A Trip to Cuba

If you've always wondered what it would be like to visit the forbidden, this should interest you. Remember, you can practically skip a very flat stone from the Riviera Maya to Cuba.

by Anonymous

I had always been curious about Cuba, the country many had thought to be a tropical paradise. My Uncle was Cuban, and his brother lived with my family when he first came to the States some forty five years ago. So, it was a fairly easy decision - we are going to Cuba for three days, two nights.

We left Cancun for an unforgettable experience aboard a direct AeroCaribe flight to Havana’s Jose Martí International Airport (HAV), and the smooth flight was less than one hour. The eerie quietness of the airport gave us an uneasy feeling, and waiting in line for immigration, the passengers’ faces were somber, a group looking anxiously at each other, as if to say, “What did we get ourselves in to?” When it was our turn to step past the red line to meet the immigration officer, we felt more relaxed, as we found her to be businesslike, but friendly.

We heard that American currency was no longer accepted, but it could be exchanged at a money exchange or bank into Cuban pesos, and we found that to be the case. We had no trouble exchanging American dollars or Mexican pesos, and the first exchange was at a bank exchange before leaving the secure area in the baggage claim area. It would be better to take Euros, as the exchange rate was much better.

Once outside the airport we were directed to a bus that would shuttle us to our hotel. By the looks of the cars circling the airport, it seemed time had stopped a half century ago. Old cars, restored to a somewhat new condition, were abundant.

The driver taking us to the hotel was very friendly and welcomed us to his island, thus putting us at ease. The ride was an interesting first glance in to life as Cuba is today. We passed industrial sites we assumed were once bustling with activity, now abandoned, and rusting away. Public transportation, train busses as they were called, were packed with people whose faces appeared to stare back at us with blank expressions. As we continued to come closer to the city, we sighted dilapidated buildings that housed many families, each with their clotheslines strung across the small balconies.

Our hotel, the four star rated Hotel Riviera, appeared much nicer than most of those where we had stopped to deposit the other passengers. Our first choice for accommodations was The Hotel National (which you should try to see even if you are not staying there), but as there were no rooms available, we opted for the Hotel Riviera, which is located on the Malecon, a broad avenue along the waterfront. Upon entering the expansive lobby, one might have thought they truly had flown into a time warp. The furniture was clean, but worn, and looked as if it was original to the establishment opening in the early 1950s. A clock with a gold colored starburst hung on the wall behind the registration desk, reminiscent of one I remember as a child. The windows facing the Malecon offered beautiful sunset views of the waterfront, where people walked and sat, also enjoying the sunset.

Our 17th floor room was furnished with the same era furniture in the lobby, and the height afforded an aerial view of the city. The large window could be opened for fresh air, and it did not have a screen, so you could easily step out on the wide ledge and walked the perimeter of the hotel. We guess they don’t worry about liability! The linens were clean.

We enjoyed our first Mojito in the lobby bar, where we enjoyed the view while listening to strolling bands playing musica cubano. Each band tried to sell us a CD, but we declined, and in retrospect, we should have purchased one, as opportunities to purchase things like that were few and far between.

That first evening we dined at the top floor restaurant in the hotel. The food was expensive for what we got and looked more appetizing than it tasted. The bread looked wonderful, but it had no taste at all, and we found this to be true anywhere we tried it. After dinner, we attended the flamenco show in the hotel bar, where we had a front row table and enjoyed the show typical of the more famous and quite pricey Hotel Tropicana show.

Our first full day began with the hotel breakfast buffet, which was included in the package. It was similar to our dinner experience the night before, but the omelets with cheese were a safe bet. This tasted nothing like this food, nor did it look the same, as the delicious Cuban food my uncle had spoken of, and my aunt sometimes prepared. Venturing out in to the bright sunshine, we walked a few blocks to an outdoor market filled with bright, colored paintings, carvings, crocheted items, purses and jewelry made from seeds, amongst other trinkets. We purchased a couple paintings, which were selling rapidly. We were encouraged to purchase a sticker for the larger of our paintings, and we weren’t sure why, but later we found out at the airport that they checked this sticker against a receipt the vendor gave you, and without it, you would not be able to bring it home.

While touring the city, whether on foot, coco taxis, or bicycle taxis, we found that most people were eager to speak with us, and they were glad we had come to visit. At no time, did we feel unsafe, or sense resentment towards us, because of our nationality. When we took time to converse with the local people, we found them to be very well educated, and many of them had a command of the English language, such that you would not know it not to be their first language. Many told us they were appreciative for the education their country afforded them. Only upon further discussion (and after they felt safe talking to you), did they confide that they would love to be able to leave and go to a country where opportunity for advancement and hard work paid off.

The tour of the Partagas Cigar factory was most interesting. The cigars are still hand rolled and pressed. Rows of workers sat at long tables and rolled one cigar after another, while a reader at the front of the room read to them, first the newspaper in the morning, and then a classic book in the afternoon. Some of these books were the basis for the names of the cigars, like Romeo y Julieta, Bolivar, Montecristo, to name a few. The workers receive two cigars per day and a meager salary. We were fortunate enough to have had a personal invitation by a Partagas’ staff member to be served in the private cantina located in back of the public sales room. The walls had an interesting array of photos of famous people with cigars and other items related to tobacco. We purchased cigars at the factory to bring back, and we were allowed twenty five per person, and they do check at the airport. We were told not to buy cigars from people who approached us outside the factory, as the product may be less expensive, but probably made from substandard tobacco, or poorly wrapped.

A must for the afternoon was a visit to La Bodegita Del Medio, which is a crowded bar serving the famous fresh mint libations, and a chance to see Hemingway’s famous framed quotation, “My mojito in La Bodegita. My daiquiris in La Floridita.” La Floridita is a less crowded, more restaurant than bar type establishment, where a life size statue of Hemingway was the attraction for tourists wanting a photo op.

The square where the cathedral is located was just down the street from the aforementioned landmarks, and it is a great place for people watching and viewing some of Havana’s once beautiful, now crumbling architecture.

That evening we took a taxi from our hotel to Old Havana, about twenty minutes away. On the way was a recommended stop at a restaurant called El Aljibe, where we were served a basic fare of chicken, black beans, rice and fried plantains. It was a busy place, filled with people who looked like well-to-do Cubans, and it probably was the best meal we had in Havana.

After dinner, we headed back downtown to Gato Tuerco, a jazz night club that was smoky, crowded and fun. If you plan to use the bathroom, make sure that you accept a couple sheets of toilet paper that are offered outside the bathroom door, as you won’t have any once inside!

During the second day we learned that the people were in need of soap and toiletries, so on the third day we filled our pockets with these items and headed out to a market across from the Fort. We handed a bar of soap to a pregnant woman milling in the market area, and all of a sudden, we were surrounded by outstretched hands eager, and outwardly appreciative, of the small gifts of soap or shampoo. We wish we had had more to give. Afterwards, we purchased a few of the carvings which were said to have been carved from the woodwork from Spanish colonial structures that are now in a ruinous state.

On the ride back to the airport, we were overwhelmed by a sense of sadness for the people of this island; what a devastating loss of their culture. We arrived at the airport with just enough money for our departure tax, which we thought was included in our tour package. We’re not sure what they would have done with us had we not been able to pay it. At any rate, we were glad that we had the opportunity to leave should we so desire.

It was an experience we shall soon not forget, and one of which we would not have missed. We hope next time we return, the faces of the people will exhibit not so much sadness, but a sense of hope for future generations and the return of prosperity to their beautiful island.