the bathroom and to check on the car, and when he comes back he says, "Tengo malas noticias, el carro todavia huele a mierda"--
we died. The poor guy was working on the car the whole meal and he still had his work cut out for him. It made for some really great laughs though. From there, they wanted to take us to this ritzy neighborhood where the diplomats and millionaires live. Aramis Jr. wanted to get dropped off before then to shower and rest before going out tonight. He also confessed que se estaba cagando, which made us laugh again. "Ni tengo que abrir la puerta que ahi esta". LOL. I love me some toilet humor. So we dropped him off and went sight seeing. Insane houses. Guards in front of most of them, especially ones with flags on them, diplomats and such. They also took us by Fidel Castro's compound. Security was pretty tight around those parts. duh. We finished with a bit of a wild goose chase in search of the Buena Vista Social Club.
No luck, so we went home to rest and shower. When we did, Aramis went online and found the exact address so he and Jay went out again while I stayed behind with Estrella and Aramisito. We talked for a while, they are definitely chatterboxes but I love it. So many funny 'disparates' and stories and mannerisms. I laugh really hard with them. In the meantime, Jay found the spot and the man who lives inside.
He was able to take pictures and videos and briefly go inside. Needless to say, he was thrilled with that. We showered when he got back and got ready to go to a bar called Espacio. Maria Carla, Aramisito's girlfriend, joined us too. The place was a house - casa particular / negocio privado - with a cool outside and fun ambiance. Low key, nothing crazy. We had good sangrias and enoyable conversation. I just wish we didn't get tired so easily! We got home around 2am. Tomorrow is VARADERO!
One last night at the Correa's place, what a shame. I really enjoyed being with them till the wee hours at night and waking up to breakfast and conversation to start the day. But another adventure awaits. Tito and Grisel picked us up and we started our road trip to Varadero. We bought a banana branch on the way. Seriously, like two dozen mini bananas on a branch for 3 CUC. We stopped in Matanzas and had the best Piña Colada I've ever tasted. No joke. Like the nectar of the gods. We didn't even want to put rum in it and possibly tarnish the perfection. Then we went to La Cueva de Saturno. Holy Moses. A short hike took us to a cave with water that looked like crystal. You could see the rock formations below and stalagmites like beautiful chandeliers in every corner. We stripped down to our bathing suits and jumped in. A little cold at first but since I'm used to the frigid Pacific Ocean in Santa Monica, this was nothing. It was perfect. Refreshing really. I felt like I was in Pandora, no one else was there which made it even more special and almost mystical. We swam and explored for a little before hiking back and sitting at the bar for some water. Grisel presented us with a sweet gift from her and Tito.
One box for Juana, which had three tea light candle holders handmade by Artisans here in Cuba with a sweet note and for us, some cute figurines: a couple and a dog, with another personalized note. Very kind and sweet gesture, they wanted us to remember them. From there, we were off until we hit Varadero. He pointed out all the hotels and rated them- the paradiso ones are the best. We hit the end of Varadero and turned around until we found our Casa Particular. Martha y Roberto were outside to greet us. He showed us to our room which had a private entrance from the side of the house. There's a fridge in here, two beds (one queen and one twin). Roberto seemed excited to meet us and said he was preparing for our breakfast tomorrow morning that includes his famous pancakes. Can't wait for those! He says he loves renting out the rooms and meeting people from all over the world. And now a quick walk to the beach and explore the town.
Nowww I understand. That water is like crack. You never want to get out! The sand is powdery soft and the water's a perfect temperature. We got there around 7pm so the sun wasn't as strong but still no sunset until 8:30! We walked back (5 min walk!) to our new home to shower and get dinner.
While washing our feet in the outside shower, we were introduced to a woman who was staying in the room next to ours: Yolanda/Yoly. We started talking and found she's Costa Rican (tica), a chef, here with her husband Alejandro, and she's been to Cuba now 6 times. She recommended Don Alex to eat and started describing some of the dishes which sent our stomachs to heaven. Her husband gave us directions on how to get there, we thanked them and went off to shower. We took a horse carriage/taxi ride there and as we were getting off the cab, a car pulls up right behind us and it's the Costa Rican couple saying they screwed up and gave us the wrong street and didn't feel right not chasing us down to help us. So we jumped in their car and all went to Don Alex together. This is another reason why I love to travel so much. Meeting people from all over the world and sharing meals and conversation.
We had a wonderful meal with our new Tico (I learned that Costa Rican people call themselves Tico's and Tica's because they say CafeTICO, un poquiTICO, etc) friends. Don Alex was a gentleman and very serviceable.
The food was stupendous; we had a cazuela de Mariscos with rice and tostones. I had a sweet and hungry kitty next to me almost my entire meal. He would even place his paw on my lap every so often to remind me to give him food. The couple had such great personalities. I found out that they have two daughters, one 16 and one 20 along with 3 cats and one dog. They live in San Jose and he's a banker or in the banking business and she's taking a sabbatical from work. They adopted their two daughters when each were 14. I thought that was pretty amazing. Their dog was run over, well it wasn't their dog yet, they found him like that and took him to the vet. After they cleaned him up and stabilized him, they took him in their home. They seem like pretty badass people. They wanted to adopt those girls to give back to God for all the blessings they have -- "you may not change the world but for someone you can change theirs" (that's what she said about that). They were Christians but not the kind I grew up with, she cursed like a sailor and was really funny and natural about it. I liked that. On our way home we noticed a show going on in front of our casa - salsa and dance show. We hung out for a couple of minutes and then walked back to say our goodnights. So appreciative of great company and another wonderful day. I love how every day, if you're open to it, can bring you surprises. So fun!
Had a serious breakfast courtesy of Roberto y Martha. He made his famous 'trigo' pancakes with Cuban Honey. We also had a torta (egg omelet), cafesito, jugo de mango, papaya, piña, guayaba, mango, and dulce de coco, which I (nor J) had ever had before. Little shavings of coconut, sugar water and leche condensada all blended together... yum.my. We discussed our family background at the table. Roberto was excited to share his thoughts and ideas with us since we we were Cuban. "it's in your veins", he said, "politics shouldn't dictate how we feel about our roots." He got misty- eyed when he mentioned a song we should hear - ME DICEN CUBA. He explained the arduous process on how to obtain a visa to visit the US, and because of the length of time it takes, amount of money and uncertainty of actually being able to get one after all the work, he doesn't have ay desire to go. He said his son tried, spent months waiting for an appointment for an interview, spent almost 500 CUC, and they denied his request. He's angry with the embargo and the restrictions the US puts on Cubans to travel there. He doesn't want to live there, he would never leave Cuba. Why would he? He has a beach house and constant entertainment from tourists! But I understand his point of view.
Anyhow, he fed us well and filled us with knowledge and off we went to the little shops down the street. They had a lot of the same things but still cute souvenirs for the family. I bought a leather baseball for Belo which I engraved 'TIGER' on it. Bought some sandals for myself, along with a photo album. A leather lighter holder for my mom. While I was going through the many many rows of artisanal shops and making conversation with the artists, I managed to lose my sunglasses. I noticed at the end of one of rows and J suggested we head back to the casa to see if I left them there. Nope. I dropped off the stuff I bought and Roberto assured us that if a Cuban found them in his or her shop, they would hold them for me. And if that were to happen, I should compensate them. Well, back we went, talking to every vendor I had already talked to before asking if any of them had seen my glasses. None of them had, but, like Roberto said, they assured me that if I did leave them in their shop, they would have held them for me, or should I find them in a neighboring shop, they would hold them. I loved how much faith they all had in each other. I honestly felt like I lost hope but was inspired by how highly they regarded each other.
J also had kept faith alive and reassured me to keep looking, so on the last row we spoke to the last vendor we bought some pot warmers from and she said yes, she found some glasses and knew they weren't hers so she saved them just in case the owner would come back to claim them. Can you believe that? She refused to take the 2 CUC I was offering but I insisted along with a huge hug of gratitude. I just loved that attitude. Very cool. From there, we jumped in a taxi and went in search of Hotel Internacional, which my grandparents talked about in the video before leaving Miami. It was being demolished but still holding on, I took pictures anyway. We were then dropped off at Club Marlin, which used to be called Club Nautico. This is where Abi & Belo met and danced together for the first time. We took video and pictures of everything. I wonder what their reactions will be seeing all these places again. From there, we jumped in a cocotaxi - these things are like a motorcycle/go cart hybrid. Looks like a yellow coconut on wheels. Six CUC's took us back into town to find food. We walked for a bit and didn't find anything appetizing. Most spots looked like they were run by the 'estado', which means they were all unmotivated in there and bored out of their minds. We asked Roberto and Martha and they recommended a negocio privado called Super Machi down the street.
We said goodbye to our Costa Rican friends who were headed to La Habana and said hello to our new friends, Hansel and his girlfriend who were from Havana and off we went to Super Machi. This little spot was steps away from the beach and served a mountain of rice, plus half a chicken, potatoes, and fresh lemonade for 70 CUP which translates to less than 3 CUC!! So good and insanely cheap. I felt like I was robbing them. I met a couple there from Czech Republic and Italia who were in love with Cuba and we shared that sentiment in a short conversation. With full belly's and sleepy eyes we hit the beach.
We found a hut with some shade, J chose the shade and I scooted my towel slightly off into the sun and we passed out for a couple of hours I think. I don't know. That's another great thing about this trip. I don't have a watch/phone on me, so I'm rarely conscious of time, which is very liberating. We woke up and Aramisito and Estrella called us to make sure everything was going ok. (Ok, we had HER phone that only allowed calls between them and us so they could know we were ok, so that's the only purpose it served). We told them about our day and they were happy to hear about it. From there we jumped in the ocean until the sun was setting. Delicious. This beach town is heavenly.
We're back in our room after an amazing meal at SALSA SUAREZ. I did not expect that. Roberto said to try it tonight and I"m so glad we did. We had a fish croquetta appetizer with a rosa sauce (mayo + ketchup, seriously) so simple yet perfect. Then we shared a penne pasta with crab and garlic sauce. We were still kinda full from our lunch so sharing worked. It was so effing good. This was also the first time we had cortaditos in a champagne flute and it was also SO GOOD. Our dessert was a brownie a la mode. UGH. 5 stars for everything. Including impeccable service. All that for 25 CUC. Tip included. Unreal. We were supposed to go to Havana Cafe for some party Hansel told us about but when he said they were mostly going to play Reggaeton, that scared J off and he was trying to get out of it since before dinner. So once we left the restaurant all I heard was how uncomfortably full he was and so we walked home and called it a night. What a viejo. To be honest, I didn't care to pay 15 CUC for a party I wasn't crazy about either but I did want to experience the nightlife a bit. Just wish it was salsa or son. Apparently, there's a party on the beach tomorrow from 10-4pm so that should be fun. And he can't get outta that one.
Holy crap. We just came back from a mini catamaran ride in ocean that looks like pool water. So many beautiful little fish came over to us and surrounded us as we fed them bread. It reminded me of the times I spent with Belo in Puerto Rico, feeding the silver fish on a yellow raft. They pecked on our fingers, it was so cute. We swam like crazy and had a professional photographer come by halfway in and take great underwater photos of us. We had to meet him at 5 pm at the casa. Now we're off to the beach party. What a great start to the day already!
I finally look more Cuban with this tan directly from Varadero! The beach party was almost two hours late, and although the music wasn't exciting, (it wasn't Cuban music) it was entertaining to people watch.
We got back to our casa a little before 5pm to meet with the photographer of the excursion from this morning. We ate again at Super Machi but they ran out of Pollo al Carbon and Pierna Asada. It was crazy busy today. The pictures came out great, it looks like we were photoshopped in. After we left, we stuck around our casita, enjoying the lush breeze in the patio directly in front of our room.
J figured we could call Miami from the phone Estrella lent us so he called his parents and then I spoke to them. They can't wait to see pictures and hear stories. Next, we called Aramisito and he was hilarious as usual. He told us that they would be by to pick us up tomorrow around noon/1pm. We told them we miss them and he said 'te queremos mucho' - so sweet. After that call, I called Abi and Belo and they thought I was calling them from Miami, when they heard I was still in Cuba it's like they couldn't contain themselves with questions and comments. I said we were in Varadero now and they mentioned they had a house here and if we could check it out. Calle 33 y Avenida de la Playa - Casa Balerdi. So after hanging up with them we went straight there. Hopped in an Almendron and got dropped off right before the intersection. We took pictures of all 4 corners in case something looked familiar to them. The sun was starting to set and the sky looked magical with pinks and purples all over.
It was breathtaking. We decided to walk back to our casa (calle 17) on the beach. I'm so glad we did. It was beautiful to walk along the shore, chasing the sunset. You couldn't take a bad picture with this backdrop.
Also, you could walk way past the shore in the water and the sea level barely reached your knee. That was awesome, it's like walking on water. Plus, it was so warm and the air was breezy. I could have walked for miles. The sun finally went mimise and before we knew it, we were back on our street. As I looked up shore, I was saddened at the amount of garbage left from the party earlier before. It took me back a bit, I had never seen so many bottles and cans and crap sprawled all over paradise like that. I wanted to badly to find garbage bags and start cleaning but I did see people start to clean them up and I hope they start putting more garbage cans around so a beautiful place like this doesn't get ruined by inconsiderate jerks.
We again ate at Salsa Suarez and called it a night shortly after. I had to take 2 benadryl to calm my itching feet who had been mauled by tiny mosquitos - or gegens (sp?)
Out like a light.
Please say it isn't so, our last day in Cuba :( We woke up early to enjoy a little more of Varadero before we get picked up in a couple of hours. My tan has deepened and heart has grown.
I'm on the plane now next to a kind Filipino woman who I just cried to, leaving Cuba in my rearview window. I am feeling so many feelings. Overwhelmed with emotions, questions, answers, understanding. I'm happy that I was blessed, lucky to be able to go. I'm sad seeing the state of everything. I'm hopeful that these beautiful people will find resolve soon. I'm anxious to return again soon. I'm so many things.
We were picked up by Aramis and his family and we said goodbye to Roberto y Martha. We went back to Starbien to eat one last Ropa Vieja with the gang while we joked in the car and they filled our brains with hilarious Cuban dichos y disparates that are on the next few pages. The day grew gloomy and rainy, which was the perfect send-off. It echoed my sentiments exactly. Once we got to the airport and they announced our check in, Estrella's eyes started to water. I knew this was coming. So mine started to go too.
She gave me the biggest tightest hug and cried hard into my shoulder. Like she was gasping for air, hard. I felt so much love for her and that family in that moment. Aramis was next and the smile on his face was awesome. Aramisito gave me a super tight hug and kissed my head and said how much he loved us. Then we went for a second round of hugs. Aramis papa and Jr. at least get to travel because of their Spanish Visa but poor Estrella is stuck so us being there was, I'm sure, really special for her. For the whole family. But the pleasure was really ours. To have them as our home away from home and tour guides was... well, I couldn't have asked for anything better... Tito and Grisel were also wonderful with us. This whole week was absolutely magical and we couldn't have planned it better. Everything came as it was supposed to and happened when it should.
Yes, my Spanish got stuck at times, but the Cubans there never made me feel stupid or bad for messing up or not knowing a word. They were incredible, through and through. Human, yes of course, but humans with a tremendous amount of heart and soul and joy for a life that is unfair and unjust.
I'm so grateful for this week and I'm immensely grateful for them, for everything they shared with us; their hearts, homes, minds, time, food, thoughts, laughter, dirty jokes, late conversations, knowledge and so much more. I am honored to know them and feel I am a better person because of them and this week. I can't wait to go back and learn more, experience more. I feel I just hit the tip of the iceberg.
OUTRO
So if you're scrolling through and have hit this portion of the blog, I suggest starting from the beginning of this journey and on chapter one titled: Return to Roots and scrolling up from there. It will all make more sense.
These are excerpts from my travel journal (how Clarissa Explains It All of me) to Cuba and all the stories I shared and feelings I feeled.
I've also included some tips for those who have asked me about how to go about traveling to this mystical island and sources I've used to make your travels easier.
Cuidate, que los buenos quedamos pocos!
