Day 1 (cont)
We get off the plane….and loaded up onto a new bus you see at airports for transporting people…we are not taken to Jose Marti Terminal like other planes from around the world…we are taken to a special terminal for planes from the USA….
On the way to the terminal one of the fathers of the soccer player collapses and starts going into convulsions…the people in the back of the bus are screaming….and the people in the front of the bus are banging on the thick glass separating us from the driver….
We get to the terminal and I am the first one out of the bus…and I am screaming to the military guys there….”MEDICO !!! Corazon !!! Necesito Medico….Por Favor !!”….they seem to react to my screaming…lol (not a good way to start our visit to Cuba…the father was ok…we talked to him later)
Now we are inside the terminal….they have completely redone it since our last visit…much more cleaner and spacey….the cool part is that there is a man calling out “Manuel Suarez….Manuel Suarez”….that is us…everyone thinks we are important….i am hoping he will take us through a side door and out….
It is our driver that Manela had arranged through Havana Tours….he tells us he will meet us on the other side…
So just like last time…we each enter into a line where they check us out on a camera…this time the lady is nicer (maybe because I do NOT have a beard and I match my passport picture better)….they let me through the locked door…
Now I have to go through a metal detector….and bag gets x-ray….no problems like the first time (where they did not like my little binder book with a xerox copy of my passport and Austin’s passport and a Map of Cuba)
They have completely re-done this side of the terminal too….much more modern…better lit and roomier…people are much more friendlier….and instead of pictures of Fidel and Raul and Che….they have big poster of children playing at the beach…and tourist on horse drawn carriage…they are getting ready for the big Tourist push that is sure to come soon, very soon
Our driver gathers us up and tells us we can follow him….i jump on the opportunity, but then a military guy stops Craig (it is the same guy as last time…his family name is SUAREZ….and he claims to remember us !!! from our last visit)….he lets us go and questions Craig.
We go outside and we wait. Craig’s sons are little anxious…especially his younger son. It takes Craig a while to come…we decide to start yelling when he comes through the doors….it works and Craig raises his hands in triumph.
Now last time we had a driver and a rent-a-car…it was a small European car and last time it was 4 BIG guys and luggage….this time it is 5 guys and luggage…but our Havana Tour taxi to Havana is a BIG 12 passenger mini-bus….YAHOO….Austin is very excited about that…we have plenty of room…again we look like VIP’s
The Havana Tours gives us a tour of Havana….in addition he gives us all kind of tourist tips…and he tells us the GOOD news that Cuba no longer has the 10% penalty tax on US dollars…we just saved several hundreds of dollars…the mini-bus drops us off at Old Havana and we have to walk 3 blocks to our hotel (the convent)…there are 2 other people waiting curb side to carry our bags….
If you are taking a group of people to Havana, this is the perfect way to start your visit. Thanks Mane !!
Los 5 Amigos
Los 5 Amigos at Beer Garden
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Day 1
Day 1
So we get to the Miami Airport and it is kind of funny trying to hook up with Craig and his two boys….we are on the bottom level and they on the second level….but we finally find each other….i spot one of Craig’s boys and say “you must be an Esherick !!”
Zeinada helps us at the ticket counter…it seems like the airline is a little more organized now…it is Sky King and the airplane says Sky King (last time the plane said Hooters….lol)….and the people working the counter are wearing shirts that say Sky King (last time the guy who grab our bags had a regular shirt on).
Right off the bat, Sky King tells us that Craig’s son who is only 15 yrs of age has to have an affidavit stating that he is indeed Craig’s son and of course this form costs 50 Dollars. Poor Craig is shocked by this and asks for a receipt for his $50 cash….but the lady says sorry to receipt….we are in MIAMI or Cuba…lol (something to remember for future trips taking kids under 16 yrs of age)
Then we go into the second line to check our bags. I notice 20 kids and parents in front of us being taken care of by some agent….so we go around the line and we are NEXT….again it is hard to communicate with the ladies because for some reason they do not speak English (and we are in Miami and this is an American airline)….they want to charge us $50 a bag checked in…(we did NOT get charged this last time….i think it is supply and demand…since more people are going back now, they can charge for the bags like all the rest of the American airlines)
Some guy keeps trying to put our carry-on bags onto the scale…I keep taking them off….
In addition to the $50 a bag, we have to pay $60 airport FEE….(again last time, we paid the travel agency along with our airplane ticket…this time the agency claims the airport wants to collect these fees separate)…dam shame
We finally go to a third line to pay…CREDIT card…good !!....NOT a good way to start a trip….just wait until our wives get this credit card receipt….lol
By now it is 3 pm and we have 3 hours to kill before the plane takes off…I suggest we stay in the main terminal and eat….but the Americans are anxious to get through the security check and to the terminal. So we go forward. It looked like an hour long line (again the Terrorist have won….as we are forced to take off our shoes and our belts…so stupid)
When we get to the gate….there are no food places opened…DAM…there is a little sandwich shop open making a killing on Cuban sandwiches and cokes and waters….Austin and Craig’s son decide to go BACK to the main terminal to try to see the exchange rate and get some kind of different food.
There are 3 planes going to Havana….5:30, 6 and 6:30….i guess they put them together to save money ??
Craig’s youngest son pulls out a deck of cards and we start to play Spades !!! yahooooooo
We board the second plane to Cuba…the 6 pm flight and it is packed…thank God our travel agent got us Exit seats with extra leg room…the plane is very HOT sitting in the Miami 100 or 120 degree airmat.
They do serve us some delicious small Cubans and cokes….a nice surprise…and I am showing Craig’s youngest son the Map of Cuba and where we are going to stay….and the beach, etc.
When we land in Havana….everyone in the plane cheers…I explain to the Americans that this is normal…we Cubans carry our emotions on our sleeves….lol
So we get to the Miami Airport and it is kind of funny trying to hook up with Craig and his two boys….we are on the bottom level and they on the second level….but we finally find each other….i spot one of Craig’s boys and say “you must be an Esherick !!”
Zeinada helps us at the ticket counter…it seems like the airline is a little more organized now…it is Sky King and the airplane says Sky King (last time the plane said Hooters….lol)….and the people working the counter are wearing shirts that say Sky King (last time the guy who grab our bags had a regular shirt on).
Right off the bat, Sky King tells us that Craig’s son who is only 15 yrs of age has to have an affidavit stating that he is indeed Craig’s son and of course this form costs 50 Dollars. Poor Craig is shocked by this and asks for a receipt for his $50 cash….but the lady says sorry to receipt….we are in MIAMI or Cuba…lol (something to remember for future trips taking kids under 16 yrs of age)
Then we go into the second line to check our bags. I notice 20 kids and parents in front of us being taken care of by some agent….so we go around the line and we are NEXT….again it is hard to communicate with the ladies because for some reason they do not speak English (and we are in Miami and this is an American airline)….they want to charge us $50 a bag checked in…(we did NOT get charged this last time….i think it is supply and demand…since more people are going back now, they can charge for the bags like all the rest of the American airlines)
Some guy keeps trying to put our carry-on bags onto the scale…I keep taking them off….
In addition to the $50 a bag, we have to pay $60 airport FEE….(again last time, we paid the travel agency along with our airplane ticket…this time the agency claims the airport wants to collect these fees separate)…dam shame
We finally go to a third line to pay…CREDIT card…good !!....NOT a good way to start a trip….just wait until our wives get this credit card receipt….lol
By now it is 3 pm and we have 3 hours to kill before the plane takes off…I suggest we stay in the main terminal and eat….but the Americans are anxious to get through the security check and to the terminal. So we go forward. It looked like an hour long line (again the Terrorist have won….as we are forced to take off our shoes and our belts…so stupid)
When we get to the gate….there are no food places opened…DAM…there is a little sandwich shop open making a killing on Cuban sandwiches and cokes and waters….Austin and Craig’s son decide to go BACK to the main terminal to try to see the exchange rate and get some kind of different food.
There are 3 planes going to Havana….5:30, 6 and 6:30….i guess they put them together to save money ??
Craig’s youngest son pulls out a deck of cards and we start to play Spades !!! yahooooooo
We board the second plane to Cuba…the 6 pm flight and it is packed…thank God our travel agent got us Exit seats with extra leg room…the plane is very HOT sitting in the Miami 100 or 120 degree airmat.
They do serve us some delicious small Cubans and cokes….a nice surprise…and I am showing Craig’s youngest son the Map of Cuba and where we are going to stay….and the beach, etc.
When we land in Havana….everyone in the plane cheers…I explain to the Americans that this is normal…we Cubans carry our emotions on our sleeves….lol
Introduction
Why Cuba ? (again)
Why go back to Cuba so soon (only 6 months after my first trip with my sons) and why did my high school friend and ex-basketball coach Craig Esherick want to visit Cuba this summer.
Everyone was asking me that question (especially my wife….lol).
Well it really had to do with Craig. We grew up playing ball in the Washington DC area back in the early 1970’s. He went on to play for Georgetown University and I for Jacksonville U. Many years later he was the Head Coach for GU and on national TV on a weekly basis since GU belong to the Big East conference.
In 2002, my son Brandon then 16 yrs old and I visited GU. My sister Manela also worked there and had met Craig a few times at various campus functions. Craig invited Brandon and I into his huge office and we also got to see GU practice. It was impressive.
Craig had met some Cuban coaches when he was the assistant to then Head Coach John Thompson at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, Korea. And he had expressed to Manela a desire to visit Cuba someday.
During the next 10 years, Manela had asked me several times if I would be interested in going to Cuba with Craig and visiting some Cuban coaches. So you see this trip was 10 years in the making.
Now it just happened that I had just visited Cuba at Christmas 2010 with my sons and sent some pictures and stories to Craig. And I expressed to him that I would be interested in taking a group of doctors or coaches to Cuba for a conference.
The doctors (mainly friends of mine and Berkeley bball alums) said that the trip would be too complicated for them.
Several coaches said they were interested, but in the end, only Craig followed through and went.
It turns out that this summer was a perfect time for Craig to go. His oldest son had just finished high school and was getting ready to take off to college. And his second son was done with AAU ball.
So we settled on July 2011. 4 days and 3 nights in Havana. I, of course, told Austin he had to come with me. (we were both able to get a couple of days off from work)
Like last time we went through Zeinada Tours in Miami. Friends of my older sister Lala. This time around my visa was NOT approved quickly by the Cuban govt….so we really did not know whether we were going or not until the very last minute. This put a little extra pressure on all of us. I even suggested to Craig that he could go without us. But it all turned out ok at the last minute.
We drove down to Miami Wed. nite and slept at Steve Kitchens house (Steve had gone with us to Cuba on the first trip)….plane was not leaving until 6 pm Thurs, but Zeinada wanted to meet us at the airport at 2 pm to give us our tickets (talk about “last minute”) and our Visas and sign some papers…..etc.
I was NOT anywhere nearly as nervous as the first time I went back to Cuba. That trip I did not know what to expect. This time I was the calming force in the chaos that is Miami airport !!!
Why go back to Cuba so soon (only 6 months after my first trip with my sons) and why did my high school friend and ex-basketball coach Craig Esherick want to visit Cuba this summer.
Everyone was asking me that question (especially my wife….lol).
Well it really had to do with Craig. We grew up playing ball in the Washington DC area back in the early 1970’s. He went on to play for Georgetown University and I for Jacksonville U. Many years later he was the Head Coach for GU and on national TV on a weekly basis since GU belong to the Big East conference.
In 2002, my son Brandon then 16 yrs old and I visited GU. My sister Manela also worked there and had met Craig a few times at various campus functions. Craig invited Brandon and I into his huge office and we also got to see GU practice. It was impressive.
Craig had met some Cuban coaches when he was the assistant to then Head Coach John Thompson at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, Korea. And he had expressed to Manela a desire to visit Cuba someday.
During the next 10 years, Manela had asked me several times if I would be interested in going to Cuba with Craig and visiting some Cuban coaches. So you see this trip was 10 years in the making.
Now it just happened that I had just visited Cuba at Christmas 2010 with my sons and sent some pictures and stories to Craig. And I expressed to him that I would be interested in taking a group of doctors or coaches to Cuba for a conference.
The doctors (mainly friends of mine and Berkeley bball alums) said that the trip would be too complicated for them.
Several coaches said they were interested, but in the end, only Craig followed through and went.
It turns out that this summer was a perfect time for Craig to go. His oldest son had just finished high school and was getting ready to take off to college. And his second son was done with AAU ball.
So we settled on July 2011. 4 days and 3 nights in Havana. I, of course, told Austin he had to come with me. (we were both able to get a couple of days off from work)
Like last time we went through Zeinada Tours in Miami. Friends of my older sister Lala. This time around my visa was NOT approved quickly by the Cuban govt….so we really did not know whether we were going or not until the very last minute. This put a little extra pressure on all of us. I even suggested to Craig that he could go without us. But it all turned out ok at the last minute.
We drove down to Miami Wed. nite and slept at Steve Kitchens house (Steve had gone with us to Cuba on the first trip)….plane was not leaving until 6 pm Thurs, but Zeinada wanted to meet us at the airport at 2 pm to give us our tickets (talk about “last minute”) and our Visas and sign some papers…..etc.
I was NOT anywhere nearly as nervous as the first time I went back to Cuba. That trip I did not know what to expect. This time I was the calming force in the chaos that is Miami airport !!!
Monday, July 25, 2011
Cuba Trip #2 July, 2011
Quick summary
here is the short version
Thurs - night 1.... we got into Havana at 8 pm....Convent is awesome...and A/C too !!
we went to Beer Garden at the Plaza Veija....had a blast...a magician entertained us for over an hour...and stole our $50...lol..or made our $50 disappear...lol...but it was well worth it...he was worthy of Vegas...even Austin was impressed
walked around until 11 pm and went back to rooms and played cards until 1 am
Friday - we had great breakfast at convent....coffee was excellent...nuns very nice
we went walking around for a couple of hours and then bball with the same group i played with last Christmas
the boys played 3 on 3...for a couple of hours...gave basketballs and bball shirts to cuban group...medicine to old ball players, etc....and then went to see the Cuban national team play the Havana all-stars (very good players, but could NOT talk to them)
then we took a nap (or i should say the Americans took a nap) and then dinner out...we went to the old fort in Havana HArbor to see the firing of the cannon at 9 pm
more cards Friday nite at hotel
Sat - after another great breakfast...we rented a mini-van with driver to Varadero...beach was wonderful...HOT as hell...we only last 2 hours and went back to Havana
showers and expensive dinner last night on the water...we spent $150 for 5 people...Pallea (that mixuture of rice with seafood...the biggest Shrimp i have ever seen...and lobster tails...and about 10 beers....saw the firing of the cannon from this side...very neat)
went walking after dinner and got lost and another cigar story...etc.
Sunday - 7 am wake up...taxi to airport 10 am flight back to the USA
and they let me back in !!!!
mission accomplished....special thanks to Manela for helping plan this trip
here is the short version
Thurs - night 1.... we got into Havana at 8 pm....Convent is awesome...and A/C too !!
we went to Beer Garden at the Plaza Veija....had a blast...a magician entertained us for over an hour...and stole our $50...lol..or made our $50 disappear...lol...but it was well worth it...he was worthy of Vegas...even Austin was impressed
walked around until 11 pm and went back to rooms and played cards until 1 am
Friday - we had great breakfast at convent....coffee was excellent...nuns very nice
we went walking around for a couple of hours and then bball with the same group i played with last Christmas
the boys played 3 on 3...for a couple of hours...gave basketballs and bball shirts to cuban group...medicine to old ball players, etc....and then went to see the Cuban national team play the Havana all-stars (very good players, but could NOT talk to them)
then we took a nap (or i should say the Americans took a nap) and then dinner out...we went to the old fort in Havana HArbor to see the firing of the cannon at 9 pm
more cards Friday nite at hotel
Sat - after another great breakfast...we rented a mini-van with driver to Varadero...beach was wonderful...HOT as hell...we only last 2 hours and went back to Havana
showers and expensive dinner last night on the water...we spent $150 for 5 people...Pallea (that mixuture of rice with seafood...the biggest Shrimp i have ever seen...and lobster tails...and about 10 beers....saw the firing of the cannon from this side...very neat)
went walking after dinner and got lost and another cigar story...etc.
Sunday - 7 am wake up...taxi to airport 10 am flight back to the USA
and they let me back in !!!!
mission accomplished....special thanks to Manela for helping plan this trip
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