Me Dicen Cuba…

**La Guarida Restaurant in Havana, Cuba**

Cuba wasn’t what I expected…

Every time I see the Cuban flag or reminisce on my week long vacation there, I hear “Me Dicen Cuba” by Havana D’Primera in my head. It’s a beautiful song about the singer’s immense pride and appreciation for his country. Translated to “They call me Cuba,” the song will make you feel this man’s love whether you understand Spanish or not. After visiting, I understand.

My partner wanted to turn 30 in a special place. I happily obliged. As an American, Cuba has always had this “forbidden” connotation to it. It seemed difficult to travel to not because of distance but because of restrictions and requirements.. You need a visa. A SIM card is recommended. You need a VPN to access certain apps and websites. Our debit and credit cards don’t work. It sounded so overwhelming! But I was determined to make it work. This blog is full of information so I will break it up into sections for both your sanity and mine.

BEFORE YOU TRAVEL

The visa part was not difficult. I used Cuba Travel Services to get it. Make sure you obtain the correct one. One visa is for United States citizens while the other is for travelers from any other country. This is important. I have been told that you can purchase your visa at your flight gate. (Try this at your own risk.) There are certain websites and apps that are blocked in Cuba, therefore a VPN can be very helpful. I paid for 1 month of Nord VPN. It was worth the peace of mind. Plus I was able to watch Netflix! My phone is not jailbroken or fully paid for so I was unable to use a SIM card for this trip. I didn’t feel that it was necessary considering the AirBnb had wifi. Therefore my phone stayed on airplane mode the entire week. Honestly it was nice to unplug for most of the day. As United States citizens there are very few hotels that we are allowed to stay in. Most of their hotels are government owned. Since Americans are prohibited from contributing to the Cuban government, we are required to stay in casa particulars. These are simply private homes or bed and breakfasts/AirBnb’s. I loved the one that we stayed in including our hosts Hector and Cachita. They were a precious elderly couple that looked out for us. We felt like we had Cuban grandparents watching over us. Finally, you must bring all of the cash you plan to spend on the entire trip. United States bank accounts are not accessible in the country. I repeat, your debit cards and credit cards WILL NOT WORK. You can exchange your USD for Cuban Pesos at the airport (not recommended), use USD (also not recommended), or exchange with a local store owner, or your host. This is the most cost effective thing to do.

Another important thing to remember is that as Americans we are not legally allowed to be tourists in Cuba. There is a specific list of categories for which we can travel to Cuba under. They are listed on the visa. The closest thing to tourism is “Support for the Cuban People.” This simply means that you are there to spend your money, learn about the culture, but most importantly, not to give money to the Cuban government. With that being said, “…your trip needs to include a full schedule of activities that demonstrate that you are meaningfully interacting with local people and supporting private businesses.” No one asked for ours but I made sure to have a hard copy and a digital copy just in case. (See example below.) Better safe than sorry, especially when traveling outside of your country.

WHERE TO VISIT & WHAT TO DO

Now for the fun parts! There is so much to do in Cuba! Havana has so many bars and restaurants (or paladars). There are endless tours and museums. You can’t get bored. Then there’s Varadero, their main beach town. The water was the warmest I have ever felt and of course it is crystal clear and clean. Viñales is a rural town that houses their farms. Animals are raised and fresh honey, coffee, tobacco leaves, and rum are made and grown. Then you have Bahía de los Cochinos where snorkeling is a must. I have never seen fish so beautiful. Each of these towns is about 2.5 hours away from Havana. There are many towns in Cuba including but not limited to Trinidad. Considering Trinidad was about 4.5 hours away, we opted out of visiting.

There are a variety of tours to these places and they qualify as “Support for the Cuban People.” AirBnb is your best friend for booking these experiences. We decided on the following experiences.

The walking food tour was just what it sounds like. We met our tour guide in their Central Park and walked along the famous Obispo Street. We tried pizza, empanadas, ice cream, and other sugary street foods. My favorite treat was the churros that they dropped in condensed milk. According to our tour guide, each tour may try different foods as it depends on what foods are available. Cuba is limited in resources and often can’t supply its citizens with certain products consistently.

“Beyond Roots” provided us with the most meaningful experience. The experience started in Old Havana and the tour took us to a section of Havana called Guanabacoa. Guanabacoa is famous for Santería. Santería may sound sinister to some but it is far from that. It’s a beautiful belief system that is rooted in the African Yoruba culture of the original slaves brought over to Cuba. In order for them to practice their religion safely they mixed their religion with elements of Catholicism. This morphed into what is Santería, today. It is simply a testament to the will and resilience of Afro-Cuban culture. Before a beautiful ceremonial performance, they served us the best vegan meal I have ever had. Food from the earth, so poetic.

The classic car tour was a great experience. Our host, assumed we would appreciate a hot pink Barbie themed classic convertible. He assumed absolutely right. The car was absolutely gorgeous. We traveled all over Havana including their Chinatown, and their richer neighborhoods.

That same day we learned how to make mojitos, frozen guava margaritas, and a Cuban negron. Naturally all of of these drinks were made with Cuban rum. We wouldn’t have it any other way.

Visiting Viñales was a great experience as well. We were a group of 4 plus our taxi driver who was sent to pick each of us up. All of the taxis we had taken throughout the trip were classic cars. This was the first taxi ride of the week that was 2.5 hours long. I have no idea how anyone ever found those bucket seats comfortable or safe. There were no seatbelts in the backseat and I had a pain in my lower spine that didn’t go away. Classic cars are absolutely gorgeous but I see why we have made car improvements that we have over the years.

Once we arrived at Viñales we met with our tour guide. Our first visit was the prehistoric mural and Indian Cave at Mirador Los Jazmines. We had the freshest piña coladas. Our next stop was the tour guide’s family farm where they grow tobacco leaves and coffee. They also make Guayabita del Pinar, more rum. The horseback riding through the valley was so relaxing and the meal we had afterwards was great!

Our beach day at Varadero was much appreciated although that day was a bit cooler than the others up to this point. Thank goodness the ocean water was warm. On our way to Varadero we stopped at the Bacunayagua Bridge where we enjoyed piña coladas while sightseeing. Our next stop was the Saturno Cave followed by the actual beach. The beach was pristine. No trash and not a piece of sand out of place. Varadero being one of the most beautiful beaches in the word is not a lie.

Snorkeling in Bahia de los Cochinos is a must. The water was like a true aquarium. Our tour guides also made sure to take plenty of underwater videos and photos. The next stop was "La Cueva de los Peces" where we swam and saw baby shrimp and other ocean life. After enjoying a homemade lunch prepared by their local friends, we stopped at "La Casa del Colibrí.” This is Cuba’s largest crocodile farm and a sanctuary for the smallest bird in the world, the Bee Hummingbird. Since they are only found in Cuba, this was an honor. Their wings move so fast you can’t even see them flapping. I had never been so close to a bird so it was great sight to see.

Although this was a busy trip and not really the most relaxing, I loved it because of that. This is the only country where you are required to delve into and learn about the country, its people, their history, their customs. It was an honor. This is also the first trip where the tour guides gave us gifts! They wanted to express their gratitude and give us a piece of Cuba to take with us. I’ve never experienced this before. Just another thing that makes them some of the most thoughtful and kind people I have ever met.

WHAT WE ATE

Before traveling to Cuba I heard so many mixed reviews about the food in Cuba from other people who have traveled there. I’d heard people say the food was amazing. I’d heard people say the food was disgusting. So I ordered my food with caution. This is my opinion and my experience only. The food was absolutely DELICIOUS. I didn’t have 1 bad meal. Seriously! La Guarida was the most expensive/ high-end restaurant we went to. It’s a beautiful 20th-century rooftop restaurant with great food and drinks. While in Havana I also had the best carbonara pasta dish I’ve ever had in my life and I have actually been to Italy! The food was fresh, plentiful, and there was plenty of it. We ate everything from their famous ropa vieja dish and chicken to fried fish and vegan meals straight from the earth. Now, this could be the fact that we stayed at Plaza Vieja, one of their main plazas, so that could be why the food was so good. But for each of our excursions we either ate at a local restaurant off of the beaten path or at the home of a local. This trip was the first time I’ve ever eaten fresh guava and passion fruit as well. So if you ask me, Cuba’s food was a 10/10. Also, eating at any of the local restaurants counts as “Support for the Cuban People.”

THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE

Speaking of the people, it’s no secret that Cuba is a very poor country and it’s not just a lack of money. Because they are completely cut off, most of them barely have the resources to survive. Most of the buildings are falling apart and held together with whatever materials they can find. Food and water are scarce for a lot of the residents. And when you walk past their stores and pharmacies, you see long lines of people but nearly empty shelves. Therefore it is easy for them to spot tourists, especially Americans. With that being said, they have no problem asking if you have anything. They may ask for money, medication, clothes, even suitcases. Remember their stores are not fully stocked like ours. The few clothing stores that are stocked are not affordable and really geared toward the business of tourists. So in many cases, money is not the issue but access is. Despite all of this they are THE KINDEST, GENTLEST, MOST THOUGHTFUL PEOEPLE. A lot of of the locals simply want to talk. They will talk to you about anything. A lot of them have family members or friends who live in the United States and they will ask if you’ve heard of the state or city they’re living in. They will talk to you about American and Cuban politics or tell you how much they love Americans. They make it clear that they don’t have an issue with us. It’s our governments who have issues with each other. They will walk you anywhere and will help you do anything. A tip is always apprecited. And why not? Our money goes so far there. The least I could do was give them something for their help. They were so gracious and they always thanked us with a huge smile. But be warned. They can be very persistent. They don’t mean you any danger or harm. They are just in need. But believe me when I say it was one of the safest places I have ever visited. Crime is almost non-existent. They may stare but it’s curiosity and not rude or harmful.

Fun fact, they are highly educated. Most of them speak Spanish and English and a lot of them speak other languages in addition to those. We found that all of our tour guides and waiters/ waitresses were educated in a career or trade but are unable to practice because there is no money to be made in the field. So they work in tourism instead. Imagine, a country full of educated lawyers, professors, engineers, and doctors who all have to work in restaurants and guide tours because there is no money. The only consolation is that their schooling is free. But still. The world isn’t fair, I guess.

MY OVERALL EXPERIENCE

I can go on for hours about my experience in Cuba. It was frustrating to see how some of them live but I was able to see how they love. They were the happiest people I have ever seen. They know what matters in life. They appreciate anything you give them whether it be conversation, Cuban pesos, US dollars, or a piece of clothing that you no longer need. They seem to protect each other. I saw a kid who asked my partner for a water bottle share it with his friends. It put a lot into perspective. They also take pride in absolutely everything that they do. It didn't matter if they were giving a tour, creating artwork to sell, cooking a meal, or making a drink. I want to do more. They deserve so much more. But being that they have plenty of love to go around I see what Havana D’Primera is talking about when he sings his heart out in “Me Dicen Cuba.”

P.S. Donations are much appreciated by the Cuban people. Whatever you can fit into your suitcase from medications, to clothing, to sun block, and shoes are welcome. Even cleaning products and seasonings. They are very grateful and gracious so don’t hesitate.