As expected, my fitness watch battery died yesterday. Oh well!
Today is my last complete day in Havana. Add to that, I have to try to teach tonight! I am not sure if my plan will be successful but I am going to try.
I’ve been walking a lot, eating mostly well, and hope to have a good surprise waiting for me when I step onto the scale Thursday morning. Here’s hoping!
I slept more last night than I have been but am more tired today than I have been all week. I think I’m going to take a nap!
I had a great day yesterday but for whatever reason I did not sit down to write. Oops.
I continue to sleep very little but am not at all tired throughout the day. That might have something to do with how much coffee I drink when I am here… or it might just be because of the air. Either way, I am relaxed and happy on four or five hours per night.
My fitness watch battery is at 5% and I will be happy if it makes it through one more day. If not, then I will have a couple of days without measurements in the app… but I will still be walking and aiming for 15,000 steps per day. I will continue to eat smartly. I am still hoping to be very happy with my weight when I step onto the bathroom scale Wednesday morning. As it is, the Hawaiian shirt that I could not wear Monday seems to be a bit more comfortable today. I promised someone I would send them a picture of myself in it, which I was able to do this morning, so I see that as an indicator that I’m doing well. The scale will tell the numbers, but more importantly the way my shirts and sports jackets fit is more important.
I am meeting my steps goal every day without a problem. As was the case on my last visit here, the only vehicles I have been in are taxis to and from the Hotel Nacional with friends. To be honest, I did take a cab back alone that night, but it was late and I wanted to see a friend before their shift ended. I made up for it by walking another few thousand steps before turning in.
It is amazing how many Jews I have met on this trip, which is to say that I have met at least six of them… including one native Cubans who is with the local Chabad house. I confess it never occurred to me that there would be one! Last night at dinner the guys at the next table were from Tel Aviv and we had a great conversation. They asked me why I wear my kippa here instead of a hat. I told them that had I been wearing a hat then I would never have met most of the Jews that I have met. Havana is a very safe city and Cuba is very accepting of all religions (while not condoning any one of them), but if someone does not like the fact that I am Jewish (and Israeli) then I like knowing… and if they confront me then I’ll happily handle that situation. In the meantime, I was able to light my Shabbat candles in my apartment last night. I was alone, but as I lit them I know that I was with all of the people I pray for, and with the whole Jewish nation. There is n irony to being able to do this freely in a country that is so poor and the people are oppressed… just like we have been so many times.
It is another gorgeous day and I am enjoying my second day cup of coffee at my buddy‘s bistro. In a little while I will head out for my day. I have to stop by my apartment because I took my laptop bag to bring him some things, and do not want to have to carry it all day. I will then set out to enjoy the rest of my day. It is the Sabbath, and I will take it easy… but if that were the only definition of the day then this entire week has been Sabbath!
Have a great day folks!
It is going to rain soon so I am sitting comfortably in the upstairs lounge of Johnny’s bistro. In a little while I’ll head out to go replenish my cigar stock, and then will go hunting vittels for lunch. I have a phone call to make around 2:15 so I will make my way to my friend Gloria’s hotel (even though she is not working until later) because it is traditionally the place with the most reliable Internet.
I was disappointed to realize that I did not bring a charging cable for my fitness watch, which means that either today or possibly tomorrow will be my last day tracking steps until I am back home. Oh well… I will still do a lot of walking!
I slept slightly more last night than the previous two… but not by much. I find that I can go longer here than I usually do in Canada… despite the walking. That might have something to do with how much coffee I drink here!
Johnny and I will have lunch and then another friend and I are hopefully going to have dinner this evening. We have missed each other twice, and if it does not work out then it will just not happen this trip because of work schedules. What can you do?
I am feeling good about my food intake and choices this week, and hope that when I finally step onto the bathroom scale next Wednesday I should be pleased with the number.
Have a great day folks!
What a shock… the Internet is not working today. Why not? Cuba. I am only very slight pit off by the inconvenience, and will not lose one minute’s enjoyment for that. I will have e to try to tether at some point to speak to someone, but other than that I have no real need to be connected while I’m here.
Yesterday was a typical day for me insofar as a lot of things did not happen as planned, and I had a lovely day nonetheless. The only issue that I had was the disrespect shown to me by two groups of people… sometimes it happens from Cubans, but tourists seem to take the concept of Cuban Standard Time a little too quickly. A couple that I met on the airplane were supposed to meet me in the morning but they did not show up. I was not bothered one bit by that because the plans were very fluid… I knew when we discussed it that either we would connect or we would not. They reached me by phone at 2:30pm and asked to meet for lunch – they would meet me in 30 minutes. They showed up 75 minutes later, which only slightly irked me in that I was not hungry, but I did not want to eat lunch at 4:30pm knowing that I had dinner plans (which fell through because of someone else disrespecting my time).
I want to be clear that the couple did not intentionally disrespect me. They were in Cuba for their first visit, and thinking that their credit cards would work, they brought almost no cash. This was a huge and disastrous mistake for an American tourist to make when coming to Cuba. Fortunately I was able to bail them out before they went hungry – they transferred money to my US account and I got Cuban cash here. Again, I am only happy to help. What inconvenienced me was that they told me we were probably going to have dinner (my other plans fell through). At 9:15 they promised they would confirm or cancel within 15 minutes. They decided to eat in their hotel which was not a problem for me; the problem was that they did not call to tell me, so I waited over an hour before cutting bait and going to eat. I do not ever like to eat at 11:00pm.
With the exception of the times I ate reasonably yesterday. I hate that I ate late at night, but other than that I did fine. I also walked a lot – I believe I did over 15,000 steps before midnight, and I know I walked 5,000 steps before calling it a night. I am not worried about my weight but I know I am not gaining this week (so far).
I could write more but I’m just trying to enjoy my day. It is sunny and hot and I am loving it.
Have a great day!
Yesterday was a wonderful day from beginning to end. IY”H every day should be as good.
After the ridiculously long, stressful, and expensive two-day span that was Saturday into Sunday, I landed in Cuba only one hour later than I had originally planned for, and was at my apartment by 4:30pm. I did not unpack, but I did go into my suitcase to find a pair of shorts and my sandals (I had changed into a short-sleeve shirt on the plane from Toronto to Houston) and I went out to meet my buddy only a few minutes later than expected. He and I spent the evening together, enjoying a coffee and then dinner… followed by another snack a little later. I was back in my apartment by 11:00pm, and while I was quickly running out of juice, I had to unpack and organize my kit before turning in. I turned on the water heater so that I would be able to shower before getting into bed, which I was finally able to do by 12:30am. I slept like the dead.
I seldom eat well on travel days, and what with all of the stress and anxiety of the entire ordeal Sunday was no exception. After everything, I should have turned it off… but as we sat in the cafe-bar toward the end of the evening, as Johnny devoured his desert I compounded it by indulging in a plate of French fries. I knew it was wrong… and I did not and do not and will not feel bad or apologize for it. My step count for the day was 14,000, and my stress count was through the roof. I deserved every morsel and every calorie that I ate Sunday.
Yesterday would have to be better… and it was. I did not eat breakfast, partially because the restaurant I had planned to eat at was not open yet, but also because I met a few guys from Kentucky at my buddy’s cafe and nibbled on a piece of their toast. For lunch I had a plate of pasta (which in Cuba is a reasonable size, and not what one might get in a restaurant in North America). Dinner was a plate of fried plantains and a chicken dish that likely had the nutritional value (or lack thereof) of an order of General Tao’s chicken… but again it was a reasonable size. I walked 17,000 steps throughout the day, enjoyed many cigars and cups of coffee, and the company of a few friends I always see when I’m here. In the balance, yesterday was a weight-plan success.
After dinner I went back to Johnny’s bistro for another cigar and a video call, and I ran into the guys from Kentucky who joined me for a cigar… and pulled out a bottle of very fine bourbon. I relaxed until closing and then walked with Johnny as far as my apartment, where I picked up another cigar and then went to see my friend Gloria at her work. She and I chatted until nearly 3:00am, at which point I headed back to my place and had a very good (if short) sleep.
This morning I ordered a plate of fried eggs and toast, and a couple of cups of coffee. Depending on whether or not people I met show up or not, I will either be leading a tour today, or I will just do my own thing in Habana Viella. While it would be great if they do show up, my day will likely be no better or worse if they do or not… it will just be different.
My goal is to register 15,000 steps or more every day in Havana. That should not be a difficult goal to achieve, and will likely do much more than that some days. The only thing I need to be aware of is the state of my feet, remembering the problems I had with them on my last trip. Those problems started with a lot of steps in a pair of sandals that were probably well past their expected lifespan (measured in steps, not in age). I gave that pair away, and am wearing another pair that I had… which are older, but not nearly as well worn. After a day and a half in them (and over 30,000 steps) my feet seem fine, so I am optimistic. I brought running shoes just in case, but so far so good. If I need to then I will switch out for runners, but if I can manage it then my other goal is to return to Canada without having worn a single pair of socks the whole trip. We’ll see…
If the group does not show up then I am planning to have a pizza for either lunch or dinner. The other meal will likely be fish or pasta. We’ll see. I did not feel the need to snack yesterday and while I was peckish by about 12:30am, I did nothing about it and went to bed a little hungry. I would have had to be much hungrier to decide to eat after 11pm. If I can make it through today without snacking then it will absolutely be another good food day.
It has been some time since I wrote about my bowel movements, but this morning was so good that I feel I should mention that my system is working well, and I suspect that it was ridding my body of all the garbage I ate Sunday. As I walked toward my buddy’s bistro for breakfast I felt five pounds lighter.
On the negative side, I was extremely disappointed with myself yesterday morning when I put on one of my new shirts and it was tight. I could have gotten away with it, but decided against it and changed into something looser. Hopefully within a few days I will try it on again with better results. While I am well aware that hope is not a strategy, I am truly hoping I can make that happen.
It is now approaching 10:00am and my group is not here. As I said, either they will show up… or they will not. Either way…
…have a great day!
I don’t really have time to write today, but it’s been a good day so far. Yesterday was not a good eating day, but travel days seldom are. I got 14,000 steps in, and am already near that today. I’ll try to write tomorrow or Wednesday.
I did not weigh myself this morning before heading to the airport. That is because I did not sleep one minute last night. I hope I will be able to sleep on the plane. Our story:
At 10:15pm I was in bed and ready to sleep four hours. That would not be much, but I would be able to get by on that if I had to… as long as I do not try to do it too often. At 11:10 my phone binged with a travel alert. I looked and it told me that my 6:00am flight was delayed until 10:15am. At first glance, that was not a bad thing… I would be able to get four more hours of sleep! I then did a little math in my head, and I realized I had better check with the airline. It’s a good thing I did… I was going to miss my connecting flight, and they were only able to rebook me for Wednesday! That would not do…
I spent half an hour trying to communicate with someone at American Airlines… to no avail. I was on hold on the phone (approximate wait time: eight hours), and I was in a queue with their website chat agents (approximate wait time: two hours). I was not a happy camper! Of course, they were giving me the option to cancel my flight… they were not going to refund it, but they would give me a flight credit. How generous of them… not.
You know what? I will be flying again shortly, whether back to Cuba or elsewhere, so I decided to bite the bullet and see if I could find a comparably priced ticket for today. Sure enough, United Airlines was able to accommodate me. It was somewhat more expensive, but I did not really have a lot of choice… I have paid for the apartment in Havana, and I have arranged several meetings with friends and others that I did not want to have to scramble to change.
I had some issues paying for the ticket… one of my cards was recently lost, one is close to its limit, and one (which is nowhere near its limit) just didn’t work. While the fourth card did have issues (or rather, their website had issues with it) I was finally able to get it through.
By the time i was able to fix my Cuba travel documents the clock read 12:30am, and I was still wired from the scramble to fix everything. I knew that it would take me a while to calm down, at which point if I did fall asleep, I would never have been able to wake up. I ordered my Uber, then I got dressed and schlepped my luggage downstairs.
I should mention that I have never arrived at the airport before the check-in counters were open; once I was checked in, through security, and cleared by US CBP, it was a little after 3:30am… and the restaurants do not open until 4:30am. I was glad I thought to grab a protein bar as I walked out.
So here I sit, fed, and waiting patiently for my flight with a cup of coffee. As I do, I guess this entry is supposed to be about how I did yesterday. I had breakfast with Lyle and Dorothy… corn meal waffles with maple syrup. Yum! I then drove to Cambridge to enjoy a cigar with Ryan et al. I was planning to leave there by 3:00pm, and I was close… I was in my car by 3:20. I got home hungry so I prepared my dinner, then started packing. With all of the gear I brought for charity and for friends I cannot think of too many times I have packed that much without actually moving. I checked two large suitcases (weighing 25kg each), and I have two sizeable carry-on bags (which I have not weighed, but they are significant as well). On my return flight I expect I will have an entirely empty large suitcase, and my larger carry-on bag will be packed inside it. The other bags will still be half the weight and not nearly bursting the seams. I am just glad that I was able to give the airline the two larger bags when I checked in.
What else is going on… let me think: my return flight is going to require me to spend the night in Houston on my way home. Drat… but there is a possibility that I might be able to make lemonade with that lemon! We’ll see. I was able to let Johnny know that I would more than likely be late for our 4:00 meeting. I still have to let Sue know what happened and that I will need her to take care of Her Royal Floofness for one more night. I have sent a few other texts to people who might be affected by the changes, but do not expect answers until a reasonable hour.
I am surprised that my step count is only just over 2200… although that is 2150 steps higher than it would normally be at 5:10am were I not traveling. By the time the day is over I am sure that will be up to 18,000 steps… but if it is not I will still not fret. I had a bit of a cheat breakfast today, but my usual routine in Havana should have me expending a lot more energy than I eat. Assuming my weight this morning would have been what it was yesterday, I would love to be 5-6 lbs. down the morning after I get back to Canada. How do I do that? A lot of walking, mindful eating, and only moderate drinking.
Have a great day folks… and I will see you in Havana!
It was a relief to see the numbers on the bathroom scale drop significantly from yesterday morning, taking me mercifully below the dreaded 280 lbs. mark. Hopefully I will be able to drop another few pounds on vacation, which is not something I would normally say… except I know that I do not overeat in Cuba, and that I do a lot of walking.
Yesterday was a good day. I finished my class exactly as expected, and then ran to the bank to exchange money. I then came home and made dinner, after which I lit the candles and said my prayers. I selected a magnificent cigar to enjoy on the balcony, which I paired with a lovely rum. I overpoured the rum, but rather than overindulging, I threw the last bit out. I was having such a lovely time that I decided to enjoy another cigar.
My sleep score was high, and while I had some trouble falling asleep, I mercifully did not have an alarm set, so I was able to sleep until I woke up at 8:30am.
I tried to check in for my flight, but I forgot that when flying to Cuba through the United States, you need to check in at the airport. Drat. Her Floofless has been walked, and I now have a few things to do, which will start with joining my friends Lyle and Dorothy for breakfast.
Have a great day folks! I will try to write from the airport tomorrow… and if not, then Havana!
