Welcome to Cuba!
Controversial, socialist, joyful, party-loving, beautiful. I think these are the adjectives that remind me of and define my experience in Cuba.
It is one of those destinations that, whenever I talk about it with someone, reminds me how much I would love to go back.
As a traveler, I am convinced that places are made by their people, and Cuba is a clear example. Their joy, their endless willingness to dance or simply to sip some rum on the Malecón in Havana make the Cuban people truly unique.
Any middle, upper-middle or upper-class Uruguayan who visits Cuba may end up wondering how Cubans manage to stay in that constant state of happiness when a Cuban doctor earns, at most, a salary of 80 CUC (something like 80 euros).
With that money they have to feed their family and pay for their children’s school supplies.
Like Vietnam (another communist country), Cuba has the particular problem of overcrowding. Three generations of a family live in the same house. I would dare to say that if we had that problem in Uruguay, our suicide rate would go up.
And I believe that in Cuba, just like in Brazil, the weather has a strong influence on people’s day-to-day mood.
And it doesn’t sound bad at all, does it?
Being in Cuba at 30 degrees, sipping rum on one of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean, dancing salsa.
Cuba is also the birthplace of some of the most talented musicians in the Caribbean; Cuban jazz stands out as one of the most prominent musical genres in the region.
Yes, I think that is an excellent definition.
Cuba tastes like rum, salsa plays in the background, and its people are always waiting to welcome you with a smile.
In my other articles you will find more practical recommendations about Cuba. But if I have to highlight one thing about this island, it is the warmth and joy of its people.