'They kept saying: 'Just stay calm': Local family vacations in Cuba amid hurricane, power outages and earthquake – PembinaValleyOnline.com

A trip to Cuba conjures images of white sand, palm trees, and endless blue water. For a family in the Pembina Valley, that image was replaced by the startling realization that a hurricane was on their way.

Lily Krushel, who works with the Winkler & District Chamber of Commerce, says that when she and her family first arrived at their resort in the Caribbean nation, “it was like heaven.”

However, even on the first day, there was a sign that something might be wrong.

Fermentation problem

Upon check-in, resort staff informed Krushel and her fellow travelers that there would be a “mandatory” meeting the next morning.

“We all headed into the meeting the next day, and this is where we got a little freaked out,” she says. “We went to the ballroom downstairs, and in five different languages, they announced that the hurricane was coming and that they were doing their best to maintain services.”

Kroeschel says the message also came with a warning that services at the resort could be interrupted, depending on the development of the storm.

Travelers were also told that evacuation may be necessary.

“They kept saying, ‘Just stay calm. “Everything is great,” says Krushel, adding that the resort staff did a “fantastic” job of keeping everyone in high spirits with salsa lessons, an open bar, and a buffet after the alarming announcement.

While guests were dancing salsa and enjoying Cuban hospitality inside as they did their best to allay their fears, heavy rain and strong winds were blowing outside.

“The little hallway was full of laughter and fun, but at the same time, in the corner of your eye, you could see maintenance removing a lamp or moving a sofa away, or putting panels on the TV screens,” she says. . “You can still feel it. I witnessed that they were trying to prepare for something really big.”

Fortunately, Krushel and her family did not have to evacuate their rooms. After an uncertain day and night, hurricane conditions calmed down. The next day, Krushel and her family began touring the area.

“The weather was better, so we went to see Varadero,” she says.

Another unfortunate accident

When the family returned from their trip, they faced another problem: a power outage.

“We were on the seventh floor, so we had to climb all the stairs,” she says. “Fortunately, at our hotel, this was the only day we had a power outage, but at other hotels, I think… [they happened] Several times during the week. At the airport, when we were traveling, [in the span of] “About two hours of waiting, and the power went out three times.”

Lily Krushel and her family in Cuba. Image provided.

To add to the story, an earthquake also occurred while Krushel was in Cuba. While she and her family did not feel it, the proximity of this event was also a cause for some anxiety.

“I'm very relieved that we didn't feel the earthquake because even though we stayed in a very nice hotel, things didn't seem to go well,” she says. “I'm glad the earthquake didn't hit our area because I'm not sure about the structural integrity of the hotel.”

In just a few days, Krushel and her family caught a glimpse of the misfortunes and harassment that Cubans deal with on a daily basis.

“I can only imagine how the rest of Cuba lives. It's very hard to imagine because they barely have any power,” she says.

One disaster after another

The devastating chain of events in Cuba began with the failure of the power grid last month. Following a massive power outage, the Caribbean nation was also hit by a hurricane and an earthquake.

There was no time to recover from one mishap before the next one occurred. It creates enormous struggles for Cubans — from not having a way to refrigerate food through power outages to navigating floodwaters, canceled classes and infrastructure problems, it's a big deal for the country to deal with.

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Krushel and her family saw the struggles firsthand.

“We talked to the locals. [It] It was truly heartbreaking to hear their stories. There were almost no cars on the streets due to the lack of gasoline. “It was very different from what we had seen before,” she says. “We were in Cuba about six years ago, and obviously there are beautiful classic American cars. There were Russian cars, and there were some newer Chinese cars, but now we can only see taxis because of the shortage.”

As the group reached out to more local people, it became clear that disasters touch every aspect of their lives.

“Talking to our waiters, talking to people on the bus on our way to the airport, it was quite shocking. Some of the things we take for granted here don't exist there,” Kroeschel says, adding that there is a shortage of things that Canadians consider common, such as Medicines, potatoes and chocolate.

Cuban resilience

Even amid the prevailing difficulties, Kroeschel says Cubans maintain an optimistic outlook.

“I was really amazed at how positive they were and how grateful they were,” she says.

According to Kruschel, tourists are somewhat of a blessing in such situations. She says one local she spoke to mentioned that another tourist had gifted his family with rechargeable lights a few weeks ago. He said the lights made a tangible difference for his family during the power outage, and expressed his gratitude.

“I'm really amazed at how much they can put up with it, and even though they don't have a lot of food to eat, and we complain about the food we eat at the resorts, they give us the best we have. They do it,” she says. “I think… This is why we come back to Cuba – beautiful beaches and really good people.”

Click here for a blog post with ideas on how to support the Cuban people.

With files from Robyn Wiebe

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