This absolutely mirrors my own experience when visiting Cuba including snooping around all the floors of La Gaurida just to say regular Cubans living in busted rooms just a floor below one of the most prestigious restaurants in the country. Cuba cannot hide what it is. When you go you will get to see the true current state of things even if you tried to stay the tourist route. In fact just like Andrew said the state owned places are more eye opening then a local joint lol. Everywhere you go the buildings, the streets, the cars…every object is calling out for help. Yet every being that breathes stands proud and resilient with a smile that says welcome and we can’t to show you what we’re are capable of. The people are as strong as the palms in the wind. Of course I already knew this in heart since my mother was born there and my experience included visiting family which is a whole other thing that has impacted me in a way that is hard to put in words. Thank you Andrew for this write up and spreading awareness. Viva Cuba and please US government, open the gates.
Feb 8, 2022·edited Feb 8, 2022Liked by Andrew Zimmern
My husband and I went to Cuba in October 2019 -- it was a life-changing trip. We visited cool places like Hemingway's home outside Havana, a state-owned cigar factory, and Fabrica de Arte Cubano -- an expansive art gallery/nightclub combo, ate a lot of fantastic food (including La Guarida that Andrew mentions in his article and Santy Pescador, a sushi restaurant that was featured in Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown) and saw some incredible live music, but meeting Cuban people is the real "wow" of the trip. They are smart, resilient and warm. It breaks my heart to think about what many of our Cuban friends are going through due to the pandemic. It was clear then that tourism had helped the quality of life for many and that the additional restrictions had hurt. I hope that the US will normalize travel to Cuba again in the not too distant future. I cannot wait to go back.
I went to Cuba ( my mother's homeland ) with my father and sister in 1954 to meet with my Cuban grandparents and family for the first and last time. It was waaay before the Castro's revolution and things were very nice and perfect.
Now one of my mother's sisters, who could not get out from that nightmare, is still living there with her family and lately things are better for her ( she and her brother both have internet due to their work ) and can get in touch with us here in Puerto Rico.
I would go to Cuba without hesitation. There is something about it that is so alluring & romantic. Maybe in the images I’ve seen. It’s like time stood still there…of course I recognize it’s not reality. But anything I’ve seen or watched…man, it’s as though the people are drawing you in.
Funny, eating seems secondary to me…I’d rather dive into the history. (Ok, that’s a little lie…I’d find that chicken!)
Many years ago on a vacation in the Caribbean…I tried to convince my friends to do even a day trip to Havana… we were so close! No one would even consider it.
It has been a delight to read about your Cuba experience. While reading I felt I could experience Cuba for a short bit. Thanks for sharing your journey.
What a positive outlook on Cuba, beautiful pictures, smiling faces. But, is this really what happens in Cuba? Yes, for perhaps 1 or 2 percent of its people. I love the Cuban people, have spent many days, months with them. One can feel the warmth and friendliness coming from them. I do not love the government. I don't have statistics in front of me but a huge number of people don't have enough food to put on their plates. If they are fortunate to own a piece of land, and make profit most of it goes to the government. Why does so much of this land, so abundantly rich in soil minerals sit idle? There is so much potential to be had, yet the store shelves sit empty. The suffering increased tremendously after Trump did away with remittances. These were one of the only life lines for Cuban families to exist. Foreign businesses pulled out of the deals they were about to make. under Trump. We must put pressure on the Biden administration to completely lift remittances and encourage Americans (and foreigners) to partner with small Cuban companies in order to jump start the economy. Most visitors to Cuba see all the wonderful things(art, music, dance, etc) but they never see the poverty in so many of the small cities and towns. There is much suffering. My husband and I have spent much time in this wonderful country and hope that some day we can return, and help in any way that we can.
My wife and I visited Havana in May of 2019; It was an amazing experience. We hired a classic car with a guide and driver for the day for about $300 and had them take us where they would go. We enjoyed lunch at Paladar Dona Carmela, a stone's throw from Castillo del Morro, the fort that guards the entrance to Havana Harbor, and later took in the dinner show at Tropicana. Decades of neglect have taken their toll on the seaside buildings to the point where it looks like a war zone (all part of the charm), but the people were warm and remarkable. We can't wait to return when we can spend more time exploring!
I grew up in Tampa and the wonderful cuban food served there, it mostly leaned more toward Spain than the Carribean. My first adult trip to Miami and I loved the cuban food there to except for the bread, I think Tampa Cuban Bread is more to my taste. My dream growing up was that the ferry would be restored and I could go to Cuba. I now live in the desert and am too old for that but I still crave cuban food and of course Mullet as any west coast cracker would.
This absolutely mirrors my own experience when visiting Cuba including snooping around all the floors of La Gaurida just to say regular Cubans living in busted rooms just a floor below one of the most prestigious restaurants in the country. Cuba cannot hide what it is. When you go you will get to see the true current state of things even if you tried to stay the tourist route. In fact just like Andrew said the state owned places are more eye opening then a local joint lol. Everywhere you go the buildings, the streets, the cars…every object is calling out for help. Yet every being that breathes stands proud and resilient with a smile that says welcome and we can’t to show you what we’re are capable of. The people are as strong as the palms in the wind. Of course I already knew this in heart since my mother was born there and my experience included visiting family which is a whole other thing that has impacted me in a way that is hard to put in words. Thank you Andrew for this write up and spreading awareness. Viva Cuba and please US government, open the gates.
My husband and I went to Cuba in October 2019 -- it was a life-changing trip. We visited cool places like Hemingway's home outside Havana, a state-owned cigar factory, and Fabrica de Arte Cubano -- an expansive art gallery/nightclub combo, ate a lot of fantastic food (including La Guarida that Andrew mentions in his article and Santy Pescador, a sushi restaurant that was featured in Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown) and saw some incredible live music, but meeting Cuban people is the real "wow" of the trip. They are smart, resilient and warm. It breaks my heart to think about what many of our Cuban friends are going through due to the pandemic. It was clear then that tourism had helped the quality of life for many and that the additional restrictions had hurt. I hope that the US will normalize travel to Cuba again in the not too distant future. I cannot wait to go back.
I went to Cuba ( my mother's homeland ) with my father and sister in 1954 to meet with my Cuban grandparents and family for the first and last time. It was waaay before the Castro's revolution and things were very nice and perfect.
Now one of my mother's sisters, who could not get out from that nightmare, is still living there with her family and lately things are better for her ( she and her brother both have internet due to their work ) and can get in touch with us here in Puerto Rico.
I would go to Cuba without hesitation. There is something about it that is so alluring & romantic. Maybe in the images I’ve seen. It’s like time stood still there…of course I recognize it’s not reality. But anything I’ve seen or watched…man, it’s as though the people are drawing you in.
Funny, eating seems secondary to me…I’d rather dive into the history. (Ok, that’s a little lie…I’d find that chicken!)
Many years ago on a vacation in the Caribbean…I tried to convince my friends to do even a day trip to Havana… we were so close! No one would even consider it.
Sad.
I have never been, but have always wanted to. The problem is finding someone to go with!
It has been a delight to read about your Cuba experience. While reading I felt I could experience Cuba for a short bit. Thanks for sharing your journey.
What a positive outlook on Cuba, beautiful pictures, smiling faces. But, is this really what happens in Cuba? Yes, for perhaps 1 or 2 percent of its people. I love the Cuban people, have spent many days, months with them. One can feel the warmth and friendliness coming from them. I do not love the government. I don't have statistics in front of me but a huge number of people don't have enough food to put on their plates. If they are fortunate to own a piece of land, and make profit most of it goes to the government. Why does so much of this land, so abundantly rich in soil minerals sit idle? There is so much potential to be had, yet the store shelves sit empty. The suffering increased tremendously after Trump did away with remittances. These were one of the only life lines for Cuban families to exist. Foreign businesses pulled out of the deals they were about to make. under Trump. We must put pressure on the Biden administration to completely lift remittances and encourage Americans (and foreigners) to partner with small Cuban companies in order to jump start the economy. Most visitors to Cuba see all the wonderful things(art, music, dance, etc) but they never see the poverty in so many of the small cities and towns. There is much suffering. My husband and I have spent much time in this wonderful country and hope that some day we can return, and help in any way that we can.
My wife and I visited Havana in May of 2019; It was an amazing experience. We hired a classic car with a guide and driver for the day for about $300 and had them take us where they would go. We enjoyed lunch at Paladar Dona Carmela, a stone's throw from Castillo del Morro, the fort that guards the entrance to Havana Harbor, and later took in the dinner show at Tropicana. Decades of neglect have taken their toll on the seaside buildings to the point where it looks like a war zone (all part of the charm), but the people were warm and remarkable. We can't wait to return when we can spend more time exploring!
I grew up in Tampa and the wonderful cuban food served there, it mostly leaned more toward Spain than the Carribean. My first adult trip to Miami and I loved the cuban food there to except for the bread, I think Tampa Cuban Bread is more to my taste. My dream growing up was that the ferry would be restored and I could go to Cuba. I now live in the desert and am too old for that but I still crave cuban food and of course Mullet as any west coast cracker would.
Zimmern should stick to story telling not politics. One and done!