Easter and Mom's birthday!

So what has happened since the last time I blogged? Not much...really! I lead a very boring life.

Easter has come and gone...I'm going to post a few pics here from Easter Sunday...kids all dressed up in their finery!

My Brookie bear was opposed to getting her pic taken...but she was so beautiful in her pretty pink dress that I wanted to post this picture anyway! I love her! She met me last Sunday in pew....with a great big BEAR hug (She hugs really tight!)...I wish I could spell out how she pronounces my name....something like Kar-nan!


My Newfie - Lincoln didn't want his picture taken either...but he wasn't shy about it like Brookie bear was....he would wait for me to grab my camera and stand there like he was going to pose...then when I would press the button...he would turn quickly away and laugh! I got this one picture of him...when he wasn't thinking quickly enough! I am calling him my newfie-Lincoln because I was in Newfoundland when his mommie went into labour! I caught a flight home and made it to the hospital and into the room about 2 minutes before he was born! I think I drove about 140 from the Springhill Exit to the Amherst hospital after James called and told me Lincoln was coming soon! I'm so glad he waited for me then! LOL Isn't his Easter outfit beautiful?

My Madison is absolutely beautiful! She is the light of my life! I have loved her since before she was born and I know that God has good things in store for her! This was just another quickie picture...I'm going to get better pictures of them in their outfits soon!

And then of course, the parents of these three beautiful children! Krystle has been in my life since her pre-teen years and spent a lot of time at my house in her teen years. She and James have been together for quite a few years and I am so proud of them. They have figured out that things work well if you are working together toward the same outcome! I am so proud of their parenting skills and actually a bit jealous that I didn't know some of things that they do! I'm proud of you Krystle and James!

In church on Easter, my friend Naomi was sitting with me. Her little man - Luke was giving me the eye! He is going to be a little heartbreaker when he grows up! He is so cute!

Her other son (Joel) was being his usual active and happy self....this pic is of him trying to crawl under the pews.....so he is actually laying down and I am snapping his picture from above! Doesn't he have the most beautiful blue eyes? I wasn't able to get a good picture of Hannah (Joel and Luke's sister) because she was sitting up front with the other kids....but I will soon!

My mom also celebrated her birthday on April 15th! We went to visit Aunt Susan and Uncle Randy on the Friday before Easter and they surprised her with a birthday cake! Doesn't she look good for being 67? The bakery next door to A. Susan and U. Randy's house makes the best rolls....we knew that....now we know that they also make the best cakes! It was delicious!

Ok...enough for now....my Manumanum is speaking tonight at church! Come one come all! She's the best! (I know ....you'll get me for this!)

CUBA - in all it's glory

Ok...so I promised more on my trip to CUBA....here it is. (Enjoy the pics too!)

We arrived at the Varadero airport to approximately 30 degree weather. The humidy was relatively high and we knew we were in for a beautiful vacation! We stood in a line up waiting to be processed. Mitzi went through the metal door first and then Tanya. We wanted to be sure that Tanya would not be left on either side of the door by herself if something happened that she was not or I was not let through. That was a treat!

We were met on the other side of the green doors by Air Transat employees with signs...they let us know what our bus number was....as we left the airport to head to our bus...we were greeted by the sight of many "old" cars! All the cars were in mint condition and dated back to the 1950's! Beautiful...it was like stepping back into time!

As we waited on the bus for the all the vacationers....Tanya mentioned to me that she had seen someone she thought she knew.....she wasn't sure who it was but recognized their face. (more on this later!) One group got on and a woman started taking pics of everyone on the bus. We knew from her "loudness" that we hadn't heard the last from her on this trip....she had already started drinking and was well on her way to being the life of the party! LOL (suffice it to say that by the following Monday...she was much more meek and mild and hardly a sound on the return trip! LOL)

The drive from the airport to the resort took approximately 30 minutes and I got the bright idea that when we arrived at the resort, I would immediately get into line to check in and Mitzi and Tanya would get the bags from the bus. I was around the 3rd or 4th in line and it still took almost 15 minutes of waiting...just to be told that our room was not available yet! The first thing we did after being told this was to change into our swimwear and cover-ups. We headed to the dining room and had a lite lunch and then out to the pool where we basked in the beautiful sunshine for 2 or 3 hours until our room was ready.

The room number was 1106 and left a little to be desired in decor. The color on the walls was somewhere between puke green and aqua blue and the accessories were yellow and orange! Oh well.....as you will come to find out....Mitzi and I weren't there for the room but for the sun. Tanya on the other hand spent $800 to watch the Final Fours (basket ball) on tv in the room and the other $84 for the sun! LOL

So the first couple of days we spent by the pool! It was a whopping 30+ degrees out and very beautiful....we had to spend a lot of the time in the shade! Poor us! Then we proceeded to the beach which was across the street (about a 4 minute walk from the resort). The beautiful white sand and the green water made it seem like you were in a pool! We also spent as much time in the shade there as we could!

It was amazing to see the vendors. They had their wares all set up on a bike that was "housed" in. The two guys that stayed with the cart would wheel the bike up the beach and "park" it by pulling stakes and propping the bike up. And I must say that I like the vendors in Cuba much better than the ones in the Dominican because they are not a bit pushy. Cuban vendors allow you to approach them. You are the one that asks how much something is and the price that you are given is VERY reasonable and you don't have to barter. Dominican vendors are very "in your face" and always give a price that is very "laughable" as it is so far fetched. Like $30 for something you wouldn't pay $5 for. Even with bartering in the Dominican, I still feel like you overpay for everything. The sad thing about the vendors in Cuba (at least the ones on the beach)....they do not own the cart. The government takes the first 45% and the owners take the next 45%. The remaining 10% is split betweent the two vendors.

One day Mitzi, Tanya and I took a little walk up the Varadero strip and went to a little park that had been recommended to us. There were vendors set up in this park and Mitzi picked up a lovely straw purse for only a few pesos! There were locals offereing camel rides (we refused...thanks anyway!)...the camels looked like they would splinter they were so thin! There were roosters roaming free.....a beautiful parrot...a mini "colorful" train to ride around the park....Swans in the lake etc. There was also a "cafe" that made the best Pina Colodas EVER! I had a virgin one. It was very thick, coconuty and just a 'beautiful' thing! I think I got over charged...cause Mitzi gave a 5 peso and got change and I gave a 10 peso and only got 4 pesos back. But....it was worth it! LOL

Another afternoon, Mitzi and I were taking a break in the lobby from all the hard work of sun-tanning (it is very tiring you know!). A lady came up to us and asked if we would like to use her bus passes for the Varadero Tourist bus. This bus is a double decker bus and you pay 5 pesos for the day. You can get on and off as many times as you wish all day long. The bus runs from 9 am to 9 pm. Mitzi and I had been planning to do this anyway...but this was like a gift! We accepted the passes and checked with Tanya to see if she was interested (she wasn't...cause the final four was on!). We then walked up to the Varadero strip and waited at the bus stop for the double decker. We got on and 'did the tour'. It took approximately 2 hours to do the whole strip. We stayed on the bus and didn't get off. There was a lady at the front of the bus that was announcing the stops in 3 or 4 different languages (I think she did german, french, english and spanish). At one particular stop, she didn't make an announcement....but the bus stopped, the bus driver got on the p.a. and said 10 minute break!.....so Mitzi and I thought he just had to go pee or something...because he left the bus....there was a security guard standing by a tree, an 'fake' old fashioned car in the front yard a sign that said "casa de Al" (or something like that)....We had no idea where we were! (more on this later too!). The last half of the tour was very boring..because it was out in the boon-docks...where there were not a lot of sites to be seen...just the higher end resorts. We did see the Americana Mall....maybe next trip we'll go there! LOL. When we finally returned to the bus stop where we had go on originally, Mitzi and I got off and started the little trek back to the resort. We got a little side-tracked by a restaurant and stopped in for supper! May I say that it was probably one of the best meals all week! We both got steak in different dishes...mine was VERY, VERY tasty even though it was a little rarer than I would have liked in a foreign country LOL....it wasn't mooing....and the cow had eaten very good grass...because there was lots of flavour and I didn't get sick!

The next day, all three of us headed out and paid our 5 pesos and got on the double decker bus again. When we got to the "casa de Al" the announcer advised that we were taking a 5 minute break this time...and we were at AL CAPONE's house! WOW! The view from the back of the house was spectacular. It was right on the beach! The car out front was a replica of the mobster's car.....oh yeah...and the reason for the security guard was because of the historical significance!

CASA de Al - front and back views

When we got back on the bus, we travelled back to the "biggest flea market in Varadero". We went SHOPPING! I know that this will surprise anyone who knows me...but I had a great time shopping! I actually enjoyed it! LOL The prices were reasonable and I found a few good deals....and I will definitely go back again! LOL

With the exception of these two mini-excursions....our time was spent by the pool or on the beach. Tanya did go snorkeling one afternoon for 15 pesos. She loved the snorkeling part but was a littled put out (sick) of the Hobie Cat boat ride to get there.....15 - 20 minutes each way. For that very reason, she didn't go again!
We didn't get to see a lot of the culture because we were in the "tourist" trap of a resort area.....which was kind of ok with me because I was on vacation and didn't want to have to think of unfortunate circumstances a whole lot. We did have a lady approach us asking for stuff....but we didn't provide. There was one man that sleeps in front of the post office every night on a blow-up pool mattress. He had two puppies with him. He did not approach us so Mitzi approached him and gave him some pesos. We also both gave leftover hamburg to the puppies which they licked and chowed down very quickly.

The Cuban people that waited on us were very nice and we did a lot more tipping in Cuba than we had done in Dominican. I would say that I probably doubled or tripled my tip giving. There was live entertainment during the evening buffets and during the evening in the lobby. I only went to one of the 'entertainments' at the enterntainment section of the resort...it wasn't that great...it was a fashion??? show. Mitzi and I were pleasantly surprised by the musical entertainment and enjoyed it very much.....all very Cuban music. One afternoon by the pool there was an 'impromptu' party that was fun to watch and which the other resort people seemed to enjoy very much......LOL!

My biggest WOW in Cuba was all the different types of transportation that shared the road and shared it quite well I might add. A brochure notes that it is every man for himself on the Cuban roads....but that there are very few serious accidents....a few fender benders....but few serious accidents. While travelling the Varadero strip we saw Horse and carriages, bicycles, scooters, tri-scooter taxis, regular taxis, lots and lots of old-fashioned cars and buses, buses, buses...from newer coach type buses to double deckers to old ratty trappy buses. While on the double decker bus, I looked down and there was a bicycle driving up the centre of the road beside our bus! I might note that there was no horse poop on the roads that I ever saw....and only on the way back to the airport did I even see one petrol station. It had two pumps (the old fashioned kind)...and didn't look very busy! WOW!

The food was ok at our resort. The first couple of days we were saying that the food was good....but by the end of the week we were very sick of it! It seemed that they served the same food all week long. A lot of fish and pork,a bit of beef, a bit of rabbit and a bit of chicken. Potatoes, french fries (which I thought were re-cooked and didn't like at all!), vegetables (which were pretty good) lots of grated cabbage (white and red), grated carrots, tomatoes (which had no taste), sliced carrots....but no good salad dressing!.... I had a problem with the smell in the dining room ....and by the 5th day.....it almost made me nauseous to walk in. There was a Pizza place that we could go...served pizza on a flat bread....with a tomato soup tasting sauce...that was ok and we ate there a couple of times. I will say that the bread that was served on the resort was excellent, the fruit was good and the ice-cream was to die for....ask Tanya...she lived on the ice-cream! (especially chocolate!). The Chinese a-la-carte was pretty good. The Curry chicken was excellent, the sweet and sour pork was very good as was the mandarin chicken. The Cuban a-la-carte left a little to be desired and we ended up at the buffet leaving our meals there mostly un-eaten. After all that complaining though.....please note that I did not lose or gain weight while I was away! It was funny though....on the return flight, they served a container of food (President's Choice - noodles and beef with ginger and garlic). We were sitting near the front of the plane and the stewards started serving from the back (we were on an air-bus....so fairly big plane). The scent of the heated dinners wafted up to the front and I swear that by the time they got to me...there was a huge puddle of drool on the floor beside me! When I opened my container...I just drank in the smells...then I put a fork full in my mouth and savoured it! It had so much flavor....I didn't even want to swallow....just wanted to keep it in my mouth! LOL

Now...back to the guy Tanya thought she knew.......When Tanya pointed him out to me, I also thought he looked familiar, however it wasn't until we got to the resort and someone called out his name that I clued in to who he was. It was my sister-in-law's nephew. I recognized him from his grad pic that she keeps on her fridge. I saw him a couple of times at the resort but didn't say anything to him...however, when we went back to the airport in Cuba on departure day, I spoke to him and told him that we knew him and how. He was very surprised and his girlfriend said...that she wished we had met up on the resort. Someone here at home asked me why I didn't say anything to them at the resort and this is my response.... I wanted him to have a good vacation and not have to go home with the thoughts of me in a bathing suit! If he didn't know who I was ...then I wouldn't stand out in the crowd....but if he knew...then he would have been saying hello ...etc....Wasn't that nice of me....not to give them nightmares! LOL

We also met up with a couple at the resort. Their daughter had been on Tanya's basketball team last year. That was weird! Then...there was another man that was from Amherst....a Gould! He was having a good time! LOL....dancing on the bars etc. It was a funny site and we laughed so hard! What are the chances though that you end up at a resort with someone you know when you're not planning it. Last year in the Domincan...there was a nurse from the Amherst hospital on the same resort......we just steered clear! LOL

Well...anyway...that was our time in Cuba.....we enjoyed it...but it was nice to be home....however, given the snow all weekend...I believe that we would much rather be back in the heat of CUBA!

Back from Cuba!

Well...the adventure has come and gone! Let me tell you a little about my experience!

We (Tanya and I) arrived at the airport at approximately 5 a.m. on Monday morning and proceeded to wait in line to check in. There were a lot of people at the airport at that time! WoW....doesn't anyone sleep now-a-days? Because I didn't have our e-tickets...I was sent to another counter for them. The girl at that counter told me that the check in counter would be closing in 15 minutes. Not a big deal right? WRONG...because Mitzi hadn't arrived at the airport yet! I asked the girl if I could check Mitzi in. She said...NO...Mitzi has to be here to check in in person. So...Tanya and I proceeded to wait for Mitzi....approximately 10 minutes went by and I went up to the desk to plead with the girl to let me check Mitzi in. As I did this...another lady came to me and said that the girl who had given me the first bit of information was incorrect....the check-in counter would actually be closing in 45 minutes.....however, because the airport was so busy...Tanya and I should proceed through Security. I wanted to wait for Mitzi....but she said it would be best if we didn't.....she did promise me that she would let Mitzi know we had gone through Security. Depart Tanya and Carolyn to go through Security.

Enter Mitzi through the swinging doors!....and Mitzi waits and waits and waits for Tanya and Carolyn to arrive....not knowing that they have arrived. Finally Mitzi goes to the counter and says....I'm looking for my friends can you tell me if they have checked in yet? The lady says....Oh...are you Mitzi? "yes".......Well your friends have gone through Security....!!!!!!!!!!!! So Mitzi checks in, goes through security and finds me waiting anxiously at the top of the stairs for her....we wait for Tanya to get through the line-up at Tim Hortons (she has already been in this line up for 20 minutes!)...and then we head to our gate!

Our plane is on time and we proceed through boarding. Unfortunately, our seats are not together and we seperate for the four hour flight. The flight is un-eventful...we get to watch the Twilight movie, eat a breakfast sandwich of some kind and snooze for a bit. When we finally touch down in Cuba.....everyone applauds.....and the fun begins!

Tell you more on the next blog! Love Carolyn