My Cuban Adventure Part II: Off the Beaten Path

Posted on by goldenlifemusings

I first visited the beautiful island country of Cuba six years ago. If you know anything about the relations between Cuba and the USA, a lot has changed since 2017. But I was grateful to have had the opportunity to visit again and experience one thing that hasn’t changed – its magic. (Click here to read Part I “Review: My Cuban Adventure”). 

As the title of this post suggests, thanks to my good friend Juanita “BZB” Britton’s Off the Beaten Path Tours, I was able to see much more of this magical island than I did the first time. And while the main tourist attractions are still worthwhile experiences, learning more about the rich African culture made this visit to Cuba even more special.

Me and my good friend Juanita who curated this amazing experience.

There’s no place like home

Before I get into the new adventures I experienced, let me first share a little about our home for six days. Since my favorite travel buddy and I cruised the first time, we didn’t have the hotel experience. I had heard that many of them were a bit outdated and not up to American standards so I was glad we cruised the first time. This time we stayed at the less than a year-old Grand Aston La Habana Hotel, which was absolutely beautiful. Not only did it have the most gorgeous artwork displayed around the property, the rooms and common areas had the most lovely decor. Additionally, the infinity pool overlooking the Havana Bay was delightful and I saw the most amazing sunrises every morning from our room. 

A few things to note about the hotel though…other than breakfast (which is included), you’re better off going somewhere else for food. They advertise room service, but they didn’t have many of the items on the menu, which is already limited. Every one of us who had massages thoroughly enjoyed our services, but it is not a full-service spa with amenities. You’re in and you’re out. 

Off the beaten path

Anyone who knows me knows that I’m the ultimate beach bum, but I do love me a little culture as well (smile). This time, I was really excited to see “the other side of Cuba” beyond the traditional tourist sites. We got to experience what Juanita, our tour curator called “indigenous cultural tourism.” 

A beautiful view of the valley on the way to Matanzas

Our first step off the beaten path was to visit an artist village and learn more about the rich Yoruba (ethnic group originating in West Africa) traditions steeped in the culture. We visited homes, walked the streets lined with mural-adorned walls, and enjoyed music and dance performances by the beautiful people who welcomed us to learn more about their heritage and experience their way of life.

I just had to snap this photo of my gorgeous mama against this dope backdrop. Isn’t she lovely?!

One of my favorite parts of the day was exploring the street art of Havana’s Callejon de Hamel, created by talented muralist and artist Salvador Gonzalez. He helped to transform what was formerly a crime-ridden slum into a charming two-block alley-way filled with stunning Afro-Cuban art that pays homage to the Yoruba Santeria culture and religion. On Sundays, the day we visited, you can enjoy charming, energetic dancers who accompany the sounds of their native rumba music. We wore white in honor of the Santeria culture and religion that is practiced in Cuba.

On another day, we took a day trip to Matanzas, an African community 56 miles east of Havana. It is known for its Afro-Cuban folklore and is the birthplace of the music and dance traditions danzón and rumba. We visited a site that held artifacts from the descendants of the Dahomey kingdom in West Africa. So dope!

The food, the music, the art, oh my!

Since I offered a pretty comprehensive overview in Part I I won’t go into extensive detail here. But I must say, as far as food is concerned, it was the paladares for the win again! As a refresher, paladares are small, family-run restaurants, usually in converted homes. We found time to visit our beloved paladar next door, Casa Mia, twice for their delicious tostones (and the fine Cuban waiters…ssshh don’t tell anybody lol)! I also thoroughly enjoyed my experience at El Chiquirrin Restaurant in Matanzas, as not only the food was good, we were serenaded by their wonderful house band!

The music and art was pretty much abundant wherever we went, but there was one particular place we went that captured it all. That was the Cuban Art Factory (Fabrica de Arte Cubano). Set in a former cooking oil factory, this cultural arts center has a little bit of something for everyone from visual and culinary art to an energetic rumba class and fashion show. We got to experience it all! I definitely recommend a visit.

A few more things to know before you go…

  • As of the time of this blog post, US citizens need a valid passport (must not expire within 6 months of travel), a Cuban Tourist Card or Visa, travel insurance, and a signed affidavit indicating you are traveling under one of the 12 categories of authorized travel to Cuba. (We went in support of the Cuban people, justified by bringing art supplies, feminine hygiene products, and other goodies that we donated to the communities we visited.)
  • For US travelers, cash is king. Do not expect your credit or debit cards attached to any American bank to work there. The locals love (and prefer) your US dollars so there really isn’t a need to exchange them for Cuban pesos. 
  • Be sure to bring toilet tissue with you, as not every restroom (especially in the remote parts) is created equal.
  • The hotels in Cuba are like many other countries in the world that do not believe in washcloths. So if you’re used to bathing with them, bring them!
  • The sun is especially oppressive there so be sure to bring and wear lots of sunblock and something to cover your head if you’re going to be outside for long periods of time.
  • Wifi is sparse so prepare to unplug unless you have an international mobile plan that includes Cuba. We were really only able to access wifi in the hotel.
  • Check out the show at the Nacional Hotel, it was great! But skip dinner there. Try out one of the nearby paladares instead. You’ll thank me later!
  • Don’t skip the classic car rides. It was so nice, we went back and did it twice!
This rest stop on the way to Matanzas had the best pina coladas EVER!
I’m smiling because it was delicious!
This rest stop had the nicest, cleanest toilet…with no TP! lol
This all female band on the Hotel Nacional patio was dope!
To be so fancy, the Hotel Nacional restaurant was a huge disappointment.
They put on a good show though!
I loved the vibrancy of the colors in the costumes and the performers.
This paladar had good food, particularly the appetizers and dessert.
We didn’t get much salad while there so I’m glad I took a picture of this one lol.
Not only was this dessert pretty, it tasted good too.
There’s nothing quite like the classic car rides.

Review: My Cuban Adventure

Posted on by goldenlifemusings

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As the case for many others, just a few years ago Cuba was not on my radar. But ever since the ban for travel of US citizens to Cuba was lifted, the little Caribbean island that has brought big political controversy over the decades sat prominently on my vision board as a must-see destination. I thrive off of visits to destinations that are rich in culture and history, and it’s an added bonus when it exists in a tropical climate with beach and sun. So, imagine my delight when I heard my parent travel company was hosting a cruise to Cuba inviting all of us travel consultants to attend, making it not just a bucket list trip, but a tax-deductible excursion as well. Winning! [Note: We cruised via the Norwegian Sky, a ship I had previously sailed to the Bahamas. For a review of the Norwegian Sky click HERE. Also, if you are used to 4 and 5 star luxury accommodations, I recommend cruising, as the hotels there aren’t quite up to American standards yet.]

As a caveat, let me start off by saying I had not done a whole lot of research on Cuba and what to expect prior to my visit because I wanted to learn and get the full experience of the country and the culture while I was there. I knew that it was a Communist nation but I hadn’t really thought fully about how that impacted the country and its residents. Needless to say, this probably was one of the most educational and mind-blowing travel experiences for me to date.

Thanks to my senior intern and research assistant, aka my mom (smile), my family and I had one of my best tour experiences to date out of all the countries I’ve explored. If you are visiting Cuba, definitely reach out to Fernando FerTours to schedule your tours! Our tour guide Alejandro was super knowledgeable about everything, having been born and raised there, and he was amenable to pretty much everything we requested along the way, including indulging us ladies stopping at every shop we saw in Old Havana LOL. Because we were a small group (7 of us), we were able to customize the trip to our liking and see and experience what felt like all of Cuba within the two days we spent there.

I’ll get to our exploration of Old Havana in a second but can you indulge me while I talk about my favorite part first? Can you guess what it is? If you guessed the food, you would be correct and you get a gold star (smile)! Me being the foodie I am, that was one of my most anticipated parts of the trip and Cuba did not disappoint. Alejandro, who did not lie when he told us he was taking us to the best restaurants in town, explained how fresh the seafood was to the point that your fish that you ate in the afternoon was actually swimming earlier that morning. So guess what I got an overdose on? Yes, fish and crustaceans! Because Cuba is a multi-ethnic society you get the best of the Caribbean, Spanish and African parts of their heritage in their foods. Each dish was prepared and seasoned to perfection and many of the dishes were styled so beautifully, I ALMOST didn’t want to disturb it because it was plated so masterfully. You notice I said almost right?

This has to be one of my favorite ceviche dishes to date. (Habana 61)
My awesome garlic shrimp dish at El Biky
Cheers to a delightful food experience at Habana 61!
Can you tell I was excited to have my very first authentic mojito experience at Habana 61?
My aunt’s lobster feast at Habana 61
Our tour guide Alejandro’s mouth watering fish dish at Habana 61
Alejandro told us the best pizza on the island was at El Biky so we indulged!
The snapper was grilled and seasoned to perfection at Habana 61!

After talking to my colleagues who had taken other tours I realized that not everyone’s experience was created equal with the food. I also talked to some friends who had previously visited who did not have a good food experience either, primarily with the hotel restaurants. Therefore, I’m referring you to the places where we ate so you can be sure to have an enjoyable experience! Definitely visit Habana 61 (where I had my first authentic Cuban mojito!), El Biky and Vista Mar, with the latter being my favorite food experience of the trip. That had to do partially with the view, as it sat right on the water (hence the name – Vista Mar, translated view of the sea) and had a beautiful pool and lighting. I indulged in the seafood platter, which was amazing!

Me in front of our beautiful view at Vista Mar
My family with our awesome tour guide Alejandro
Delectable seafood platter

It’s essential to note, each of the restaurants I mentioned are known as paladares – small, family-run restaurants, usually in a converted part of a home. In addition to the quality of the food being better because it’s not mass produced, they have more of a homey, welcoming feel to them. Naturally, these types of establishments are harder to do with larger groups but if you can get to one, you should. Just thank me later.

During our excursion in Old Havana, which consisted of a walking tour around different squares where we saw many churches and museums, we learned a lot about the history and culture of the city of Havana, and of course the country as a whole. Some interesting things we learned: because education is completely free and they do not allow privatization of schools, Cuba has a nearly 100% literacy rate and close to 95% of Cubans graduate from high school. Also, due to free healthcare, the infant mortality rate is of the lowest of all of Latin-America. While homelessness is also pretty much non-existent, poverty is real there and close to 100% of the population makes less than $1,000/month (more than 80% earning less than $200/month). Nevertheless, the people for the most part were very welcoming and friendly and of course they loved us spending our American dollars there. Word of caution: women dressed in traditional garb will run up on you to take a picture with them and then tell you after the picture was taken you owe them $5. It’s a nice hustle, but trust they won’t ever get me again! In the words of George W., fool me once…lol.

My second favorite part about Cuba was the music, with the artwork at a close third. Being a lover of music, dance and everything entertainment, I truly enjoyed our “Havana nights” experience at the Buena Vista Social Club. The band was grooving all night with multiple artists coming up to perform and give you a taste of their own unique flair. I also had an opportunity to brush up on some of my salsa moves when one of the waiters propositioned me for an impromptu dance (see video here)! We even encountered an all-female band (two of the members were missing when I captured the video) at the cigar and rum shop we visited. How cool?!

We had an opportunity to join the band and dance with the singers so I couldn’t resist. 🙂

My final unexpected surprise of the trip was the beautiful artwork we encountered at the old train station, turned market in Havana. The pieces bring out every part of the country’s diverse, multi-ethnic culture, leaving you a bit overwhelmed upon your departure. All of the artwork is fairly cheap with none of the pieces costing more than $200, and it helps that the market sellers allow you to bargain with them a little bit. I had an opportunity to purchase a striking piece of artwork that I’m excited to find a place for in my living room, among the other Afro-centric artwork that line the walls.

I could not complete my review without sharing my final highlight of the trip, which was having an opportunity to ride around for the afternoon in Cuba’s infamous classic cars. There are literally thousands of old American cars from the 1940’s and 1950’s that contribute to a significant portion of the transportation on the island, many of them serving as taxis. It was fascinating to see how well-kept and preserved many of the cars were. If you’re a car buff and thinking about buying one of them, think again. Most of them are owned by the government and if they are sold from owner to owner, they can only be sold to other Cubans in the country. Sorry folks!

View of old military equipment on our joy ride in the classic cars
I just thought this guy was too cool for school, I had to snap a pic

I could literally talk all day about my precious two days in Cuba but I really want you to go and experience it for yourself. If you are a travel addict like I am and you want to get away from the norm of the same old travel destinations you visit, Cuba should definitely be on your list!

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Despite the weather, the beach was gorgeous.
Unfortunately, the weather was not conducive to an extended amount of beach time but that just means I just have to return for that experience!