Varadero, Cuba

November 14, 2019 / marniesteve / Leave a comment

Our last few days have been spent in the beach resort area of Varadero, at the all-inclusive Iberostar. All inclusive resorts are nice because, well, everything is included. Steve could drink an unlimited amount of rum and food is available 24/7.

It’s kind of like a cruise on land. We even had dinner one night at the Japanese restaurant and learned to make rum drinks.

The cool thing is that we are still on “program” with Marathon Tours which means we have one or two excursions per day available to us that allow us to “support the Cuban people.” This is where the real fun is.

One excursion included a trip into the town of Matanzas which is the location of Cuba‘s oldest baseball stadium Palma de Junco. It’s also home of the newly created Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame. Baseball is huge here, and we were able to meet a Hall of Famer, Jose Estrada Gonzales, “Pepito” and get our picture taken with him, along with a signed ball.

We watched up-and-coming Cuban baseball stars practice and then got a turn at bat.

From there we did a walking tour of the town and interacted with locals on the way. I always have candy in my purse. Sweets and a smile is a good icebreaker worldwide.

Another excursion was a trip to the Cuban Dance Academy where we watched and then danced with folkloric dancers.
Our time in Varadero was relaxing and rejuvenating after the race but now we are headed into the countryside to explore another slice of this mysterious island.

Marabana Marathon & 10K

November 11, 2019November 11, 2019 / marniesteve / Leave a comment

Steve completed his 11th marathon on the year today under stormy Cuban skies. The Marabana Marathon was a fun one in many ways.

We were bracing ourselves for a hot and humid morning of running. However we awoke to pouring rain. It cleared up for the start which included runners from the 10K, half marathon, and marathon all starting at the same time. No corrals, no staggered starts, it was just a free for all.

In the crowd were runners from around the world along with thousands of Cubans. We met people from Mexico, Iceland, France, Colombia, and from all over the USA. You could usually tell the Cubans from the other runners, however, as they were wearing flat, Converse-like shoes or something else that looked uncomfortable for running. Shoes, especially running shoes, are hard to come by here. That explains why we were asked for our shoes numerous times during and after the race. We took a few photos of the recipients of our discarded gear.

About 30 minutes into the race it started raining. The beautiful rainbow turned into a torrential downpour that left us soaked from head to toe.

While that may sound awful it was actually a blessing as it kept us cooler. Once the sun came out later in the morning it was pretty steamy.

I finished the 10K before it got too hot and Steve finished the full marathon a few hours later.

We both agreed that running in Cuba was a fun, incredible experience. Between the view from the malecon to the warmth of the people, the entire event was great. Sometimes chaotic and confusing (signage was non-existent) the race was a microcosm of this country.

We’re off to the beach!!

Cuba: First Impressions

November 9, 2019November 9, 2019 / marniesteve / 2 Comments

Another bucket list destination, Cuba is already fascinating us. We arrived after a red-eye through Miami, and it’s always a little disorienting to walk around a new city, a new culture, after a long flight. Of course, we dove right in.

We’re once again traveling with Marathon Tours, with the big event, the Marabana Marathon taking place on Sunday. Until then, we are tourists.

With our group, we experienced one of Havana’s best restaurants, La Guarida. With sweeping views of Havana we met our fellow runners over mojitos and lobster. During our first full day of touring we visited a a cigar factory and watched masters roll the finest cigars in the world. And yes, we bought a few as souvenirs. No photos we’re allowed in the factory which was a bummer because it was cool.

We also visited a day care for Havana’s poorest children and left supplies to help the cause. The 2-4 year olds were well taken care of thanks to Sister Theresa and her staff.

A trip to Havana is not complete without a visit to Finca Vígia, Ernest Hemingway’s Cuban home. We saw his many books, safari prizes, and bottles of rum.

He was beloved by the Cuban people and his home, now museum, memorializes that relationship.

Havana has an image in America’s eyes. Classic cars, crumbling old buildings, and rum. Music is in the air at all times and people spontaneously dance in the streets. So far, Havana has not disappointed us.

During our second day we visited the tourist market where we received an impromptu salsa lesson, (video to come on Facebook) followed by a visit to a boxing academy. Boxing is hugely popular in Cuba and this place trains future champions. After a little more touring of Old Havana and the forts that protect it, we took the afternoon off to rest up for tomorrow’s race.