Stu and I are a good team. We do crazy things like book last min travel to places that we have lusted after forever. It makes my heart full.
We went to Cuba and we are in love!
If you don't mind, I'd like to back up and explain how this came to be because I think that part is worth sharing.
Stu and I don't set New Years Resolutions, instead we set themes. This has really worked for us and has kept us focused on a broader intention that we can work on together durning the year. 2016 was The Year of Financial Domination. We were successful in some ways and were feeling pretty good at the end of the year. Go us. But a year of obsessing about money was a bit exhausting for me personally and we were both feeling complacent and a drained by the end of the year. We had spent a year laying the foundation for a good future and we were ready to get back to the present.
We decided that 2017 was going to be The Year of Action. This is the time to act on the things you have always wanted and it encourages us to stop putting things off. So in the true spirit of The Year of Action,we took action.
Cuba has been on our bucket list since before we had a formal bucket list and we were too chicken to make it there while it was illegal. Stu found himself with some extra time off before he started a new job in mid-January. That gave us the window to start the The Year of Action off with a bang straight out of the gate and booked flights to Havana with four days notice. BOOM! The confirmation email after this type of purchase brings a rush of panic and delightful excitement all at the same time. We were doing this!
We spent the next four days planning and getting our documentation in order. The travel rules had recently changed and the internet is full of misinformation.
We spent five full days in Cuba and visited Havana and Viñales. (I'm going to share the photos from Viñales in a separate post.)
Cuba is vibrant, loud and so multifaceted. It has a long history of colonization and each power has left it's mark on the island and the people. It's like being in new a world. There are so many sounds and textures and smells. I couldn't blink the whole time because I just wanted to take it in. I was so impressed with the Cuban people, they were the nicest locals I'd ever come across. This trip was unique, we stayed in people's homes with Cuban families and talked with our hosts about politics and Cuban culture. We learned so much and they treated us like family. It was remarkable. Granted we only scratched the surface, but I'm hooked. I'll be back. I am deeply in love with this place.
