Havana!

Cuba does not disappoint! It was everything I thought it was going to be, and more. It was fun, charming, picturesque, historical, musical, artistic, etc! The one thing I wasn’t prepared for were the wonderfully sweet people. Everywhere everyone was so sweet. They were pretty kind, sweet and happy to see us. You can’t beat that combo!
We did amazing things because we were so lucky to go with some friends that know where to go and who to hire and what to do! We had an incredible guide, Daniel Iglesias, who couldn’t have been sweeter and more knowledgeable himself! We went to fabulous restaurants hidden in alleys, up three flights of Rickey stairs that we never would have known.

The restaurants reminded me like something out of Cairo in the 40’s with a wonderful sax player and two great singers. They sang American songs from the 40’s and 50’s. In the hazy smoke of the room you could see this older Cuban man playing his sax and hear his granddaughter singer love every note they would play and sing.
And the Cuban music? Don’t get me started!!! It’s played in all the bars and street corners in old Havana and it’s the best! I danced with every band member, every tour guide, everyone I could find.

The restaurants reminded me like something out of Cairo in the 40’s with a wonderful sax player and two great singers. They sang American songs from the 40’s and 50’s. In the hazy smoke of the room you could see this older Cuban man playing his sax and hear his granddaughter singer love every note they would play and sing.
And the Cuban music? Don’t get me started!!! It’s played in all the bars and street corners in old Havana and it’s the best! I danced with every band member, every tour guide, everyone I could find.​

The music was so happy!! (And so was I). I felt 40 again! (that’s a stretch, maybe 70). They dressed up in Old Havana costumes for tourists and it was charming! It was a little bit of Acapulco in the 60’s with that “Let’s all dance and forget everything” kind of feeling. We never even turned on CNN. We were having too much fun! Street vendors, the Museo del Arte, artists in their homes, all the old cars, were wonderful.

We had one very special day. Wayne and Sharol Siemens, our friends who have been there so many times before, set up everything for us. They set up a tobacco tour that makes the finest cigars in the world, and ended the day by continuing out in the country to the baseball commissioner of Cuba farm for a roasted pig! All the family and neighbors showed up to meet us and each one was sweeter than the next. (Yes, I ate the roasted pig and it wasn’t bad). We ate in a clearing in the woods and it was so charming it was something I’ll never forget!

We finished this off with Hemmingway’s Bar and the great music. We were so happy we were able to go with Wayne and Sharol and our other friends, the Montgomerys. There’s a song that says, “Nobody does it better, I feel sad for the rest,” that’s how I felt about everyone who hasn’t gone with Wayne and Sharol. Nobody does it better!
Thanks guys! What a treat!!