Club Paraiso goes to Havana: My experience and vlog!

If you have been following my Instagram feed, you probably noticed I just came back from a brief trip to Cuba. Actually, it’s been almost three weeks (What!? Where does time go?). I spent four days, experiencing a city stuck in time, roaming the streets and singing along to catchy tunes on every corner.

Corner of Plaza de la Catedral in Old Havana

Cuba had always been on my travel bucket list and it was really interesting to finally experience this culture firsthand. I stayed in a bed and breakfast, known in Cuba as a casa particular. The room was tiny but comfortable and it had a balcony that overlooked Obispo Blvd in Old Havana. A pleasant surprise was the daily carnival that paraded along this street. I got to witness it from my balcony one day and partook in it the next.

The house was very close to the city’s main sites; the famous El Floridita bar, La Bodeguita del Medio, the Capitol, Plaza de Armas, Plaza Vieja (my favorite) and Plaza de la Catedral are all walking distance from Obispo. I tried to squeeze into La Bodeguita del Medio to see what all the hype was about, and while it was truly an interesting place, I didn’t stay there to eat or drink (too packed!). But I did sing along to Guantanamera and Maria Isabel with the band and other fellow tourists. I loved hearing music all around me; almost every paladar (restaurant) had live music during lunch time.

At the entrance of La Bodeguita del Medio. My friend on the left was preventing more people from coming in because the place was packed! This touristy spot became famous because it was one of Hemingway’s favorite bars in Havana.

One of my favorite experiences was riding around the city in a ’55 Chevy Monterrey; driving along the Malecón with the windows down was so much fun. I also smoked a cigar for the first time and actually enjoyed it!

My ride in Havana…yeah baby!

My top picks of what to do and where to go in Havana include, enjoying a beer while listening to live music at Fabrica de la Cerveza in Plaza Vieja; having dinner on the balcony while enjoying the sunset at La Guarida; immersing myself in the afrocuban culture are Callejon de Hamel; walking around Fusterlandia, an artsy neighborhood converted into a work of art by Cuban artist Jose Fuster;visiting the San Jose Market for some souvenirs; and enjoying the Club Parisien show at Hotel Nacional.

At Plaza Vieja after a full day of walking. This picture was taken moments before having a beer and smoking my first cigar at La Fabrica de la Cerveza (on the corner behind me).
Sipping on mojitos at La Guarida and enjoying the view.
Jose Fuster’s home in the heart of ‘Fusterlandia’. This Cuban artist draws inspiration from Gaudí and Picasso. See the resemblance?
Entering the Callejón de Hamel

This trip to Havana was an eye-opening experience and I loved every minute of it. However, I also witnessed the harsh reality of Cuba. I encountered a few government distribution centers, where Cubans receive their monthly allotment of goods per household. I talked to a few people that hesitated at first to share their feelings about the way they have to live but ultimately confided their daily challenges. Despite all this, the locals have learned to cope with it and make the best of their situation; they are true survivalists. Their thriving spirit is contagious.

“Sin dignidad no queremos la vida” – Fidel (“Without dignity we don’t want to live” words spoken by Fidel Castro in his infamous revolutionary speech)

I prepared a special post with FAQs to help you plan your trip to Cuba, click here to read.

4 Comments

  1. Tom Conti says:

    Hey,

    If you needed to describe you and your business in a nutshell and you were limited to use only five single words, what would you say?
    You would be suprised how such a seamingly simple question can quickly turn into a brainstorm. It is not all about the amount of content, what is the core of your story?

    Looking forward to your reply,

    Tom Conti

    1. clubparaiso says:

      Hey Tom, thanks for dropping by. I would say Club Paraiso is all about: Inspiring others to find their paradise. Ok, I’m over by one word…what do you think?

  2. PDM says:

    Acostumbro cada mediodia buscar posts para pasar un buen momento leyendo y de esta forma he localizado vuestra web. La verdad me ha gustado el post y pienso volver para seguir pasando buenos momentos.
    Saludos

    1. clubparaiso says:

      Gracias! Espero que sigas visitando el blog!

      Saludos,

Comments are closed.