HELLO HEMINGWAY!

Cuba's vibrant Caribbean dream, from the rum soaked, fragrant leaf indulgence to its smoking hot cultural vibe.

- SUHANI SINGH

In Cuba, we don’t have things,” says our guide Edilber, “we can only offer you experiences.” We are at the Rum Museum in Santiago De Cuba relishing a rum named after the eponymous city—Cuba’s second largest—and slowly puffing a Romeo & Julieta cigar. A band uplifts the mood with a rendition of “Guantanamera”, an anthem of sorts in this beatific Caribbean nation. 

Edilber is indirectly referring to the decadeslong US trade blockade and the constant challenges Cubans face because of it. It means that walking into a mercado in Cuba you won’t find Coca Cola or even a packet of potato chips. Not that you need it when you can treat yourselves to a Cuba Libre (try Havana Club rum mixed with local cola), a pina colada or a daiquiri at Floridita, one of Hemingway’s favourite bars in Havana. Edilber though, is not entirely correct about Cuba lacking things for there were plenty to be found and desired at Almacenes San José Artisans’ Market, Havana’s haven for souvenir-hungry tourists, albeit with a giant floor devoted to its vibrant visual arts.

The impact of the sanctions is a constant reminder through the streets of different cities and towns in Cuba. The caiman-shaped country feels like it’s stuck in a time capsule, a period when less was more and where natural beauty remains unscathed. This isn’t nostalgia tripping over a colonial past. Cuba prides itself on its revolutionary zeal, which is evident by the generous scattering of statues and public art dedicated to its famed leaders - unsurprisingly Fidel Castro and Che Guevara

Cuban Blues