Old Havana

In the centre of Old Havana, Cuba "The Buena Vista Social Club" boys still rock on, making jazz and jamming in the club almost nightly. Originally five, there are now only three surviving but ageing musicians (worth every cent of $150 USD) to see in action. They are accompanied by a mixed band of class and skill. Dancers are fit and stylish. Rum Mojito's come by the three here with a good meal and all before the real action begins. Not just a tourist destination - more like history is still being made here. These guys still totally smash it out! A brilliant night. Google the DVD for an insight. Standing ovation for them and the conga player.

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If you could take just one photo: Old Havana

I have had the unique and wonderful pleasure of traveling to Cuba on a somewhat regular basis a few years ago, and I share with you, Dear Reader, that this is a destination incomparable in its beauty and sweetness by any other place in The Milky Way. The sights, the smells and, yes, the smiles of the people are so unique and genuine, they will forever be remembered in your travel memoirs for life. Havana is nothing like it is shown on television; the architecture shows decades upon decades of painstaking detail and expert artistry; the food cannot be duplicated; the beach waters are crystalline and pristine and the hospitality is exceptional and remarkable in and of itself. This is a destination that should be on anyone and everyone's "wish list" and when the opportunity to visit knocks, run, don't walk, to open the door and invite it in!

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If you could take just one photo: Old Havana

If the fact that you are forbidden by the U.S. government to travel to Cuba is not enough to make you want to go, the vibrant life and outlook of the Cuban people should be. Don’t be surprised when you don’t want to leave. Thanks to a tumultuous political history, the citizens of Cuba are not only resourceful beyond measure, but maintain a strikingly upbeat worldview. It’s almost astonishing how friendly, colorful, smart, and alive these people are; the warm ocean and tropical climate only manage to make an incredible city even better. There are certainly legal (and other) ways to visit, so make sure to enjoy a mojito in the bustling, historic streets of Havana. Expect to learn something – anything. Just know that it will be important.

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One of the most rewarding aspects of travel is gaining insight into a culture’s cuisine by eating street food as the locals do—Mexico has tasty chorizo tacos; Israel has french-fry-filled falafels; and Cuba has “peso pizza." This Havana street food staple is a mixture of fluffy, crusted-around-the-edges dough with a random slathering of bland tomato sauce and sharply pungent “stinky” cheese melted on top One bite of this steaming hot local specialty will leave you questioning all your previous notions of pizza from back home. Peso Pizza has a unique, almost sour taste. But don’t complain—it’s one of the only foods you’ll find readily available on Socialist Cuban streets and at a cost of roughly US$0.20 (yes, 20 cents) you’ll perhaps grow to love it. I did. Just remember to use the Cuban Convertible currency and not the tourist currency.

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