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Capture Cuba
Related to country: Cuba

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By Scott Adams, Special to Explore
Published: March 01, 2008, 01:04

Opinions about Fidel Castro may vary but when it comes to Cuba, there can be no debating the fact that it is a great place to visit.

But now that the 82-year-old Cuban president has stepped down, the nation is poised to change rapidly.

So if you want to see the “real” Cuba — preserved in a time capsule from the 1950s — then now is the time to go. Put it off much longer and you will miss the boat.

Cuba is a rarity in the 21st century. Its fascinating history as one of the last outposts of One-Party Socialism has made it a tourist destination for those seeking something different.

Truly, this is a country where many sights seem to belong to another era. Where else are the taxis 1950s Dodges? Where else do Chevrolets come with shiny chrome fins?

Past preserved

Cuba’s past is as fascinating as its present. A Spanish colony until the end of the 19th century, it went on to be controlled by a number of rulers till Batista, aided by the United States, took over in the late 1940s.

Enter Fidel Castro and Che Guevara, who were determined to liberate the people and free Cuba. They succeeded, much to the dismay of the US.

Fidel remained in power since and, during the years of the Cold War, heavily leant on the Soviet Union for assistance.

Following the fall of the Soviet Union and the US ban on travel and business relations with Cuba, this little Caribbean island has been somewhat adrift. Help, in the form of investments, has, of course, trickled in from countries such as Spain and Brazil.

The usual suspects seen at all tourist destinations — American tourists, chain of burger restaurants, cola drinks — are prominent in their absence here.

In fact, it is a punishable offence for US residents to visit this country.

But all that will change with the policies and politics of this land. And once it does, Cuba will be only a short flight from most major US cities and will offer a great escape from the extended North American winters.

Capital of grandeur

A visit to Havana, Cuba’s decadent capital city, will take you back in time.

Once ranking among the wealthiest cities in the region, all that remains of its days of glory are magnificent public buildings, grand old hotels and wide tree-lined boulevards such as the Paseo del Prado, where Cubans still love to take their paseo or afternoon stroll.

Dominating the Havana skyline is the 62-metre-high dome of the Capitolio, which served as the Cuban parliament till 1959.
Though built on the lines of the US Capitol Building in Washington, it is richer in decoration and a truly impressive sight to behold.

The buildings, churches and forts that line Havana’s streets and squares have helped it earn the status of a World Heritage Site.

One of the greatest delights in Cuba is just sitting in the sun, either in a plaza or along the waterfront, and sharing the easygoing lifestyle of its people.

Debates still rage over whether the life led by Cubans is good. While it may be true that they do not have the spending power to match that of Westerners, the music scene and the happy faces speak for themselves.

Rundown appearance

Part of Havana’s allure is its rundown appearance. Huge neo-baroque buildings erected in the 1920s wear a poetically intriguing look today, with their faded paint, broken tiles and signs of constant human occupation.

Children who have never heard of Game-Boy, Play Station or MP3 play football in a car park where people exchange spare parts to keep their vintage vehicles running.

Near Catedral de San Cristobal, sweet songs spill out of a restaurant where musicians play for tips. Other Cubans hawk their wares — handmade souvenirs carved in wood, with “I Love Cuba” engraved on them, cigars and screen-printed T-shirts with Ernest Hemingway’s face across the front.

In part, Cuba owes its charm to the fact that it has not been overdeveloped like many other countries.

At the centre of the island in the Sancti Spiritus region, is the small town of Trinidad de Cuba. Considered a museum city, and now a site protected by the Unesco, a visit there is like living a history lesson.

Founded in 1515, it contains elements of beautiful 17th- and 18th-century Spanish-inspired architecture, complete with artful balconies, colonnaded patios, admirable ironwork, finely-wrought staircases and structures encased in verdant palm gardens.

A good place to start the tour of the town is the church of Santisima Trinidad. Climb to the top of the bell tower to get a bird’s-eye view of the town and the lush hills beyond.

Built in 1731, Santisima Trinidad is a beautiful colonial structure whose gold and silver statues and relics display the past wealth of the region.

Right kind of night

For a glimpse of the town’s past, head to the Romantic Museum in the Brunet Palace or the Guamuhaya Museum, which displays elements of the island’s aboriginal culture.

In essence, Trinidad is perfect for wandering around and soaking up the local colour. You could meet a fisherman heading home with the day’s catch or children who will be delighted to tell you all about their lives.

Of course, like all of Cuba, Trinidad de Cuba comes to life at night. Plaza Mayor , the central square, buzzes with life until late in the night.

One of the greatest pleasures in Trinidad is to stay in one of the town’s colonial mansions. As many of the large homes are now expensive to maintain, the owners, who still live there, rent out their spare rooms to guests.

In many ways, Cuba is still a unique country which has resisted the caprices of the modern world. Its charm comes from its coolness towards modernity and the openness of the people who can show us that happiness doesn’t always come from great riches.

Scott Adams is a Madrid-based freelance writer

Play it again

Viva el rhythm ‘latino’: Music is as essential to the Cuban lifestyle as food and water. In every town, and at all hours, you’ll hear the rhythms.

But things really start to move after sunset.

Groups of enthusiastic and highly talented musicians perform on footpaths, in cafés and along the Havana waterfront.

And when there is music, there is dancing.

The music leans towards sassy Latin sounds with Bosanovas, Meringues and Buena Vista-style jazz, which invoke swing moves.

In Havana, Bar Monserrate, in Calle Obispo, is a great place to start to discover all that Cuban music has to offer.

Ernest invitation

The legend of Hemingway: Cubans claim the American writer Ernest Hemingway as one of their own.

They adopted him after he adopted Cuba and lived there through the 1930s and 1940s.

Here, as everywhere else he went, Hemingway cultivated a reputation as a man larger than life. A figure who could reel in bigger marlin than a professional fisherman.

The legend lives on in old haunts that play up their status as Hemingway landmarks.

Places such as the Hotel Ambos Mundos, where he finally completed the novel For Whom the Bell Tolls. You can visit his room, which is now a museum.

The fifth floor, corner room, looking out past the San Cristobal cathedral to the sea, has been preserved just as he left it. La Floridita Bar, in Calle Obispo and also deserves a visit, with or without the lure of Hemingway lore.

The writer always sat at the same stool and read the newspaper while enjoying three or four or five refreshments. Today his stool is preserved in his, now roped-off, favourite corner.



Go there...Cuba...From the UAE

From Dubai
Emirates and Iberia fly daily via London and Madrid.
Fare from Dh10,110
Virgin Atlantic flies to Havana via London thrice a week.
Fare from Dh8,510
Qatar Airways and Air Europa Lineas Aereas S.A. fly four times a week via Doha and Madrid. Fare from Dh7,580
Information courtesy: The Holiday Lounge
by Dnata.
Ph: 04 3166160



March 25, 2008 | 9:07 AM Comments  0 comments

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