When visiting another place or country, what do you expect to experience? Common answers would usually be food and culture. Well, want to have a taste of Cuba? The food and culture are terrific; for certain you will enjoy it!
When it comes to food, you may think that with the vast coastlines this country possesses, seafood may be the usual menu. Sorry, but you’re a bit wrong in that aspect. Seafood does make its way into the Cuban tables, but most of it is exported to neighboring countries. Cuban food is actually a fusion of Spanish and Afro-Caribbean cuisine which mostly relies on rice, beans, chicken, and pork. Although the country does have wide spaces filled with plantations, fresh vegetables are hard to come be. Flavors are also limited by the lack of available herbs and spices.
Just a tip for the food lover tourist: state-run establishments can have very slow service, and even surly at times. It isn’t a secret that some of the best cooking in the country can be found in paladares – small, private restaurants. This is also the place to go to when one is looking for an illegal lobster or two.
So, do you like Cuban food? Check these out to know: National Specialties include soup made of chicken or black beans, black beans and rice (locally called “Moors and Christians”), chicken or pork with rice (and sometimes French fries), plantains (baked or fried), and omelettes stuffed with meat and/or cheese. National Drinks include Cuban coffee (very strong, by the way), Cuban beer (tasty, but weak), and Rum cocktails (e.g. daiquiri, mojito, cuba libre).
Yum! That sounds mouth-watering. Usually when dining out, tipping a 10% gratuity is appreciated. Remember, happy people provide better service, and welcomes people with wider arms.
The night life in Havana is renowned and when tourists stay for just a quick visit, it’s only the tip of the iceberg that they get to see. Famous places to hit for the nightlife include The Casa de la Musica, an establishment that attracts both tourists and locals; Tropicana, famous nightclub that stages nightly open-air cabarets that are reminiscent of the days before the Revolution; and The Cabaret Parisien, which is located at the Hotel Nacional, this attracts tour groups on “day and night” packages from coastal beach resorts.
It should be noted however, that there is no minimum on the legal drinking age in Cuba; although buyers must at least be 16 years of age to purchase alcohol from stores. When visiting Cuba, you may distinguish the locals from the tourists with their mesmerizing salsa moves, and their ability to drink vast amounts of Varadero rum.
Another side of Cuba may be its cultural side which includes theatre, ballet, and opera. These are staged all year round in Havana and are very cheap – which can be a great opportunity for tourists to see a bit of it! Cinemas, however, although there are cinemas, they show films in Spanish. So, who’s ready to have a taste of Cuba and relish in it?
