Under the Blue Skies of Cuba

As published by JPlus by The Jakarta Post, August 2016

It was first time that I travelled because of politics. Cuba was never on my bucket list until I read of
Barack Obama’s visit to the country in March, following the US president’s lifting of a 50-year-old
embargo.

At the time, I was sure that Cuba would quickly change, as Obama brought with him US firms such as Airbnb and Google to jump-start economic relations.

I wanted to experience life in Cuba before the nation was opened to the unchecked forces of capitalism courtesy of its largest neighbour, which lies only about 150 kilometres away.

My flight, via a Mexican airline, flew to Havana direct from Mexico City. As Indonesian, I still needed a visa. However, it was the easiest that I have ever obtained, by far.

The folks at the airport in Mexico City called it a “tourist card”. All I had to do was fill out the card and pay 250 Mexican pesos (US$13) at the check-in counter. Apparently, it’s less expensive than getting a visa in advance from an embassy of Cuba abroad.

Mr. Castilla and his taxi

An ancient, bulky but classy blue Pontiac and driver, Mr. Castilla, welcomed me. The metal bird figurine on its hood reflected the glare of the Caribbean sun as we passed the special terminal for US arrivals – a new innovation.

“There are flights [arriving] from the United States with jets, but there are no commercial airlines operating that serve direct routes between the United States and Cuba,” Mr. Castilla said.

Jose Marti International Airport is located in Boyeros, about 30 minutes from the center of Havana. The 63-year-old car did not have air conditioning, so we opened all the windows.

While I felt a breeze as we gained speed, sweating was inevitable. The outside temperature was not so bad. The intense humidity, however, is not something that most Indonesians will be familiar with.

Amid the excitement of arriving in Cuba, I forget to change my US green-backs to CUCs, or the Cuban convertible peso), at the airport, where the rate was allegedly better.

Bills from different countries, including Indonesian Rupiah (top left) and CUC (top right)

Outside the airport, CUCs, called cucs or cahvitos, could be withdrawn at ATMs or converted at money changers known as cadeca at an exchange rate of 84 centavos /cents to $1. (The CUC is divided into 100 cents).

Better rates are available for euros, pounds or other currencies, since the Cuban government levies an
exchange tax on the US dollar.

The CUC is intended for tourists, while Cubans typically use the National Peso–something that leads to two price tags in the shops.

A CITY OF CULTURE

For my first night in Havana, Mr. Castilla took me directly to the National Hotel, one of the most beautiful and most prestigious hotels in Cuba.
While some venues in Cuba operate under international brands, such as the Spanish-owned Melia
and NH hotel chains, the properties in Cuba are all state administrated, as are most businesses.

There are exceptions, however, such as the 178 privately owned small-to-medium enterprises, including restaurants and home-stays, authorized by the government of President Raul Castro, brother of the famed Fidel, in 2010.

The National Hotel serves hotel guests and show visitors

The National Hotel, apart from its history of hosting celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, Ava Gardner, Marlon Brando, Ernest Hemingway and Jean-Paul Sartre, remains a cultural centre.

It was Tuesday night and at the hotel’s swimming pool, a stage and tables were set for around 50 persons. For 25 cucs, I got a pass to enjoy some Cuban son music, which mixes Latin American beats with African and Cuban rhythms.

On stage were former members of the Buena Vista Social Club performing with a group called Legends.com, comprising seven singers from different generations, a couple of salsa dancers and nine
instrumentalists.

Some visitors came in elegant dress, some were as laid back as the island in t-shirt and shorts. Mojitos, as well as Cuba libres, were ordered from the bar. Music and rum are undoubtedly the soul of Cuban night life.

Performance by Legends.com

 

The next evening, I got to see the colourful, glamorous and sexy Parisien Cabaret at the National Hotel’s theatre-restaurant. This musical revue presented dancers in kaleidoscopic sparkling costumes performing energetically as singers chanted harmonic melodies.

Apart from Cuban salsa and son, the group played music from other Latin countries, such as Mexican
mariachi, Colombian cumbia, Brazilian samba, Argentinean tango and even Spanish flamenco.

Cabaret Parisien

After watching everyone dance, it was time to wiggle wobble myself at the most famous nightclub in Havana, Casa de la Musica, or the Music House, whose high stage did little to lessen the connection between those who made music on it and those who danced on the floor below.

Locals and tourists were gozando, the popular term for enjoying themselves, that night with salsa music, dancing and inexpensive Cuban rum.

The entrance fee was inexpensive at only 10 cucs for the evening show.

In the broad light of the next day, I fell in love with the view of Havana’s coast from the 16th century Castle of Three Kings of Morro.

Morro Castle

Surrounded by water and green meadows, the fort of irregular polygons overlooking Havana has defended the city from both pirates and colonial attacks. In the revolutionary era, Che Guevara used the fortress as his headquarters.

View from Morro Castle

House of Che

Close to the citadel was a worth-to-see tourist destination of Old Havana. The historical town is packed by rows of museums commemorating such local treasures such as tobacco and rum.

Old Havana

There’s also the palace that currently hosts the Revolution Museum, the neoclassical Capitol building, historical squares like Plaza de San Francisco and Plaza Vieja, the Almacenes de San José arts-and-crafts market (perfect for finding souvenirs) as well as hotels, restaurants, bars even juice stands.

Revolution Museum

The Bodeguita del Medio Restaurant in Old Havana is famous among tourists, oft visited by luminaries such as Pablo Neruda, Nat “King” Cole, Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Ernest Hemingway. It’s also said to be the birthplace of the mojito.

Cocotaxi

Art installation at Plaza San Francisco

While Bodeguita del Medio is steeped in history, Cubans today are attracted by modernity, standing or sitting in front of the building and looking to their mobile phones to enjoy its WiFi, the most economic way to go online since the government opened the nation to the internet in 2015.

A voucher good for 60 minutes of (less than speedy) internet access can be purchased for 2 cucs. Private or home internet access remains prohibited.

WiFi Spot in Old Havana

CONNECTED... TO THE NATURE

Given the glacial internet speeds, I went online only once in five days. Instead, I enjoyed getting
connected with the Cuban people and landscape.

Heading west out of Havana, I came upon Viñales, a little town blessed with natural splendour–and some fine bars.

Belvedre of Viñales

“Two more piña coladas,” said a Russian tourist behind me, right after the bartender gave me my own
personal bottle of rum to fortify my drink as needed.

Sipping an ice-blended pineapple-and-coconut juice was a self-indulgent thing to do on that sunny day, even though people from Havana said that it had been cold.

Bar at the entrance of Palenque Cave

The principal destinations in the area are the Indio and Palenque Caves. It takes only 30 minutes apiece to explore each cave by foot, although you must exit Indio Cave by boat after your hike.

Palenque Cave had a more human touch at its entrance and exit: Both points were used for bars and restaurants. (NB: If you happen to be in Viñales on Saturday, you may want to try clubbing at the mouth of Palenque Cave).

As much as I enjoyed my initial adventures spelunking, nothing could beat Santo Tomas Cave–the largest in Cuba and the second largest in North America.

It was not an easy climb to discover all of its eight levels. Luckily, I chose to wear comfortable attire and shoes.

Natural Cave Window of Santo Tomas

Even before reaching its gate, I had to scale a steep track for 15 minutes. The struggle paid off, however, with a breath-taking view from a natural cave window looking down on the village.

Santo Tomas Cave

Our guide equipped my group with helmets, lamps and a few flash-lights. Unlike the previous two caves that had man-made illumination, Santo Tomas was too big, too high and probably too sacred to have too much human intervention.

To see most of the million-year-old stalactites and stalagmites, we needed to shine our lights directly at them.

Not all parts of the cave were completely dark. Before entering the final hollow, we turned off our
lanterns for several minutes and could see a little in the dim natural light.

And when there is light, there is life. Only in this part of the cave could be found green vegetation. As we proceeded in the dark again, some mushroom-like grass could be seen inside the last grotto.

Cuba is a stunning travel destination, regardless of how the lifting of the US embargo will change the nation.

According to the Cuban National Office of Statistics and Information, international tourist arrivals have been on the upswing for the last four years.

The nation has attracted many prominent people in the past, and it will continue to draw more people in the future–for its sun, its warm citizens, its sizzling music and dance and most of all, for its authenticity.

Viñales´ Transportation Mode

Citadel of Viñales