Cruising To Cuba

Cuba has been on my list for so long! Like many of you, I haven't known how to get there given the restrictions on U.S. citizens traveling to Cuba. I know a few people who have gone to Cuba by flying to Mexico or a Caribbean island and then flying to Cuba from there. I also know a couple of people who got a visa through a Canadian tour company. However, when I started planning, those options weren't as easy anymore. Between changes in government and visa companies no longer in business, planning wasn't as easy as it was a few years ago. Then I started researching cruises to Cuba and it was easy peasy!

As I discussed in my Mediterranean Cruise post, cruises are a great way to see places. What ultimately led to me choosing to visit Cuba through a cruise was the ease and comfort of knowing the cruise line (Norwegian Cruise Line) would handle everything for us. We paid $75 for a visa and Norwegian had our visas awaiting us at the port in Miami when we checked in for our cruise. We also booked a city tour through Norwegian, which is recognized by the U.S. government as on official "people to people" trip (or better known as an Educational activity for visa purposes). You can view the full list of visa categories here. By having a tour booked, we were good to go once we arrived in Havana. Our particular cruise had an overnight stop in Havana, so once we were done with our tour we could come and go as we pleased. Having the official tour booked was all we needed to cover us in the event of questioning back in the U.S. What follows are my top recommendations for things to do in Havana.

1. Rent A Classic Car

If there is one thing you HAVE TO do in Havana, it is rent a classic car. Due to the trade embargo imposed against Cuba in the 1960s, Fidel Castro banned the importation of American cars and mechanical parts. That means all American cars in Havana (and Cuba as a whole) are from the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. Generations of families have used the resources available to them to make appropriate repairs over the years, and the cars really are beautiful to see! It's like stepping back in time (albeit not as safe since the cars have no seat belts!).

The cars have also been maintained in great shape because it is a huge part of tourism in Cuba. Walking around Havana you will see hundreds of brightly painted, classic cars like Chevrolets, Fords, Pontiacs, Buicks, Dodges, Plymouths, and Studebakers. You can rent the car for an hour by simply walking up to the car you want and bartering for your fare. The driver (and often a translator as well if you don't speak Spanish) will take you on a one hour tour of the city showing you the highlights of Havana. From Old Town, to Hotel Nacional, to the Colon Cemetery, to the coastline of the city, you will get to see a lot all while riding in the back, with the top down. For those of us born after the 1950s, this is probably the only time you'll get to ride in a classic car. It's definitely worth the price! Although it was quite bumpy, especially with no seat belt!

The price for your classic car ride can vary. Prior to our trip we did some research on other travel blogs and found people paid anywhere from $40/hour to $70/hour. We made a decision that our price would be $40 and we'd only have $40 worth of Cuban Pesos ("CUC") on us when showing the driver what we had. In all my travels I've learned that the easiest way to barter is decide what you're willing to pay and then when they push back you can show them and say "this is all I have." It's almost guaranteed they'll take what you have just to make the sale. We did this with our CUC and they accepted right away. We ended up giving another $10 in tips because our driver and translator were really nice.

2. Old Havana

Old Havana is the heart of the city and very close to the port where cruise ships dock. When you exit the port and walk two blocks west, you will arrive at Plaza Vieja (Old Square). This square was once the site of executions, processions, and bullfights. It is now a giant open space with a fountain and unique art sculpture. A short walk from the Plaza Vieja will bring you to Parque Central (Havana's Central Park) which is where you'll find rows and rows of classic cars lined up to take you around. There are several hotels in this area as well as restaurants. You'll also be a short walk from El Capitola (the National Captiol Building) and the Gran Teatro de La Habana (Grand Theater of Havana). Walking in either direction from El Capitola will give you views of all of the colorful buildings that make Old Havana so beautiful. I highly suggest walking around, turning down alleys, and just exploring the city. You never know what you'll come across!

3. Daquiris at El Floridita Bar

Another must on the list in Havana is having a daquiri at El Floridita bar. The reason this bar is so famous is (i) for its delicious daquiris and (ii) because the bar was a favorite place of Ernest Hemingway's to hang out in Havana. The interior is decorated with several items honoring Hemingway from pictures, to his bust, and a sculpture. There is even a daquiri named after Hemingway: the Papa Doble (or the Hemingway Daiquiri). Located conveniently in Old Havana, it's the perfect stop on your day of exploring to grab a refreshing cocktail (or two)!

Photo cred: Garen (Instagram: @CheerfulTroll)

4. Hotel Nacional de Cuba

A short drive from Old Havana you will find Hotel Nacional de Cuba. This historic hotel is located on top of Taganana Hill, looking out into the Caribbean Sea. The hotel opened in 1930 and was operated by the same management of famous U.S. hotels like the Plaza Hotel, Savoy-Plaza Hotel and Copley Plaza Hotel. Prior to the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, Cuba was a very popular destination for American tourists. The Hotel Nacional de Cuba was one of the nicest hotels on the island and a frequent stay for many of America's rich and famous. Celebrities like Frank Sinatra, Ava Gardner, Rita Hayworth, Mickey Mantle, Marlon Brando, and of course, Ernest Hemingway were just some of the hotel's top guests. The hotel was also host of the notorious Havana Conference, a mob summit later shown in the movie "The Godfather Part II." From it's beautiful architecture to its rich history, it is definitely worth a visit.

5. Morro Castle & Christ of Havana

As part of our tour booked through Norwegian Cruise Line, we got to visit Morro Castle. This "castle" is a fortress that was built in the 1700s to guard Havana Bay. You can walk along the walls of the castle taking in the great views of the sea and the sprawling landscape and skyline of all of Havana. There are also rows of old canons along the perimeter, once used for defense against those enemies entering Havana Bay. Inside, you will find a great shop that sells Cuban cigars and rum (more on that below).

Just outside the grounds of Morro Castle you will find the Christ of Havana statue. This statue overlooks Havana Bay and stands 66 feet high. The statue was created by Cuban sculptor Jilma Madera, using 67 blocks of marble that had been brought from Italy after being personally blessed by Pope Pius XII. It reminded me of a smaller version of the Christ Redeemer in Rio (more on that here).

6. Cigars and Rum

Cuba is known most for two items: cigars and rum. Pretty much everywhere you go in Cuba, you will have the ability to purchase these items. If you're from the U.S., please note there are restrictions on how much you can bring home with you. For cigars, you can bring up to 100 cigars and for rum, you can bring up to 1 liter of rum. We went to the shop inside Morro Castle and they had a great selection of both cigars and rum. There were so many different cigars, from single cigars, to boxed sets. Neither of us actually wanted to smoke a cigar, so we picked one that would be a great show piece to display at home: the single cigar. It came in such a cute case! (yes, we're girls and cuteness is what mattered haha). There are several brands of cigars sold in Cuba: Cohiba., Montecristo, Partagas, Romeo y Julieta, Punch, Bolivar, and Ramon Allones. We went with the Cohiba since this was the cute case:

Neither of us are rum drinkers, so we didn't purchase any of that. However, if you want to bring rum home, the go to is Havana Club. Havana Club rum comes in nine different grades and blends including Añejo Blanco, Añejo 3 Años, Añejo Reserva, and Añejo Especial. I got a daquiri at a little rum hut near the Morro Castle which used Havana Club Añejo Blanco and it was actually quite tasty!

7. The Colon Cemetery

Our guided tour also took us to the Colon Cemetery, which reminded me a lot of the cemetery where Eva Perón is buried (La Recoleta) in Buenos Aires, Argentina (BA post to come!). It gave me a bit of a New Orleans vibe with the elevated tombs as well. Founded in 1876, it is a Catholic cemetery and spreads out over 140 acres (making it the second-largest of its kind in the world). In the center of the cemetery you have the Central Chapel, which was modeled after the Florence Cathedral in Italy. There over 500 mausoleums in the cemetery, so there is a lot to see. A couple of the most important things in the cemetery (which garner a lot of visitors) are the Monumento a los Bomberos (firefighter memorial) and La Milagrosa (Tomb Of Amelia). The Monumento a los Bomberos is a 75 foot tall monument which was built in memoriam of the 28 bomberos (firefighters) who lost their lives in the great fire of May 17, 1890 at a hardware shop in La Habana Vieja.

The Tomb of Amelia is the burial site of Amelia Goyre de la Hoz. Amelia was a 23-year-old woman, who shortly after marrying Jose Vicente Adot, died while pregnant. The tomb was built for her and her baby by her husband, who would visit every day. When he visited he would always perform a ritual: first he beat the rings against the marble slab, in a knocking gesture, in order to "wake her," then he would speak to her for hours, before leaving. However, when leaving, he would never turn his back on the grave, walking sideways or walking backwards. When she was buried, her baby was placed at her feet. Cuban legend states that when the coffin was reopened some time later to bury Amelia’s father-in-law, the baby was found cradled in Amelia’s arms. Because of this, she is now visited by hundreds of people a year asking for protection for their children, for childbirth without complications, or even for babies for women who have had trouble conceiving. There is actually an overflow next to the tomb of thank you notes/pictures from people who have visited, performed the ritual, and saw their prayers answered (many being women who gave birth after praying to Amelia).

8. Revolution Square

The final stop on our guided tour was Plaza de la Revolución ("Revolution Square"). Revolution Square is a large open area, surrounded by government buildings, which has been the site of several political rallies, including rallies by Fidel Castro and other political figures. The square is flanked by the José Martí Memorial across the street, the National Library, the offices of the Ministries of the Interior and Communications, and the Palace of the Revolution (which is the seat of the Cuban government). The José Martí Memorial is a giant 358 foot tall tower in the shape of a star. The facades of the offices of the Ministries of the Interior and Communications include steel outlines of two of Cuba's most important heroes of the Cuban Revolution: Camilo Cienfuegos and Che Guevara. Under Camilo Cienfuegos there is a quote that reads "Vas bien, Fidel" which translates to "you're doing fine Fidel." Under Che Guevara, the quote reads "Hasta la Victoria Siempre" which translates to "ever onward to victory." While the square was originally called Plaza Cívica (Civic Square), it was renamed to Plaza de la Revolución after the Cuban Revolution in 1959.

9. Cuban Cuisine

Last, but not least, is the food. Whenever you're in a new country, it is always fun to try the local cuisine. You may never know how great something is until you try it! The best meal of my life is still a noodle dish from a hole in the wall in the middle of nowhere in China on my Chengdu trip (more on that trip coming soon!). So when in Cuba, the first thing we thought of was a Cuban Sandwich. Well, of course the restaurant we planned on going to was closed because it was New Year's Eve (apparently a pretty big holiday in Cuba as a LOT was closed) so no Cuban Sandwich for me :( Funny enough though, upon looking up more on this dish we learned that it was actually created in Florida for Cuban workers in Key West and Ybor City, Tampa. The second restaurant we went to was open, but again due to the holiday their menu options were very limited. And when I say limited, I mean I ended up eating a ham and cheese plate that was basically deli meat and cheese, with a scoop of tuna in the middle and warm baby shrimp. It was definitely not the Cuban cuisine I had envisioned...

Luckily, my law-school friend and foodie Garen was also in Cuba at the same time and he had a much better food experience. He has graciously shared some of his photos so that I can show you what Cuban cuisine is actually like! If you love food photos, follow Garen (aka Cheerful Troll) on Instagram. He truly eats some of the most amazing foods ever (and stays in shape....how?!). You can follow him here!

Cuban Sandwich at small restaurant in Fabrica de Arte Cubano

Yucca Fries from the small restaurant in Fabrica de Arte Cubano

Strawberry ice cream from El Sabor de Quirenia in Havana

Tips For Your Visit

1. Currency - There are two currencies used in Cuba – Cuban Convertible Pesos (CUC) and Cuban Pesos (CUP), neither of which is an internationally used currency. What that means for your visit is that you will need to exchange your money once you are in the country. Credit cards are not something you can use, so cash is a must. When cruise ships dock, there is a currency converter in the port after you clear Customs. One thing to note though is that there is a 10% fee on top of the regular fee to convert U.S. dollars since they cannot be used on the island. So if you can get a foreign currency before you leave home, it will make your conversion cheaper once in Cuba. We went to our local bank in NYC and got Euros, then converted the Euros once we arrived in Havana. The CUC is what is used by tourists, so that's what you'll receive. When you're back at the port ready to leave, if you have any CUC left, you can covert back to U.S. Dollars to take home.

2. Holidays - We learned the hard way that not all holidays are treated the same in every country. In the U.S., New Year's Eve is not an official holiday, so almost all businesses are open as normal. New Year's Day is when most things are closed or open for limited hours. Well, in Cuba, New Year's Eve is pretty much an official holiday, so a lot of places were closed and restaurants had limited menus. Make sure before your trip you check and see if you're going to be there during a national holiday. Since Cuba is a Catholic country, there may be religious holidays/holy days that could affect business hours as well.

3. No Internet - As with all international travel, you know that your local cell carrier will not be available abroad. While in most countries you can use your phone abroad by connecting to a local network or connecting to wifi, that is NOT the case in Cuba. We actually learned on our guided tour that the country just got internet access 2 weeks prior to our visit. Yes, 2 weeks prior, meaning December 2018! Needless to say, there was no wifi available anywhere that we went. The fact that the locals just got access to internet, the thing we've had in the States for 20+ years, makes sense as to why there was no wifi. Luckily our cruise ship had wifi, so once we were back on the ship we could connect to the world again. Unfortunately no wifi meant Garen and I were not able to meet up because we had no way of getting in touch! Cut to a week later when I received about 20 WhatsApp messages that finally went through once we were both back in the States!

Buen viaje!