Classic Car to Airport - Day 8 Havana, Cuba

Saturday May 28, 2022 – Transfer to Havana’s José Martí International (HAV) airport for flights home

We woke up this morning still not feeling great, but things were stable. We split an omelet and had some pastry. Thankful to have had a nice hotel & breakfast for our last night/morning. Dario met us to take us to Medical and we redid our Covid tests. Again, they were negative, but the form had all the info the airport wanted.

Dario said the office set up a very nice car for our drive to the airport and this morning we were met with a pristine black ’59 Chevy Impala convertible with red & white interior. What a fun ride to the airport. Dario came in with us and we got in the line to check in and he would have stayed with us, but seriously we didn’t need him to do that, so we said good-bye and thanked him for the week, and I think he was worried the events would affect his tip (as did Arsenio), but he smiled in relief when Greg handed it to him. Part of travel is that sometimes things don’t always go smoothly. It was out of his control as well. 

'59 Chevy Impala

a few last photos taken on the way

wow, remember these?

arrival at the airport

We had a few CUP left to spend off (not useful anywhere outside of Cuba). I found a magnet and a keychain for Cathy (had hoped for something nicer at one of the shops in Trinidad) and I lovely carved wooden lady to add to my collection. Still have some small CUP left, but honestly nothing else that we really wanted or needed to buy so Scott can have those for his treasure chest in the bar. (a couple of bills and some coins)

We made it through security and found our gate. We could smell food but didn’t see any in sight. No menus found, but we went into 1 of the 2 places that offered food and he said they had omelets. So, we each ate one with the dry toast served. Pretty much all we should have attempted to eat anyway.

We stopped at Cheesecake Factory on the way home since it was dinner time (early dinner) and I had not really eaten for a whole day and then only an omelet and a half. So, we both felt up to eating and we brought back Godiva Cheesecake for later.

Oddly, we felt great on Sunday and then Monday, Greg woke up sick and I was just feeling a bit draggy. Cathy & Tom had graciously invited us over for Memorial Day and bocce. We bowed out of bocce since we both felt bad, but did go over for some Sequence & snacks and dinner. As always, they are great company and the food was great, despite us not being able to eat much. We bailed early to go home and rest.

Greg must have gotten some Noro or some virus other than what I had as he also had vomiting and spent the better part of 3 days in bed and not eating much of anything. I however feel just draggy which I’m blaming on “the corking of my system” and I haven’t uncorked yet….LOL I don’t think I have ever seen him that sick. It is very rare for him not to cycle, exercise or swim even when he’s under the weather.

Anyway, we will live, and the trip was amazing despite Covid & tour vehicle issues.

Many of us that travel count countries and Cuba marked our 90^th country that we have visited together. Of course, there are also different cities/ports in various countries that make that count way higher. Any place that is new is always a bonus for us.

As a wrap-up, we noticed we were “out of practice” traveling. I brought lots of batteries for my camera but left them in the room. Totally forgot to put them in my day bag the first day. I forgot to pack Tylenol for the trip. There really was no place to buy any even if they may have any in stock. Just little things. I had 2 day bags and realized that I don’t want them for future trips. Good to know before we went on a long trip. It did feel good to be back traveling. We do prefer cruising for the ease of not having to pack and unpack multiple times and you know your things and the same bed are waiting for you after you return from a tour.

Cuba has quite a few endemic birds and we added 20 new species to our life list. In total we saw 51 species on the trip. I saw a crake or something similar but didn’t get a good enough look to ID it, so it didn’t count.  (about 3 different things it could have been) (new birds in blue)

Birds seen in Cuba:

Cuban Trogon, Cuban Pewee, Cuban Emerald Hummingbird, Cuban Nightjar, Yellow-faced Grassquit, Northern Flicker, Smooth-billed Ani, Greater Flamingo, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Great Blue Heron, Common Gallinule, Cattle Egret, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Common Ground Dove, Antillean Palm-Swift, Double-crested Cormorant, Snail Kite, Cuban Tody, Stygian Owl, Cuban Green Woodpecker, West-Indian Woodpecker, La Sagra’s Flycatcher, Gray Kingbird, Loggerhead Kingbird, Cuban Vireo, Black-whiskered Vireo, Northern Mockingbird, Red-legged Thrush, House Sparrow, Western Spindalis, Cuban Oriole, Tawny-shouldered Blackbird, Shiny Cowbird, Cuban Blackbird, Greater Antillean Grackle, Olive-capped Warbler, Red-legged Honeycreeper, Northern Bobwhite, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Common Ground Dove, White-winged Dove, White-collared Swift, Red-tailed Hawk, Cuban Vireo, Eastern Meadowlark, Magnificent Frigatebird, Brown Pelican, Green Heron, American Kestral. 

After a week, we are both getting back to normal and are back walking every day and we played a couple games pickleball. Slowly getting back into the swing of things.

Now to get ready for almost a month in Canada. Whoo Hoo!

For larger photos: Cuba Day 8 https://photos.app.goo.gl/TU7ARouX3WUXipyx5