“Esto no es un Habano verdadero.” “This is not a real Cuban cigar.” …our taxi driver said matter-of-factly as he rolled the end of my cigar back and forth between his fingers and little pieces of tobacco leaves dropped out. I snatched the cigar…
10 THINGS AMERICANS COULD LEARN FROM CUBANS
Now before all the overly patriotic ‘MURICA! bubbleheads jump all over me & start calling me a “communist traitor” or something, let me just say that I love the United States of America. Don’t believe me? How bout this: I’m white,…
Faces of Cuba (Part 2)
People fascinate me. How they look. How they talk. How they smell (well, not all people smell “fascinating”). But the local people are definitely one of the major things that I observe and analyze while traveling. Interacting with the local people…
Voices of Cuba: Life Under a Dictatorship – Part 1 {PODCAST}
Could you imagine if you weren’t allowed to leave your own country? Would you pay $12/hour for supervised/censured internet if your monthly salary was $25? What if you could be thrown in jail for hanging out with tourists…
5 Best Things to Do in Trinidad, Cuba
Trinidad, Cuba should be a highlight of any Cuba trip. Founded over 500 years ago as one of Cuba’s original 7 Spanish “villas,” it seems as if the town is still stuck in the colonial days. Characterized by brightly colored…
Backpacking in Cuba – 4-6 Week Itineraries
Because Cuba has been shut off from capitalist principles for so long, many Cuban individuals & small businesses simply don’t understand how to market themselves & gain exposure. Combine this with the scarcity of internet, and it can become difficult to find…
Backpacking in Cuba – 1-3 Week Itineraries
I’ve become pretty accustomed to living out of my backpack as I’ve been doing it for over 2 years now, but when gearing up for my trip to Cuba, I just knew that it was going to be a little…
Faces of Cuba (Part 1)
People fascinate me. How they look. How they talk. How they smell (well, not all people smell “fascinating”). But people are definitely one of the major things that I observe and analyze while traveling. Interacting with the local people & discovering…
What is Cuba Really Like? True Stereotypes of Cuba
In Part 1 of this 2-part series, I detailed my stereotypes of Cuba that turned out to be false. Although they were far fewer, I definitely had some stereotypes of Cuba that turned out to be true during my travels there. Stereotype:…