Somebody said:
"Unbelievable!
In this country there is no gasoline, but cars are all over the road
There's no food, but everybody is cooking dinner
They have no money, but everybody is dancing and drinking rum!
Now thát is Cuba!"
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Oh Cuba... Where to even begin?! I have been left nearly speechless. What a place! The buildings are crumbling, the streets are rubble, the cars putt-putt along, and the people are desperate to get out... Yet such beauty and raw innocence remains. It's a country where the rum flows freely, the sun shines bright, the coffee is intensely dark and robust, and the dancing... the dancing is beyond anything I've ever experienced before. In Cuba I danced 'til the sweat poured, the body ached, and my feet would hold me up no more. Sure, everything is falling apart, nothing goes according to plan, and you have to function with an immense amount of patience; but it's enchanting. I have never, in all my life, encountered a place so incredibly rich in culture, art, dance, and music. It's Cuba.
I have to admit, I have had a little bit of a love-hate relationship with Havana... There are elements and aspects that are enchanting, endearing, and completely lovable... until you come across one of those things so typically Cuban and so incredibly frustrating. For example, there are two currencies in Cuba: the Cuban Moneda Nacional (national currency) and the Convertible Peso. One Convertible Peso (CUC) is worth a little more than a US dollar. One CUC is equivalent to 24 Monedas Nacionales (MN). Along with the double currency comes a double standard. There are prices for foreigners/tourists and prices for Cubans. A taxi across town will cost me 6 CUC on my first day in Cuba, 3 CUC once they figure out I speak Spanish, and 10 MN (40 cents) after I get the hang of the local way of life. The same goes for anything. I can buy dinner at a nice restaurant for 15 CUC, or I can eat a meal on the street for 50 MN (approx. 2 bucks). The exact same can of soda may cost 1.50 CUC in a store operated by a big hotel, where at the hot dog shop down the street it will cost 40 cents (10 MN). It's easy to get frustrated with Cuba when you realize you just paid 4 times the necessary amount – and it's equally as enjoyable when you learn to get a good deal and pay local prices. Then there is the waiting, the long lines, the lack of communication, the short supply... There are plenty of things that will get under your skin if you don't exercise flexibility and patience. However, if you can master those qualities, and learn to go with the flow, you will be falling in love with Cuba before you even realize what has hit you...
Cuba is a land of many contrasts, many difficulties due to the political system and oppression of the people, but there are a few things that Cuba does exceptionally well. Although most of the country is falling apart, many things do not work, and much material product is lacking, Cuba has a unique gift for excelling at 3 things – 3 things may not seem like much, but they are 3 of the best things in life – it makes all else pale in comparison.
Number 1: Salsa. The dancing is unmatched and unequaled. The music Cubans produce and the way they move their bodies to that music blows my mind. I saw some of the best live shows of my life in Havana – incredibly talented people! Musicality, rhythm, and movement abound. I went out every single night I was in Cuba... That means I danced, and specifically at salsa venues, for 25 days straight, starting the first evening only 15 minutes after I arrived in Havana... I dropped my bag and joined the dance :)
Number 2: Coffee. From the coffee that someone might prepare for you in their home, to the street vendors who sell it for 4 cents per cup, and all the restaurants and cafes, Cuban coffee is delicious! I like my coffee strong, dark, and sweet; and that's exactly how they serve their espresso roast “café”. Just as with the salsa dancing, there was not a day that passed in Cuba that I didn't indulge in my love of coffee.
Number 3: Men. I know what you're thinking – WHAT?!?! Haha, but it's true! I've traveled quite a bit, and many countries are known for their good-looking people. Have you ever heard of the beautiful women in Colombia? How about India? Perhaps you have seen pictures of the darling children in Africa? Well, this country is unlike most others: Cuba has a disproportionate number of gorgeous men. I couldn't leave my home or walk down the street without spotting a minimum of ten to fifteen overly attractive men. Young and old, the males in Cuba hold their own!
That being said, there are many other things that Cuba does well: you can find great mojitos, cigars, rum, chicharritas (banana chips), guarapo (sugar cane juice), beautiful beaches, antique cars and buildings... But there are other places where you could find those things as well. My top 3 – those are unequaled in what I've seen of the world so far :) There is a word in Spanish that is fitting for Cuba: la sabrosura. It means tastiness, flavor, delight, pleasantness – it captures the essence of La Habana, and Cuba as a whole! “¡Que sabrosura!”
Cuba is probably one of the safest places I have ever been. Of course, there are people who will gladly rid you of your excess money and possessions if you don't keep a careful watch, and if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time, it could be that you witness some type of violence, like you would anywhere in the world. But I walked around Cuba at all hours of the day and night, alone, or with other girls my age, and never encountered a problem. I “lost” money twice, lipgloss once, and a jacket of mine was stolen one night of dancing... but that's the price I paid to learn to hide my cash in my tennis shoes, and leave anything that doesn't stay on me at home. I can't recall a single instance where I saw an angry Cuban yelling or starting a fight. They are persistent, sometimes pushy, but I didn't experience the locals losing control or flying off the handle. Generally speaking they are humble, warm, softhearted people.
For being a tropical island in the Caribbean, Cuba doesn't have many insects or bugs. I didn't get more than maybe one bug-bite while I was there, and in 3 days of the Dominican Republic I have been bit numerous times by mosquitoes, ants, and who knows what else. I don't remember seeing a single cockroach, spider, or anything of the sort in Cuba. It's such a unique place. Cuba is a different world, yet in so many ways, the same as everywhere else. People are people. The same things make us smile, touch our hearts, and inspire us to achieve our goals. I miss it there already, and I will gladly go back!
The tropical beaches and serenity of Trinidad (small colonial town), the never-ending hustle and bustle of Havana, dancing on stage with famous reggaeton artists, being front and center at the hottest salsa concerts, watching music videos being filmed, taking private salsa lessons, cruising on the back of a motorcycle, or in a 1950s beast of a Chevy... The rhythm and the life of Cuba are infectious!
Burned into my memory is the image of a crippled man – he had only one leg – hop into the middle of the dance floor to perform a salsa routine on a busy night in one of Havana's most popular salsa venues. Not only did this man dance – he blew my socks off! :) He danced with two women at once, improvised, was up, down, and all across the dance floor, and he did it with style, flair, and a huge smile on his face. He apparently had found no excuse to stop dancing... not even missing a leg could keep him still! The beautiful thing about Cuban dance is that it comes from within. It is born of their heart, and is full passion. They dance because they FEEL the music – each dancer has a different style and specific tendencies because they dance their own way – not a mere choreography. They learn basic steps and movements, but then they reach within themselves and connect with the music. Watching a Cuban dance is to see who they are. A story unfolds. Cuban salsa tells of the relationship between the man and the woman; it's playful, it's fun; there is a constant connection and flow of energy; in order to dance you have to express yourself, let go of your inhibitions, and trust the person you are dancing with. It's beautiful! Few things have ever made me feel so alive...
It's Cuba.
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