Las Parrandas de Remedios

Christmas time, as we know it, is a time of peace and quiet. A time to gather and celebrate, to rest and reboot. But Christmas in Cuba is nothing but quiet. In fact, beginning with the 16^th up to the 26^th of December, Cubans embark on a rather explosive Christmas in what is possibly the Caribbean’s largest and oldest traditional fiesta: the parrandas de Remedios.

The customary carnival-like street party – the parrandas– date back from the 18^th century, when legend has it that Father Francisco Vigil de Quiñones, priest at the Iglesia Mayor of San Juan Bautista de los Remedios, introduced it.

He was so concerned about the absence of worshippers at the Misa de Gallo (Midnight Mass) that he came up with the idea to encourage children to take to the streets to make as much noise as possible. Due to the deafening sound of whistles, horns and tin cans, people would have no other choice than to wake up and attend mass. This was in 1820. The surprising, raucous initiative has thus grown roots over the centuries into what is today the quintessential Cuban parranda that takes place every year in the town of Remedios.

Although the celebration has now extended to neighboring cities, nowhere in Cuba matches the opulence of the Remedios parranda. Like any respectable ceremony, the local residents spend several months ahead planning the most elaborate floats, the most alluring costumes and the maddest fireworks, only to be revealed on Noche Buena, on December 24^th.

The ceremonial adopted ever since 1871 still stands today. Church bells announce the official start of the festivities, one in which two rival neighborhoods parade their biggest and brightest. The competition between the Carmelitas from El Carmen and the Sansaríes from the San Salvador begins with each one’s display of banners and signs, followed by a rivaling rumba.

What follows is not for the lighthearted. Think: Color! Explosion! Excitement! Flamboyance!Sound! An overload of senses takes over. Fireworks light the night away, as the floats, richly decorated and immersed in light, being their triumphant parade.

Floats are decorated each year according to pre-established themes. This year’s theme is Angels & Demons. 

Rumba dancing and congas fill the streets into the night, non-stop until the morning, all for a Christmas party to remember.

Recently awarded with the title of Cultural Heritage of Cuba, there is little surprise why Cubans all around the island nation, as well as from abroad, travel to the central province of Villa Clara for the annual Christmas extravaganza. Not one but thousands flock for the folkloric “battle,” one that is so formulaically fought with carriages and floats, trumpets and trombones, drums, whistles and horns, dances and fireworks.

Learn more at the Museum of Parrandas, open since 1980. Look over photos, documents and preserved hand made objects.

Guests on the Vintage Cuba tour have the rare chance to see how the floating structures come to life, on a visit to the Remedios factory, located in the province of Villa Clara.

Text and photos by Monica Suma. You can follow her on Twitter at @MonicaSuma. 

Husband and wife celebrating their wedding in Old Havana, Cuba. Regardless of the economic condition of the island or of individual families, Cubans know how to mark an occasion and celebrate milestones and events. Want the chance to witness a Cuban celebration? Travel to Cuba on any one of our six Signature Cuba tours or Specialty Cuba tours and the celebrations will often find you. Choose Vintage Cuba or Jazz in Havana tours to gain incredible insight into this mesmerizing country.

Photo by Robin Thom

Travel always involves some element of the unknown. That’s one of the great things about it! However, unpreparedness is not always a good thing—as you probably know. To minimize the frustration of neglected necessities, begin packing well in advance.  Each of these small-but-important things will serve you well in Cuba:

1) Your passport. Sounds like a no-brainer—but chances are, you won’t get far without it! Check its expiration date. It must be valid for at least six months after your trip to Cuba. Make sure it’s securely packed, but easily accessed (by you).

2) Warm-weather clothing. Cuba’s climate, by and large, is tropical. Pack accordingly. Remember dressier threads for evenings—Cuba’s less casual than the US when it comes to nightlife—and a raincoat, just in case. Include sturdy walking shoes and comfy socks for tough terrain or long days on your feet.

3) Sunscreen. (See above.) Sunglasses and a sunhat are also good ideas.

4) Razors, if you plan to shave. These and other common pharmacy items are scarcer and pricier in Cuba, at least as of this writing. Best to bring your own.

5) Like razors, aspirin or ibuprofen can be hard to come by. Unlike razors, they can minimize fever, pain, or inflammation. Easy to fit into a small bag, they pull their weight.

6) Personal medications. You don’t want to forget those!

7) …Also, tummy tablets, to be on the safe side. Foreign foods, like foreign governments, sometimes disagree.

8) Money. As of this writing, US-issued debit and credit cards won’t work in Cuba. Thanks to the two countries’ newly normalized relations, this is changing. But, for now,  cash is king. Bring as much as you would for any international trip. Although many of your expenses are covered on an insightCuba tour, it’s good to have cash on hand should you need something or want to buy a trinket. (You can always bring extra cash home. It’s nearly impossible to re-supply if you run out.)

9) Insect repellant. Keep in mind that air transportation in and from the US places restrictions on the amount of liquids and other substances you may carry. This is where travel sizes come in handy.

10) Small gifts for your hosts and others you might meet. Friendships often form quickly in Cuba.  Small personal-care items such as hair holders or cute toothbrushes for kids, or travel mugs or gardening gloves for adults, make thoughtful giveaways. However, take care not to “kill with kindness.”

Of all things possibly associated with a 1950’s nouveau riche bedroom community in Havana a bistro worthy of a Parisian sidewalk seems a bit out of place.  However in the Kohly neighborhood of Havana, just a few blocks from the Almendras river, the Bistro Havana Kohly is proving that being a bistro isn’t about location.

Almost a year old, this might be one of the best kept secrets of the paladar club in Cuba’s capital. 

The houses that populate the Kohly neighborhood were built in the same decade as the old Fords, Chevrolets, and GMs cruising the potholed streets of Havana. 

Kohly’s Caribbean mansions are analogous to the old jalopies; some specimens are held together with shoestrings while their neighbor is magnificently restored.  

The Bistro is of the latter group.  The expansive elevated porch has been is cleverly designed to offer privacy while allowing a bird’s eye view of the street below.  The subtle décor is a play on the supposed origin of the word “bistro”: taken from a popular brand of coffee liqueur served in reasonably priced European restaurants a hundred years ago.  This explains the repetition of the coffee color two toned walls, table cloths, and even pillows.  Yes, pillows.  Post-dining siestas are permitted, and maybe necessary. 

Inside is another scene all together.  Dim lighting, a well-stocked bar, and few tables allow for intimate meals that easily stretch into a couple of after dinner rum cocktails. 

The menu offers the over fed traveler local ingredients but with presentations you haven’t seen anywhere else in Havana. 

If you are a food adventurer you probably won’t leave the starters on the first page.  Our favorites were the Mediterranean Salad (octopus, calamari, clams, lobster, and shrimp served with picked-that-morning lettuce and tomatoes red enough to make lipstick jealous) and fried Camembert cheese with ciruela fruit sauce with just the right touch of tart.  The prices are overly reasonable considering the quality, so don’t be shy about filling up on variety.  

Gems inside the main course selection include the grilled pork “honey for Ochun” (in homage to Ochun, a Santeria deity).  This dish offers the leanest cuts of the tenderest pork we have tasted on the island, so it is relatively guilt free.  The surprisingly subtle sauce is a base of red wine, with hints of spicy mustard, churned butter, and honey.  OK, not that guilt free.

Another keeper is the beef filet braided with thin strips of bacon and serrano ham.  Welcome to flavor country.

If you are looking for a lighter bistro style lunch check out the sandwich menu.  There are all sorts of fun things to put in a baguette such as slices slow grilled pork loin, onions sautéed in white wine, and homemade pickles.  Thin crust pizzas are mainly pork themed, plus a 3 cheese delight (blue, goat, and gouda). 

Finish everything off with a stroll around the Kohly neighborhood and see how contemporary Cubans live in what was once an exclusive enclave of the upper crust…and still is to a certain extent.  Maybe after that you will have some room for dessert. 

Bistro Habana Kohly is located at No. 2805 45^th St, between 28 and 34, a 10 minute cab ride from the Hotel Melia Cohiba.  Reservations at (07) 205-2616 or www.restaurantebistrohabana.com.  Open 7 days a week with breakfast from 7am and full menu from 12pm to 12am. 

Photos and text by Graham Sowa.

You might have heard—rightly—that vegetarian, paleo, gluten-free and other special diets are still largely unfamiliar in Cuba. However, no visitor to the island country has yet perished from hunger! With a little forethought, you should be able to navigate Cuba’s culinary scene. 

Here are some tips for making the best of mealtime on the island:

On people-to-people trips, your guide will talk with waiters and chefs in advance, and announce each meal menu to ensure at least one allergen-free or otherwise-acceptable choice. Usually, at minimum, you can count on white rice and vegetables. That said, those might be your only options at times. If you follow a strict vegan diet, you could find choices limited or repetitive. 

For vegetarians in Cuba:

Tropical fruits such as bananas, coconut, mangoes, and papaya can be found in abundance. You might also enjoy Cuba's most popular fruit, the mamey, virtually unknown in the U.S.

Many local recipes make use of starchy, flavorful plantains.

Rice and beans represent a reliable staple.

Locals enjoy incidentally vegan salads made from shredded cabbage, lettuce, sliced tomatoes, onions, or avocados.

Although no one would call French fries nutritious, few would deny that they’re tasty.

If you eat eggs, dairy, and wheat, breakfast should present few challenges. And the coffee and cocoa are delicious!

Some vegans recommend bringing along a bottle or two of hot sauce to keep meals interesting.

Depending on your degree of observance, a vegetarian diet should also keep you compliant with kosher or halal dietary law.  (If you’re concerned about certain cheeses or eggs, make that vegan.)

If you observe sugar-free, gluten-free, Perricone, paleo, low-sodium, or dairy-free dining, you may also come in for challenges. But, with a little advance notice, most restaurants should be able to prepare salad or vegetable plates.

If your needs are unusual, or you’re a raw-foods enthusiast, you might do well to pack your own snacks. To minimize potential hassles at customs, choose foods in their original packaging over, say, Ziploc bags.

Talk with your insightCuba rep before your trip, to make mealtime memorable in the best ways.

Photos by Robin Thom, © all rights reserved

Listen to a recent radio interview Tom Popper, President of insightCuba, had with Sandy Dhuyvetter, Executive Producer and Host of TravelTalkRADIO and BusinessTravelRADIO, which was aired around the country last week. Sandy is known for connecting her audiences to the experts in travel and healthy lifestyle and in this episode she will be discussing traveling to places that are not always easy and accessible, like Cuba. This episode is particularly relevant today after the recent news from President Obama regarding the United States relationship with Cuba and plans for the future. Listen in to find out what this means for tourism and travel to Cuba.

LISTEN: http://www.traveltalkradio.com/ERIC/jan04_15/TTR_TomPopper_jan04_15seg02_04_24min15sec.mp3 

If you interested in hearing more from Sandy Dhuyvetter, Host of TravelTalkRadio and BusinessTravelRadio, read her blog Travel Talk with Sandy.

Ready to book your trip to Cuba today? We have a group of travel specialists ready to assist you. They can be reached by calling 1-800-450-CUBA (2822). We also recommend researching more on our website at www.insightCuba.com and liking insightCuba on Facebook to stay connected with the latest stories, blog posts and travel information.  

You’ve heard it time and again. Cuba has rhythm. Cuba has soul. And fortunately so, the vibrant island has some of the best jazz you will ever hear. For music lovers, the Caribbean nation is a dream destination, for the island’s universal language is everywhere: at every corner, and in every paladar.

As you stroll the cobblestone streets, peak your head through colonial courtyards or munch over ropa vieja in Cuba’s beautiful plazas, the sound of trumpets and Spanish guitars is omnipresent. It’s enrapturing and alluring. The more you hear it, the more you can’t get enough.

From Havana’s music venues, all the way to Santiago de Cuba’s Afro-Cuban jazz, music brings Cubans together in joy and fellowship, united in Latin spirit and joint desire to perform and inspire. Neighborhood communities are formed, schoolchildren learn to perform and gifted musicians entertain, in a superb display of creativity of what instruments, as old as the embargo on Cuba, can create. And in Havana is where it all starts.

Going past the cliché of the Buena Vista Social Club, Havana’s jazz scene is thriving. More than just as a simple spectator, Havana jazz clubs come with promises to engage and entertain, for many hours into the night. Expect the chance to hum along and meet with the artists, as you take in a live performance.

Good jazz is everywhere, but for jazz in Havana, these venues stand out.

1.     Jazz Café

On the second floor of the Galerias Paseo Mall in Vedado, right across the Meliá Cohiba Hotel is a venue known for its quality jazz and live performances. The 10 CUC cover charge (the equivalent of $10) is well worth it as the live bands are truly exceptional. Come early, as the music hall gets packed. The jazz club introduced several stars, including the legendary pianist Chucho Valdés, who started playing the piano when he was five years old.

After a night of jazz, cross the street for a moonlit stroll across the iconic Malecón.

Gallerias del Paseo, Avenida Primera (First) and Paseo, second floor, Vedado

Tel: 855-3475

2.     La Zorra y El Cuervo

Another Havana favorite is famed La Zorra y el Cuervo, which will particularly be to the like of Afro-Cuban jazz lovers. In a crowded basement with dim lights and wafts of smoke is where congas and maracas scatter the heavy air, in a dynamic performance. Cover charge is also 10 CUC.

Calle 23 #156, entre O y N Vedado

Tel: 866-2402

3.     Hotel Nacional 

Rightfully so, Hotel Nacional, the iconic national monument that acts as an ode to a glamorous past, is best known for its dazzling Cabaret Parisién show, rather than for its jazz. However, in exchange for the 4.5 CUC price of a mojito, you get both a walk through the splendid premises and a free performance of jazz that plays on most nights in the Garden Bar. With its Spanish-Moorish arcades and proximity to the iconic Malecón, you’ll find your casual music night all too enticing.

Calle O corner of 21, Vedado.

Tel: 873-4701

4.     El Gato Tuerto

Only a block away from El Nacional is a Cuban local favorite. Here you’ll find cheap mojitos, prolific jazz performers and an overall pleasant ambiance. Cover charge is only 5 CUC. Be aware doors open at 12PM, so be ready to party well into the night. 

Calle O entre 19 y 21, Vedado

Tel: 855-2696 

Immerse yourself for six music-soaked days in a blaze of Afro beats, freewheeling jazz and swirling salsa on our Jazz in Havana tour.

Text and photos by Monica Suma. You can follow her on Twitter at @MonicaSuma. 

While walking around Havana, or any part of Cuba, you’re likely to see some Cubans covered in chalk-white apparel from head to toe.  You have just been introduced to Santeria, a Caribbean animist religion with African roots.

One of Santeria’s many rites involves a religious “uniform” consisting of white shoes, white socks, white pants and long-sleeved shirts for men, and long dresses, “chals,” and white umbrellas for women.  All kinds of hats may be worn.

In case you were wondering, undergarments are also white. The only notable items of color are bracelets and very long necklaces with intricate bead patterns that represent various deities. 

Santeria offerings in Santa Fe, Havana, Cuba [Photo credit: Robin Thom]

These garments are part of an elaborate ritual that lasts a whole year, during which the devoted is consecrated in a ceremony that includes trimming hair short (this applies to men and women), observing strict dietary rules, and abstaining from sexual intercourse.  

Most striking, perhaps, is that, during that year, initiates cannot be called by their names. Instead, they are called “Iyawo”—confusing if you should find yourself in the presence of several “Iyawos!”

Religious boutiques have become commonplace in Cuban shopping districts. They contain such objects as clay pots used to offer home to the spirits; tools symbolic of various forms of supernatural power; and magical wooden sticks and bull’s horns. Indeed the material culture for sale in a Cuban religious boutique is probably more interesting and varied than any other religious specialty store in the world. 

Most intriguing is the display of fashionable “Iyawo” clothes. Often, these stand as symbols of economic and religious status. The color white is associated with the relationship of death and rebirth, and represents the purity and chastity of newborns. The number of Santeria devotees has increased tremendously over the past several years, and the religion’s artifacts and garb epitomize the strong presence of African culture in Cuba.

To see this and so much more, join one of our Signature Cuba tours.

Written by Graham Sowa.

Enrique's House in Playa Larga

More than 50 years after a decisive battle was won on Cuba's southern shores by the nascent revolutionary government the Casa de Enrique or "Enrique's House" is a symbolic opportunity to break bread and be a part of the long overdue reconciliation between our country and Cuba.

You see, Enrique's House is in the seaside town of Playa Larga, a small beach town on the infamous Bay of Pigs. 

The bay penetrates Southern Matanzas province like an intrusive finger of blue water poking into the boggy Zapata swamp.  Since the Triumph of the Revolution the area around the Bay of Pigs has become a site for bird watchers, scuba divers, history buffs and beach junkies. 

Placid waters of the Bay of Pigs

Enrique got his start slowly a few years ago as he began offering an extra room to rent out to tourists.  His house soon became something like a Bed and Breakfast, known in Cuba as a Casa Particular. 

With no advertising his operations grew first by word of mouth.  However, he has now moved to offering online reservations and is reviewed on the major travel websites.  His success is evidence of just how quickly Cuba is moving into the international tourist market.  And as Enrique proves, some of the growth is being offered by private citizens as they create their own enterprises. 

Even if you don't plan to stay the night Enrique's House offers the perfect stop-over for some real Cuban seaside cooking while traveling between Trinidad and La Habana.

As Enrique tells it, guests began requesting dinner to be served at the house due to the lack of restaurants in tiny Playa Larga.   Taking advantage of a new Cuban law he set up his own private Paladar.

Sunrise over the Bay of Pigs

In the past three years the seaside restaurant has seen explosive growth.  While Enrique still serves individual guests his business model is now built around group tours, serving 30-50 people at once. 

Through all this growth the food has not suffered.  Octopus in olive oil and garlic sauce, grilled lobster, fillets of red snapper along with the softest most delicately textured yucca smothered in mojo crillolo, a mixture of lemon, oil, and garlic are all served together family style. 

The mixture of locally grown vegetables along with seafood that was caught just a few meters away in the bay makes the experience overly local.  Perhaps the only imported item on the table is the bottle of Tabasco Sauce which somehow made its way from Louisiana to Cuba. 

Terraza on Enrique's House

Even the seating feels more like a local family reunion than restaurant.  Long "L" shaped tables accommodate dozens of people.  Some clients will have views of the bustling kitchen, others face back out toward the bay, and most are within earshot of traditional Cuban country music being played on the terrace where you can retire for dessert and coffee.

La Casa Enrique or "Enrique's House" is open for Lunch and Dinner by reservation which can be done at +53 45 987425 or +53 52251117.  Located in Playa Larga (there is only one street in town so just look for the sign).  Perfect sunsets included nightly.

Photos and Text by Graham Sowa.

A whirlwind of change is upon Cuba. It began on December 17th. Seeking to reverse decades of strained relations, President Obama’s announcement to re-establish diplomatic ties, loosen travel restrictions, and allow increased trade with Cuba came as a gift, to Cubans and Americans alike. For the first time in decades, the Unites States is seeking to establish an embassy in Havana, while U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Roberta Jacobson’s visit to the island marked the highest-ranking U.S. government official to visit Cuba in nearly 40 years.

At the same time, President Obama loosened the restrictions on twelve categories of travel, including people-to-people travel. Since the historic announcement, inquiries and bookings on insightCuba’s trips have almost tripled.

What does it mean for travel to Cuba?

People-to-people travel

While travel to the island has been relaxed, it’s imperative to note that the U.S. Embargo against Cuba and the ensuing travel restrictions remain in place. Simply booking a flight to Cuba is still excluded, as is travel to Cuba for touristic purposes (i.e. beach vacations). Under the new regulations, people-to-people travel remains the most inclusive way for Americans to legally travel to Cuba. The other eleven categories include only a narrow swath of Americans including journalists, religious travel, travel for humanitarian purposes, and others. More so, people-to-people travel provides the most immersive, rewarding experience into the Cuban culture.

While essential conveniences contribute to a more enjoyable people-to-people tour– no planning required (insightCuba takes care of all the visa, license and charter plane arrangements, as well as provides with a daily itinerary), paid meals in select locations, and continuous access to a Cuban guide - it’s the unexpected surprises scattered throughout our trips that portray the real Cuba. Guests have unique access to people and places the average tourist rarely sees. This includes everything from far-flung communities in the middle of the mountains, exclusive dance and music displays, inspiring artists communities, as well as meetings with Cuba’s most notable people. You will visit people’s homes – the real Cubans – and learn about their lives as entrepreneurs renting casa particulares or serving tourists in the increasingly popular paladares. While discovering Cuba, you’ll taste its old world charm in convertible cars or in your very own bicitaxi.

Commercial flights

Commercial flights to Cuba are said to begin in six to twelve months, but extended negotiations between the U.S. airlines and both governments are expected. As frequency of future commercial flights remains an uncertainty, our licensed charter flights through Miami, departing numerous times daily, remain the only way to travel directly from the U.S.. Please note that insightCuba only provides flight services for registered guests on our tours.

Credit cards and banking in Cuba

MasterCard and American Express announced to be the first credit card companies that that will authorize the use of US credit cards in Cuba, as early as March 1, 2015. Equally so, U.S. banks have been authorized to open correspondent accounts in Cuba. While the developments are a groundbreaking first step in providing access to cash while traveling in Cuba, the use of U.S. credit or debit cards will take some time before becoming a reliable form of payment or receiving cash. Until further notice, all US travelers should rely only on the cash they bring to cover required cash expenses in Cuba. 

Important facts to keep in mind:

1. If and when U.S. credit cards do work, credit card terminals in Cuba exist mostly in hotels. Few retailers or restaurants reliably use this form of payment. Therefore, the use of credit cards may be very limited.  
2. ATM terminals are currently limited throughout Cuba and those that exist often run out of money, only dispense limited amounts of cash, are unreliably connected to the banking system, and/or don’t work with certain cards.
3. While credit and debit cards issued from banks outside the U.S. are currently being used in Cuba, they are not 100% reliable throughout the island.

What can I buy in Cuba?

Travelers can now bring home $400 worth of any type of goods previously prohibited to bring back into the United States, including $100 worth of cigars and alcohol. Mostly unknown to Americans, Cuba is well respected for their coffee. We recommend bringing some home. Additionally, Americans are still allowed to bring home unlimited quantities of art, music, and informational materials. These expenses should be taken into consideration regarding one’s cash needs.

Phone and Internet use

The White House has authorized U.S. telecommunication companies to initiate mobile and Internet services to Cuba, to serve more than 5% of the island’s eleven million people currently connected. Given the island’s limited infrastructure, the issue will take some time to take full effect. While cell phone coverage is nonexistent, American guests can access Internet connection via their smartphones from their hotels (note: not all hotels in Cuba provide Wi-Fi), in exchange to an hourly fee, which ranges anywhere from $5 to $12 an hour. Also note that cell phone rentals on the island are not currently available. 

The time is now!

Like never before in history, travel to Cuba is growing at an exponential rate.  Many of our tours are selling out. As the Caribbean island continues to morph into a new nation, with new infrastructure and improved travel offerings, there is no time to waste. Allow us the honor to host you in a vibrant, magical Cuba, as it’s come to be known, before it all changes. 

Text by Monica Suma. You can follow her on Twitter at @MonicaSuma.

At a first glance, the sleepy town off the grid in Villa Clara – Caibarién– a former thriving port, seemed at strife with its past glory. But as we reached its shimmering coasts off the Malecón, children started flocking and music started playing, disturbing the silence with giggles and games.

As the bus pulled in front of a popping turquoise, Neo-Californian house from 1953, all prior presumptions had gone. Two murals, one on each side, graced the entrance to the merry house. Pillars, standing erect in the garden, were each painted with Cuban motifs in a gay, whimsical display. 

This was Galleria Casa Taller, which as the name suggested, was a house converted in a gallery, workshop and classroom. The home-studio of the artist Madelin Perez Noa was visibly a canvas of creation, not only for her, but equally so for Caibarien’s artistic community.

Here, in the tranquility of the day or night, she is always painting.

A lyrical surrealist artist from Caibarien, she specializes in colorful paintings, textile art, murals and illustrations.

Although she paints by day, she was inspired by a French poet’s poem, as shown to her by Jose Fuster, to paint the night - to pursue the contrasts between the blues and yellows, to show the poetry within the night. 

Her favorite paintings are Noche Feminina (Feminine Night) and Noche Interogativa (Questioning Night).

“They show the night as a lover, as a companion that takes you into her arms and into that world of dreams, of fairies and princesses, of girls with long hair and sunflowers,” said the artist.

Throughout the house and gallery, bright, vivid paintings can be seen, as well as a variety of painted t-shirts, handbags, and recycled paper notebooks.

It is here that she gave life to Por la Costa community project, an initiative supported by UNEAC (the National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba) involving the entire community to promote the arts, through recycling items that are washed up on the town’s shores and a festival showcasing all its arts. The goal was simple; to keep the coast clean and to grow culturally, as Caibarien continues to mark its place on the tourist trail in Cuba.

Part of the project is to teach the visual arts to children within her community, which she pursues every Saturday in her home-studio.

These days, Madelin can be found in the United States on a cultural visa, lasting for two years.

In a summer exhibit called Asi es la Noche (This is how the night is) in Miami’s Futurama Gallery, Madelin was invited to present her favorite pieces.

Next was the unveiling of two murals this past October at the Bloomington Convention Center in Bloomington, Indiana, where she also held workshops at the University in town.

“In these two years in the United States, I want to expand the reach of my art. My goal and objectives are for people to know that it’s through my work that I spread peace, love and happiness to them, through the traits and colors of my characters on canvas. Hope is the world that I live in.

Like the great Cuban poet Alipio Alonso said, I am the eternal girl with the brush.”

Bio: Madelin Perez Noa, a lyrical surrealist artist from Caibarien, Cuba, specializing in colorful paintings, textile art, murals and illustrations. Madelin’s paintings have been exhibited in Cuba (Havana, Holguin, Santa Clara, Caibarien), the US (Los Angeles,, Miami) and Canada (Ottawa). She has also illustrated several books of poetry, as well as children’s books. In addition to winning several important awards in Cuba, she also founded her own community project, Por La Costa that involves the entire community in an effort to promote the arts. Her passion is not only creating whimsical fairytale stories in her paintings, but also teaching the visual arts to children within her community. For questions or to order any of her paintings, she can be contacted via her Artist NOA Facebook page.

For a visit to Galleria Casa Taller in Caibarien, and a chance to meet Madelin, join us on Vintage Cuba.

Text by Monica Suma. You can follow her on Twitter at @MonicaSuma.

Almost every Cuban house is now invaded with the latest American TV shows.  From sitcoms and cheesy reality shows to the latest soap opera and the trendy sci-fi series, nothing is now out of reach for the Cuban TV viewer.

The interesting part comes from the fact that Cuba is a country with almost null internet access and a only a half dozen nationwide TV stations. So, how is this pervasive infiltration of American TV possible?

If you ask a Cuban you’ll discover a particular word that locals use to describe their Cuban version of TiVo: “El Paquete”.  The literal translation would be “the package”, which doesn’t tell you much until you understand the story behind the name.

Advertisment for the paquete

The few Cubans who have access to internet fast enough to download videos are mostly embassy workers and employees in foreign company headquarters in Havana.  These enterprising individuals manage to download and assemble a once a week compendium of media, usually totaling from 250-500 gigabytes.

This downloaded cache of entertainment, news, and curiosities from the world wide web is then classified in folders according to content categories.  An important note here is that the usual censorship laws do not apply because this is all being done off the books, so to speak.

The most popular “paquetes” are the ones that hold the latest films and international music, many include programming for Latin American audiences made in the United States. Other folders include the latest apps and software, digital magazines, videogames, news, TV series (I have seen everything from Alf to Breaking Bad), music concerts, and awards shows.

No “paquete” would be complete without an offline version “revolico.com”. It means “fuzz” in English and is the equivalent of craigslist.com for Cuba.  Revolico.com is distributed offline by people who download the database and then write simple programming so it functions without internet.   

Of course all of this information comes with a price.  In the first layer of the distribution network there are compilers who sell all the media that they downloaded that week for a hefty fee to a distributor.  The distributor then organizes the media by content in different folders and sometimes even uses graphic designers to put in advertisments for local Cuban restaurants, bars, or electronic repair shops.  At this point the organized “paquete”  is ready to be sold to anyone interested at a price that ranges between 1-2 USD.  The total amount of data in the “paquete” sums to thousands of hours of videos.

Millions of Cubans now dedicate their free time to watching content “el paquete” or using the offline revolico.com to buy and sell everything under the sun. 

Some say that this data flow will last until the penetration of the World Wide Web, the only real competitor in terms of quality and quantity.  Until that day comes Cuban’s unique way of keeping up with the rest of the world’s media consumption is here to stay.

Written by Graham Sowa.

Travelers often describe visits to Cuba as trips back in time. Although many cities and villages boast centuries-old structures or streets, Cuba's classic cars—on the roads since the early 1950s—make Havana and surrounding areas look as if life came to a full stop more than half a century ago.

Why Do Cuba’s Roadways Have Classic Cars?

Cuba does boast newer cars, from nations other than the U.S. Most are government-owned, and cannot be sold. Shortly after Fidel Castro came to power in 1959, he forbade the importation of cars, and even replacement parts, without government permission. Many cars on the road at that time have been kept operational out of necessity.

New Rules of the Road

Even before President Obama's announcement that the U.S. would ease restrictions against Cuba, transportation regulations were changing to allow Cubans to buy and sell cars once more. However, prices remain prohibitive, even by American standards, for all but the island’s wealthiest citizens. 

How Do Mechanics Keep Cars Driving for Decades? 

People who live without many luxuries often develop uncanny ingenuity. Nowhere is this truer than in Cuba, where mechanics and tinkerers use whatever materials they can find. Old train parts have been known to replace irreparably corroded or broken auto parts, and house paint sometimes covers rusting fenders. Break fluid and other necessities can be concocted from common household ingredients. Many engines have been replaced entirely—often with their diesel counterparts, which cost less to run. Some Cubans have turned to car-restoration clubs and cooperatives, where they help one another find parts and repair their old autos.

Old car in Havana Vieja, Cuba. 

Fast Facts About Cars in Cuba

• Cuba has about 60,000 vintage American cars.
• Cubans often use restored cars for special celebrations. For transportation, locals get around in shabbier cabs (generally, “machinas:” unrestored older cars), and pay considerably less than tourists, who cruise in shiny vintage vehicles.
• Specially tailored tours give car-club members and auto executives a driver’s-side view of Cuba.
• Santiago de Cuba boasts the National Transportation Museum (known familiarly as “The Automobile Museum”), which houses an extensive display of miniatures, and cars once driven by notable islanders.

Text by Chelsea Lowe
Photos by Robin Thom, © all rights reserved 

Cattle drives, bar-b-q, and cowboy hats are not typical images that come to the mind of many Americans when we think of Cuba.  However these elements of western cultural have roots in Cuba that go farther back than “Che” t-shirts and smoldering Cohibas.

Paladar Rancho del Boyero pays homage to the former image of Cuba by creating the ambiance of country life on the outskirts of Havana.  Equidistant between the airport and downtown Havana it is a tasty stop over on your way in or out of the country. 

The name of the restaurant comes from its location along the road between central Havana and the Boyeros municipality.  Half a century ago Boyeros was the center of cattle and livestock exporting from Havana.  Cattle would be driven to the outskirts of the city, sold at auction, and then taken to town for processing and export. 

The temporal influx of ranchers and cowboys (which go by the generic term “vaqueros” or “guajiros”) left a lasting impression on the Boyeros area.  Even though the cattle trail has been paved over and is now dominated by Russian Lada sadans and old Detroit iron the stockyards still host the National Rodeo and Livestock Show every spring.

Paladar Rancho del Boyero is also doing its part to make sure that rural Cuban lifestyles don’t get lost to the quickly changing cultural scene of the Cuba’s capital city. 

Even though it is easily accessible from the city the restaurant will immediately make you adjust your senses.  The seating is all in open air, under traditional Cuban style thatch pavililions called “ranchos”.  Greenery dominates your field of vision.  The palms, ferns, tropical hardwoods, and creeping vines stretch all the way up to the seating area.

Where the greenery ends the kitchen begins.  Cuban country style cooking was traditionally done outdoors, under charcoal fires and in big iron cookware.  Rancho del Boyero blends the traditional with the modern with their open air kitchen outfitted with contemporary gadgets.  Which means you can watch the flames kiss your steak and enjoy the olfactory experience of rotisserie roasted pork. 

The fare reflects the setting.  Slow cooked black beans are served alone as potaje which you can then pour over your rice.  Or ask for “moros y christianos” which is Cuban for “rice and black beans”.  The secret to doing this dish right is knowing how to prepare the beans and then cooking just the right amount of rice into dish so the rice and beans fishing cooking at the same time.  It’s a tricky culinary skill, but when its well-executed even taste buds unaccustomed to Cuban cuisine can tell. 

The chef at Rancho del Boyero has taken his preparation of “congris” or “rice and kidney beans” to the next level by letting both the rice and beans finish cooking inside a whole roasting chicken.  This “stuffing” might just be a great inspiration for you next thanksgiving. 

Finally, in an homage to the old-country Rancho del Boyero offers a creole paella.   This Spanish dish of vegtables, meat and seafood cooked into rice is served in the same giant pan it is prepared in.  The perfect dish if you are feeding a lot of people and want to try a little bit of everything. 

Paladar Rancho del Boyero is located on Avenue Rancho Boyeros Km 7 ½ No. 19319, between the Plaza de la Revolution and the airport.  Open daily for lunch and dinner.  Reservations at 7646 6197 or ranchodelboyero@yahoo.com.

Photos and Text by Graham Sowa.

President Barack Obama’s December 2014 statement that the United States would reestablish diplomatic relations with Cuba has many people wondering: How did the U.S. and Cuba get along before the embargo? How has their relationship changed over time?

The United States and Cuba, with their close proximity and shared history as European colonies, have been intertwined for centuries. However, after roughly two generations of U.S. embargoes against Cuba, few can remember a time when Americans and Cubans could travel back and forth freely and easily to explore their shared connections. InsightCuba has been bridging that gap for fifteen years, helping U.S. citizens travel to Cuba on people-to-people tours.

As neighbors, the U.S and Cuba once enjoyed a close relationship, Both participated in trans-Atlantic trade before and after the American Revolution. As early as 1820, Thomas Jefferson wrote that Cuba would be “the most interesting addition which could ever be made to our system of States.” Although this didn’t come about during his lifetime, more formal ties between the two countries were established in 1898, after the U.S. defeated the Spanish in the Spanish-American War. Spain ceded the U.S. all of its territories outside of Africa, including the “Pearl of the Antilles,” Cuba. Cuba became a United States territory for the next four years. In 1902, the island officially gained its independence, although the Platt Amendment gave the U.S. the right to intervene in Cuban affairs. Tomás Estrada Palma, who was born in Cuba, but had lived in the United States during the Spanish-American War and even became a U.S. citizen, became president of the new republic. In 1934, the U.S. officially relinquished its right to intervene in Cuban affairs and even made changes to its own economic policy to favor trade with Cuba above other countries. [OR “…to give more of its sugar trade to Cuba than other countries” depending on meaning] Cuba became a popular destination for American tourists, who poured into the country on PanAm flights, enjoyed spectacular productions at the Tropicana, and tried their luck at the island’s many casinos. By the mid-1950s, corruption in Fulgencio Batista’s government, which had come into power in 1933, had sparked a strong movement against the dictator. The resulting revolution became the defining element in relations between the two countries for the latter half of the 20^th century.

Fidel Castro’s rise to power in 1959 strained relations with the U.S. In 1960, American businesses and properties were nationalized by Cuba without compensation. In 1961, Cuban exiles, supported by the United States, invaded the Bay of Pigs, but failed to overthrow Castro, who subsequently aligned himself with the USSR. 

After diplomatic relations failed in 1960, Americans followed subsequent developments on the national news: Cuban immigrants flooded into the U.S. in 1980; Elián González tugged collective heartstrings in 1999; the Helms-Burton Act of 1996 strengthened the US embargo against Cuba. In 2006, Fidel Castro handed the reins of power to his brother, Raul. By 2009, President Obama had lifted restrictions on family travel and remittances to the island, beginning a thaw between the countries. In December of 2014, he announced that the U.S. would begin to reestablish diplomatic relations.

Throughout our sometimes-tumultuous history, each country’s people have continued to forge connections. Long before the Cuban Revolution, some of Cuba’s and the U.S.’s greatest thinkers considered both countries close to their hearts. José Martí, hero of the Cuban fight for independence from Spain in the late 19^th century, traveled to the U.S. often and even stayed in New York for a time, writing and engaging in political discourse. Famed American author Ernest Hemingway owned a residence in Cuba. His experiences there inspired the Pulitzer Prize-winning novella The Old Man and the Sea.  Even after formal diplomatic ties were severed in 1960, cultural and individual connections between the countries have remained.

InsightCuba has sent more than 10,000 travelers to Cuba since 2000. Many have returned with us. We know and appreciate Cuba’s culture, geography, history and people better than anyone outside the island.  !Vamonos! (Let’s go!)

Text by Emily DeVoie

Historical information from:

"Timeline: US-Cuba Relations." BBC News. BBC, 11 Oct. 2012. Web. 27 Jan. 2015.

Schlesinger, Arthur, Jr. "World Policy Journal - Spring 2005." World Policy Journal - Spring 2005. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Jan. 2015.

Nadeau, Barbie Latza. "The Pope's Diplomatic Miracle: Ending the U.S.-Cuba Cold War." The Daily Beast. Newsweek/Daily Beast, 17 Dec. 2014. Web. 28 Jan. 2015.

Cuban Farmers planting Tobacco

When Jack Nicholson switched from cigarettes to cigars, he purportedly declared, “The only way to break a bad habit was to replace it with a better habit.” Cigars have long held an allure far beyond the Caribbean Islands, but their history begins there. Christopher Columbus and his crew encountered, and enjoyed, tobacco first when they landed the island of Hispaniola, the present-day Dominican Republic. But it was in Cuba, where they later landed and settled, that they found the indigenous people smoking cigars.

Columbus introduced tobacco to Europe, and cigar factories cropped up there and elsewhere. Cigar smoking became especially popular in the twentieth century when the famed Winston Churchill, Al Capone and Groucho Marx were seldom seen without a huge stogie. But in spite of cigars now being made around the world, Cuba is still revered for rolling some of the finest smokes.   

Cigar factory in Gibara, Holguin, Cuba

Unlike many cigars that blend tobaccos from various origins, Cuban cigars are made entirely from Cuban tobacco. The plants grow in a variety of regions across the island, and the location and how it’s grown affects the flavor and color of the leaves. Vuelta Abajo, in western Cuba, is recognized for growing the finest crops, but overall, Cuban tobacco is known to be strong, full bodied and supple.

Tobacco cultivation requires a few months. After harvest, the leaves are hung to cure. During this process, they change from green to brown and develop distinct flavors and qualities that contribute to the smoothness when later consumed. Once cured, the leaves are then usually sorted by size and bundled to ferment for anywhere from six months to five years. During fermentation the taste of the leaves develop further.

Tobacco farm in Pinar del Rio, Cuba 

A cigar requires three kinds of leaves: large high-quality leaves for the outside wrapper, whole leaves of lesser quality for an inside wrapper (called the binder, which is selected for elasticity and durability); and small or broken leaves for the inside filling. The main vein of the filler leaves must be removed to ensure that it will smoke evenly. This process is called “stripping the leaves,” and high-quality tobacco is often left to ferment again after stripping.

Cigar rolling requires nimble fingers and years of practice. The filler must be packed at the right density to burn evenly. The cylindrical wrap of the binder must be tight enough to shape the filler, yet not so tight that the cigar won’t draw. And the outside wrapper needs to enclose everything in a clean, tight spiral around the outside.  Depending upon the kind of cigar, rollers meet daily quotas that range from 95 to 120 cigars.

Famous cigar rollers at the Partagas factory in Havana, Cuba 

The finest Cuban cigars are rolled in Havana, but in the countryside, you can also find inexpensive, hand-rolled cigars that are longer and darker than those sold in stores. Machine-made cigars use homogenized tobacco leaf—scraps that are pulverized, mixed with vegetable gum and then rolled into sheets—for the binder and often the wrapper. If you’re headed to Cuba and want to try the best, stick with the hand-rolled smokes.

Cuban cigars get better with age, acquiring a mellower and refined taste and deeper aroma and are the very definition of happiness for some people. As the comedian George Burns once pointed out, “Happiness? A good cigar, a good meal, a good cigar and a good woman—or a bad woman; it depends on how much happiness you can handle.” 

Text by Lise Waring
Photos by Robin Thom

What do you picture when you think of Cuba? Most people associate it with the world’s finest cigars, cool rum drinks, vintage cars and lively music. Sports fans know that Cubans love baseball, and if you paid attention in English class, you might remember that Earnest Hemingway wrote sections of “For Whom the Bell Tolls” and “the Old Man and the Sea” from Cuba. But there’s much more to the story of this island than many realize, as revealed by the following facts:

Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca Santiago de Cuba 

Cultural Facts

• The list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites includes nine places in Cuba.
• Cuban athletes have never participated in the Winter Olympic Games, but sincei 1900, Cuba has competed in 18 summer Olympics. Cuban boxers are the biggest winners, taking home 67 of the country’s total 208 medals.
• Cuba didn’t recognize Christmas as an official holiday until 1997, just before Pope John Paul II visited the island.
• Cuba ranks high in literacy, hitting the list slightly above the United States.
• Bacardi rum was originally manufactured in Cuba, but the business moved to Puerto Rico after Fidel Castro’s takeover.

Geographical Facts

• Cuba is the largest of all islands in the Caribbean and includes more than 4,000 smaller islands in its surrounding waters. It’s also the most populated country in the Caribbean with more than 11 million inhabitants.
• Cuba is a long, skinny island: 750 miles from east to west and only 60 miles across in most places. The island is sometimes called “El Caimán” or “El Crocodrilo,” is Spanish for “The Crocodile,” because the shape of the island represents that animal when viewed from the air.
• Cuba and its neighboring countries form the Greater Antilles, a group of islands that constitute over 94 percent of the land mass of the entire West Indies and are home to more than 90 percent of its population.

Seminario San Carlos y San Ambrosio, Havana Vieja, Cuba

Historical Facts

• Columbus claimed Cuba for Spain on 1492. When he first saw Cuba, it’s said that he thought it was actually mainland China.
• Before the Spanairds arrived, Cuba was inhabited by three different indigenous cultures: the Ciboneyes, Guanahatabeyes and Taínos.
• Cuba remained a Spanish colony until the Spanish-American War of 1898 when it became part of the United States until its independence in 1902.

Scientific Facts

• The prehistoric fish, the manjuarí, is now only found in Cuba.
• Cuba is home to the world’s smallest bird, the bee hummingbird. Adults are approximately 2 inches in length.
• Some people claim that there are no animals in Cuba that pose a threat to humans, but the Cuban Crocodile might disagree.

 Want to learn more about Cuba? Talk to people who know and love the island. Book one of our many Cuba Tours.

Text by Lise Waring
Photos by Robin Thom

A lesser-known attraction to the world famous Old Havana is to be found in Jaimanitas, at the northwestern edge of the Cuban capital, where Cuban artist José Rodriguez Fuster has built a fantasy world, by the name of Fusterlandia. During the course of 30 years, he set out to remake not only his home - where his studio workshop resides - but an entire neighborhood.

Upon arrival in Havana, stepping inside Casa Fuster is a surreal experience, not too mention unexpected to what is otherwise known about the Cuban capital. Reminiscent to Barcelona’s Parc Guell, Casa Fuster bursts as a pop of color and creative display of mosaics, as far as the eyes can see, in an otherwise gloomy neighborhood. Walls, doorways, pillars and arches, stretching for blocks around the epicenter of the studio enclave, are adorned with brightly colored sculptures and mosaics. The motifs are numerous: mermaids, fish, roosters, palm trees, red hearts, guajiros, as well as crafty stenciling of the Cuban flag; quotes from Cuban writers can also be found, along with noticeable slogans Viva Cuba (Long-live Cuba!). All in all, more than 80 neighbors have allowed Fuster to use their homes as his canvas.

In the eyes of the community, he is known as the “genius,” but in the eyes of the Cuban people, and the world, the prodigy artist goes by the “Picasso of the Caribbean.” The moniker is well deserved. In an interview with Havana Cultura, Fuster recognizes the great Picasso as his spiritual father. He follows in his footsteps by pursuing similar subjects - joy of living, musicians - and giving them life using his own vision. But perhaps, even more dominant in the community art space is Antonio Gaudi’s influence.

The motivation behind the extraordinary project was simple. Fresh off a trip in Europe where he had seen the works of Gaudi in Barcelona and Brancusi in Romania, he envisioned creating a studio, and implicitly a home, where he could live within art. And so, what initially seemed an impossible task to replicate in Cuba gradually became a reality. The small wooden house he had moved into decades ago slowly transitioned into a wonderland.

"It seemed impossible to me to do anything like that in Cuba. But all dreams get realized over time," Fuster said for Havana Cultura. 

Despite his modest upbringing in Caibarién, a fishermen’s village on Cuba's North coast, the artist boasts exhibitions all over the world. Following his studies at the Escuela Nacional de Instructores de Arte in Havana, his talent attained international success, a gratitude that Fuster enjoys by giving back to the community. He spends some of his earnings from his work as an artist to improve his neighbors’ homes, redecorating their houses - a luxury most of which would never otherwise have the chance to experience.

For more of Jose Fuster’s work, head to the Center for Cuban Studies in New York City, to the Museo de la Cerámica Contemporánea Cubana, located within the Castillo de la Real Fuerza Havana, and to the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de La Habana.

Casa Fuster, located at Calle 226, corner 3A, is open to the public, free of charge.

Monica Suma is a freelance travel writer. Follow her on Twitter @monicasuma.

Within walking distance from Capitolio and only a stones throw away from the famous yacht “Granma” that brought Fidel Castro and Che Gevara to Cuba is the paladar Ivan Chefs Justo.

Keeping with the colonial cosmopolitan feel of restored parts of Old Havana the restaurant is built into a residential building.

“When we began just over two years ago we were renting the location from the owner, since then we have bought the structure outright”.  Chef Ivan recalls as he relates the beginnings of the business he shares with his business partner Chef Justo.

Already on the foodie shortlist of must-visit paladares in Havana, Ivan Chefs Justo has gained recent notoriety for cooking for various United States Senate delegations visiting the island, as well as the likes of Paris Hilton. 

“I´m still in the kitchen every day”, Ivan tells me as we have coffee.  His cooking apron is covering his lap and he is taking calls and attending to business as we chat.

“I have to be on the phone with suppliers every day, as you can tell this is just a residential house we have converted into a restaurant, I´ve got almost no storage space”.

Ivan says he likes it that way though.  Fresh ingredients and a versatile menu are key to staying at the top of the food game in Cuba.  Every room in the house has a chalkboard with that days offering. 

The potato harvest started about 2 weeks ago, so there are several dishes of the much in demand tuber.  However don´t look for mango reductions or avocados in your salad until later in spring, as they are not in season yet. 

“By working with fresh local products I´ve had to build relationships with farmers”, with that Ivan begins telling me how competition is beginning to take a hold of the restaurant business in Havana. 

“Look at these mushrooms,” and gestures to a tub full of delicate snow white fungus.

He goes on to explain how a farmer in Alamar, a community on the outskirts of Havana, began cultivating mushrooms specifically for the private restaurant market.  “So now I have something almost no other paladar in Havana has, and my menu just become that much better”.  Ivan is young, and the energy is evident.  “We look from within for our ingredients and outside for new inspiration…it is my dream to open a grill for United States Choice cuts of beef”. 

Magret duck breast, fresh ceviche, stewed lamb and stuffed potatoes were this weeks highlights when I stopped by.  There are some items that are almost always on the menu though, such as the varied seafood offerings (the paella and grilled fish with creamed malanga get the best reviews). 

The décor seems to be an earnest attempt to cover every square inch of wall space.  The hat rack and umbrella stand are full of hats and umbrellas even though there is only one table of customers and it is sunny outside. 

“This is Old Havana”, Ivan explains, “This place is full of people, stuff, noise and activity, we want Ivan Chefs Justo to be a reflection of it´s location”.

Ivan Chefs Justo is located at Aguacate No. 9 on the corner of Chacon across the street from the Granma Yacht in Havana Vieja.  Open every day of the week from noon-midnight you can call to make a reservation at 7863-9697.

Photos and Text by Graham Sowa.