Uncategorised
.
08 May 2024
.
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is the largest Island nation in the Caribbean. It consists of the main and biggest island of Island de la Juventud and several archipelagos. It has its capital city in Havana. The country is tropical and mostly flat with mountains in the southeast. Cuba is known for quite a number of things chief of which are its exotic music, cocktails, and spectacular cigars. The best tobacco grows in Cuba and cigar making is more than a job for the Cubans, it is an art.
Cuba has a consistently warm and temperate climate with a dry season from November to April and a rainy season from May to October. The entire country has a semitropical climate except in the mountains. Cuba frequently experiences droughts and visitors should avoid the country during the hurricane season (August and October). It is best to visit Cuba from December to May.
Cuba was home to several groups of indigenous people before Christopher Columbus touched down on its land. Now, it is about 64% white, 26.6% Mixed (including Mulattos, Mestizos, Zambos, Pardos), and 9.3% black. The official language in Cuba is Spanish. The country has a very rich culture at the centre of which is their famous music. Music genres such as Salsa, Rumba, cha cha cha all originate from Cuba's "Son" music. Cuba has no official religion but Roman Catholicism is the most practiced.
Cuban cuisine is a curious fusion of Spanish and Caribbean cuisines. It basically consists of a lot of Spanish cooking with Caribbean influences especially in spice and flavour. Dominant spices in Cuban cuisine are garlic, cumin, oregano, bay leaves. Staple foods are plantains, rice, black beans, shredded beef (ropa vieja), bread, and tropical fruits.
Cuba is an exotic country known to pleasantly assault the senses. It has quite a lot of touristy locations. A few of them are:
- Havana: The capital city of Cuba is bristling with life, music, and colour. Here the locals are friendly, the culture is very pronounced, and it feels like everywhere you turn, there's a live band performing. Havana is the best place to discover Cuba and its culture.
- Trinidad: This city can only be bested by Havana when it comes to encapsulating the history and culture of Cuba. The Old Town section of Trinidad is UNESCO heritage listed as a Monument. It's narrow, cobbled streets can only be reached by foot or on horseback! Carts are also a means of transportation. Small, colourful houses line the idyllic streets.
- Vinales: Vinales is a small town with a huge influence over Cuba as a whole. Remember those famous Cuban cigars? Well the tobacco for some of the biggest cigar brands in Cuba like Cohiba, Cuaba, Montecristo is grown here. The best tobacco in Cuba grows in Vinales. The town epitomizes regional Cuban life.
- Veradero: Veradero is a very famous beach location in Cuba. The beaches are some of the best in the Caribbean with beautiful white sand and pristine waters. Also, more than 50 hotels line these sand beaches.
When viewing Cuba from the air, the entire country looks like a lying crocodile or alligator hence the Spanish name "El Crocodrilo" or "El Caimo".
There are thousands of hotels in Cuba making accommodation of any standard pretty easy to cinch.
