Last week of April, several employees Athens flew out for teambuilding to enjoy the hot exotic weather. The destination where we spent an unforgettable holiday was Cuba. But the respite was well deserved. Ten of our colleagues have been selected based on their hard work and achievements over the past year. Traditionally, every year our company organizes a competition for the best employees who will go to the sea for relaxation.
The competition was for the top three recruiters, the top two managers, the two employees with the greatest contribution and the jumper of the year. Two wild card spots have been identified by the Director. In the end, due to illness, we could not participate in the full line-up, so we travelled with nine of us. V Athens we like to organize teambuilding events because they are a space to get to know each other outside of work and build collegial relationships, which improves communication and cooperation between us. This also affects our work performance and is reflected in its efficiency and better results.
Unique teambuilding
On April 21, we flew to the scene. We stayed at the Melia Varadero Hotel. Upon arrival we met the delegate Zoya who told us a bit about the resort. She introduced us to the possibilities we have in the area, what excursions await us. On the second day of our stay, we relaxed on a beautiful white sand beach with palm trees and azure ocean. But then the lazing around ended, because the next days were marked by the discovery of a hitherto unknown country, which we knew only from hearing, reading or pictures. Now we have experienced its unique atmosphere for ourselves. What kind of holiday would it be if we spent it lounging on the beach and missed the chance to experience unforgettable moments? Throughout the whole Cuban adventure we were accompanied by a Cuban, Julio, who used to work in the Czech Republic, where he learned Czech.
Active relaxation
The following days we enjoyed active relaxation and set out to explore the sights and attractions of Cuba. We took an excursion in a double-decker bus without a roof around Varadero – Cuba’s largest resort. We visited the local markets where we picked up various souvenirs. The markets were full of different painted pictures, leather and wooden products, shells and magnets. On the next day, of course, we took a ride in convertibles– like any good tourist who visits Cuba. With the wind in our hair, we drove around the harbour town of Matanzas, about 30 kilometres from Varadero and about 100 kilometres from the capital city, in a vintage 1950s Chevy.
Cabriolets and cenotes
In the morning we were picked up right in front of the hotel by chauffeurs in two red convertibles who knew every corner of Matanzas. This small town is famous for its original architecture, culture and poets. That’s why they nickname it the Athens of Cuba, which makes us Athenians and we had to take a commemorative photo by the city sign. There were several stops waiting for us. The first of them was the Cueva Saturno cave, which is specific because it has a lake in it. Some of us took a refreshing swim in the pleasant crystal clear and sweetish water. It reached up to 20 meters deep and we were accompanied by swimming fish or shrimps. We admired the beauty of stalactites and stalagmites in and out of the water. Such a cave is called a cenote – it is a deep karst abyss from the Ice Age, where underground water accumulates and forms a reservoir. After visiting the cave, we took a stroll through the impressive historic square. We ended it with a sightseeing tour, from where we saw the panorama of the whole city. Above the city we did not bypass the iconic Cuban building – the Ermita de Monserrate church.
Dolphinarium and crocodiles
We also experienced a catamaran cruise – a type of boat resembling a yacht. An unusual and probably the best experience for many was to see the friendly and friendly dolphins live. Some of us even swam with them, had the opportunity to pet them or get a kiss from them. Next we sailed to the beach of Cayo Blanco. From Cuba we also took away a lot of unusual experiences, which are not possible for just anyone in life. We visited the Bay of Pigs (it got its name because wild pigs were once bred here) – a crocodile farm, these animals are commonly bred in Cuba. At a fascinating coral reef in the Caribbean Sea, we snorkelled and admired the teeming colourful fish and corals. An unprecedented experience was the migration of crabs, which we just barely managed to catch, because the crabs move from the forest to the sea in April (breeding season) to lay their eggs.
Sightseeing tour of the capital
Of course, we couldn’t forget to visit the capital city – Havana. Thanks to her, we learned about Cuban history, the revolution, and the revolutionaries – Ernesto Che Guevara and Fidel Castro – who joined together in the Cuban Revolution to overthrow the government of dictator Fulgencio Batista. In his will, Fidel Castro did not want statues of him in the city, so we didn’t really find any, just posters and photographs. We saw Revolution Square, the Capitol, which is said to be a faithful copy of the American one, but it’s not quite like that. Because this building is a metre taller, longer and wider than the Capitol in Washington. We also visited the house of Che Guevara, the statue of Jesus Christ, which is a copy of the world-famous Brazilian statue. It was built by the wife of former dictator Batista. We strolled through the beautiful streets, where street performers played on every corner. Salsa rhythms echoed from everywhere.
The café made famous by the famous writer
In Havana, we stopped at the famous Bocoy cafe. We tasted the famous coffee and had the opportunity to see the preparation of a special coffee drink (cappuccino mixed with flambéed chocolate liqueur). We couldn’t pass by the historic Floridita Restaurant and Bar, which was one of the favourite establishments of the famous writer Ernest Hemingway. In the bar there is a life-size bronze statue of him, which tourists like to take pictures with. We enjoyed the writer’s favourite drink – daiquiri, mixed with rum, lime and grapefruit juice, cherry liqueur and sugar.
Salsa rhythms and evening programme
On the penultimate day of our holiday we decided to stay at the resort and relax a bit. The trips were up-to. Dance rhythm enthusiasts were looking for an opportunity to learn some of the steps of salsa and other Latin American dances during the whole holiday. Each of our evenings was rich with a remarkable and varied programme. In short, we were never bored. We enjoyed dance creations, singing performances – piano, opera, ballet or dancing in the water. Sports enthusiasts took advantage of the attractive beach environment and ran a lap on it every morning. What would a tour of Cuba be like if we didn’t try the famous Cuban cigars or rum? We spent the last day sunbathing on the beach and swimming in the ocean.
There was no shortage of entertainment
We were entertained also thanks to the funny stories that accompanied us before – but also during – our departure. One of my colleagues had to get a new passport and a visa just before her flight, without which tourists are not allowed to go to Cuba. The reasons were faulty chips in passports issued in Slovakia between November and January last year and this year, which were recently addressed in the media. Unfortunately, my colleague’s passport was just one of the bad ones and she would have been in danger of not being allowed to go to Cuba. Another colleague managed to lose his visa at the airport on his way to Cuba, so he had to get a new one right there. But unusual situations did not pass us by on our return home, when we missed our transfer flight in Frankfurt twice. But fortunately, despite all the complications, we enjoyed a pleasant and unforgettable holiday, which we will remember for a long time, and returned home happily.
What do we say to the holiday?
We asked our colleagues how they liked Cuba and how they perceived the country.
“In Cuba we experienced a unique and unforgettable holiday in an exotic environment. The local people were extremely kind and well-disposed despite their poverty. I liked most the trip to Havana, the dolphinarium, where we went by catamaran, Cajo Blanco beach and the trip to Matanzas. We were in direct contact with the locals, we learned more about the history, the regime and the daily life of the Cubans from our Czech guide.” Dávid, dispatcher
“I rate our stay in Cuba super, I liked the clean sea, beautiful beach, accommodation. Most of all, I was interested in seeing dolphins and a trip around Havana.” Janka, HR consultant
“Cuba was very interesting, one realised what conditions people have there. We, on the other hand, cannot complain, as we have everything we want. Cubans live on rations, which no one can imagine unless they are in their situation. What I liked most was that the Cubans were smiling and always positive. I love to dance, their Cuban salsa is incredible, so I danced everywhere I could.” Petra, HR consultant
Each coin has two sides. During our stay in this popular tourist country, we had the opportunity to notice the negative aspects that every country has. But we have also seen positive things that can serve as inspiration for other countries. You will read about it in our next blog.
What was the last country you visited and what attracted you the most?
