Captivating Cuba

Hi Everyone,

Preparations are hotting-up for the Havana Carnival.

It's a time when the rhythm of the dance echoes through the crowds and along Havana's streets. It makes the weekends in Havana an exciting time!

The processions begin as if it were a race, waiting for a gunshot that comes from the San Pedro de Cabana fortress. Then the dancers set off in formation, dancing to both modern and traditional music, and showing off their amazing, colourful costumes.

Image by sfmission

But more than colour, there are flashing lights at the festival, too. The dancers are called faroleros, and they have lamps that they spin as they move through the streets, lighting up Havana as they dance.

A good place to see the Carnival is El Malecon. The Malecon is the name given in Latin America to a street that runs along the shore of a big city. In Havana this paved street runs for four miles along the seawall from Old Havana to the Almendares district, and the procession runs along this street before spreading through the city.

Image by sfmission

Every neighbourhood will want to put on the best routine and have the brightest outfits, and will practise for weeks to be the best. As well as dancers, there are giant puppets that join the procession. They are called Munecones, and they are often grotesques with funny features that make a strange sight dancing down the street with the parade.

There are fireworks at the end of the procession, and the street parties may go on all night. Of course, there is plenty of food and drink for the throngs of spectators in the streets - lots of beer and rum to share!

The Havana Carnival takes place every weekend in August, so it's a great time to take a Cuba Holiday, especially if you like to dance the conga.

Happy dancing!

Peter

posted at: 10:09 | path: /peter | permanent link to this entry | 0 comments

Hi it's Hector! Wow life has been so busy! I think half the world must be coming here for their holidays in Cuba! Last month I went to a wedding! Well really they were already married but had come to Varedero to renew the vows. They were an English couple, John and Alecia and they met on a Cuba holiday eleven years ago and are now married ten years! They are from London and so I met them when they arrive in Havana. They were so excited to be back in Cuba and that everything had been done for them. We organised the hotel, the music, the flowers, and of course the actual service. I always feel like when I organise the wedding or renewal it is so important to make sure they don't have to worry about anything.

Many people choose a rainforest or waterfall setting because here in Cuba there are so many beautiful places to choose from, but John and Alecia wanted to do their ceremony on the beach because they thought it would be much more romantic! So we did them a tailor made Cuba holiday and they didn't have to do anything themselves! (only just to fax their documents some weeks before.) John told me, 'We just wanted to get to the airport in Cuba, travel to our hotel and then let everything else get taken care of!' So I even organised their bus to Varedero to arrive at their beautiful hotel, so they would only need to step out the door and on to the beach to go to their ceremony! I offered them a translator but it was very sweet that they wanted it to be authentic in the local language, and had learnt some words.

I met them for a drink on their second night of their Cuba holiday, the day before they left to go to Varedero. When I spoke to them by phone they seemed lovely and I want to meet them to let them know everything was done. They had experinced so much in just two days in Havana! They been to the Partagas Cigar factory, and had fallen in love with our Capitolio - which some people said is the most beautiful building in Havana. They had also been to a Salsa club, and spent much of the second day in the old town just walking about and learning its history.

We got on so well, they asked if me and my friend would like to come to Varedero for the ceremony! Of course we said yes! We all caught the bus down to Varedero, (in Cuba, travel by bus is easy!) which is only around three hours from Havana. After they went to their hotel, and I went to make sure everything was organised for the ceremony. But in about one hour, I saw John and Alecia out horse riding along the beach! They were so relaxed only a couple of hours before their big moment!

As the evening came, lots of other guests staying in the hotel all gathered to watch as John and Alecia walked down to the beach with a local musician playing softly. It was very beautiful as they said their vows under the Cuban sunset. When the ceremony finished, we all drank some cocktails and went to a salsa bar and danced the night away! It was a wonderful night! John and Alecia stayed for one more week and swam with dolphins and went diving every day. When they got back to Havana, they told me they had their best time ever and that they'd be back on another Cuban holiday to renew their vows again in another ten years! Hope I see them!

posted at: 17:10 | path: /hector | permanent link to this entry | 0 comments

I've just come off the phone to the sweetest couple and their Cuban holiday plans have got me pining for a holiday on the island yet again. Bill and Joyce wanted to do something really special to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary and as a Cuba holiday is full of so many incredible experiences, from salsa lessons to swimming with dolphins, I knew that they had picked the right destination. Sadly, as tempted as Joyce was with a salsa holiday she simply couldn't convince her husband. However, they both professed to be somewhat creative people and so I suggested that they try a painting holiday on the island.

Bill and Joyce both loved the idea, but simply could not agree on a destination. Bill was rather taken with the idea of painting the old colonial buildings of Havana and its impressive Cathedral Square; he also felt that the many art galleries in the region would provide both him and Joyce with artistic inspiration. However, Joyce was having none of it; she felt that she was much more adept at painting rolling landscapes and wanted to take her holiday in the scenic Vinales Valley. This destination has hills which date back to the Jurassic period and its rolling green tobacco fields are ideal for painting. The couple wanted some time to discuss it amongst themselves and, whilst I'd suggested a multi-centre break, were adamant that they wanted to spend their anniversary in just one destination.

Two hours later, Joyce called back and said that the couple had agreed on a city break in Havana. Considering that she was so adamant on painting in scenic Vinales, I was surprised that she didn't sound a little more upset. However, as I talked her through a selection of hotels in Havana, I was certain that I could detect more than a hint of happiness in her voice. I wondered what Bill had said or done to convince her, but I certainly wasn't going to ask. In the end the couple opted for the Saratoga hotel, which is considered to be the most luxurious in the area of Old Havana. Bill and Joyce, quite rightly, wanted to spoil themselves on their anniversary break and I felt that the Saratoga with its stunning marble staircases and sweeping columns was the perfect place for them to do this. So we'd booked the flights, the painting part of the break and the 5* hotel; was there anything else that the couple wanted to make their wedding anniversary particularly memorable? "Actually, there's just one thing", said Bill, timidly "could you possibly add salsa lessons onto our itinerary"?

Jasna

posted at: 10:43 | path: /jasna | permanent link to this entry | 0 comments