POTTERY IN CUBA

At EXPERIENCE THE REAL CUBA we can organise pottery workshops with one of Trinidad’s most renowned and talented families.  The family have maintained a tradition of pottery over many years and have passed down their secrets from one generation to another, working with clay on the wheel.

Their dedication and talent has received much attention over the last 60 years.  Not only do they have a successful workshop visited by many people wanting to purchase their items, they have also received many awards at Havana’s Feria Internacional de Arte (FIART).  In 2007, UNESCO awarded the family with a special prize in honour of their special family tradition; the master craftsman.

   

They have given courses in ceramics both in Cuba and abroad and they also have developed workshops aimed at local school children.  If you have an interest in taking part in a ceramics workshop, learning about the basics of ceramics, how to create your own pieces, contact us at EXPERIENCE THE REAL CUBA.

CHRISTMAS IN CUBA

On the menu in Cuba

Have you ever heard a pig squeal?  With a bag over it’s head and carried out of the home into the unknown, the pig will kick and struggle and you can hear it’s cry sounding all around the neighbourhood.  The first time I heard it, I thought, ‘what the hell is that?’, but now the sound has become familiar and accepted, it’s a sign of a Cuban celebration; a birthday, Christmas, New Year.  

All year round Cubans will collect their scraps in a slosh bucket, ‘sancocho’, and it is someone’s job to come and collect it every few days to feed the pig in which they have a stake.  Usually, family members will buy a piglet amongst themselves and feed it all year round ready for Christmas or New Year celebrations.  

Christmas in Trinidad, Cuba with the family usually means a family meal on Christmas Eve.  As they are not very religious, Christmas Day is just like any other day, but New Year’s Eve is when the party begins, it’s a day-long fiesta!!!!  

Draught Beer in Cuba

My New Year’s Eve experience in Trinidad, I arrived to find that the family had hired a beer pump with easy access to refreshing cold beer all day long, and the family pig roasting slowly in the garden.  People from the neighbourhood & friends passing by all day long with warm wishes, and a quick drink to toast in the new-year; it was like Piccadilly Circus!

Then the family would arrive and the feast would begin, by which time I was already feeling merry, and full from picking at food all-day long.  There’s only so much beer I can take, so I crack open a bottle of rum and the dancing begins into the early hours of the new-year.  

Feliz Año Nuevo, amigos mios, I will miss you this year!

Typical Cuban Meal Fiestas

New Year Celebrations Trinidad, Cuba 2006

CUBA VOLTAGES

What type of power converter should I take to Cuba?

The voltage in most Casa Particulares in Cuba is 110V, but you may find that they have a secret outlet, connected to an air-con machine somewhere in the house which is 220V.

Don't ask me how this works, I don't even understand it myself, but one time I had trouble charging an i-pod, it wouldn't charge in the socket in the bedroom, where I have charged countless numbers of mobile phones or cameras.  How can this be?  Just when you think you know how things work in Cuba, something comes along to test you.

I took it to my family, and Gustavo unplugged the air-con unit in the bedroom and stuck the i-pod charger in it, and hey, it worked!  Off course he tried to explain about voltages and the reason it wouldn't work in the other sockets in the house, but I had to admit, I couldn't get my head round it.  I was just happy it worked.

I've always been the kind of person that has tried to work things out on my own, refusing to ask for help.  But if there is one thing I have learned during my travels, especially in Cuba, if you don't know, ask, it's definitely the best policy.

In any case, coming from the UK or Central America, I usually take both a 2 pin flat head and a 2 pin round head adaptor and that usually works for most chargers that are coming from the UK.  I take both as you never know, but mostly I have used the 2 pin flat head adaptor in most Casas in Cuba.

Check out this information on Tripadvisor, but remember it mostly refers to hotel rooms and not Casa Particulares.

EXPLORING LA HABANA

La Habana is a fascinating place and the best way to get to know the city, the people, the culture, the do’s & don’ts is to have someone show you around and answer all your questions.  We can recommend an excellent local guide that can walk you around la Habana and charm you with all the splendours that it has to offer.  A typical itinerary includes visits to:

• The 4 most important Plazas of la Habana; de La Catedral, de Armas, Vieja, de San Francisco and it's surrounding areas
• Capitolio
• Parque Central
• Paseo del Prado
• La Avenida del Puerto
• Calle Obispo
• Malecón Habanero
• Avenidas Monserrate y Zulueta

The guide will also walk you around some non-touristy areas of la Habana, talk to you about the most common scams of Cuba and how to avoid them etc, this will give you a good starting point and make your stay all the more enjoyable.   Contact us for more details.

Capitolio & la Habana Vieja

MUSIC LESSONS IN CUBA

Are you a secret musician dieing to let your creativity burst free? Cuba is the perfect place to explore your musical talent. Come to Trinidad, Cuba and learn to play the Tumbadora (Congos), Maracas, Guiro, Clave, Chequere or the Bongo with David López Garabito.

David is truly talented, he has a wonderful gift which he loves to share with others. His talent has been noticed by others, so much so, that he has been invited to Canada on numerous occassions to give concerts and teach Cuban music.

Don´t miss out on the opportunity to learn from this Master Percussionist, experience true Cuban musical culture with a professional musician dedicated to giving you an experience you will cherish forever.

IS TRINIDAD BY THE BEACH?

Being close to the beach, well about 10km, was one of the reasons I chose to study Spanish in Trinidad, Cuba.  When I set foot on Playa Ancon beach for the first time, I couldn’t believe my eyes.  My checklist for an ideal beach was pretty much covered:

• gorgeous aquamarine waters
• perfect temperature - warm enough for me to bathe in (me and cold water do not agree)
• crystal clear – excellent, that way I can see if anything is coming to bite me
• soft white sand – feels good on the feet and looks good enough to eat (like vanilla ice-cream)
• a beach bar – food & drink is always essential
• trees on the beach – having shade is always a bonus
• sun-beds & umbrellas – for those who don’t mind paying a little extra for some additional comfort

It’s easy enough to get from Trinidad to Playa Ancon, hop on the tourist Trinibus or try and share the taxi fare with someone.  The Trinibus is a hop-on-hop off service but the final dropping off point is beside the Hotel Playa Ancon.  There are a couple of hotels on the beach, but don’t let that put you off, you still have pretty much 4km of beautiful beach to yourself, especially if you take a stroll away from the hotels, but then you might not find so much shade.

http://www.experiencetherealcuba.com/trinidad-2/beach

RANDOM CASA PARTICULAR INSPECTIONS

“Quick, quick, hide!!!!!”, my casa’s 8 year old daughter came running over to me while I was sweeping the leaves from the mango and advocado trees in the back garden, still in my pyjamas. “Where?”, I think out aloud and we both look towards the tiny outdoor bathroom used by the family. So in I get and lock the door behind me from the inside. It’s probably the first time I have had a good look at their bathroom, and it’s tiny and less flashy in comparison to the one used by the tourists inside the house.

I had no clue what was actually going on, but I had an idea that it could be a random house inspection. They are always a threat to a casa particular in Cuba. Whilst hiding in the bathroom, starting to feel a little claustrophobic, my casa’s father is at the door, talking to the Inspectors, he invites them in, he has the gift of the gab, and is always the joker, but he has no clue where I am or that his family were sneaking around the house trying to hide my belongings; my backpack was being thrown out the bedroom window by one of his 8 year old twins, whilst the other one carries it across the garden and over the wall. His wife is in the bedroom, throwing the washing over the bed and is calmly re-folding the clothes when the Inspector and her husband walk by. The Inspector didn’t even bat an eye-lid!

Luckily I hadn’t unpacked my stuff totally, probably conscious that I was actually staying in the casa particular illegally. Amidst the madness they receive a telephone call from the UK, it is my mother asking to speak to me, she is told to call back in 10 minutes without giving an explanation as to where I actually am.

After what felt like an eternity, the Inspector leaves without finding me and they come rescue me from my hiding place in the bathroom. Everyone laughs in relief and makes a joke but we are all shaken, it was a close shave. These random monthly inspections send everyone nerves all over the place, more so that particular month than others as I am staying in their casa particular illegally.

Casa particulars in Cuba have a license to rent a room to tourists and they are required to pay a monthly fee of approx. $200 CUC, depending on how many rooms they rent out and the location of the casa particular. During the low season, some casa particulars take a 3 month reprieve from having a tourist license and switch to having a license to rent out rooms to Cuban tourists only. The monthly fee is considerably less, however foreign tourists are not permitted to stay in these casa particulars.

However, this coincided with one of my visits and being a member of the family now, they still welcomed me into their home, in fact they would have been hurt if I didn’t stay with them, even if it was a bit risky. But off course the problem now is in our eyes I’m no longer a tourist, I’m their long lost cousin!!!!! Regardless of that, I was still illegal in their casa particular.

June 2009

INITIATION OF A 'SANTO'

24 June 2010

There are many reasons why a person would choose to become a ‘santo’, but a friend of mine has decided to follow this path purely for health reasons.

This is the week of his initiation, where he has to live in the house of ‘Ifa’, the head of the ‘santos’ and whom has the power to initiate you in becoming a ‘santo’. In preparation for this special week, he has had to buy white clothing and food to serve to the saints, snacks and dinner for visitors of the house during the week. He has also been given an African name, ‘Yabo’, which he has to adopt for 1 year, we can not call him by the name in which we have always known him as, not until the 1 year is over when he reverts back to his original name.

During the week he can only wear white clothing, his friends and family can visit him but can not touch him, he sleeps on the floor on a straw mat, he has to cover his head with a white towel when he leaves the room to use the bathroom and he wears five beaded necklaces, the longest is white and represents the saint dedicated to health, the others all with their specific colour are also dedicated to the saints in which he has chosen to follow.

Yesterday he was baptized completely naked in a river close by to Trinidad, just him and ‘Ifa’ were present. Today at the house of ‘Ifa’ there was a ‘toque’ ‘ceremony’; percussion instruments and singing for each African saint. He was dressed up like a prince in pure white satin clothing and a white crown with silver trimming. However, he is not allowed to look at himself in the mirror and I wasn’t allowed to take photos, so unfortunately he will never know how impressive he looked, ‘que lindo!’. In fact, he is not allowed to look at himself in the mirror for 3 months, so he has to turn his head away from any mirrors that he passes.

During the 1 year he has to continue wearing only white clothing, he has to sit on the floor whilst eating his meals and if he passes another ‘santo’ on the street or anywhere he must greet them by falling to the ground as if he is about to do a press up, the ‘santo’ will touch him on the shoulders, lift him back up to his feet, and with their hands crossed over their chest they make contact with their shoulders first left on left and then right on right. Must be a nightmare for washing those white clothes!

There are some advantages for the girlfriend, she can finally have control over the finances, as within the 1st 3 months, ‘Yabo’ can not handle money and during the 1st year he is not allowed to sleep in the same bed as her while she is menstruating, yep she has the chance to kick him to the floor, where he must sleep.

I also met Santiago at the ceremony he has now completed his 1st year of being a ‘santo’, he spends 2 days with ‘Yabo’ at the house of ‘Ifa’ and at the end he passes ‘el baton’ to ‘Yabo’ and he can progress to the next stage of ‘Santeria’. In order to progress to the next stage, there must be someone for you to pass ‘el baston’ to, if not you continue wearing the white clothes!!!!

In order to become a ‘santo’, it is not cheap, this surprised me I thought it would be free!!!! ‘Que loco!’, how crazy is that!!!!!!!! But hey, it’s a personal choice and maybe it’s an investment worth taking, if it’s for the good of your health.

TRACKTOR-ISTA!!!!!

I had this fantasy of hitch-hiking my way around Cuba travelling on the back of a lorry / tractor / horse drawn cart. When I told my Cuban family this, they thought I was crazy, ‘que loca’, it is seen as the most inconvenient, uncomfortable means of transport, but for most it is the only or best option. They ask me ‘where’s the romance in travelling this way?’

Nevertheless, without them even knowing it, they have made my dream possible. On numerous trips to El Pilon waterfalls, about 45 minutes outside of Trinidad, we have managed to travel by nearly every method possible; motorbike with side car, you can picture me in the side car with my bright red helmet. The Polski, which is like a tardis and fits the whole family. The back of a lorry, the motorbike was available but I couldn’t resist hitching a ride back to town with the locals. And finally by tractor, ‘lo que falta’, what is missing is horse-back riding, maybe next time, just need to find a man with a horse!

Our journey by tractor is the most impressive yet, we set off early morning with our gasoline, packed lunch and drinks and walked to an agreed meeting point. From here we jumped on our chariot and went in search of other family members, waving at people on the street as we pass by, holding on tight for our lives as we bump up and down on the cobbled streets.

Once we were all fully loaded up, at least 10 of us in the chariot, but still plenty of space to pick up a hitch-hiker or 2, we start our journey through the beautiful countryside towards la Sierra del Escambray mountains, stopping to buy some ‘ciruelas’ or ‘plums’ at a ‘campesino’ house, not quite like the ones I am used to back in the UK, small green, some with a bitter taste and others more ripened, quite sweet.

After about a 45 minute crazy / bumpy ride standing in our chariot with the sun pouring down on us, hands stiff from holding tight to our chariot, we set off for a 30 minute walk through the shady mountains to reach our destination; El Pilon waterfalls.

How inviting, we had it completely to ourselves, an unopened bottle of rum is thrown into the water, that way we have no choice but to jump into the water, find the bottle and enjoy! The water is clear and refreshing and perfect for a hot Sunday relaxing with the family. Without a care in the world we swim, joke, have a snooze, eat our supplies and return to meet our chariot at the pre-arranged time.

Finally our chariot arrives and we return to Trinidad, exhausted, lazy and hungry so we go to a peso restaurant for dinner before heading home.

experiencetherealcuba

It's all about Cuba!!!!! Nearly 4 years ago, I quit my job, left my life in London behind, flew to Cuba and I have never looked back.

For 1 month I lived in Trinidad, Cuba with a family, took Spanish lessons and salsa classes and I had the most amazing experience. It truly is a magical place that has found it's way into my heart; full of charm, culture, struggle and romance.

I grew very close to the family and I am now part of my Cuban family, 'la prima', 'the cousin', that keeps going back for more. They allowed me into their lives and shared the real Cuba with me. The trials & tribulations in a world where nothing is straightforward, logical or as it seems. As most people say 'no es facile', 'it's not easy', but if nothing else it is fascinating and even with it's difficulties, it is where I want to be.

In the last 3 years I have lived and worked in Central America and I have just finished my contract as a Tour Leader. In this time I have taken every opportunity to return to my 'querida', 'beloved' Cuba. I have shared my experiences / stories of Cuba with almost every person that has crossed my path, I can't help it, Cuba has become part of me. This has wet their appetite and most of them now want to have a Cuban experience of their own.

Cuba has become my home away from home, it still continues to amaze me and together with my Cuban family I want to help others have a truly amazing experience, just like I did.

This is just the beginning, I am not planning on becoming an 'all singing all dancing' web company offering language schools across the world, no, no, no. I am just going to start small, fairly informal, a family / locally run business, promoting Trinidad, Cuba.

'Soy Trinitaria', 'I am from Trinidad', with my local knowledge and contacts I will be providing a service to you guys out there interested in experiencing the real Cuba. I can help organise home stays, spanish lessons, salsa classes, music lessons, ceramic classes.....you tell me what you're interested in and I will see what I can do.

Watch this space as the website unfolds.......but in the meantime feel free to contact me. I am currently in Costa Rica, due to visit Cuba on the 18th June.