It is honestly unreal to me how eight weeks in Havana just magically flew by. I wish there were proper words for me to express how grateful I am for the experience, what I’ve learned from it, and how much it meant to me, but everything I write or say about Cuba seems to fall short. In this post, I’ll do my best to sum up the highlights of my time there, and perhaps through these specifics, my feelings towards this country will become clearer.
Sights and Experiences
The Malecón. Stretching eight kilometers along the northern coast of la Habana, the Malecón is a just a sidewalk lined by a sturdy concrete wall, decorated with squat triangular pillars (sometimes) every thirty yards or so. But it’s so much more; it’s shown in every Cuban movie and its name is heard in every reggaeton song. Runners jog down it every morning as the sun rises, while lovers meander along it every evening as the sun sets. On windy days, waves – massive, imposing, tall waves – crash over its walls and flood the adjacent highway, often shutting it down for hours. And yet, the walls stand strong and proud. The Malecón might arguably be the most iconic location in Cuba, at least for me.
La Feria de los Libros. The Fortaleza de la Cabaña lies just north of la Habana Vieja and is an impressive fortress from colonial times. Every February, this fortress gets filled with hundreds of thousands of books, all in celebration of the International Book Fair. Cuba selects a country every year to offer an honorary exposition, and this year the recipient was Canada. We had the opportunity to attend the book fair, and it was awe-inspiring. Outside of the castle are many food stands and bouncy castles, but when you enter, it’s strictly business. You walk along these towering castle corridors and enter rooms dedicated to different topics and countries. Cuba, naturally, had its own tent of Cuban work, but Canada also had a couple large-scale rooms. The best part of the event: all of the books cost typically less than a dollar. Thus, Cubans, whose average salary is $24 dollars a month, have the opportunity to take their kids and invest in fantastic literature without breaking the bank. Once you’ve gotten your books, you can check out the fun poster and coloring book stands, buy an ice cream or popcorn, and stand at the edge of the fortress, looking down at magnificent Habana. A beautiful event created by beautiful people.
Quinta de los Molinos. Nestled away in the southernmost part of Centro Habana is the most peaceful botanical garden, Quinta de los Molinos. Inside, you can roam long pathways surrounded by towering, lush trees, little nature classrooms, and koi ponds. There are several exhibits with animals to see as well, mainly birds – parakeets, parrots, turkeys, peacocks – but the real prize-winner is the butterfly habitat. Once you enter, you find yourself in this magical garden where butterflies fly freely in all directions. I’ve honestly never felt more like I was in some sort of fairy tale.
Fusterlandia. Inspired by Gaudí, Cuban artist José Fuster decided to renovate a run-down and dangerous neighborhood in Jaimenitas, located far west along the coast of Habana. Once again, I was transported. The entire neighborhood is made entirely of mosaic; mosaic sculptures, figures, columns, patterns, designs, walls, ceilings. Every which way you look, a new picture emerges among the broken tile. There is literally no blank space nor an area of solid color. Every surface is some refracted picture, creating a wildly imaginative, whimsical, and jaw-dropping structure. Fuster started the neighborhood and house in 1992, and the project has never stopped since. As you exit this alternate universe, there is a large sign bearing the words “Homenaje a Gaudí” to thank the Spaniard for his inspiration.
Cámara Oscura. At the corner of Brasil and Mercaderes in the Plaza Vieja en la Habana Vieja is a tall yellow building tucked between similar colors and architecture. However, if you enter the building and ascend the elevator to the top floor, you’re led out into the rooftop, offering an expansive view of the city. Take a step inside a small corridor, and there’s the Cámara Oscura. The only device of its kind in all of Latin America, the Cámara Oscura uses reflective mirrors to project a 360-degree live image of any location in the city. A worker there will explain the camera to you and fiddle with it, closing in upon different images occurring throughout the city in real time: laundry blowing in the breeze on clotheslines, cars driving down the Malecón, musicians playing on the corner of a plaza. Truly incredible and fun to watch.
Viñales. I did an entire post on climbing in Viñales, so I don’t need to go over all of it again, but Viñales is honestly gorgeous. Gnarly walls to climb covered in odd features – tufas, chicken heads, stalactites, stalagmites – caves, and greenery everywhere you turn. It’s no wonder why Viñales was Fidel’s favorite place to go, nor why it is considered “the Yosemite of Cuba.” The natural beauty of Viñales is characterized by beautiful views at a distance, yet tough, scraggly plants and terrain upon closer inspection, perfectly balanced.
Parque Cubano. In the same vein as Viñales, Parque Cubano is a national park just 15 minutes outside of the province of Trinidad. Similarly rugged and lush, walls of bee colonies and endless pools to swim in are just some of the sights you encounter as you walk the trails of the park. We stopped at a large pool that offered cliff jumping, spelunking, cave swimming with bats, and “deep water soloing.” Possibly one of the most enjoyable afternoons we had in Cuba, getting nice and sweaty on a hike followed by jumping into a pool enclosed by a magnificent cave.
Places to Party
1830. A famous salsa club on the border of Vedado and Miramar in la Habana, 1830 boasts the most impressive salsa dancers you can find. Live music on Thursday and Sunday nights, and many of the employees are out on the floor to show you some steps to dance along. Cubans love to dance, so it wasn’t uncommon for many men to just grab us by the elbows and pull us onto the dancefloor, for better or for worse. In any case, we learned some moves here and were always entertained by all the middle-aged female tourists dancing with the young Cuban men.
Submarino Amarillo. An underground bar completely based off of the Beatles’ Yellow Submarine movie, Submarino hosts cover bands every night. Inside, you’ll find middle-aged Cubans absolutely jamming and singing all the English lyrics to classic American rock songs, all played by super-talented Cuban bands. In between sets, a big screen plays music videos to other classics, so you never have to stop dancing.
La Fábrica de Arte Cubano. Easily one of the most impressive places that I have ever been. Inside an abandoned factory, La Fábrica (FAC for short), consists of two floors of weaving passageways full of modern art (painting, sculpture, collage, clothing, jewelry, you name it!), five different bars with their own themes, two indoor concert stages, an interior performance space, outdoor terraces, and a chic restaurant. You can go in for just $2 to see the art, participate in a rumba dance lesson, or watch a short play, or pay for drinks and dance the night away listening to live bands and DJs. Truly a place like no other.
Food
My roommate and I quickly accumulated our local food favorites, including our local churro and turrón de maní (peanut butter fudge) guys, ice cream gal, and preferred cafetería, but below are some unique, higher-quality places.
Casa de Gelato. Home to quality gelato – just as good as you can get in the US, at least – and for only $1 a scoop. We liked their maní flavors and “riquíssimo,” or Nutella-flavored.
El de Frente. A modern, hip rooftop bar in Old Havana that is known for its expensive, but incredibly delicious drinks. Their specialty are fresh fruit daiquiris (Old Havana in particular pushes for daiquiris, since Hemingway drank them there mostly), including mango, strawberry, guava, and the best of all, passion fruit.
La Bombilla Verde. Arguably the most hipster place we ever went to. With just a green lantern outside its doors to locate it, Bombilla Verde boasts modern art (portraits of Che Guevara and John Lennon mixed, for example), specialty coffee drinks, cozy lighting and tables, and trova music/poetry readings every night. Perfect for doing homework.
Café Galería. Café Galería is comparable to Bombilla, but it’s worth mentioning because it’s where I found my first pancake in Cuba. There the pancakes were called “arepas,” which refers to cornmeal, but they didn’t seem to have cornmeal. “Panqueques” really aren’t a thing in Cuba; generally, if anything, it’s crepes you’ll find. But in addition to arepas with your choice of honey, jelly, or chocolate cream, you can also get quality omelets, grilled cheeses, and coffee mixed with ice cream and spices here; all fine products.
Camino al Sol. We tragically only discovered Camino al Sol in the last week of our time in Cuba, but it is phenomenal. It has tons of fancy appetizers and desserts, but its main attraction are your choice of flavored pasta – spinach, eggplant, ginger, beet, curry, to name a few – with pesto or tomato sauce. And it comes with a starter that consists of veggies that we’re pretty sure must have come from the food black market. (No joke, apples are sold in the black market in Cuba…you can’t buy them anywhere else.)
Oasis Nelva. In Old Havana tucked away on a hidden street, you can stumble upon this beautiful oasis-style garden shop. Little did we know, this shop is connected to a crepe restaurant, and all of the veggies grown there are the veggies you find in your crepes – carrots, asparagus, kale, lettuce, mushrooms, etc. all rolled up in a crepe garnished with olives and a sweet balsamic drizzle. Man, this post is making me hungry. And the dessert crepes are equally good – Nutella, ice cream, honey, fruits, and in any combination!
Museo de Chocolate. This is not a museum, but once you’re hit with the overpowering aroma of chocolate upon entry, you really don’t care. This specialized chocolate shop sells all sorts and shapes of chocolate, but its beverages are what take the cake. Hot chocolate, yes, but cold chocolate as well; the richest, thickest, most glorious chocolate milk you can find. You can even buy churros at a stand right outside of the place and dunk them in the cold chocolate…not that we ever did something so unhealthy.
Routines
Here are just some things that I did on a day-to-day or week-to-week basis that I’ll really miss.
Interacting with my host family. Every morning, our housekeeper Caridad would make my roommate and I a beautiful breakfast of fresh fruit and fried eggs, asking us about our lives and saying “Gracias, mi vida, gracias mi amor!” even when we just were simply helping her clear the table. Our host mom, really grandma, Angelita would ask “¿Y cómo durmieron las niñas?” and would express her concern about various things – daylight savings time, the windiness, us running too early in the morning. Without fail, she’d ask us what time we’d like dinner, and we’d always respond 7:00, but we’d call her if that changed. And she’d set about her day, tidying up her little garden, fastidiously directing her gardener and carpenter, washing clothes, cleaning the house, and preparing heavenly meals.
Her husband, Silvino, would shuffle in and asked how we’d slept as well, kissing us on the forehead as he made his way to his little workshop where he writes novels. We’d finish breakfast and say goodbye to all three, and they’d say the same sweet things: “¡Que pase lindo día, cuidense por allá!” We’d come home and often find the old couple seated side by side in little rocking chairs, watching the news for probably the third hour straight. They’d smile in surprise to see us, as if we didn’t have homework to do and should be out all day.
At dinner, we’d sit and discuss how delicious Angelita’s cooking was, what Silvino wrote or read or researched that day, and what life was like in Cuba when they were young. And after Angelita commanded us all to take more food, we’d sit there in food comas while she brought out dessert – ice cream with cake or maní or dulce de fruta bomba.
On Sundays, Angelita and Silvino would get all dolled up, Angelita in a yellow dress and Silvino in a button-down, to head to church. They’d call us the damas of the casa in their absence, and warn us to make sure we locked up if we went out. They are honestly one of the cutest old couples I have had the privilege of meeting.
I will miss their constant attentiveness, concern, and love for us. All three of them made sure that we knew that if we had any problem, they would help. And they did.
Driving in Máquinas. Getting a collective taxi could take us seconds, other times 20 to 40 minutes. But all anger and frustration would be forgotten once we were inside these beautiful old 50s cars. We’d drive along the Malecón, sea air in our hair, sun blaring down, listening to reggaeton blasting. We just always felt so nostalgic and lucky in those instances.
Walking to school. Every morning, we got to watch Vedado waking up. Workers hailing buses and máquinas, moms and dads dragging their kids to school, windows and doors opening, and cafeterías cooking up their breakfast foods. The perfect way to start the day: people watching and conversing in Spanish for 20 minutes on our way to class.
Playas del Este. On average, we went to the beach once a week. We’d leave at 10:30am, get to the bus by 11, then the Santa Maria beaches around 11:30. There, we’d lounge, swim in the crystal-clear blue water, take long walks, and read. At some point every day, our tamale guy would make his rounds and we’d barter and mess around with him. It was almost always the same experience every time, but it was perfect.
Cuban Behaviors
If it’s not already obvious, this post tends to repeat some things mentioned in previous ones. But here’s a list of some of the reasons I adore Cubans.
Monochromatic outfits. Blue matches blue. Red matches red. Pink matches pink. So why not just wear all the same color every day?
Indifference. Cubans will walk down the street loudly playing music off their phones. They’ll wear clothing that is obscenely tight. They’ll deny you a máquina ride even if their car is completely empty. They refer to people as the fatty, the skinny girl, the Chinese guy, the black woman. They’ll tell you you’re getting fat or have acne or that your outfit doesn’t suit you. Their confidence in themselves and indifference towards others’ opinions/reactions is hilarious and though at times tactless, admirable.
Cakes. I don’t know why, but it wasn’t uncommon for me to see Cubans carrying large cakes in their hands down the street – uncovered, no box, just balanced precariously on a square of cardboard. Cubans also often get personal pizzas and just fold them in half the way you would a sandwich. Comical sights.
Greetings. I’ll miss being asked everyday “¿Cómo andas?” and being given a hug and a kiss on one cheek by all I meet.
Friendliness. It’s hard to think of one particular instance, but Cubans are so willing to help you with whatever you need. Ask, and you will be happily helped. You just have to show you can speak Spanish reasonably well.
Love of dancing. No matter where you go out, you will find Cubans dancing. They love to dance, they’re excellent at it, and they’re so fun to learn from.
Music. Whether it’s reggaeton, charanga, salsa, rumba, son, danzón, or nueva trova (to name a few of the 27 distinct Cuban musical rhythms), there is music playing everywhere in Cuba, all so passionate and fun. I’ll miss watching and chatting with Cuban musicians, as I learned so much from them about this cultural phenomenon.
Energy. Mornings, especially weekend mornings, are slow for Cubans. But once they’re up, they’re up. At 2:00am, you’re just as likely to see an 18-year-old Cuban as an 80-year-old Cuban up and out on their stoop, just chatting.
Resolver. Life in Cuba is hard. It consists of lots of waiting on lines, searching for things that are never found, and things breaking down. But Cubans understand that it’ll all work out – they may complain, but they’re patient. And I’ve found that they’re right. Everything does work itself out, if not today, eventually.
Conclusion
After going through all of these lists, I know it seems like I’m giving Cuba a glowing review. And I am, to an extent. But as I said, living in Cuba is a challenge. I only did it for two months; had I stayed for the full semester, perhaps I would’ve burnt out and not been able to appreciate all of the opportunities I had as much. Still, I made a list, which I’ve kept to myself, of all the negative aspects of my life there. That way, I don’t get consumed with rosy retrospection and only look back at Cuba with fondness. I want there to still be a balance.
Nevertheless, I feel so empowered after this experience. I told myself that I better not come back to the states saying grandiose things such as “I’ve been completely reborn!” but I know I’ve changed, at least a little. Being around Cubans has made me realize I don’t need to care about what I wear, how I look, how I act, or what I say. There are boundaries for all of those, of course, but I feel much freer to do things that are spontaneous, daring, and downright ridiculous.
In terms of my Spanish, I’d like to say I’m functionally fluent. As mentioned, Cuban Spanish is quite possibly the hardest there is – so fast, so slurred, so absurd in instances that it can be impossible to understand. But I can always at least get the gist, if not all, of what Cubans say to me, I can converse in a relaxed fashion, I’ve dreamt in Spanish, and I think in Spanish. Lately, when I’m talking in English, I’ve even accidently said a Spanish word instead of the English one, because that’s what first came to mind. Am I perfect? Of course not. The ease and complexity of my Spanish can fluctuate even from one conversation to the next. But I know I’ll only get better and it will only get easier as I keep traveling to Spanish-speaking countries. And after struggling with Cuban Spanish, I definitely want to push my limits.
Finally, I’ve gained some serious perspective by living in Cuba. That’s not to say that my life in Cuba was not quite privileged. I got to stay in luxurious accommodations for the country, travel and eat for unheard of prices in the US, lounge on the beach, go out to rooftop bars, etc. But that’s not what typical life is for Cubans – life is earning $24 dollars a month. It’s living off rations, it’s searching for resources constantly, it’s trying to adapt to an increasingly modern world of credit cards and internet while there are three generations of families living in century-old houses, driving cars from as early as the 30s. It’s being almost absurdly proud of the free health care and educational systems despite their flaws, it’s showing constant patriotism, and it’s generally projecting a view that you might not believe in, but must. But despite all of that, Cubans are happy; they support each other, they love each other, and they never give up. And that’s something I will always remember no matter where life takes me. When life knocks you down or pushes your limits, you just have to take a deep breath and know you’ll resolve things in time.
