All posts tagged: Central America

5 Days in Cuba: Havana and Varadero

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As soon as relations between Cuba and America were “normalized” and direct flights to Havana became available, I booked my ticket to this isolated island nation. I have always been fascinated by this isolated nation. The recent flood of Instagram photos of Havana only increased my desire to visit Cuba even more. Planning this trip was a bit difficult since there is limited information for Americans and requires a lot of research. My original plan was to explore Havana (Wednesday, Thursday and Monday afternoon), Viñales (Friday) and Varadero (Saturday through Monday morning). One thing I did not account for was the heat and humidity at the end of May, which according to Cubans is temperate for spring. The heat takes a toll on your body and I ended up not doing as much as I had planned, so I saved Viñales for another time. This is my 5 days in Havana and Varadero. Note: With President Trump’s reversal of the Obama Cuban policies, travel to Cuba may become restricted again. I recently searched for JetBlue …

Weekend Unexplored: Big Corn Island, Nicaragua

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Big Corn Island, situated off the Atlantic coast of Nicaragua on the Caribbean Sea, has historically been influenced more by the English than the Spanish.  The locals are descendants from Miskito Indians, European pirates, British settlers, and freed slaves.  Over the years, Nicaraguans from the mainland have moved to the island as well.  My friends and I spent a couple of days there in March, hoping to explore the local beaches and dive sites.  Listening to people speak Creole upon arrival was interesting; the language slides so easily in and out of English and Spanish with blends of words and phrases.  Of course, everyone on the island understands both English and Spanish perfectly.  Most have earned their income from lobster fishing, but now many are turning to tourism to bring new job opportunities. Approximately six square miles, the island has a paved road that runs along its entire perimeter.  For only 20 cordobas, or $0.70, we explored the full length of Big Corn Island by taxi cooperatives, sharing the fare with other passengers going the …