Visit Old Havana in Cuba

“While I am generally not terribly gullible, I was duped once, during a bewildering encounter at the Castillo de la Real Fuerza. The fort itself is remarkable, and carries the distinction of being the oldest stone fort in the Americas, and has now been also converted to a museum. Inside, one of the employees reached for my camera. Confused, I handed it to her, and she took a few photos of my friend and I, then proceeded to snap several photos of the model fort housed in the room we were in, and a few photos from the embrasure. My friend and I stared at each other, wondering when my camera would be surrendered back to me, but fully expecting what happened next —when she did hand it back, she leaned over and whispered, "My grandmother is sick. If you could help, please." Still stunned, I wordlessly handed her 1 CUC, which she received with a "Shhhhhh," a finger to her lips, and a glance at the museum guards in the hallway. We got a good chuckle out of it afterwards, and continued to explore the fort.”

“Having spent all of the previous night and most of the morning flying, by the time we got to our home, a beautiful high-ceilinged apartment with a marbled balcony, we were famished. We asked our host for some dining tips, and set off to hunt for sustenance in nearby Plaza Vieja. We ended up at La Vitrola, where we enjoyed great service and a lively atmosphere, but unfortunately bland food. This isn’t to say that the food wasn’t well-prepared. It was. My fish was perfectly fried, with a golden crust and delicate, flaky flesh. My friend’s stew was moist and tender. It just didn’t taste like much. It’s the unfortunate side effect of decades of rationing, and the high cost and rarity of spices.”

“Old Havana: Cuba was the most authentic cultural experience I've had. Going there is the equivalent to being in a time warp. The vintage cars, the vintage architecture, I was fascinated walking the streets of Old Havana. I loved how every building has a unique color and ruggedness to it. Everything was old but still intact. Local restaurants and bars on every corner, fruit stands, and people dancing in the street and the warm weather in January made this place so full of life.”