Rhythms of Cuba Tour

I had a truly memorable trip in an unforgettable location

Cuba is one of those places you always hear about but never seem to get around to visiting. Those who have been, rave about it, so I decided it was high time to get there. I’ve been travelling extensively on and off for four years, and can honestly say this is one of those destinations that uniquely stands out. Perhaps it’s the architecture, a beautifully heady mix of colourful, crumbling buildings that evoke nostalgic feelings for the past - a past, even, that you weren’t a part of. Or the people, wonderfully friendly and laid back with a zest for salsa, even in the extreme heat. It might even be the amazement on discovering that alongside the cool old school cars, novelties like ration shops and ration booklets still exist.

We stayed in ‘Casa Particulares’ - homestays with local people who had generously opened up their homes to share with travellers. Ours was an intimate group, with only eight of us alongside the tour guide, Carlos. Carlos was an absolute wealth of knowledge when it came to, well, everything. He provided us with an excellent, detailed analysis into the complicated history and political affairs of Cuba. This gave great insight into the thought processes of political heroes such as Che Guevara and Fidel Castro, and showed just how deep communism, still, runs. The above is really what made the tour special for me, having the chance to mix with the locals - how often do you get to wake up and have breakfast with a Cuban in Trinidad, then sit in a rocking chair of an evening sharing a cigar and a dash of rum?

As hinted at earlier, music and dancing is a big part of life here, and one of my most memorable events was a salsa dance class on the rooftop of one of the home-stays. It was muggy as you like and a storm was approaching; yet we still danced through the heat and the thunder. Later that evening we enjoyed a home cooked meal and got serenaded by a local band, even being given some handheld instruments to enable us to join in. The week long tour covered a lot of ground, from Havana to Vinales, Trinidad to Santa Clara and back again, with all the little stops in-between.

I could be here quite a long time listing everything we did in detail. While we moved at a relatively fast pace to get to see all the places, I still felt this was a much more laid back vibe than the fun but chaotic tours I usually did, with significantly larger groups of people. It was nice to have a change. A change that I am keen to repeat again before the year is out. This time, safaris and deserts beckon.