Welcome to Havana

Welcome to Cuba! When the first thing on the agenda is lunch, you think you’re in a good place. And when the first thing you are handed at the restaurant is a “welcome drink”—a Cuba Libre, cola, rum, and lime—you definitely know it’s a dandy place. Soon, we learned the “welcome drink” may vary, but it is a friendly tradition throughout Cuba at restaurants, hotels, and some private homes.

Our initial meal on Cuban soil would be at Il Divino, un el paladar, a privately owned restaurant housed on the premises of a family home. After many years during which restrictions were placed on private business, these home restaurants began to open with a few tables in folks’ garages or on their porches. Today, many paladares  have expanded to full restaurants at primary residences, and we enjoyed the majority of our lunches and dinners at these quaint, inviting establishments.

Il Divino is located on the red-tiled patio of the home on a family-owned organic farm. Family members work the farm and show visitors around. After a delicious meal that included foods new to our taste buds, like taro and fried plantain chips, we toured the grounds.

The family saved the original farmhouse, turned it into a senior center which they've maintained and outfitted like a typical home. We stopped to watch a game of dominoes and they invited us to play. Our group member Jean took the invitation, sat down across from this woman, and joined in for a round. 

As we made our way to our hotel, we took in the scenery and most popular thing closely associated with Cuba these days. The seemingly endless parade of colorful, classic automobiles elicited squeals and memories from our group of twelve. Which ones do you remember?

 Many of these beauties are licensed taxis. Owners or drivers also earn money via tips for photos. The cars are everywhere, the more well-kept are often around the hotels and lined up on the boulevards.

We spent several days in Havana on each end of the trip. So stay tuned for more Havana stories and photos!

xoA&J