Everybody loves a vacation, right? I know I certainly do, and Wendy and the kids are just the same. Our most recent vacation was all the way down to Cuba, and although we enjoyed it a great deal, we also found it as a huge culture shock. I’ve always thought that London is a very chilled-out city, but you really don’t know what a relaxed way of life is until you visit Havana!
This was a pretty expensive vacation for us, although we were lucky as we got a great deal from http://www.flightnetwork.com/. We flew down directly from London to Havana and as soon as we stepped out of the airplane the humidity certainly hit us. The funny thing was when we arrived on the tarmac we were still wearing our Canada clothes and felt a little bit out of place considering everyone else was walking around in shorts and T-shirts! It didn’t matter though, we got through the airport quicker than expected and got changed at our hotel pretty soon after.
We landed quite late in the day so decided just to have a walk around our hotel area and then go for a meal in the evening. The food was fantastic; I didn’t really know what to expect from Cuban cuisine but it was a very interesting mix of Spanish, Caribbean, and African flavors that really worked. The people working in the restaurant were so friendly too, and we had a really fantastic first night in Cuba.
The rest of the ten-day vacation went really well, and the whole family loved the experience. Those vintage cars you see on TV really are all over the place, and the buildings are so colourful, it’s a joy to behold. However, in almost a blink of an eye, it was time to come home and I have to say, I was missing good old London, Ontario by the end. It’s funny how spending time away from your home city makes you realize how much you love living there. As we flew over the city and then touched down, I think all of us were thinking how lucky we are to live where we do.
Of course, we settled in back at home as though we had never been gone. I still love walking around the city knowing all the familiar sights and seeing what a vibrant city it is in its own right. Sure, the weather may not be as fantastic as Cuba, but it’s just fine for me and I love getting out and about.
The funny thing is, about a month later Wendy suggested that we go out to dinner and that I should leave it to her as to where we go. I should have seen it coming; as we parked outside the restaurant I could see that we would be eating Cuban food once more, but this time it was at the Casa Cubana on Wortley Road in my home town London, Ontario!