WHERE TO TAKE PART IN SPANISH & PAINTING EXPERIENCES IN TRINIDAD CUBA

SPANISH & PAINTING IN TRINIDAD CUBA

By Martina Wohlers, Spanish & Painting student, Trinidad, April 2014 

I decided to travel to Cuba some time in November and started my research on the internet. I knew I wanted to take Spanish lessons, ideally one on one. So, I started looking and very soon found the site “Experience the Real Cuba”. They offered the type of Spanish lessons I was looking for, a home stay and to top it off, painting lessons. 

I loved the idea of getting painting lessons from one of Cubans artists. I wrote an email to them and promptly received a super nice reply that convinced me to stick with that company. When the travel date got closer I received very detailed and personal emails from Rena, who virtually took me by the hand on my first trip to Cuba. Travelling as a single woman is not always easy, but Rena organized my stay in Havana as well. 

I knew, when I left Germany that things would be amazing. And they were! I loved the Casa in Havana, even though it was just one night. Misleydis and Gustavo’s Casa in Trinidad made me feel at home right away. It is a spacious Casa with two terraces to hang out at. They welcomed me into their family, spoke Spanish to me and were very patient with my slow answers. They served a yummy breakfast with fresh fruits and juices. Dinner was always different and superb as well. 

Each morning I walked the short distance to my Spanish class. Juani is a very experienced and lovely teacher. My head spun every day after three hours of intensive Spanish, but I learned a lot and slowly started understanding the people on the street of Trinidad. Later in the day I had my painting class with a young artist. He helped me with painting a painting that I had carried around in my head for years. I was so grateful and happy, when I saw the result. 

All in all I can highly recommend travelling with Experience the Real Cuba, because I felt welcome in all places, got to know the beautiful people of Cuba and I know this was not my last trip.

Thanks Martina for sharing your experiences in Cuba.

EXPERIENCE THE REAL CUBA – SUPPORTING CUBAN BUSINESSES

Experience the Real Cuba offers Casas Particulares in Cuba as well as cultural activities and programs in Cuba supporting local Cuban private businesses.

To find out more about Casas in Cuba and our courses and programs (Spanish lessons, Dance lessons, Music lessons, Photography Experiences, Art & Pottery workshops) check out our website:

www.experiencetherealcuba.com

Painting Workshop - Trinidad, Cuba

Martina & Rances - Painting in Cuba

IS IT EASY TO FIND VEGETARIAN FOOD IN CUBA?

VEGETARIAN FOOD IN CUBA

Being a vegetarian in Cuba isn’t easy.  The first thing many families in Casas offer you is rice and beans, tostones or chicharitas which are nice but maybe you fancy a bit of variety while visiting Cuba. 

Misleydis has a Casa Particular in Trinidad where many of our students stay when they come to study Spanish or take Salsa, Music, Painting or Pottery lessons in Cuba.  She enjoys cooking and most of all likes to offer delicious meals in her Casa Particular.  Vegetarians that I have introduced to Misle have left her home more than happy with their meals often saying it is the best food they have eaten in the whole of Cuba.....some have even said she should open her own restaurant!  During my last visit to Cuba I decided to speak to Misle to see what she thinks about vegetarian food in Cuba.....

Rena - Have you received many vegetarians in your Casa in Trinidad?

Misle - I can’t tell you how many vegetarians have come to my home but there have been quite a few, some vegetarians eat fish whilst others just eat vegetables, everyone is different.

Rena - Do you like cooking vegetarian food?

Misle - I enjoy cooking and I like inventing new dishes but cooking vegetarian food can be quite a challenge in Cuba.  It is difficult finding ingredients and offering a varied menu, especially if I have Spanish students staying in my Casa for a few weeks.  But I try my best to vary the menu as much as possible.

Rena - What do you think of Vegetarian food in Cuba?

Misle – I’m not a vegetarian and I have never been to a vegetarian restaurant so I can’t really say but I know many people have told me that they usually get rice and beans with salad for dinner at most Casa Particulares.  I want to try and offer people something different so they can see that Cuba isn’t only about rice and beans.

Rena - What is your inspiration?

Misle - I want people to feel happy in my home and to enjoy the meals that I carefully prepare for them.  Even though I have a vegetarian cookbook, I cannot find most of the herbs and spices in Cuba listed in the ingredients so I have to re-invent and experiment with what I can find here in Cuba.  You can mostly find onions, peppers and tomatoes in Cuba but when vegetables like carrots or cabbages are available I try to make the most of them and use them in my dishes as much as possible.

Rena - What are the most popular vegetarian dishes that you have made?

Misle - I have made things like spaghetti with stir fried vegetables, arroz pilaf (pilaf rice) made with butter, onion, sometimes with peanuts,  fresh oregano or basil leaves to add a little extra aroma, all depending on whether I can find them.  I sometimes make something like fried dumplings with vegetables and a boiled egg or Tambor de Papa, a Cuban dish usually made with meat, but I make it with mash potato and vegetables, cream of pumpkin or cream of potato soup.  I have also made my own version of an enchilada, inspired by you when you brought me a bag of flour tortillas from Costa Rica once.  I can’t find tortilla’s in Cuba so I make my own version, I fill them with cooked vegetables, I roll them and sprinkle cheese and a tomato sauce on top.  I know it was a favourite of one of our students, she was studying Spanish in Trinidad and she stayed with us a couple of weeks and she said she liked it very much.

Rena - Do you think people are happy with your food?

Misle - I think they are generally happy with my food, they always give me compliments, at least I hope they like my food.

Rena - Is there any ingredient you wish you could have but can’t get in Cuba?

Misle – That’s a difficult question as we don’t get many foods in Cuba.  We sometimes get aubergine (eggplant) in Cuba but not very often.  I would like to cook with aubergine more.  Or maybe vine leaves, I like it when you make me stuffed vine leaves with rice.  When are you going to make it for me again?

Rena –jijijijij....well first we need the vine leaves, but if we can’t get vine leaves, you know we can make stuffed tomatoes instead, it’s a good dish you can make for vegetarians too.  Are there any vegetarian restaurants in Trinidad?

Misle – Many new restaurants have opened in Trinidad, but there are no vegetarian restaurants in Trinidad. 

Rena – Maybe you should open a vegetarian restaurant in Trinidad?

Misle – Maybe one day I will open a vegetarian restaurant in Trinidad, but for now I welcome anyone who is staying in Trinidad to my Casa and try out one of my vegetarian dishes....even if they are not staying in my casa.  I would be happy to hear from any traveller craving something different.

EXPERIENCE THE REAL CUBA – SUPPORTING CUBAN BUSINESSES

Experience the Real Cuba offers Casas Particulares in Cuba as well as cultural activities and programs in Cuba supporting local Cuban private businesses.

To find out more about Casas in Cuba and our courses and programs (Spanish lessons, Dance lessons, Music lessons, Photography Experiences, Art & Pottery workshops) check out our website:

www.experiencetherealcuba.com

Misle & Rena - Trinidad, Cuba

HOW TO PAINT A MASTERPIECE IN CUBA

I always enjoyed Art at school, especially painting and chalk drawings and I always thought I’d keep it up after I left school, but here I am many years later faced with a blank canvass and oil paints wondering where to start!

I had walked into Studio 16 a few days ago hoping to say hi to Rances and find out more about the Painting / Art lessons and I ended up signing up for a 2 day mini course.  Well the best way to find out is to give it a try!

The gallery located in the heart of the historical centre in Trinidad, near the Plaza Mayor, boldly displays a number of his and his fellow Artist’s pieces.  Rances is a Lyrical Abstract Artist, influenced by Impressionism, whom enjoys using vivid colours, however he explains that doesn’t stop him from teaching various techniques and styles.  Rances appreciates that each student has their own vision and style.  The lesson is all about you and your experience and it is his role as the teacher to guide you and help you reach your own personal artistic style and objectives.

So he when he asked me ‘what is your artistic objective?’  I already knew, completely enticed by the abstract art all around me that I too was a follower of the same artistic movement.

Walking through the cobbled streets of Trinidad to the studio for my first lesson, I was a little apprehensive, ‘do I have what it takes?  Will I respond to Rances and his guidance?’  He had asked me to think about colours.  Orange had been my new favourite colour for a while and I knew I wanted to paint a sunset over the ocean; influenced by my Pacific beach days in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica, where I had been blessed with many marvellous sunsets. 

When I arrived at the Studio, timid and uncertain, Rances was there waiting for me, he gently took me through the foundations; the size of the canvass, the position of the horizontal lines, primary and secondary colours, mixing of the colours, light and dark shades, brush techniques on the canvass.....and then he left me alone and allowed me to make the first bold moves without feeling like I was in the spotlight.  ‘Where do I begin?’

Rances would come and go always inspecting the way I was working and giving me additional tips; how to hold the brush, how to mix the colours on the canvass, how to give the perception of distance.  He was an endless source of encouragement.  My insecurities had been forgotten, I became absorbed in my art, still feeling hesitant at times, but not letting it stop me go with my instincts.  By the end of the day I had managed to fill the canvass with colour, I had finished the foundation of my painting.  Rances assured me that the following day I would begin to paint the details of the painting.  Surprisingly pleased with what I had accomplished after a couple of hours, I took a couple of photos so I could show everyone at the casa.

End of Day 1 - Painting Workshop - Cuba

The second day I arrived a little late at the gallery, the English inside of me was trying to rush so as not to be too late, but when I got to the gallery, Rances was nowhere to be seen.  A little while later he strolls into the gallery, completely oblivious of time.  Off course, why did I even think about rushing, this is Cuba!  We picked up where we left off and he explained how to give the painting more definition, making the colours even bolder than the day before.  He told me that a tourist had passed by the gallery after I had left and had enquired about the painting, he proudly told them that it belonged to one of his students!!!! With my new sense of confidence, I continued to follow Rances’s guidance and began to put definition and a sense of distance into the painting.  I was inspired by the sound of passing tourists on the street, the Cuban traditional musicians playing on the street, listening to their beautiful harmonies and was pleasantly greeted by tourists and locals popping into the gallery, having a quick chat, it’s certainly a relaxed atmosphere.

A couple of hours later my master piece was finished.  Even though I had felt nervous at times and unsure of myself and what I was painting, Rances had a calming influence, which gave me the confidence to believe in me and my painting.  Trinidad is certainly an inspiration to me, I only wish I had more time to stay in Trinidad and paint more.  Maybe next time.

Me & My Lyrical Abstract Masterpiece

Donated to my amiga in Trinidad.

EXPERIENCE THE REAL CUBA – SUPPORTING CUBAN BUSINESSES

Experience the Real Cuba offers Casas Particulares in Cuba as well as cultural activities and programs in Cuba supporting local Cuban private businesses.

To find out more about Casas in Cuba and our courses and programs (Spanish lessons, Dance lessons, Music lessons, Photography Experiences, Art & Pottery workshops) check out our website:

www.experiencetherealcuba.com