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Canada, Cuba and Covid 19Canada, Cuba and Covid 19
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Canada, Cuba and Covid 19

March - December 2020
In March 2020 a group of 16 riders from the Australian Ghostriders cycling group travelled to Cuba to complete an extended cycling adventure around the island. This journal documents Cuba and the COVID aftermath that cut our trip short. Read more
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  • The World on Two WheelsCanada, Cuba and Covid 19

    Thirteen Days that Stopped the World

    February 27, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    In October 1962 I was an eleven year old, Grade 6 student at Eastmoor State School. Although much of my primary school experiences have now faded into oblivion, there is still one event that still brings back feelings of fear and dread.

     In those days international travel was a luxury enjoyed only by the rich and powerful and I suspect that most people had never even heard much of the tiny country of Cuba and its enigmatic ruler Fidel Castro, until it was suddenly thrust into the world's spotlight. The so called "Cuban Missile Crisis" was a dangerous game of nuclear brinkmanship between John Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev that brought the entire world to the very edge of nuclear war (and very possibly to the end of our civilisation).

    Even though I was only a young child, I was well aware that war was drawing ever closer. Every newspaper and news broadcast seemed to predict an imminent catastrophic war between Russia and America. It was during a school lunchtime that an announcement over the school PA system almost made me physically sick.

    I cannot understand why a school principal would put such an announcement to young children. Maybe he was just following instructions in case there was a nuclear attack on Melbourne. Although I have forgotten the wording of the announcement, I can remember that it effectively said that President Kennedy had ordered an immediate blockade of Cuba. Not many people believed that Russia would back down and hence we prepared for the worst possible outcome.

    Of course, that day was a lifetime ago. Although we came very close (most experts now say that nuclear war was a 50-50 chance), the world did not end. The children that I shared the playground with have gone on to live their lives, marry, have children and grandchildren of their own and only people who are now elderly can remember what those days were like.

    The conventional explanation of those events was that JFK outsmarted Khrushchev, however many years later the full story eventually came out. In return for the dismantling of the Russian missiles in Cuba, the USA also had to remove their nuclear weapons from Turkey as a quid pro quo.

    Although JFK was assassinated the following year and subsequent American presidents came and went. Fidel Castro continued his rule over Cuba for another 46 years. In that time massive changes in the world took place. America landed a man on the moon, technology took off, the computer age boomed and the Internet changed the way that we all live our lives. But what about Cuba ? Has it changed or is it still locked in a 1960s time bubble ? That is what we are soon about to find out.

    From my previous travels I have learned that the best way to truly experience any country is NOT by taking a package bus ride that pretends to show you "the whole country in five days". You do not learn much looking out a bus window. The very best ways are to explore by foot or by bicycle and Cuba is no exception.

    About 18 months ago I started exploring options to put together an extended cycling adventure around Cuba. After many hours of research and effort, I finally settled on a 16 day itinerary that would enable us to cycle between many of the most scenic and important parts of the country. Along the way, we would have plenty of opportunities to see what Cuba and its people are really like.

    When the plans were complete I shared the details with the others in the Ghostriders cycling group to see how many others would like to share the experience with me. The response was immediate and within a couple of days I had 16 people who were keen to head off into the unknown by cycling around Cuba on this madcap adventure.

    Over a year has now elapsed since those original plans were made. In just a few days our team members will be flying out of Melbourne and our long-awaited adventure will be starting in Havana.

    So will there be more to Cuba than old cars and Cuban cigars ? We will soon find out.

    You are invited to share the journey with me.    Read more

  • The World on Two WheelsCanada, Cuba and Covid 19

    A Disaster Strikes Before we Even Start

    February 29, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    It was not the call I wanted to hear. When you pack your bags for an overseas trip, the first item to pack should always be your passport. If you are going to visit any countries that require an entry visa, it is also essential that the relevant visa is packed and ready to be presented to the immigration officers when you arrive.

    For months I had been reminding our participants about the importance of having their Cuban visas sorted well before departure. And yet here we were. One of the first two participants to leave Melbourne had just arrived at the airport and discovered that their Cuban visa had "gone missing".

    To make matters worse, it was Saturday morning in Melbourne and the Cuban Embassy in Canberra was closed for the weekend. All I could do was reassure them that "somehow it would work out" and wish them a safe flight.

    When I got off the phone, I did some more research and learnt that it should be possible to arrange another visa when they arrive at Cancun airport in Mexico. Hopefully this information is accurate, or else we might find our group reduced from 16 to 15 before we even arrive in Havana.

    The phone call also prompted me to recheck that I still had my visa securely folded in my passport. To my relief it was. I also decided to scan the visa and store a digital copy as well. In a future blog post I will let you know whether the visa problem was solved or not.    Read more

  • The World on Two WheelsCanada, Cuba and Covid 19

    Black Beans, Rum and Cigars

    March 1, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Before travelling to any country for the first time, I like to do a little bit of research - learn a little of the geography, history, culture and cuisine. I also try to learn at least a little of the local language. In this way I feel I am somewhat prepared for what I will encounter when I step out into the streets for the first time. So that's why I tried to learn a little about Cuba.

    The first reference I found was about the Cuban food. It summed it up pretty quickly by describing it as "pretty awful". Whoever wrote the article did their best to tell me that we should be prepared for a non stop diet of cabbage and black beans. If that is true then it is quite likely that I will not be putting on much weight over the next few weeks. While some of my less diplomatic friends might say that it will do me good to subsist on substandard food for a while, if I am going to have to eat copious quantities of beans, it is probably just as well that I have a room to myself.

    I also looked up what types of shopping I might do while in Havana. Apparently the most popular items for tourists to purchase are rum and cigars. In that case I won't have to worry about my luggage being overweight when I leave the country.

    And what about the language ? Although I did have the very best of intentions about refreshing my knowledge of Spanish, I have to admit that I somehow ran out of momentum at about lesson three of Pimsleur's Learn and Speak Spanish. I can confidently say "hello" , "thank you", "Good Morning" and count to ten. Anything else will be an unexpected bonus. So Cuba, here I come !

    Tomorrow morning I will be beginning my journey with a (very) long flight from Melbourne to Vancouver. At the same time a number of our other team members will be flying to Los Angeles, on their way to Mexico. After a very brief stop in Vancouver, I will continue with a (much shorter) flight to Toronto. That's where I will be stopping for a few days before continuing to Havana.

    As part of my research, yesterday I checked the weather in Toronto. It told me that it was - 11 C and snowing. Now that will be quite a shock, especially when compared with the tropical heat that will greet us in Cuba.

    The next footprint will be from Canada. Adios.    Read more

  • The World on Two WheelsCanada, Cuba and Covid 19
    Day 2

    Tired in Toronto

    March 3, 2020 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 1 °C

    In some respects planning and executing a complex overseas trip is like assembling a clock - in spite of how much effort you put into the preparation, you never actually know if it will turn out OK until you actually start the process. A successful trip involves a vast number of inter related events all correctly occurring just the way you planned them.

    There are many things that throw your plans into chaos - a traffic jam on the freeway, a cancelled or delayed flight, a booking mistake by a hotel, a transfer that did not turn up as planned and (perhaps the most dreaded of all) the prospect of your luggage going missing in transit. In fact, when you consider all the things that can possibly go wrong, you might wonder why I keep travelling. The answer to that one is simple. The world is such an amazing place that once you start discovering one part of it, you just can't stop. It really can become an addiction.

    My long journey to Cuba began when my alarm went off at 4 am in the morning on the 2nd of March. It was dark and drizzly outside but the exciting prospect of more adventures about to begin was enough to wake me quickly. After a hurried breakfast and a final quick check of my luggage - yes my passport and Cuban visa were both there, it was time to face the first challenge.

    The prospect of driving the Monash Freeway at 6 am in the morning is indeed enough to make enough the valiant hearted weak at the knees. After ten minutes we found ourselves stuck in the first of many traffic jams. I could not help but feel pity for the poor devils who face this nightmare every morning of their lives. I don't care what salary you were paid, it could not possibly be enough to warrant this daily torment.

    Fortunately the jams did eventually clear and we arrived at the airport with time to spare. I queued in the Air Canada check in line while the two staff slowly worked their way through each person's paperwork. They could possibly have worked slower, but I am not sure how. The line moved forward at a glacial pace until I finally was relieved of my big luggage.

    The passage through security and immigration was actually fast when compared to the check in process. That gave me time for a coffee and a croissant. My wallet was lighter by about $15 already.

    I was not the only one of our group leaving that morning. There were also five other who were making their way to Cuba via Mexico. Since their plane was due to leave about an hour earlier than mine, I went in search of them. I arrived at their departure gate just in time to hear an announcement come over the PA that their flight would be delayed. Perhaps I would get to leave first after all ?

    I returned back to the Air Canada departure gate and waited for boarding, relieved to find that my flight would be taking off on schedule. I was not so relieved when I entered the plane and found the seat that I was going to be entombed in for the next 16 hours. I had paid extra for an "exit row", hoping for some additional leg room, not realising that the extra leg room came at the expense of seat width. It must have been the narrowest seat I have ever had on a long haul flight, but at least I could prop my legs up in the air on a bulging part of the exit door.

    The next 16 hours were not the highlight of my life. The Air Canada food was terrible and the squashed space meant that equal quantities of the main course made it into my mouth and onto the front of my shirt. The plastic fork bent every time you tried to pick anything up and the bread roll was like old rubber. It made the food on Emirates seem like like a gourmet delight by comparison.

    I tried to watch a couple of movies, but discovered that my screen was only half the size of every one else's. I suppose it was to match the width of my seat. There was only one thing left to do, and that was sleep. Somehow I managed to grab several slumber sessions, but each time I awoke I was disappointed to find that I had only been asleep for about 30 minutes or so. I envy those who can just shut their eyes and sleep all the way till touchdown. It is a skill I still have not mastered.

    I won't go into any more details about the longest 16 hours of my life, but we did eventually land in Vancouver. Thanks to the mystery of the international date line, the flight actually landed earlier than it took off from Melbourne !

    My first sight of Vancouver was not an encouraging one. It was foggy and raining. The temperature was about 5 C. Actually I could not have cared less about the cold. In fact I loved it. After the long hours spent in the over heated plane, it was delightful to breathe fresh cool air again.

    I had a scheduled 2 hour stop in Vancouver, before catching the next flight to Toronto. Thanks to a passenger not turning up for the flight, the departure was delayed while their luggage had to be retrieved from the baggage hold. At least the next flight was less than four hours. That was a real short hop compared to the behemoth I had just endured.

    We landed with a big bump on a snowy runway in Toronto about 45 minutes late. The clock and calendar tried to tell me that it was still the same day that I had left Melbourne, but my body and brain knew better - that was actually eons ago.

    I staggered from the plane and went off in search of the baggage carousel. For convenience they were situated about 2 km from the arrival gate. Awaiting for your own familiar luggage to appear is always a rather stressful time, especially if you see just about everyone else departing with their bags while you are still waiting. It is one of those events that you have no control over - a bit like winning the lottery, but in a (very) bad way.

    To my relief my bag did make a triumphant appearance and I went in search of the taxi that I had pre ordered back in Australia. I had not been waiting long when I received a SMS from the driver telling me that he was waiting for me. A short time later I was sitting in the back of a comfortable car, heading for downtown Toronto. The driver introduced himself as "Alex" and told me that he had originally come from Pakistan as a child, but had lived in Toronto for most of his life. Within minutes we discovered a common love of cricket and we spent the rest of the drive talking about players past and present. He seemed to know as much about all the Australian players as I did. I was even more surprised when he told me that he played Dodgeball and I was able to tell him that my youngest son had played on the Australian Dodgeball team.

    It was fascinating to see the high snow drifts on the sides of the road. This is my first time in Canada and I had been hoping that winter would not end before I arrived. I really wanted to see snow and now I had.

    The drive was only 26 km but it seemed much longer than that. It was around 7.30 pm when we finally arrived at my apartment. I had been planning to find something to eat, but all I could really think off was getting into a bed. So that's exactly what I did.

    In spite of all the things that could have gone wrong, nothing had. My clock was working.    Read more

  • The World on Two WheelsCanada, Cuba and Covid 19
    Day 2

    Exploring the City

    March 3, 2020 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 1 °C

    It never ceases to amaze me how quickly our brains can adapt to unfamiliar environments. When I arrived in Toronto, less than 24 hours ago, I had absolutely no knowledge of the city. The drive from the airport took me through a continuing series of complete mysteries. I had no idea what direction we were travelling or how far away my apartment was. This is the same feeling I have whenever I enter a city for the first time.

    After a restless night's sleep my first need was to get something to eat. It had been a long time since I had eaten anything substantial and I knew that my body was running on empty. A glance out the window reminded me that it was cold outside - very cold. So on went my jumper, beanie and gloves and out I went into the streets of Toronto for the very first time.

    Of course this time I was on my own. I made a very conscious effort to memorise each landmark that I passed so that I would be able to find my way back again. My first observation was this was obviously a prosperous neighbourhood. A row of stately residences had been converted into very fancy shops, but there was nothing that looked like it would be able to sell me breakfast. I kept walking.

    Alongside the roadside there were large piles of dirty snow that had presumably been swept from the road itself. A very fine drizzle was falling, but it was scarcely enough to make me wet. Eventually I hit the jackpot. I spied a second floor eatery with the original name "Flo's Diner". The neon sign in the window said it was open. I immediately decided that my search was over. All I had to do was find a way to get up to the place.

    For the next ten minutes I tried every door I could find to gain entrance. All were locked tight. I walked back and forth in the street. I even decided to ask a man standing nearby for help, but unfortunately I managed to find one of the few people in Toronto who did not speak a word of English. Surely I would not collapse in the street from starvation when food was so tantalizingly close by ?

    Eventually I discovered an unlikely door next to a boarded up shop. It opened when I pushed and I experienced my own Eureka moment. Up the stairs and into the Diner I went. Soon I was enjoying a nice omelette and orange juice and my body started to feel better. At least I now knew where I could get food.

    I continued my walk and soon discovered an entire indoor shopping centre. One thing I can never understand is why the coldest countries have the hottest indoors. Although it was only 3C outside, the temperature inside was stifling. It was little wonder that some were walking around in T shirts and shorts. I could only think of the extreme waste of energy.

    It was good to be back outside in the cold again. I made my way to the imposing Royal Ontario Museum and learned about the hard life of the Eskimos. I was even able to watch a silent movie about "Nanook of the North". Although I had only planned to watch a few minutes of it, I found it really interesting and stayed for much longer.

    My next stop was the snow covered Queen's Park, followed by the University of Toronto. I followed a group of students into a lovely old building and for a while I pretended that I was back in my undergraduate years. The notices on the noticeboard had not changed much in 50 years. I guess student life is still very much the same the world over.

    By mid afternoon the rain had increased in intensity and I decided that it was time to return to the comfort of my apartment. I decided to try the television. Without any instructions, I could not figure out how to watch TV, but somehow I did manage to find that it streamed TED talks. I had already fed my body, so I thought it was time to feed my mind for a while. These talks really are fascinating.

    I had a simple dinner from some groceries I bought at the supermarket. The prices of simple staples like milk, cereal and juice was eye watering. $4.99 CAD for a 1 litre carton of milk made me appreciate that we really are not so badly off in Australia after all.

    Although I had only traveled a few km during the day, I already felt that I was beginning to build a mental map of the new surroundings.

    Now I'm ready for bed.    Read more

  • The World on Two WheelsCanada, Cuba and Covid 19
    Day 3

    A Day at the Falls

    March 4, 2020 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 2 °C

    I suspect that, if people were asked to nominate the most famous waterfall in the world, most would answer "Niagara Falls". The very name conjures up images of thundering white water and daredevils who risked their lives in search of fame and riches. When I realised that I would be spending time in Toronto, I quickly decided that the opportunity to visit such a famous location was just too good to miss.

    Over the past few years I have had the opportunity to experience Iguassu Falls in South America and also Victoria Falls in Africa. Now I would have the chance to see for myself just how Niagara compared with these other two.

    My day began with an early morning pickup near my hotel. When the sun rose it revealed a completely cloudless blue sky. Gone was the fine drizzle that had persisted for most of the previous day. The clear skies had sent the temperature even a little lower, so it was hovering just above 0 C as I waited for my bus to arrive. I watched a couple of frisky black squirrels hop about in the snow, but they would not stay still long enough for a good photo.

    Although I normally avoid bus trips, in this case there was really no other convenient way for me to get from Toronto to Niagara. At least it was only a small bus and I was the first to board. I probably should not have been surprised to find that it was overheated inside, just like every other interior in the city.

    After following a circuitous path through downtown Toronto we eventually finished with around 19 people who would be sharing the trip to Niagara with me. We later found out that one of these had actually gotten into the wrong bus. They had thought they they were catching a bus to a big mining conference which is also happening in the city, but it was too late for them to change their mind.

    About 90 minutes later we were at the falls. The driver explained that we had around two and a half hours to explore the place before we were to be collected downriver. My first impressions were mixed. While there was no denying that it was an impressive sight, I would have to say that it came in a distinct third place behind Iguassu and Victoria.

    The big advantage Niagara has is that it has been incorporated into some sort of giant theme park, complete with giant hotels, casinos, amusements and thrill seeker attractions. I was thrilled that the place was almost deserted. The combination of the winter off season and fear of the coronavirus had served to deter the throngs that apparently normally jam this place. I thought it was beautiful.

    I was able to quietly wander alongside the falls without the fear of losing an eye to someone's wandering selfie stick. When I entered the large visitor centre there were no queues at the ticket counter or at the kiosk. I decided to spend $15 to take a "Behind the Falls" experience. When I paid for my ticket I discovered that the price had quickly risen to nearly $17 after they added the tax. I thought that was a bit sneaky, because it was not mentioned on the noticeboard.

    Fortunately the experience turned out to be worth it. After riding an elevator most of the way to the base of the falls, you then can explore several tunnels which have been dug under the falls themselves. These give you the chance to emerge at different locations and get soaked with icy water from the cascading torrents. At this time of the year the ice and snow add an extra degree of beauty to the falls themselves.

    Standing underneath the falls it gave me a chance to ponder the famous people who had decided to risk their lives by going over the falls in a barrel. The very first of these was Annie Edson Taylor, a 63 year old schoolteacher who had fallen upon hard times. She thought that she could secure her financial future by being the first to go over the falls in a specially designed barrel, padded with a mattress.

    On October 24th 1901 she took the ultimate step and flew over the falls in her barrel. To everyone's amazement she actually survived with only relatively minor injuries. Many others who tried to repeat the feat in the following years did not end so well. Unfortunately Annie did not make her fortune and she died penniless about 20 years later. Such is life.

    The story of the second person to go over the falls is even more bizarre. Ten years after Annie's exploit, Bobbie Leach repeated the antic. Although he also miraculously survived the fall, he spent the next six months in hospital recovering from his injuries. He spent the next few years travelling and speaking about his feat of daring, but eventually met his end in New Zealand were he died following complications from slipping on an orange peel. Strange but true !

    The Niagara River marks the border between Canada and the USA. The tall buildings I could see on the other side of the river were in America where all eyes were occupied on the battle to see which octogenarian would win the Democratic Party nomination to stand against the geriatric Donald Trump. How had politics in the USA ever come to this ?

    The falls themselves are also steadily moving upstream. Each year the water erodes more of the cliffs so that they are now in a completely different location to where they were several hundred years ago. The flow of water over the falls is also controlled by a huge hydro plant upstream. Perhaps that is why the volume of water is less than I expected to see.

    The rest of the day was spent visiting several other impressive locations. The Niagara whirlpool is formed when the river undertakes a dramatic change of direction. In the summer months it is possible to take a ride over this section, but it was still closed for the winter.

    The final stop was at a beautiful township called Niagara on the Lake. Situated on the banks of the huge Lake Ontario, it was easy to see that this prosperous township was built on an influx of summer tourists and their money. There was no denying that the immaculate homes were stunning. The deserted streets made the place absolutely delightful.

    When we finally got back on the bus again, it did not take me long to fall asleep for most of the way back to Toronto. When we reached the city a gentle flurry of snow was floating down from the sky. It was the perfect ending to a quite amazing day.

    Note - since I can only include ten pictures on each footprint, I will create another footprint for some images of Niagara on the Lake.    Read more

  • The World on Two WheelsCanada, Cuba and Covid 19
    Day 3

    Some Images of Niagara on the Lake

    March 4, 2020 in Canada ⋅ 🌙 1 °C

    Here are some images of the delightful Niagara on the Lake that I could not fit in the previous footprint.

  • The World on Two WheelsCanada, Cuba and Covid 19
    Day 4

    A Striking Day in Toronto

    March 5, 2020 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 2 °C

    Since this was to be my last full day in Toronto, I really wanted to do something a little more ambitious. Whenever I find myself in a city that I have not visited before the first thing I like to do is walk. I don't usually have any set destination as it is the journey that I am interested in, not the end point. Today was my chance to really wander and see what makes Toronto tick.

    Of course in order to be able to walk the streets, there was one important requirement I needed - fine weather. You can imagine my smile when I looked out of the apartment window at 6 am and saw that it was going to be a great day. In fact it already had the makings of the best day so far.

    At about 8.30 am I set off. Although the sky was clear the temperature was bracing - hovering around 0 C. I was so glad that I had packed gloves and a beanie. I don't mind the cold air, but frozen ears and fingers are not much fun.

    My only vague plan was to roughly set out in the direction of the rising sun. By watching the shadows on the footpath I knew that I was heading in the right direction. If I kept walking in that way I knew that it would take me through the centre of the city and eventually to the waterfront of Lake Ontario.

    The first couple of km were familiar territory as I passed the Royal Ontario Museum and the University of Toronto. Ahead of me I could catch glimpses of the impressive CN tower. At over 550 metres in height, this building is apparently the tallest free standing concrete building in the world. I was glad that it gave me another place to aim for in my walk.

    About one hour and 4.5 km later I was standing at the foot of the tower. It certainly was a spectacle and I suppose I could have spent some time travelling to its observation deck, but I was more interested in reaching the lake. When I arrived at the shore I discovered that almost everything was still closed for the winter. It was perfect as I had the whole place to myself.

    I found a nice seat in the sunshine and watched the planes taking off from the small airport on Centre Island. Although the sunshine was warm, the air temperature was still low enough to ensure that the piles of snow scattered around were reluctant to melt.

    Eventually I began heading away from the Lake in search of something for lunch. This turned out to be a rather greasy hamburger in a grossly over heated indoor food mall, followed by a very forgettable cup of coffee. I was glad to get back out into the cold again.

    I soon saw a collection of police vehicles and flashing lights. Things started to get interesting. As I walked closer I could see that hundreds of people were marching with placards and angry chants. Most were wearing matching red beanies. Since I had nothing better to do, of course I joined in the march.

    It did not take long to learn that most of the marchers were teachers who were on strike because of budget cuts that had been initiated by the new premier of Ontario Province. Since I was once a teacher in a previous life, I felt like I was in familiar company. They were happy to chat with me and tell me why they were so unhappy. Some things are the same the world over. It was also interesting that the, once popular and charismatic Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, now seems universally disliked.

    My time with the strikers gave me a fascinating alternative insight into life in Toronto. But I was getting tired. After walking around 14 km I was ready to return to my apartment for a rest.

    Tomorrow afternoon I will be catching a flight to Havana to begin the second part of my travels. It has been good to have time to myself but I am looking forward to meeting all the other members of our team and beginning our Cuban Adventure.    Read more

  • The World on Two WheelsCanada, Cuba and Covid 19
    Day 6

    The Night Plane to Havana

    March 7, 2020 in Cuba ⋅ 🌙 21 °C

    Today was always going to be a bit messy. The problem was that my flight from Toronto to Havana was not due to leave till around 8.30 pm in the evening. "So what ?", you may well ask. The complicating factor was that I was supposed to be checking out of my apartment at 10 am in the morning, so what was I going to do with all those spare hours ?

    The singularly unhelpful concierge had already told me that there was nowhere I could leave my luggage. At least I thought I could spend a couple of hours sitting in the lobby before my taxi arrived to take me to the airport. That was about as much of a plan I had been able to come up with.

    Unlike the beautiful blue skies of the previous day, I awoke to a leaden cloud cover. On closer look I could see that there were intermittent flurries of snow falling. It was quite spellbinding to watch.

    After making myself my final breakfast in Toronto, I sat by the window and spent some time watching the falling snow gradually build up on the branches of the trees. Although I was supposed to check out at 10 am, there was no point in being too early. I needed to steal every hour I could.

    By 11 am I thought that I could stretch the matter no further, collected my luggage and made my way down to the foyer. I found a quiet corner, opened my computer and started watching a movie. It did not take long for my favourite concierge to come over and ask what I thought I was doing. Of course I told him I was waiting for my taxi. Since no one else needed my seat, I could not see that there was a problem. Of course I was wrong.

    "This is not a hotel", he repeated his now familiar refrain. "You will have to go". While I could have been confrontational and reminded him that it WAS snowing outside, I really had had enough of the pathetic little weasel. He obviously thought that being a concierge was only a step or two below being the Prime Minister, so I decided to pack my stuff as slowly as I possibly could and then roll my way out of the building for the very last time.

    Fortunately there was a very warm shopping centre just across the road, so that is where I went. I purchased a coffee, found a spare table and made it my home. My taxi was due at 1 pm, but did not arrive till 1.30 pm. I had spent the missing thirty minutes waiting in the doorway, while the cold was slowly permeating into every corner of my body. We just don't know what cold is in Australia, but I should have been grateful it was only about -3 C. Last year at this time it was apparently -26 C.

    Alex and I continued our discussions about the cricket all the way to the airport. I completed the self check in without incident and made my way through security and immigration. Another very long wait at the departure gate. Outside the snow was still falling. The time passed slowly. I continued watching my movie.

    The time for boarding finally arrived and we all jammed into the modest plane. There was not a spare seat in sight, but it was only a rather modest three and a half hours, so I did not really care.

    I was seated by a window which gave me a great view of the never ending succession of brightly lit cities we passed over as we flew over the eastern states of the USA. The night was crystal clear, without a single cloud to obscure the view. In some ways there is something cosy and comforting about a night flight. At times I dozed. By almost midnight we started descending into Havana Airport and another adventure was about to begin.

    As I retrieved my bag from the jammed overhead lockers, I noticed that my luggage label had somehow gone missing. I suppose I should be grateful if that was the only thing that went missing - I still had that anxious time of waiting to see if my main luggage would appear on the carousel.

    Back in Australia we had all paid significant money to the Cuban Consulate for a visa to enter their country. You can imagine my surprise when the hostess walked around the plane, handing out blank tourist visa forms and telling us to fill them in ourselves ! It looked like we all may have wasted $100, but it would not have been worth the risk.

    In spite of preliminary fears about the difficulties of entering the country, the immigration process was quick and easy. I was soon reunited with my luggage and went out the exit door into the unfamiliar world of Cuba. I had been told that a driver would be waiting for me (even though it was now about 12.30 in the morning).

    Once again the arrangements went perfectly and soon I was being whisked along in the back seat of a comfortable taxi. Even at this late hour there were plenty of cars on the road and plenty of people wandering the streets. The temperature was a comfortable 22 C. It did not take long to see the old cars that Cuba is famous for. It was like being at some sort of a retro car show. Obviously they just never get junked, they just keep rolling along.

    Our home for the next few days is the huge and very imposing Hotel Nacional de Cuba. This vast place was the place of choice for the rich and famous back in its heyday of the 30s and 40s. Even all these years later, it is still an impressive place. The foyer is massive and filled with colonial character. There was even a working lift !

    I was relieved to discover that my allocated room was clean, huge and had fully working air conditioning. I think I will enjoy my time here, but my first thought was to head for the bed and finally get some sleep.    Read more

  • The World on Two WheelsCanada, Cuba and Covid 19
    Day 6

    In the Footsteps of the Rich and Famous

    March 7, 2020 in Cuba ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    I have stayed in some pretty incredible hotels over the years, but the Hotel Nacional de Cuba will certainly go down as one of the most memorable. This opulent hotel was opened in 1930 and soon become the place where the rich and famous of the world always stayed when they were in Cuba.

    The list of previous guests includes a huge cavalcade of famous names - Nat King Cole, Winston Churchill, Jimmy Carter, Frank Sinatra, Josephine Baker are just a few of the images I noticed while walking the halls. The Nacional Hotel was also the preferred place for notorious gangsters and Mafia heads as well. It is one of those buildings where every doorway could tell a story.

    Even though those grand days are now well past, the place is still imposing. It has recently undergone a refurbishment and the rooms are certainly comfortable and spacious. Even more importantly the wifi works in every room.

    The hotel seems to have an inordinate number of immaculately dressed staff. It almost feels like there is one staff member for each guest. The place is also liberally stocked with wandering musicians and singers. You cannot go far without hearing live music.

    Behind the hotel there are a series of constructions that give an insight into those notorious days in 1962 when the world nearly descended into nuclear war. It is interesting to hear the story told from the Cuban side as most westerners would only be familiar with the commonly accepted narrative of events.

    I began the day with breakfast, followed by a fascinating tour of the hotel. At noon I ventured out into the nearby streets in search of lunch, but ended up returning to the hotel empty stomached. At least the hotel is liberally catered for.

    Since I am still operating from a state of sleep deprivation, I then returned to my room for a siesta. When I opened my eyes it was after 5 pm ! The best sleep I have had for days.

    All members of our team have now arrived at the hotel, and in the evening we shared our first meal together in a cafe in the garden of the hotel. Overhead the full moon was shining brightly and we could hear the sounds of the large waves crashing onto the rocks nearby. The food itself was rather disappointing, but the ambiance was amazing.

    Tomorrow we begin our first day of cycling in Havana.    Read more

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