Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Havana, Cuba: An Emerging Story

“Is Levi or Guess considered a more elegant brand? Addidas or Reebok?” A couple of mid-twenties locals ask with anticipation.

A young single mother shares her ideas on the “What is Cuba to you?” question for a few minutes, detailing hardship and frustration. She caps off her thoughts with, “I hate Cuba.”

Outside the extremes of those Cubans directly involved in the tourist industry and those older generations accustomed to waiting on Fidel’s promises and visions, there lives another Cuba. These Cubans yearn to form their own realities, to express themselves, to be given opportunities. They want to know what’s happening in the world beyond their borders – and many of them want to take part in it.

Posted ubiquitously around Havana are drawings depicting scenes from the revolution days or signs reading “Viva La Revolucion.” But this revolution overtook Batista’s dictatorship over 50 years ago. It feels as if the Cuban government is trying to hold on to some strain of loyalty and energy belonging to that long-ago fight. Memories of these times don’t even exist for many from the younger Cuban world. The “revolution” seems to reek of an older Cuban day that has already passed by.

Sponsored
Sponsored

Passion, strife, confusion and waiting fill this community. But with Fidel on his way out – something that will seemingly only happen with his passing – and U.S. restrictions on Cuba being lifted step by step, the wait appears to be shrinking quickly.

Things to Do. Walk around outside of the tourist attractions to meet another “real” Havana. Climb the beautiful entrance steps of the University of Havana – where young Fidel fostered his revolutionary ideas while earning his law degree. Like many universities, it’s teeming with young bright minds to meet. Spend a night at a cabaret such as El Tropical, with locals sweating, smiling and dancing fervently to live music. The pure passion focused on music, dance and letting go is overwhelming.

Where to Stay. Don’t stay in hotels. State-sanctioned accommodations in family homes are fairly abundant. They are called “casa particulares” and have a few advantages for a traveler getting to know this Havana world:

  1. You can meet a Cuban family in their home; many times they’ll offer to cook you meals as well.

  2. The setup is more like an apartment than merely a room (and can come complete with a full kitchen).

  3. The cost is usually around $35 a night, leaving more spending money for other city adventures.

Warnings. It’s sad, but be weary of overly friendly Cubans. The term “jinetero” is given to Cubans who cater to tourists, posing as new friends and aiming to make money. They’re useful to show you restaurants or attractions, but will undoubtedly try to take advantage of the situation. It’s up to you to decide if it’s worth hanging out with people like this, and when to part ways.

More Information. One of the best websites for visitors to Cuba is cuba-junky.com.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

2024 continues to impress with yellowfin much closer to San Diego than they should be

New rockfish regulations coming this week as opener approaches

“Is Levi or Guess considered a more elegant brand? Addidas or Reebok?” A couple of mid-twenties locals ask with anticipation.

A young single mother shares her ideas on the “What is Cuba to you?” question for a few minutes, detailing hardship and frustration. She caps off her thoughts with, “I hate Cuba.”

Outside the extremes of those Cubans directly involved in the tourist industry and those older generations accustomed to waiting on Fidel’s promises and visions, there lives another Cuba. These Cubans yearn to form their own realities, to express themselves, to be given opportunities. They want to know what’s happening in the world beyond their borders – and many of them want to take part in it.

Posted ubiquitously around Havana are drawings depicting scenes from the revolution days or signs reading “Viva La Revolucion.” But this revolution overtook Batista’s dictatorship over 50 years ago. It feels as if the Cuban government is trying to hold on to some strain of loyalty and energy belonging to that long-ago fight. Memories of these times don’t even exist for many from the younger Cuban world. The “revolution” seems to reek of an older Cuban day that has already passed by.

Sponsored
Sponsored

Passion, strife, confusion and waiting fill this community. But with Fidel on his way out – something that will seemingly only happen with his passing – and U.S. restrictions on Cuba being lifted step by step, the wait appears to be shrinking quickly.

Things to Do. Walk around outside of the tourist attractions to meet another “real” Havana. Climb the beautiful entrance steps of the University of Havana – where young Fidel fostered his revolutionary ideas while earning his law degree. Like many universities, it’s teeming with young bright minds to meet. Spend a night at a cabaret such as El Tropical, with locals sweating, smiling and dancing fervently to live music. The pure passion focused on music, dance and letting go is overwhelming.

Where to Stay. Don’t stay in hotels. State-sanctioned accommodations in family homes are fairly abundant. They are called “casa particulares” and have a few advantages for a traveler getting to know this Havana world:

  1. You can meet a Cuban family in their home; many times they’ll offer to cook you meals as well.

  2. The setup is more like an apartment than merely a room (and can come complete with a full kitchen).

  3. The cost is usually around $35 a night, leaving more spending money for other city adventures.

Warnings. It’s sad, but be weary of overly friendly Cubans. The term “jinetero” is given to Cubans who cater to tourists, posing as new friends and aiming to make money. They’re useful to show you restaurants or attractions, but will undoubtedly try to take advantage of the situation. It’s up to you to decide if it’s worth hanging out with people like this, and when to part ways.

More Information. One of the best websites for visitors to Cuba is cuba-junky.com.

Comments
Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Croome Brothers Trio, Jack Tempchin, Ricky, Swami & the Bed Of Nails, Kahlil Nash

Acoustic and electric in Del Mar, La Jolla, Little Italy, and City Heights
Next Article

Summit Fellowship wants to be a home of belonging

Unitarian Universalism allows you to be exactly who you are in the moment
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.