In Search Of The Real Cuba

C uba these days is a rather       house or ‘particular’. This will   fashionable tourist             give you a real sense of living    destination. Tourists head      on the island in a style more in   out there, looking to enjoy the       line with the locals, and has the  beaches, the wonderful weather,       added bonus of costing no more     the diving and the salsa. And         than $20 per day for one in a      while all of these provide            prime city centre position –       wonderful diversions for Cuba         perfect for the standard Cuba      holiday makers, they are also         holiday sightseeing.               often entirely artificial,                                               created purely for the tourist        If you have not been sent running  market that invariably laps it        for the Varadero beaches by the    up. For some, this is not enough,     experience, it’s time to continue  but with the tourist industry         living the Cuban life with a       largely built on these                lesson in gastronomy – a           foundations, where can you find       “paladar” will provide this. Some  the real Cuba on your holidays?       years ago, citizens of Havana won                                        the right to open a restaurant     The answer surprisingly lies in       (serving no more than 12 people    the nation’s capital, Havana.         at a time) in their homes,         Though it is a popular tourist        restricted to serving only         area, the real Cuba lies in its       chicken and beef dishes. Locating  narrow side streets and dusky         one of these will not only give    alleys. The city’s history dates      you an insight into how Cuban      back as far as 1515, and if           people live in the capital, but    you’re really serious about           will give you a taste of the real  seeing the real country you will      Cuban cuisine rather than the      be prepared to forgo the 5 star       tourist equivalent.                resorts touted around the                                                internet in favour of a private       Being a guest in a Havana          citizen’s café/home is on thing,      dazzling coral reefs with exotic   but where is best to mix with         marine life. While it’s not free   real Cubans? The answer would be      of Cuba holiday makers, this spot  checking out some of the local        gives you an insight into how the  bars. The most famous of these is     island was before it was           of course Floridita bar, which        populated.                         was a home away from home for the                                        great Earnest Hemmingway. If          For a beach virtually untouched    you’re looking to fit in with the     by tourism, though you can’t beat  locals, and not stand out as a        Cayo Largo. The 6 hour boat ride   common Cuba holiday maker, a          puts off the majority of Cuba      Dauquiri (rum, lemon juice, sugar     holiday makers, creating a         and maraschino) or Mohito (rum,       peaceful tropical island           ice and mint) will help, as well      virtually untouched by tourism.    as show you why Cuba is renowned      The best thing to do here is to    for its fine rums.                    enjoy the amazing peaceful                                               scenery and relax away from the    While this will give you a good       strains of the working world.      insight into how Cuban locals                                            live, there’s more to the island      I’ve only really scraped the       than just the human population.       surface here, and the real Cuba    If you are in search of exotic        will be unique for each visitor,   jungle and a look at the natural      but if you follow my suggestions   beauty of the island, then the        and feel able to explore beyond    island of Cayo Levisa provides a      the standard tourist world, you    calm, aesthetically pleasing          will discover a way of life a      retreat. It’s a 20 minute boat        million miles away from anything   ride from the mainland, but the       in the UK, with enough anecdotes   island is home to tropical            to last until your next visit to   jungle, sandy beaches and             this tropical paradise.            About the Author: Emma Lelliot is the general manager of Captivating Cuba, an independent Cuba holiday specialist. With offices in Havana and the UK, Captivating Cuba offer expert local knowledge for island visitors looking to holiday in Havana and Varadero. Published At: www.Isnare.com