After the beach, we explored the streets of central Havana to round out Day 3. The weather continued to be muy caluroso (quite hot), and our tans were glowing nicely. While moving towards La Floridita for dinner an attractive gentleman tried to chat me up. He was walking super closely and all UP in my personal space, asking us about our country of origin, how we were doing, et cetera. Because I’m hypervigilant, Type A, and had just experienced Eric and Rafael’s attempts at social graces, I clutched my camera around my neck tighter, reduced eye contact, and tried to put some bass in my voice while randomly sputtering, “No! Gracias!” in reply to his question about how we were enjoying Cuba.
But then, he was like,
“Mi amor, tu cartera!”
“Cartera” is Spanish for “purse.” In my lowgrade paranoia about how this dude was going to somehow kidnap me on a busy street in broad daylight (#Taken), I failed to notice that my purse WITH PHONE INSIDE OF IT was wide open. Anyone could have easily reached in and stolen not only my phone, but all of the personal photos, thoughts (#NotesApp), and information with it. My face went from caramel tan with a golden glow to strawberry blushtastic in my embarrassment. I zipped up my satchel and thanked the man profusely.
After that encounter we scampered on over to El Floridita. (Sidebar: I previously referred to this place with “La” instead of “El” in a post. This “la” vs. “el” issue was problematic for me in my high school Spanish classes as well. “It ends in “a” so why isn’t it “la” then, Señora Bailey?” Questions with which I would annoy my high school honors Spanish teacher…But, I digress). El Floridita opened in 1817, and in its later years, became the hangout spot for famous writers such as Ernest Hemingway. The architectural details including woodwork and crown moulding were well-preserved in the establishment’s dining room. I felt like royalty while feasting on their absolutely delicious butterfly lobster entree. Michelle and I enjoyed a couple of rounds of drinks, appetizers, and entrees for under 50CUC including gratuity. This human services budget traveler was dining like ‘Yonce, y’all!
We caught a taxi back to our casa from there. It was…an experience. During the short commute back to Vedado, I smelled gasoline fumes. I’m positive that our cab was fabricated in either the ‘70s or ‘80s and it showed. Much of the exterior was rusted out, and the fuel pump probably needed replacement back in like 1992 but was never addressed. I tried to stick my head out of the window as much as possible while reminding myself of how fortunate I am to live in a country where a car like this would have failed inspection decades ago. Don’t be alarmed if you encounter some of the same when you visit Cuba; it’s kind of the norm!
On Day 4, we began our quest for Cohiba Behike cigars for a friend of Michelle’s. As we were told that they were “the Bentley of cigars,” they were hard to find in Havana. We wandered through an open air market near Parque Central and bought lots of knick knackerry for our family and friends back home. Prices were super favorable, so I decided to treat myself by purchasing a pretty wooden sculpture of a dancer for my office. *singing happily* Treat yo’self! I found Michelle in another part of the market chatting with a muy guapo tall and tan shopkeeper. He was FWINE. With an unnecessary “w.” So much so that we still sometimes swoon over her encounter with him. Le sigh.
We went shopping for bathing suits afterwards, and found identical monokinis in complimentary coral and cerulean shades. We took the 5CUC T3 bus back to the beach. Something about the salty ocean air was so freeing. I felt so confident and chic in my swimsuit, and cared not that the plunging neckline and cheek peekage were *gasp* a bit scandalous. We sipped our rum and coconuts and thought, “Viva Cuba!” Lunch at the beach diner was fairly uneventful. Beware that you will be charged for everything, including using the restroom. This charge attempt will come either a.) when they give you toilet paper (Tip: Bring your own TP), or b.) when you go to wash your hands. This chick had the AUDACITY to suck her teeth at me when I told her I brought my own toilet paper and was like, “Well, pay for the water you used!” I became quite assertive and was like, “Um…NO!” And then I checked my entree ad nauseam to make sure that no one retaliated by adding their special sauce to it. The meal was generous in portion but lacking in flavor. Typical beach diner fare that managed to satiate my hunger until dinner.
After getting our tans refreshed, we headed back to the city for dinner. We took our time visiting various venues, including a cool barbershop that reminded me of ones that exist throughout popular metro areas in NYC, Philly, Chicago, and LA. I enjoyed the style and swag of the barbers and patrons, and felt a bit nostalgic for home. Indeed, I have had many a laugh attempting to caption this pic in my head:
We made our way home and turned in early to relax and rejuvenate in preparation for Day 5. The next morning, Michelle suggested that we stop by Cafe O’Reilly for coffee and lunch, so we checked it out. The espresso was delicious and aromatic; our sandwiches were yummy and easily packable for another day at the beach. We also picked up some coffee beans for back home, and when I tell you that they were so strong and fragrant that I could smell them through my packed carry-on, I kid you not. Cubans indeed have some of the best coffee!
As we strolled to the bus stop for the beach, we stopped in some local shops and chatted with the vendors. I met a Cuban woman who took Russian while she was in elementary school since it used to be a requirement. We chatted in Russian and Spanish, as I took Russian in college and was excited at the chance to practice. In those moments, my mind was completely blown. There I was, an American girl in Cuba, speaking Russian with a Cubana, catching up about life, love, and travel. I was grateful for the opportunity to connect to her on a more personal and cultural level.
We spent our final night in Cuba initially planning to visit Fabrica de Arte, a trendy and artsy lounge only a few blocks from our AirBNB. I arrived back at the casa, however, and felt absolutely exhausted. I’m not sure if it was my introversion, or maybe just feeling a bit low energy due to the Crohn’s (I was feeling terrible the day before we flew out), but I really just wanted to pack and chill out at home. Michelle was an awesome travel buddy and quite understanding. We were well-rested the next day for our flights back home.
Stay tuned for the final Cuba installment, in which we will address FAQs for Cuba travel newbies, planning logistics, and how well our Cuban rum and cigars fared on our trip home! You’ll also find out whether we were able to find the elusive Cohiba Behike!
