Cuba is the new black
- Nov 5, 2017
- 5 min read
"Havana ooh na na..." If you're anything like me, you've had Camila Cabello's new song "Havana" stuck in your head ever since the first time you heard it. It's a damn catchy song, and while we may be moving into colder weather, it seems that Cuba is the destination du jour.
Having had the pleasure of visiting this incredibly unique country this past year, I thought I would share some of my thoughts on how it did and sometimes did not live up to my expectations.
1. The food is actually good.
Fact: at least a third of my love of travel comes from discovering local food.
When I first started talking about going to Cuba, the guaranteed reaction from people was "such a cool place, but don't get too excited about the food scene." While I took that advice in stride, it actually led me to be pleasantly surprised by the very respectable assortment of food I had there. I can't speak to the food served in resorts, but certainly the local cuisine exceeded its reputation.
2. The cars are everything you'd imagine (and more)
Let me start by saying, any car aficionado would be offended by how little I know about engines and the like, but I like to think I have a good eye for nice cars. I will interrupt anyone I love if a beautiful car drives by, and for that I can only say you're welcome; you've now shared in its beauty. So this was high on my list of things that had me excited about Havana, and the eye candy was worth the wait.
Riding in the vintage and often vibrantly colourful cars was a dream!
3. Strays, they'll steal your heart.
Anytime I have visited a developing country, I have found the population of stray animals to be heart-wrenching, and Cuba is no exception.
4. Go beyond the resort.
I hate to say it, but most people I've spoken to who weren't crazy about Cuba never set foot outside of their resort. Now I am sure that the beaches of Varadero are beautiful, having gone swimming just West of it, but can you really get a sense of a place without interacting with locals in their own environment?
Before my trip, the only Trinidad I knew of was an entirely separate island. As it turns out, my favourite spot in Cuba was a town called Trinidad. With all the colourful architecture of a Spanish town, and scaling the side of a small mountain, this place just oozes with charm. Within a few hours, you can leave the town and walk through farmland and jungle only to arrive at a beautiful cavernous oasis. In just as little time, you can rent bicycles from a local shop and bike through a fishing village and arrive at the beach.
It also delivered some of the yummiest dishes of the trip.
5. Havana is beautiful, and full of grit.
Watching old movies set in the streets of Havana or looking at travel ads, I found myself expecting a colourful little haven of vintage Latin flavour. Driving into Old Havana I was far from disappointed: the people are friendly, the cars are gorgeous, and the weather comes together with the colours so beautifully. You definitely need to remember that this is a country that has experienced so much economical hardship.
Walking down so many streets you'll find buildings that must have once been exquisite, now stripped down to their bare bones from lack of upkeep. It was encouraging to see a few projects scattered around the city to restore some of these buildings to their former glory.
As you stroll down the Malecon, the long boulevard that sprawls along the oceanfront, you see on the one side some of the more dilapidated buildings while looking out toward the ocean on the other side, where fishermen spend hours daily catching enormous fish to feed their families, and men down to their undershirts are bent over their car engines trying to ensure another day of chauffeuring tourists.
Havana had far more grit than I expected, but I personally feel like it adds so much to the energy of the city, where people work hard for a living, and celebrate harder for the things they have.
6. Keep your eyes open for the street art.
Street art is such a great way to learn about a city's culture, as it is the most authentic and raw visual expression of its community. Have a look!
7. Learn from the locals***
Anytime I travel, I always like to stray from any existing plans and let myself learn from the local people. In the span of the week we were on the island, twice we took a chance on local recommendations and had incredible experiences.
Looking for a dinner spot one night in Havana, we found a group of local guys in their mid 20's, clearly enjoying a night out. When they spotted us, one of them came over to us and asked if we wanted to check out his friend's restaurant. Now immediately, we were on guard and trying to suss out whether we were being scammed, but the more we talked, the clearer it became that while our new friend Robert was clearly doing his friend's business a favour, he was mostly just a mega flirt, enjoying his night off, and set on showing us a really great time. We arrived at a restaurant on the second floor of an old building we never would have stumbled upon on our own, and sat down for a delicious patio dinner, complete with great company, drinks, and a serenade. Robert even made my napkin into a rose. While I did have to break his heart by informing him that mine was otherwise claimed, taking a chance on a local led to a really special evening.
Another time, in Trinidad, while on the hunt for a trail that would lead us to the cave oasis, we found ourselves lost in a cow pasture, without a clue of where to go, only to have a shirtless, 70 year old farmer walk up to us and walk us to the right path, based solely on my broken Spanish explanation of what we were looking for. After walking with us for 20 or so minutes, he simply pointed to the path and walked away.
The people of Cuba surprised us at every turn with their kindness and hospitality.
8. Toast to the good life
Last but not least, let's not forget that we are on vacation. Cuba's rum is world-renowned, so grab yourself a mojito, sit back, and relax!
***Disclaimer: spontaneity and adventure can lead to incredible, unforgettable memories, however always use your judgment. If you feel unsafe, or if you are alone, there is no harm in sticking to an itinerary or the road most travelled!
What's your favourite tropical getaway? Comment below!
Photo credit for this post is shared between myself and my brother, Griffin Crimp.
We were in Cuba in February 2017.
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