Visit Cuba, be the luckiest person in the world
Here you will find tips to make the most out of your next Caribbean getaway
Cuba is a place you must visit. In a sunny day you may see the sea from both sides of your plane when you arrive at Habana’s airport. Although you might see a high group of grey clouds ready to give you big raindrops, you do not need to worry because, if you are lucky, it might go in a different direction. Let me tell you how to find good luck in Cuba.
Let’s pretend you’re traveling with your best friends. I hope in anticipation you rented an Airbnb to stay in La Habana for a couple of days and you considered having no internet. Connection is only provided at few places along the city for 2 or 5 CUCs, the visitor coin. You must download maps from google in anticipation of landing. Prepare to change your dollars to Mexican pesos and then to CUC’s because dollars are penalized with a tax. Do not forget to have a rum cocktail on your flight: do not miss the opportunity of a toast!
The taxi drive from the airport to our Airbnb should cost around 30 CUC’s. It is recommendable that you bring clothes, candies and any gift you would like to give whenever you are grateful to someone. Even though there is plenty of noise from people in the streets, elderly people would always help you in a wise manner without being played by younger fellows.
A good café is “El Arriero”. Bring some bags back as souvenirs of the breakfast you had. Ask your house keeper or Airbnb host if they serve breakfast at some acceptable cost. Visit the Hotel Inglaterra terrace at the sunset and drink a Cristal beer, enjoy the view, take photos with your friends and look around.
You must visit the Fuerte el Morro where they offer a gunshot at 9pm from an old cannon with a special and cultural routine full of foreign visitors. If you enjoy a good smoke, don’t miss the opportunity to try an habano cigar; I really enjoyed the Montecristo brand. Go to the Floridita for daikiris, come back to the streets and look for “La Bodeguita del Medio” and have a mojito.
Dancing is encouraged, specially for salsa and reggaeton lovers. Remember to always tell someone where you are going just in case you need anything. Expect servers to be slower than what you are used to. Cuban people are living at a different rhythm, with no high speed stressful activities around.
Since Cubans were allowed to buy and sell cars and houses, it is more and more obvious who has the possibility to enjoy a day at the sea and who has to work all day for less than 10 CUC’s a month. Nevertheless, you can change their days with a gift from another place.
Don not forget to enjoy the “Tropicana show” at La Habana and give yourself the opportunity to dance a lot. Visit the Hotel “Nacional”, where you will feel like a spy from the 50’s. If possible, visit Varadero beach for a couple of days and swim till you find yourself with the best luck possible on Earth. Give yourself time to meet locals and you will find yourself again.
Latin American Post | Ludwig Alain
Copy edited by Laura Rocha Rueda
