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Havana seems to be on the tip of every traveler’s tongue these days and with good reason. Havana is a place that ignites warmth within the coldest of hearts as it is one of the sexiest cities you can visit. Havana is intoxicating to the senses. There are gorgeous men and women everywhere, and the rum is some of the strongest your lips will ever touch, and the music in the streets will make you sway your hips even if you have no rhythm.
The other part that appeals to travelers is that many people say going to Cuba is like traveling back into the ’50s. The old cars, dilapidated buildings, and lack of modernization, it’s as if Cuba never caught up with the rest of the world. If you are from the U.S. and you are wondering if traveling to Cuba is still a possibility, the answer is yes. Although travel has been restricted, again, it is still possible. As long as you apply for a visa through one of the visa programs that the U.S. allows, you are still able to travel to Cuba.
If you want to find what all of the hype is about Havana, the best way is to go and check it out for yourself. The following are my tips on what to do if it is your first time in Havana.
1. Walk El Malecon
First and foremost, you didn’t go to Havana if you don’t have a photo sitting on El Malecon. El Malecon is the causeway that separates the city from the sea. When you see pictures of old cars driving against the shoreline, they are driving next to El Malecon. The best time to walk it (in my opinion) is right before sunset. Sunsets in Havana are out of this world and especially at El Malecon because you have the sea and the city as a backdrop.
2. Drink a mojito at La Bodeguita del Medio
Even though this is a tourist trap, it is a must for anyone who is in Habana for the first time. It is the birthplace of the original mojito and has seen a fair share of famous faces since it opened in the 1940s. It is always guaranteed to have a large crowd of tourists, so I suggest going mentally prepared to wait for your mojito. You might as well order two to make dealing with the crowd work it.
3. Visit La Fabrica de Arte Cubano (FAC):
Located in Vedado, La Fabrica de Arte Cubano is a contemporary art collective that allows modern Cuban artists of all types to share a common space which just so happens to be an old oil mill that they converted into their home. You can expect to see all different types of art on display here, between musicians, dancers, painters, photographers, designers, etc. They are only open Thursday until Sunday from 8 p.m. until 2 a.m. They are also home to some of the best local concerts you can find. If you are interested in the arts, this is a must-see.
4. Ride in an old convertible
One of the biggest attractions in Cuba is riding around Havana in an old car. Even if you don’t have much background knowledge on automobiles, the old cars that filled the streets of Cuba are amazingly well maintained, considering that most of them are over 60 years old. A popular thing to do in Havana is a ride in a convertible alongside el Malecón as the driver or guide points on different buildings and historic locations in the city. The cost can range anywhere from 40 to 60 CUC.
5. Go to El Cañonazo
Each night at 9 p.m., a cannon is shot off at San Carlos de la Cabana. It is a tradition that goes back to the colonial times, and back then, it indicated the closing of the harbor for the night, today it is done for tradition. The guards wear traditional colonial outfits and fire off the cannon at precisely 9 p.m. The fee to see El Cañonazo is 8 CUC, which equals around 8 USD. If you don’t want to pay the entrance fee, you can also hear El Cañonazo for free if you walk El Malecón at night.
6. Drink a daiquiri at El Floridita
Cocktail connoisseurs know that El Floridita is the birthplace to the daiquiri, the lovely frozen rum drink that is sure to give you two things, brain freeze, and a buzz. It is also one of Ernest Hemmingway’s favorite spots in Havana. He was such a frequent patron that there is a statue of Hemmingway standing at the end of the bar. Just like La Bodeguita del Medio, it is a tourist trap and is almost always crowded, but since it is the birthplace of the daiquiri, it is a must-see.
One year. Three hundred sixty-five days since I physically felt my heart shatter when I heard my mom say the words, “Your dad had a heart attack and passed away in his sleep.” Honestly, I never expected to listen to those words.
When someone tells you that a loved one has passed away, the very first thing that happens is disbelief. You refuse to believe what you just heard. Your brain hears the words, but it does not process them. A feeling of shock and disbelief sweep across your whole body, and the feeling in the moments that follow can be best described as hollow.
How can you accept that someone that you love is no longer here? Especially when you just saw that person two days prior. People try to console you with words of condolence and encouragement, but mentally and physically, you are numb. A tornado could have come and swept me off of the ground I was standing on, and I wouldn’t have felt a thing. That is how numb and lost I was. Physically, I was on Earth; internally, I was in a black hole of numbness and disbelief.
The initial numbness doesn’t wear off within a few days, like most of us would like or want to believe would happen. Sometimes it doesn’t even hit at first. It comes in waves. And instead of allowing ourselves time to process the information and emotions that come along with the passing of a loved one, we immediately occupy ourselves. There are services to be arranged, flowers to be bought, and making the decision on how the family shall say their final farewell. What follows the time of death is days of constant planning and preparing that keeps your mind occupied and unavailable to focus on your feelings. We don’t allow ourselves the time to process what has just happened, so leading up to the funeral or service, bottle your grief up and place it on a shelf to the side so you can take care of things. It only subdues the grief and pain temporarily. Once the funeral process is over, you truly begin to feel the loss.
The dust settles, and family and friends return to their routines and daily lives, and you sit and wonder how you could live the same life that you did before you lost your love one. You are there, alone, left with the task of gathering the broken pieces of your heart and piecing them back together slowly. No one can prepare you for the mental spiral that is to come — the questioning of what you could have done differently. I asked myself how I could have been a better daughter. I had a good relationship with my dad, and I never thought that I would question if I was present enough in his life or if I spent enough time with him. After he died, I began to replay every single missed opportunity that I could have spent with him and even blamed myself for having a social life and not dedicating more time to my family. I felt guilty for creating a life for myself that didn’t include seeing or talking to him daily.
If being filled with these thoughts while I was awake wasn’t enough, my dreams were also about my dad. One dream in particular that I had almost every night after he passed was him wearing a black tuxedo, and we were standing outside of a concrete building with a red door. He flicked his cigarette out and took a look at me with his bright blue eyes and said, “Let’s do this.” Then he wrapped his arm around my shoulder, kissed me on the forehead, and we started walking towards the door. I had hoped that my dreams would be of something else, something that wouldn’t reflect my sadness, but there was no escaping it, not even in my dreams. I was trapped within my mind, and there was no way out.
Honestly, I never thought that losing my dad would be so painful or throw me into a spiral of intense grief and depression. I had dealt with death and grief previously. When I was 17 years old, my biological father passed away from cancer the morning after my high school graduation. With his passing, I was catapulted into dealing with grief while also transitioning from high school into “the real world” which gave me something to look forward to and place my focus on instead of centering my thoughts on my grief and loss. I’m not saying that I avoided my feelings; I just was able to process them quicker. It seems that because I had so much to look forward to, my mind just pushed me to continue forward. Then jump to 2019 when my stepdad dies, and I’ve already graduated college, done a considerable amount of traveling, moved to another country, and seemed to be starting to create a new life for myself and BAM. My world crumbled right in front of my eyes. This time I didn’t have anything significant to look forward to. I wasn’t dating anyone, not planning on having children anytime soon, and didn’t have any exotic travel plans. What was the next stage in my life that I could put my focus on?
My mind kept telling me to buy a plane ticket and get away and just be alone, but my heart told me to move back home and be with my family. For once in my life, I listened to my heart. The months following my dad’s passing were filled with tears, questioning, soul searching, connecting with friends who were experiencing the same pain that I was, and trying to find my life path. I allowed myself to sit with my grief and truly feel it. Allow it to wash over me, and I gave myself space to be sad, which, if you know me, you know that I have the unhealthy habit of avoiding being sad. I faced the rawest and ugliest emotions that surfaced, and instead of suppressing them, I allowed them and myself just to be. I allowed myself to feel. I made space for the negative. I realized that the more I allowed myself to be washed over with emotions and let myself be vulnerable, the more I began to feel like myself again.
I’m not going to say that allowing yourself to feel these emotions of heartache, incredible sadness, and uncontrollable grief is an easy task. That is a lie. It is extremely tough. It is opening old wounds and new ones and allowing life to dump salt all over them and endure the pain in order to heal your heart. There are days when you just want to feel no longer, and you would pay someone to deplete you of all emotions and feelings. Then there are days that you beg that the sadness and numbness will go away, and your heart will be filled with joy again. You almost feel guilty for wanting to be happy because you want to honor your loved one and the hole in your heart that they left behind, but at the same time, you know that they would want you to feel bliss again and to live your life to the fullest and fill that hole with new memories.
If I were to sit here and tell you that during this past year, I never experience joy or happiness, I would be a liar. There were moments when I experienced joy. There were days when my heart didn’t hurt as much. I had moments that made me smile and made me think, “Finally, I’m getting better.” But as anyone who has dealt with grief will tell you, there is no timeline to grief. You may feel on top of the world one day, and the next day you have this overwhelming sadness sweep over you and feels as though you took 20 steps backward. On days when I would feel this extreme sadness and emptiness, I would blame myself for not feeling better, for not being “better” with processing my dad’s death. I would tell my mom that I was so mad at myself for not being where I thought I should be in the process. I naturally put a lot of pressure on myself to be “strong” and to get over things quickly, but it doesn’t matter how much you want your sadness to go away, your heart doesn’t go according to your timeline, it creates its own.
Death creates an end and a beginning in the life timelines of those left behind. For me, my dad dying also marked the departure of who I was before. The person who I believed myself to be was no longer. I would stand in front of the mirror and not recognize the person looking back. I felt like a shell of the person I once was. I thought I died with him, except I was still physically here. What I didn’t realize is that although part of me ceased to exist on that day, a new piece of me was being born.
Although this new beginning started with sadness and grief from my dad’s death, it has also been filled with soul searching, healing, self-discovery, and self-love. It has sent me on a spiritual journey that, to be honest, if my dad wouldn’t have died, I probably would have never embarked on it. I began to rediscover passions that I felt like I had lost, such as writing. I am constantly evolving and discovering who I am. This isn’t to say that I no longer experience moments of sadness or grief.
02/02/2020 marked exactly one year since my dad died. The weeks leading up to that date felt so dreadful to me. I didn’t want to experience it, and I tried to avoid it at all costs. I was in Panamá, traveling around the country, and visiting friends and one thing that I knew was that day I didn’t want to spend it in the city. I wanted to be on a beach. I tried to convince a friend to come along, but I ended up going alone.
On the morning of his death anniversary, I woke up and looked at pictures of my dad, and instead of crying, I said thank you. Thank you for being with me during this past year. Thank you for pushing me to keep moving forward. Thank you for the signs that you send me that you are with me. Thank you for taking care of me. Thank you for helping me rediscover my passions. Then I thanked him for making it possible for me to take that day and spend it on an island in the middle of the Caribbean.
The island that I escaped to is remote and two hours away from the city, and the best part is that there is no cellphone signal. The only other people on the island were a couple visiting from Chile. I was able to be alone and cut off from the outside world so that I could be with my thoughts and my emotions. I had been avoiding this day for weeks because I kept fearing the extreme sadness I would feel, but on that day, I didn’t feel sad. I didn’t feel empty. Instead, I felt grateful and happy for having my dad be a part of my life for so many years. I enjoyed my own company, and I reflected on how far I had come in the past year.
Being on that beach reminded me of what it is like to feel alive. The waves crashing against the shore and the sand between my toes created a sensation of overwhelming happiness. My heart felt what it hadn’t in the past twelve months. It felt full. For a moment, I felt almost guilty for not being sad the entire day, and that’s when I saw a hummingbird in the palm tree where I was sitting. Hummingbirds and butterflies are my signs from my dad. I knew that it was my dad reassuring me that it was alright to be happy and that he was with me.
Reflecting on that day and this past year as a whole, I can confidently say that it has been a whirlwind of emotions and endless self-questioning. I know that there will be days in the future in which I will cry because I miss him telling me that it is all going to work out or simply because I want him here to share in my happiness. My dad may not physically be here, but he is with me every single second of the day. On my darkest days, when I feel like I need him the most, my reoccurring dream almost comes true, I can feel a weight around my shoulder, and there is a voice in my head that says, “Let’s do this.” And here I am, doing it, one day at a time.
This post is dedicated to the memory of my stepdad, Barry Glenn Gernert. He showed me that being a father isn’t by blood; it is based on the love that you have for your children, and he loved us more than anything. I love you Dad.
A new year typically means a new beginning, and with that fresh start comes new dreams. I figure what better way to start 2020 than publishing my bucket list for 2020. I have chosen the Top 10 Destinations that I would like to visit in 2020. Does making this list mean that I will be able to check everything off? No, it doesn’t, but it takes zero dollars to dream and only you to believe in yourself. I think it will be fun to look back on this list at the end of 2020 and see what I was able to accomplish this year.
1. Bora Bora
This will always be on my bucket list until I visit. I have been dreaming of Bora Bora for as long as I can remember, and with it being one of the most exotic and expensive destinations, it has remained at number one for years. Bora Bora looks like paradise on Earth, and if it is anything like the Maldives, then it is paradise. I’ve had friends go and tell me about how amazing their experience was, and honestly, it just gives me more motivation to go.
2. Day of the Dead in México
I lived in México for three years, and I never went to Michoacán or Oaxaca for Day of the Dead, which is something I wish I would have done. Michoacán and Oaxaca are the epicenters for Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico. Although I believe everything happens for a reason and I probably didn’t participate in any Day of the Dead activities back then because I was too young and immature to cherish the moment truly. One of my goals this year is to participate in Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) festivities. Although the name Day of the Dead sounds morbid, the truth is that it is more of a celebration of life than it is death.
3. Burning Man 2020
Burning Man is an annual festival in the desert (Black Rock Cities) where artists and creatives alike come together to create art, passion, and experiences that ensure memories that will last a lifetime. Before Burning Man became a popular event for influencers, it was something that I always wanted to experience. I love art and music, and combining both of those into one event where people feel free to express themselves in whatever way they choose, is the best-case scenario. It’s the modern-day Woodstock with new-age hippies. My friends who have gone said that they did not return as the same person. They were enlightened, and their hearts were full, and I want to experience that same feeling.
4. Cappadocia, Turkey
I am addicted to travel content on Instagram, and one of the things that I see posted the most is Cappadocia, Turkey. I’ve been to Istanbul, and while I was there, I really wanted to make it to Cappadocia, but I was limited on time. What brings so many people to go to Cappadocia? Hot air balloons. Cappadocia has daily hot air balloon rides over rock formations that surround the city. The videos and pictures are almost fairytale-esque. I’ve always dreamed of going on one of the famous hot air balloon rides over Cappadocia, and I will not give up on this dream until it is accomplished.
5. Dublin, Ireland
I have tried to go to Dublin on two different occasions, and each time something happened with the flights, and they had to be canceled or changed to where Dublin was no longer part of the itinerary. Why do I want to go to Dublin so bad? The truth is that through meeting people while traveling and being told their experiences, Dublin sounds like a fun city with such a distinct culture that it must be experienced at least once in my lifetime. Not only do I want to visit Dublin, but I want to experience the Irish countryside for myself. The travel photos that I see are breathtaking, and since I love hiking and nature, what better place to experience both? Plus, the third try is a charm.
6. Machu Picchu, Perú
What is a bucket list without one of the wonders of the world? Unless you have already checked all seven off, then no bucket list is complete without at least one of the wonders. I previously had a trip to Peru planned out, which included seeing Machu Picchu, but destiny stepped in and decided that I would break my ankle a week before the trip. Needless to say, Machu Picchu didn’t happen. My dreams of Machu Picchu may have been put on hold, but that doesn’t mean that they have gone away. I want to be able to sit and look down on the valley in which it sits and take in the panoramic views while trying to breathe it all in. Also, where else can you get an alpaca selfie with epic views?
7. Monteverde, Costa Rica
I lived in Costa Rica’s southern neighbor, Panamá, and on multiple occasions, I said that I wanted to go to Costa Rica. For one reason or another, I never made it. Costa Rica is known for its beaches and jungles, which in all honesty, Panamá has plenty of as well. The real reason why I want to go to Costa Rica has nothing to do with jungle and beaches, although they will be enjoyed while I am there. I want to go to Costa Rica for their hummingbirds. You read that right. Hummingbirds. In Monteverde, Costa Rica, there is a hummingbird sanctuary where not only can you see different species of hummingbirds, but they will land on your hands. I love hummingbirds, and everyone in my family feels a close connection to them. The videos that I have seen of hummingbirds flying around people in Monteverde are what dreams are made of.
8. Cinque Terre, Italy
Although I have been to Italy on several occasions, I have never made it to Cinque Terre. Cinque Terre is Italian for “Five Lands,” and the reason for the name is that Cinque Terre consists of five coastal towns in Italy. If you google it, you will see that the houses in each of the towns are colorful and vibrant and sit upon cliffs with the sea below them, it creates a beautiful view beyond Instagram worthy. Cinque Terre is what pops into my mind when I think of Italy. Most people think of Rome, Milan, or Florence, but not I. Cinque Terre has been on my bucket list for a while, and each time I have been to Italy, I later regret not going to Cinque Terre. I plan to make visiting Cinque Terre, the number one thing that I do the next time I am in Italy.
9. Petra, Jordan
As I mentioned earlier, no bucket list is complete without one of the wonders of the world, and this bucket list just so happens to have two wonders of the world. Petra is a city created by tombs and temples carved into pink sandstone cliffs. It is an archeological site that brings thousands of tourists each year to the middle of the southern Jordanian desert. I don’t know if it is the pink sandstone or the fact that Petra seems to be in the “middle of nowhere” that attracts me the most and makes me want to go there. There is also the other obvious factor that it is a world wonder, but either way, it is a place that I have always wanted to experience for myself.
10. Marrakech, Morocco
Last, but definitely not least, is Marrakech. Since the very first time that I went to Spain, I wanted to take a ferry to Morocco. One of the reasons why I never did was because of time constraints on each of my trips, but it was always something that I wanted to do. Part of the appeal of Morocco is the fact that it is part of Africa, and prior to 2017, I had never been to any country on the African continent. Currently, I have only been to one, Egypt. Morocco has this North Africa meets Middle East vibe to it, seeing how most of the country speaks Arabic and is Muslim, and the preferred form of travel through the desert is still via camel. Not only does it have a distinct culture, but they also have one of the coolest accommodations that I have seen. Riads. Riads are Moroccan guesthouses that you can rent while in Marrakech, they are basically luxury Airbnbs. Marrakech seems exotic, luxurious, and cultured, which are three things that can’t always be found in one destination, and it is one of the reasons why I want to visit so badly.
This wraps up my 2020 Bucket List. Although it is a bucket list/dream list, I also consider it a list of goals. As you can see, some of these destinations and things to do have been on my bucket list for many years, and some are newer. 2020 may just be the year that I accomplish them all. Either way, the best way to turn your dreams into reality is to set them as goals and watch as you go ticking each off one by one.
I hope my 2020 Bucket List has inspired you to start writing down the destinations that you would love to visit during 2020, and don’t forget that no place is either too big or too impossible to visit. Below I have included photos of places that were once bucket list destinations/dreams that over the years I have been able to mark off of my list. Just remember that no dream is ever too big. When there is a will, there is a way.
2019 started like any other year, filled with hope, happiness, and exciting plans to put into action. The only difference to the start of my 2019 ways that I rang it in by jumping on a hotel bed in Nepal with one of my best friends. I said exactly what most of us declare for the New Year, “This is going to be my year.” Flash forward to December of 2019, and as I reflect on this year, I could easily say that 2019 beat me down and dragged me down the curb a few times over, but the honest truth is, 2019 was a year that I needed to experience and the reminder that life is precious, make the most of it.
When I reflect on this year and think of the best words to use to describe it, the only two that come to mind are growth and transformation, and to be honest, growth and transformation are rarely a pretty process. They are both pretty ugly, and none of us want to experience them, but life makes sure that we do when we need it the most.
Almost two weeks after saying that 2019 was mine for the taking, I got bit by a street dog in Colombia, which at first was just a few puncture wounds, no big deal. Or so I thought. Quickly it escalated to cellulitis of the hand. Next thing that I know, I’m in the E.R. in Cartagena being told that what they said was the rabies injection that I thought they had given to me the day of the bite, was actually a tetanus shot. There I sat, in an E.R. in Colombia, being told that I need to get a double dose of the rabies vaccine ASAP. Also that if the antibiotics that they prescribed to me didn’t get rid of the infection in my arm, then there was literally nothing that anyone could do. I felt defeated, but the show must go on, so I continued on my merry way while taking antibiotics both orally and injected and prayed that I didn’t have rabies. Thankfully, I did not contract rabies. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be writing this right now because I would be dead.
Colombia thankfully was only a small scare, but looking back on it now, it was just a precursor to what would be the rest of my year. Two weeks after my Colombian street dog adventure, I was back in the U.S. visiting my family and friends and taking a course to become a certified medical interpreter. Since I was in town, I made plans with my stepdad to go out to eat with him and his mom (my grandmother) and catch up. The day we were supposed to meet up, a polar vortex hit our city, and there was no way in the world that he or I were going to leave our houses because we both despise cold weather. We canceled our original plans and decided I would visit him at his home two days later.
When I went to his house, we talked for a few hours about everything that had happened since the last time we saw each other. I told him about my motorcycle accident on my 30th birthday in Colombia, having raging food poisoning on the streets of India, and my most recent adventure, my brush in with a Colombian street dog. In typical dad fashion, he shook his head in disbelief and dismay. He told me to start being more careful and to quit going on these crazy trips because something always happens to me. (There is nothing but the truth in what he said.)
After hearing my crazy stories, he asked me when would I move back home because he missed me, and he wanted me back home. He said he thought the best thing for me was to go home for a while and be with my family and spend time with everyone. I told him that I was going to try to get my interpreter certification so I could come back home and work as an interpreter for a bit and then head back to Panamá, and if everything went according to plan, I would move back around March. I told him that when I moved back, we would start going on walks together and hanging out to make up for the missed time. When we got around to saying our goodbyes, I promised him that I would be back sooner than he knew. He told me to give him a hug, and as I did, he squeezed me extremely tight like he always did, and then told me that he loved me. He started crying, and I said, “I love you too, dad. Why are you crying?” He said, “I just love you so much. I love you so much.” He gave me a kiss on the forehead and another tight hug, and I was on my way. Little did I know, I would never be able to take another walk with him or visit with him again. My dad died a day and a half later of a heart attack in his sleep. I was the last person to see him alive and to talk to him.
My dad’s death triggered a downward spiral in my life. I had forgotten what it felt like to lose someone that you love and how your heart feels like it is shattering into a million pieces when you hear that someone who you love is no longer here. I am not a stranger to loss or grief. When I was in high school, I lost two grandparents and my father the morning after my high school graduation. Loss and grief and I had already met face to face when I was younger, but now what I was 30 and hadn’t felt that pain in my many years, I had forgotten how absolutely horrible it is.
My dad (stepdad) was in my life since I was four years old, and he was what I believed to be the best dad. The day that he married my mom, he got down on one knee with two rings in his hand and asked my sister and me if we would be his family. From that day forward, we were his daughters. I never questioned if my stepdad loved us because he demonstrated it to us daily. His actions spoke louder than words, and where I felt a lack of love from my biological father, my stepdad would try to make up for it by always telling me how proud he was of me and how much he loved me. I always knew that I could count on him for anything I needed, and he would always be there for me. He helped get me through some of the toughest moments in my life when my grandfather and my father passed away. He pushed me to move forward, and he was always one of my biggest fans. When he passed away this year, my world felt like it fell apart. I lost someone who loved me no matter what, who always had my back even when I messed up and who would remind me of how great I could be even when I couldn’t see it. My soul felt crushed after I found out that he had passed away.
He passed away February 2nd, and the months following his passing were filled with numbness, sadness, and pain. I couldn’t understand why my stepdad passed away right before I was planning to move back home. We had made plans to hang out together and see each other, and now it was all gone. I didn’t know why it happened, and I knew I was never going to get the answer. Someone who I loved dearly was taken away from me without any warning. I was mad at the world.
After I moved back home in March, I went through months of not understanding, being depressed, and just feeling as if I was never going to get back to feeling like “myself” again. It wasn’t until July, the month of both of our birthdays, that I started to feel true happiness again. I was traveling around my state and other cities nearby, spending time in nature and taking photographs of butterflies and flowers. As I started to feel better and think about what it is I want out of life, I realized that I wanted to finally do something that I had been talking about for years. I wanted to start a blog and discuss travel and tell all of my crazy stories to the world. I kept going back and forth on if I should or if I shouldn’t, and if I started it, what should I name it? From a little help from my friend’s mother and a sign from my stepdad (a butterfly), I came up with the name Janel Has Wings, and then I got online and researched how to start a blog. The rest is history.
I am not the same person that I was starting in 2019, and I know that I will never be. I moved back home, which was something that I never truly wanted to do, I lost my stepdad, two grandparents, and a friend, and I was working a job that I didn’t enjoy which is something that I said I would never do again. All of this combined reminded me that life is fleeting, and we should make the most of it while we can. Life will never be perfect, and there will be problems and loss, but there will also be those really incredible moments that make it worth it. If anything I’ve learned in 2019, it is to allow myself to feel “negative” emotions but never give up. It took feeling like I had lost it all to find myself again. I’m thankful for 2019 and the life lessons that accompanied it, no matter how hard they were. I know that walking into 2020, I am a totally different person than I was at the beginning of 2019, and I know that 2020 will push me to continue to grow and transform myself into the person I am meant to be.
P.S. Thanks, Dad, for the wings! 💖
“May the tears you have cried in 2019 water the seeds that you are planting for 2020.” -Steve Maraboli
Louisville just got a little tastier thanks to Pastelitos by Annia. For those who do not know what pastelitos are, they are a delicious Cuban puff pastry that can put a smile even on the grumpiest face. Annia Garces, a local baker originally from Cuba, has taken the traditional Cuban pastry and put her own spin on them by not just offering the conventional fillings such as guava (guayaba) guava with cheese (guayaba con queso) and coconut (coco) but also adding her own unique flair by making Nutella and dulce de leche (caramel) pastelitos as well.
I saw that Annia had posted some photos on her social media of her pastelitos for sale, so I reached out to her and told her I was interested in trying some, especially the guava with cheese because those are my favorite. Annia invited me to her home to try her pastelitos fresh out of the oven.
Once I arrived at her home, we began to discuss what made her start selling the classic Cuban pastry. Annia explained that ever since she was young, she always wanted to be a baker and have her own bakery. It isn’t weird that being a baker was a dream for her because each generation in her family has at least one baker. She has a great aunt in Cuba who was a baker and an aunt in California who owns her own bakery, so the baking talent is in her genes. She also says that she remembers that when she was around 15 years old, she met a lawyer who not only practiced law but also owned her own bakery, and she thought, “I want to be like her someday.”
Flash forward to 2019, Annia was working in a law firm, but something was still missing. She said that one day she decided to go ahead and bake some traditional Cuban pastries and see what people thought of them. One of the first things she made were pastelitos, and when she decided to make them, she chose a recipe that uses butter instead of lard like most pastelito recipes. She says that the fact that she uses butter is one major thing that sets her pastelitos apart from the rest.
After having friends and family try her pastelitos and confirm that Annia was on to something, she decided it was time to put them out into the world or at least Louisville for that matter. She began announcing that she was making pastelitos via Facebook and giving people notice before when she would be taking orders or how they could place orders. She was surprised at the amount of response that she got because seeing how not everyone in the Louisville community knows what a pastelito is, there was still a lot of interest in trying them. By the time she was finished discussing how many great reviews she has received from people about the taste of the pastelitos, I was ready to get my hands on one.
First, let me say that I am a huge pastelito fan, and I have been since I was a kid, so when I saw Annia post her pastelitos for the first time, I knew I had to get my hands on one. Seeing how I’m a bit of a pastelito connoisseur, my favorite flavor has always been the guava and cheese. I know most people may have a question mark pop up in their head when they read guava with cheese, but trust me, this combination is absolutely mouth-wateringly delicious. I told Annia that I specifically wanted to try the guava and cheese first because those are my favorites, and it would give me some indication of whether I would like the others or not.
One of the first things that I noticed about Annia’s pastelitos is that some of the pastelito fillings overflow on the top of the pastelito, which isn’t typical for the pastry puff but trust me, I’m wasn’t complaining. I don’t know about the rest of the world, but there is nothing worse than biting into a pastry and just tasting the dough and no filling. It’s one of my least favorite things about pastry puffs because they tend not to have enough filling for my liking. Just by looking at the pastelitos that Annia placed in front of me, I knew I wasn’t going to be disappointed.
The amazing pastelitos featured are coconut in the front, second row is guava with cheese, third row is Nutella and the fourth row is dulce de leche.
All it took was one bite to confirm my suspicions. The flavor of the guava and the taste of the dough were on point. The pastelito isn’t too sweet nor too savory. It’s truly the perfect combination of both. The flakiness was precisely the way it should be (in my opinion), and the fact that I didn’t have to take two bites to get the full flavor taste was beyond my initial expectations. Honestly, it was love at first bite.
After inhaling my first pastelito, because let’s be honest, I don’t play games when it comes to food. I asked Annia which pastelito flavor is her most popular/bestseller, and she said surprisingly it is the dulce de leche. Dulce de leche is the Latino version of caramel. It isn’t quite caramel, but it is incredibly close. Dulce de leche is extremely popular throughout Latin America, especially in South America. For example, if you go to Argentina and don’t try dulce de leche then you haven’t truly lived an Argentine experience because that is how popular it is. I’m very familiar with dulce de leche, and to be honest, sometimes it’s even too sweet for me, so I was a little skeptical about trying it. Still, once I put my skepticism to the side and bit into the dulce de leche, I was officially sold.
Annia’s flavor palette for her pastelitos is perfect for people who crave something sweet but do not want to have a toothache after they eat. A friend of mine accompanied me to Annia’s house, and he is not a fan of any sweets, he refuses to eat chocolate when someone tries to give him a piece. He tried the coconut flavor and said that he liked it because it wasn’t extremely sweet and overpowering. We both agreed that Annia’s pastelitos hit the spot, but don’t make you feel like you are on a sugar high afterward.
It is safe to say that I was highly impressed by Annia’s pastelitos that, in fact, I even took two boxes home with me to save some for later and give to some of my friends to have a taste. The feedback that I got from everyone who tried them is that they loved them, and when I told them that they only cost $1 a piece, they were shocked. That’s right; 1 pastelito costs $1. So if you are looking to take a treat to one of your upcoming holiday parties or think that your office needs a pick me up, you can get a dozen delicious pastelitos for $12. They are great alongside a fresh cup of coffee or just as a mid-day snack or dessert for your events.
In order to get your hands on some delicious Pastelitos by Annia, you must order either through her Facebook page, which I have linked at the end, via email, garces.annia@gmail.com and you can call or text her orders by phone at 502-744-1528. Annia allows customers to mix up the different flavors that they want to buy, and you can order any amount that you choose. She also works with people who have specific food allergies as long as they let her know when ordering. The only thing that Annia said that she cannot accommodate is for people who are following specific diet trends and want a ‘healthier’ version because let’s be honest, in these pastelitos, butter is queen.
Besides pastelitos, Annia has also created cakes, pies, and other pastries for customers. If you aren’t interested in pastelitos but want to try one of her many delicious pastries, then feel free to contact her directly and let her know what you are looking for. Annia is currently dedicating herself solely to her baking business and is no longer with the law firm that she previously worked for. She has decided to take a leap of faith and pursue what most of us consider the American dream, which is to become successful. There is no doubt in my mind that the pastelitos, cakes, and pies are just the beginning of what will be a very successful local Louisville baker.
Annia Garces, baker and founder of Pastelitos by Annia.
Although I know how to stretch a dollar when it comes to traveling, I also know when to indulge on pricier destinations. I’m no foreigner to the concept of “making it rain” when the amount of money that I plan to spend is worth the experience I plan to have. When it comes to traveling, it is essential to know when to break your piggy bank and when to leave it alone. These 5 destinations are all destinations that I have traveled to myself that were worth every single dollar, even though they are more expensive than your typical destination.
The following are My Top 5 Luxury Destinations for 2020 that are worth every last dime, part of your 401k, and your tax return.
1.The Maldives- Paradise on earth. Seriously, there is a reason why people obsess over these islands. The lavish water bungalows, the impeccable hospitality, and the turquoise color waters of the Maldives leave an outstanding impression on anyone. Maldives is a paradise because there is an option for everyone. One of my favorite things about the Maldives wasn’t the fantastic bungalow over the water, that’s obvious, but it was swimming with sharks. I had no clue that the reef sharks there would get extremely close to you while you were in the water. Reef sharks are not aggressive, and for the most part, they are generally pretty small, so there is no need to worry about Jaws attacking you in the middle of a paradisiac island but prepare yourself to see one or two fins swimming by.
Why is it expensive? Considering the Maldives is made of 26 atolls that are all spread out, getting from one island to another can only be done by boat or charter plane. Also, it is in the middle of the Indian ocean, so everything must be brought in from other countries. Combine these factors along with the luxurious hotels, and you’ve got a recipe for one of the more expensive destinations to visit.
The average daily cost of food and accommodation: Food will depending on the resort menu prices which can range from $20 all the way $100 a day; A night in a 4-star resort will range anywhere from $250-$1,500 + depending on the type of room and the resort.
The views from the over water bungalow.
2. Sydney, Australia- Ah! The Land Down Under. Let’s be honest, most of us have a burning desire to go to Australia just so we can see a crocodile and let our inner Steve Irwin (R.I.P.) shine as we yell, “By crikey, it’s a crocodile!” Ok, maybe that is just me, but Australia is appealing to any traveler because it is typically on the opposite side of the globe. When you think of an exotic destination that is far away, more than likely, you are going to think of Australia. Sydney isn’t Australia’s capital, but it is the most popular destination. When we see images of Australia the first one that typically pops up is the Sydney Opera House being plastered all over postcards and Instagram pages not only show the beauty of the city, but it appeals to all travelers.
Why is it expensive? The first part is how far it is for most people. Apart from the distance, it is secluded, so it makes goods more expensive. It is also a massive continent, so if you want to see as much as possible on a 14-day trip, be prepared to fly from one destination to another. Australia isn’t quite as big as the U.S., but it is still enormous. The best transportation mode if you are crunched on time and want to see the most is flying, therefore, be prepared to buy plane tickets from one destination to the other.
The average daily cost of food and accommodation: Food will cost you between $30-$50. A 4-start hotel in Sydney will set you back between $150-$300 USD per night.
The Sydney Harbor and Sydney Opera House.
3. Lausanne, Switzerland- Welcome to the land of divine chocolates and cheeses. Oh, and don’t forget a landscape that is something Monet could only dream of replicating. Pictures of Switzerland just don’t do it justice. It is a country that you have to experience for yourself to understand the true beauty of it. I have yet to see a video or photograph that clearly embodies how stunning it is. Lausanne, in particular, is a breathtaking city because it is on the shores of Lake Genova, which ensures not only spectacular views but all of the Instagram opportunities that you can imagine. An hour away from Lausanne is the cute town where one of the most renown cheese brands is located, Gruyères. If cheese isn’t your thing and you prefer more of an adventure, a three-hour drive east of Lausanne will land you right in the middle of the Swiss Alps. I hear people talk about how expensive it is all the time, and it is true, but if you have the finances to afford a trip to Lausanne, Switzerland, book it now.
Why is it expensive? It is well known amongst travelers that Switzerland is a destination that requires spending a lot. Why? They use a different currency than members of the European Union. The Swiss Franc is overvalued, and therefore prices are higher. Is there a sticker shock when you first arrive? Yes, but once you see the Swiss Alps with your own eyes, you no longer care about food prices.
The average daily cost of food and accommodation: Food will cost you between $50-$80. A 4-star hotel in Lausanne will run you between $150 – $250 dollars a night.
The stunning views from Gruyères.
4. Reykjavík, Iceland- If you haven’t heard of Iceland by now, then your internet services are probably limited where you live. Ten years ago, a patron at the bar that I worked at told me that he was from Iceland and was working in the U.S. temporarily. First, I was shocked that someone from Iceland was in Louisville, KY, but once the shock factor wore off, we began talking about the tourist attractions that Iceland has to offer. As soon as he mentioned the Northern Lights, I was sold, but I was also curious to know why I hadn’t heard much about Iceland before. Flash forward a few years, and everyone and half of their families are planning trips to Iceland. Why? The possibility of seeing the Northern Lights while visiting is good, and with tours that allow you to climb glaciers, why wouldn’t you want to go? Plus, let’s not forget the famous Blue Lagoon that floods Instagram feeds because it is such a popular spot. Iceland is an adventure-lovers dream, and if you don’t like to live on the wild side, but you enjoy nature, then you have no problem finding something to do while you are there.
Why is it expensive? Iceland is another secluded island that has to import most of its goods. Being secluded and the cost of living combine to make higher prices than the average country.
The average daily cost of food and accommodation: A nice meal in a restaurant in Reykjavík will set you back around $40-$60 per person, not including drinks, and a 4-star hotel will cost between $150 -$250 USD.
Letting my inner figure skater shine through on top of a glacier in Iceland.
5. Dubai, U.A.E.- Whoever says that everything is better in Texas, clearly, has never been to Dubai. Do you want to see the tallest building in the world? The Burj Khalifa can be found in Dubai. You can also see the world’s biggest water fountain from above when you visit the Burj Khalifa. The truth is, whatever already exists in the world, Dubai has said, “We will make it bigger and better.” Not only have they delivered on their idea, but they have quickly become a popular destination amongst travelers. Dubai is appealing to travelers because although it is located in the middle of a desert, there is so much to see in the city. Want to visit the world’s largest aquarium? Take a ride over to the Dubai Mall, and while you are there, make sure you check out the indoor ski slopes, as well. If you work up a sweat from all of the shopping that you do while in Dubai, then you can head over to the beach and cool down. If you are looking more for an adventure, then I suggest going on a desert safari. It ended up being the one thing that I enjoyed the most while in U.A.E. Riding in a Jeep and feeling like it was going to flip at any moment was precisely the thrill rush that I needed.
Why is it so expensive? Dubai is located right in the middle of the desert, and although it’s location factors into the expense, it is also a city built off of oil money. If you factor that in along with the number of billionaires who call Dubai home, and you can figure out why it is expensive.
The average daily cost of food and accommodation: Food will run you between $30 – $50 USD and 4-star hotel accommodations will cost between $250 – $350.
Sitting in the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa.
And there you have it. These are my Top 5 Luxury Destinations for 2020. What better way to bring in the New Year than booking a trip to a luxurious foreign land with priceless views.
