Cruising Cuba before the U.S. crowds in
Experience four parts of this historic island nation
CUBA— We push through a throng of shouting taxi drivers vying for our attention as we leave the harbour at Santiago de Cuba and dodge American classic cars, beat-up Ladas, men on rickety bicycles and horse-drawn cars as we cross Avenue Jesus Menendez.
We make our way up a steep, potholed street past buildings that are a mix of ruined and restored, past barking dogs and chatting neighbours until we reach Cespedes Park, Santiago de Cuba’s central square.
Two young lovers huddle shoulderto-shoulder on a bench beneath shade trees, local women bustle by with shopping bags and a group of tourists snap photos in front of the magnificent grey and white Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption. A neatly dressed Cuban man busks, strumming a worn guitar while he sings in rich-throated Spanish.
Santiago de Cuba may not be one of Cuba’s best-known destinations, but it’s one of the most interesting ports of calls on Cuba Cruise, a seven-day cruise devoted to experiencing the country’s diverse landscapes, history and unique culture. Although the majority owner of the cruise is now Celestyal Cruises of Greece, Canadians started the cruise.
The ship, the Celestyal Crystal, is mid-sized and holds 1,200 people in 480 staterooms. We have no trouble finding restaurant or deck seats and the small pool is never crowded.
You’ll learn about Cuba while on board: many of the cruise staff and entertainment crew are Cuban.
With Cuban-U.S. relationships thawing and the inevitable tide of American tourists to come, the chance to experience the country as it is now — time-worn, proud and so far, bereft of mass commercialism — may be fleeting.
Even if Starbucks doesn’t set up shop here, there’s little doubt that American influences, expectations and dollars will have a profound impact.
Cruise giant Carnival and other cruise lines are planning to launch Cuba routes.
Cuba Cruise, in its third season, offers the only all-inclusive cruise that visits four Cuban ports of call, plus Montego Bay, Jamaica.
Transat Holidays offers air and cruise packages from major gateways across Canada.
Many excursions are included with the all-inclusive cruise, but there are several to choose from at each port.
Havana A taxi or bus ride from the airport to the city might give you the wrong impressions as you pass concrete buildings with the stark, humourless architecture that resulted from Cuban’s ties with the former Soviet Union.
But reach Old Havana and you’ll understand why the city’s 16th-century Spanish colonial architecture is among the most beautiful in the world. Wander the streets and drink in the sights and sounds, including music that emanates from virtually every club and café.
Take a stroll along the Malecon to admire the collection of buildings and monuments along the seaside boulevard and mix with locals. You’ll end the journey in the funky Vedado district.
There are museums, plazas and forts for history buffs. But for pure entertainment and old-fashioned glamour, take in a show at the famous Tropicana cabaret.
Santiago de Cuba Cuba’s second largest city is steeped in musical tradition and Caribbean influences. The ravages of time and the battering of hurricanes have taken a toll on many of its ornate buildings but restoration is underway.
Don’t miss Castillo del Morro, a stone fortress on the tall cliffs at the harbour’s mouth. It has cannons, a drawbridge, a moat, a colourful pirate history and stunning views.
Grab a cab ride in an old American car to Santa Ifigenia cemetery where late great military leaders, politicians, poets, doctors and musicians have been laid to rest. The changing of the guard every 30 minutes, when young officers carrying ceremonial rifles goose step to the hexagonalshaped tomb of Jose Marti, a Cuban poet and national hero, is a true spectacle.
Find a bench in Cepedes Park, by the magnificent cathedral. Venture to the rooftop bar of the Hotel Casa Granda for a mojito.
Cienfuegos The “Pearl of the South” is initially a bit unimpressive as you walk from the ship dock, but as you get closer to the city centre, its true lustre begins to shine.
The central Parque Marti (with the requisite statue of Marti at the centre) is a beautiful spot to stop and get your bearings.
Stop into one of the most impressive buildings, the Teatro Tomas Terry, to admire its ornate hand-carved hardwood and Carrara marble fin- ishes and take a sneak peek backstage.
Stroll down the wide main street, Paseo del Prado, to admire the pretty pastel homes. It connects to the pedestrian shopping boulevard where you can barter with street vendors.
Trinidad This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a hidden treasure and well worth the 90-minute trip from Cienfuegos. Steeped in pirate, sugar and slave history, stately Spanish Colonial mansions, grand plazas and churches are reminders of its affluent past.
Dodge horse-drawn carts as you walk along cobblestone streets. Be sure to stop into Casa de la Musica by Plaza Mayor to enjoy music from Cuban players. You can find unique handmade goods from street vendors, including straw hats, jewelry fashioned from silverware and beautiful embroidered tablecloths. Watch cigars be made by hand at La Canchanchara bar while you try the traditional beverage the bar is named for. It’s made of water, lime, honey and sugar cane liquor. Hunting for Hemingway With limited time in Havana, we sought out just two of Ernest Hemingway’s favourite haunts. The American author lived here for two decades and a Cuban fisherman inspired his novel, The Old Man and the Sea. Hotel Ambos Mundos served as Hemingway’s first Cuban home. It has an elegant restaurant, bar and lobby with high ceilings, and Hemingway photos plaster its walls. His room, a miniature Hemingway museum, closes at 5 p.m.
The Floridita is the bar where the writer did a lot of his drinking. Tourist after tourist poses with a life-sized statue of Ernest bellied up to the bar.
We strike up conversations with two guys at the bar, including Marc, an American expat. Hemingway would approve of this born storyteller who regales us with tales of his expat life in Roatan and three divorces.
“Some people live and learn,” he says. “I just live.” Tracy Hanes’ trip was sponsored by Cuba Cruise, which didn’t review or approve this story.