We’ve been talking about going to Cuba for ages. As this year flew by, we thought we’d missed our window. We found a 5 day trip with Cuba Unbound via Austin Adventures. The trip was entitled “Cars, Cigars and Rum.” It was a Havana experience with beautiful classic cars taking you to see the sites, to learn about the city and it’s people and to try many of Cuba’s main products. Well, The Husband was sold on “cars.” Then, I mentioned the trip to my brother and before we knew it, Larry and Dan were signed up, too!
The two beautiful cars on the bottom of this photo met us at the airport. Our guide, Maria, greeted us and introduced us to Erick and Alejandro, our drivers. The drive from the airport to Old Havana took about 30-40 minutes. The condition of the buildings and government messages were aligned with what I expected. I was surprised by how many modern cars there were and how modern the clothes were.
In Old Havana, Maria gave us some historical facts and answered our questions. We toured some of the main squares and learned about the architecture, design and history of the area.
Then headed over to La Bodeguida del Medio for mojitos. It’s where Hemingway got his! We wrote our names on the building as is the custom and enjoyed our first rum drink. We had been warned that the food was not good, but enjoyed our lunch very much. After lunch we walked to the Rum Museum and learned how the Havana Club we just had was made. We saw a bit more of Old Havana and headed to the hotel.
After a rest, we headed to dinner and a show at the famous Tropicana night club. It was a long day but it was all worth it!
Day two started with the tour of an organic garden, a cooking lesson, a mojito lesson and lunch. We had so much fun! The crew enjoyed working with “Chef Larry.” We then went to Hemingway House which is now a museum.
Afterwards we headed to Nostalgicar to learn about classic car restoration. Needless to say, The Husband was in heaven. It was amazing to hear about the challenges and opportunities the proprietor, Julio, has had in the last 6 years.
In the evening, we enjoyed a daiquiri at Floridita (another Hemingway watering hole) before dinner. Our dinner was at a cool restaurant and was followed by massive cocktails at the gin bar at 308 O’Reilly. This part of Old Havana felt like Buenos Aires to us.
On the third day, we headed to Pinar del Rio to see cigar making and “the country.” We were driven 150 kilometers on our classic rides to Pinar del Rio. We went to a government run cigar factory where a large variety of cigars are made by hand. Afterwards, we went to a farm to see the tobacco production and enjoyed a traditional lunch.
Our hotel in Pinar del Rio was more what we expected from Cuba. It was built in the 90s and was pretty basic. It did have a pool and wifi which was pretty nice! And the coffee was strong!
Before returning to Havana, we went to Vinales for a hike and farm tour with a local guide. It was interesting to see the variety of crops and to learn about commerce in Cuba. We had a local, naturalist guide and asked tons of questions. Of course we stopped along the way for pina coladas and a local drink served in grapefruits. We had lunch and churros before heading back to Havana.
We stopped at the craft market in Havana for some gifts and headed back to our Havana hotel. The last night we enjoyed an Italian style dinner and lots of great conversation.
Before we knew it, it was time to say goodbye to Maria, Erick and Alejandro. Our trip flew by. Cuba was much more open and modern than I had expected. While there was government slogans and iconography around, there was not much of a military feel or presence. There were many awesome classic cars in all kinds of shape, there were more modern cars than I expected. People in Havana and in Pinar del Rio dress in fashionable clothes and look prosperous. Many buildings and houses are in need of repair, but people seem to live well. The thing that will stick with me is how happy and joyful the people we met seem to be.
We loved Cuba and taking the trip was Larry and Dan more than doubled the fun! I’m glad we went before everything changed, though there have been many changes in the last 5-10 years. It will be interesting to see what happens in the next 5-10!