A place for tears and hope

  by Arianna Kemis 

 

HAVANA, Cuba—It begins at 5 o’clock every morning. Hundreds of Cuban citizens gather at a public square known as the Weeping Park awaiting their final interview that will grant them entry visas to the United States.

Chocolate Paradise

Jasmine Goodwin

Reporting from Havana

HAVANA, Cuba - During a tour of the numerous plazas and shops located in central Havana, we had the opportunity to make a stop at the Museo Del Chocolate. It was by far one of my favorite, delicious food moments during my Cuban adventures. 

The Museo Del Chocolate specializes in chocolate - and only chocolate. I visited the shop three times during my time in Havana, and each time there was a chance to view the chocolate being made into various shapes, sizes, or even flavors being added for unique candy and other treats. 

My favorite menu item was a simple drink called "cold chocolate." It tasted similar to a melted chocolate milkshake, and it also came with a friendly price tag: just one CUC per glass. To learn more about the Museo Del Chocolate, view the video below:

Why it changed the way I eat:

Experiencing cold chocolate has set a high bar for any future consumption of chocolate milk or milkshake. 

Instead, he bought a pig.

by Arianna Kemis

Havana, Cuba

“I was four years old,” he had said. “I listened to music, and I felt it.”

 

I never knew that amidst the waving jungle trees and clucks of Cuba’s national bird, the tocororo, I would find a story of music and a lifestyle that epitomizes the struggle of life and love in Cuba.

There, listening to his performing group, I met Junior Santana, a 30-year-old saxophone player and lifelong citizen of Cuba. He was intrigued by why I came to Cuba, and I videoed him as he played enthusiastically for our group.

Facing Now to Look Ahead

Rachael Trost

Reporting from Havana

Children running around the square practicing their ballet, little boys sliding down and flexing atop a dumpster, couples embracing along the Malecon at nightfall; it seems that Havana is really a place like no other I have ever experienced.

The view of Havana from our hotel.

Two little surprises and a mango

by Arianna Kemis 

Las Terrazas, Cuba 

I had been taking pictures of chickens. I could not resist; the chicks were huddled under their mother for bed after pecking around on a tiny, winding staircase next to a hibiscus hedge.

I thought the tech lead had motioned across the miniature valley to beckon the rest of the group over from the coffee shop to where a portion of us had gone to see a local artist.

So, I continued to take pictures. 

When the chicks had all settled underneath the feathers of their mother in the grass, I looked up to see an older man in an old green baseball cap picking the hibiscus flowers off of the bush.

Modern Fare, Modest Price

Jasmine Goodwin
Reporting from Havana


HAVANA, Cuba - La Xana was a trendy restaurant specializing in Italian food and was located just a few blocks from our hotel. It ended up being a go-to restaurant for our group due to its location and great food, with good prices.

There were few times we saw expensive food in Cuba, however La Xana was unique because it provided the ambiance of a high-priced eatery, without the high price tag. 

"The People's Partner"

Rachael Trost

Reporting from Havana

It was like they were coming for us. Stevie, Claudia, and I were conducting interviews outside the United States Interest Section in Havana when the faint sound of drums began spiking the audio levels on my camera. We had been on assignment recording the stories of Cubans who were trying to visit or immigrate to the United States. The booming sound grew and grew until the sight of the Cuban flag and military personnel draped in forest green uniforms filled the cracked streets.

Bougoris on a Budget

Jasmine Goodwin

Reporting from Havana

HAVANA, Cuba - Staying on a strict budget was very important during our trip because we were not able to use any credit cards - just the cash that we entered the country with. 

Life on the edge

by Arianna Kemis

Havana, Cuba

I have never been so comfortable to walk in a city. Furthermore, I have never seen a balcony lifestyle anything like that which is in Havana.

Authentic Cuba

Nick Detorre, reporting from Havana                       

 

 

About two hours east of Havana is the town of Varadero. Signs along the highway suggest an "Authentic Cuba" awaits. I could hardly contain myself.

This bridge crosses a valley in Matanzas, about 60-
miles east of Havana. It is the tallest bridge in Cuba.

We passed through hilly farmland, crossed a scenic valley, eventually arriving along a rocky coastline with the occasional oil derrick. Beyond it all - glimpses of the Caribbean.

As we drove along the Via Blanca highway, the imagery used on the billboards changed. One of them showed two dolphins - which I'm sure are present in these waters - each kissing a tan, blonde girl on the cheek. The second shows a group of dolphins jumping through a set of rings.

Authentic Cuba? We hadn't been in Cuba long, but the only blondes I'd seen were sitting behind me on the bus. Where did they get these pictures, Sea World?

A couple miles further, signs for the Juan Gualberto Gomez Airport. Another international airport, less than 90 miles from Havana?

The beach from Mansion Xanadu.
(Photo: Ed Rabel)

Our driver paid a toll at a stop on the highway before continuing to our eventual destination, the former DuPont Mansion, Xanadú, where we were scheduled to eat lunch.

By now, the scenery had changed once again. Far behind were the herds of cattle and oil wells. As the hotels appeared, so to did the sandy beaches. Architecturally, the buildings were unimpressive. They were large and there were several of them, most were on the water.

With only six rooms, Mansion Xanadú is an exclusive hotel with restaurant. Also on the property is the Varadero Golf Club, Cuba's first 18 hole course.

Further down the road, several more hotels. Between us, a beautiful white sand beach littered with hundreds of tourists like me.

Lunch at Mansion Xanadu.
Fish, ratatouille, and rice.

After lunch - which consisted of fish, ratatouille and rice - we made our way to the beach. For two CUCs - Cuban tourist dollars - you could rent a chair and umbrella for the afternoon. Compared to the $50 dollars these chairs would cost at similar beaches in the states, we were happy to pay and enjoy our afternoon in the sun.

Enjoying the beach at Xanadu.
(Photo: Madison Horner)

A group of us sat together. We talked about baseball, Havana and school while smoking cigars, pausing for an occasional dip in the Caribbean. I looked around, hoping to catch a glimpse of "authentic Cuba." Still, the only blondes were in our group, and I'd yet to see any dolphins. There weren't many Cubans either, save for the handful sitting in the shade of a tree next to the parking lot while their children played in the water.

On the ride back to Havana, I wondered if the people staying in Varadero truly believed they were experiencing "authentic Cuba," or if they too were still waiting to see the dolphins.

 

Life is a highway

The view of the capitol amidst the bustling city streets and early haze of the morning traffic. 

A bicitaxi driver haggles with riders for a price. 

by Arianna Kemis

Havana, Cuba

Sometimes, all it takes is a mile to see a difference.

While we rode the winding streets and highways still within the borders of the city, I saw a vast array of vehicles by which the citizens traveled. There were bicitaxis, all owned by private riders who decked out their bikes to make one more appealing than the competitors’. 

Do you like Pina Coladas?

Jasmine Goodwin
Reporting from Havana


HAVANA, Cuba - On our way to visit the beach in Veradero, our tour guide made a special stop for us at an outdoor shop that only sells on thing - pina coladas. I was under the assumption that I did not like pina coladas because one of the major ingredients is coconut, which is not a food I am a fan of in the slightest.

A Taste of Luxury in Xanadu

Jasmine Goodwin
Reporting from Havana


HAVANA, Cuba - The trip included an array of pre-planned meals, including lunch at the Xanadu Mansion. It was easily the most beautiful meal we had. The mansion was just steps from the beach, and the house itself was breathtaking with flawless craftsmanship and timeless decor.

We dined outside on the patio of the house, which also overlooks the beach at Veradero. 

The First Mojito

Jasmine Goodwin
Reporting from Havana


HAVANA, Cuba - We were taken to a local hotel to exchange our Canadian currency into Cuban pesos. It is possible to exchange American dollars into Cuban currency but expensive as the Cuban government charges a penalty of up to 15 percent, therefore we needed to transfer a set amount of cash into Canadian currency, which would then be transferred into Cuban currency.

Plastic-Wrapped

Rachael Trost

Reporting From Miami



An airport official sorting baggage in Havana. (Photo credit Ed Rabel)



I have never felt like such a stranger in my own country. The Miami airport seemed to be filled to the brim with people speaking Spanish, wheeling carts of green plastic-wrapped merchandise with names scribbled-on with sharpie. All these sights were not accustom to me even though I have lived all over the United States. I knew that this was already an experience I would never forget.