White sandy beaches, ice-cold mojitos and the hypnotic sounds of salsa beckon on the beautiful island of Cuba: report by Sureka Fernando
There is no place like it on earth: stuck in a time warp under Castro's rule, it is in many ways the most extraordinary, wonderful, chaotic and contradictory place you will ever visit. In the crumbled glory of Havana, magnificent buildings rub shoulders with derelict ruins, old Cuban women while away hours smoking fat cigars in open doorways and men of all ages play dominoes in the street. The warmth, friendliness and lust for life of the locals immediately grabs you, yet it seems strangely at odds with the suffocating poverty of the country.
Under Castro's watchful eye, Cuba has a great sense of nostalgia and is not quite ready for tourism. English is not widely spoken and at least some knowledge of Spanish is useful. Expect to waste a bit of time too - bureaucracy is notoriously slow and chaotic and the simplest task of changing travellers' cheques can be a challenge. Nevertheless, this will soon pale into insignificance when you find yourself surveying the breathtaking scenery, basking in the sun - the island has a year-round temperature of around 25°C - and swaying to the intoxicating sounds of salsa and son which can be found on almost every street corner in Havana.
For first-time visitors to Cuba, Cactus Language presents an excellent way of experiencing the country, offering one or two-week packages of Spanish and Salsa courses together with accommodation with a host family in Havana, Trinidad or Santiago de Cuba. For the lone traveller especially, this offers an ideal blend of independence and the opportunity to meet the locals as well as other travellers who embark on the course.
I decided on a two-week stay in Havana and, on arriving at my host family's home in Vedado, the university quarter of Havana, I was given a traditional Cuban welcome: the family flung their arms around me as if I was their long-lost daughter.
My room was basic but comfortable, with an en suite shower, desk and good fan. Every morning, breakfast of fresh tropical fruit, bread, an omelette and tea or coffee was served to me with a sunny smile. And included in the price was traditional Cuban dinner consisting generally of rice, beans, a meat course and a salad. For those who are fussy eaters or who value their freedom and privacy, staying with a host family may come as a bit of a culture shock.
Cuban cooking can be unappetising and you are unlikely to get the same levels of privacy as you would in a hotel. My particular host family, being protective of a young woman travelling alone, tended to want to know where I was going and what time I'd be back. That said, staying in a host family or casa particular is the best way of gelling closer to the country's culture as you find yourself integrated into Cuban family life, far away from the sterile impersonality of hotels.
I found myself gelling dressed in the dark when there was a power cut (a frequent problem in Cuba), getting my hair coloured by a family member and having their adorable little Cuban boy constantly running up to me for hugs and demanding that I entertained him - all unforgettable experiences you are unlikely to find in a hotel. And, of course, it provides the perfect opportunity to practise what you have learnt in your Spanish lessons.
Cactus Language, a language specialist, offers tuition of excellent quality from friendly and helpful teachers. As a complete beginner, it was a huge challenge to be taught entirely in Spanish but I did find my grasp of the language improving at break-neck speed. Moreover, the teachers appreciate that you are on holiday and that you are there predominantly to see Cuba, so there was no reproach for not studying in between lessons.
The salsa lessons are aimed mainly at beginners and will quickly have you shaking your hips to the sensual sounds of Cuban music. And you don't have to worry about having two left feet - the teachers are friendly, ultra-patient and adept at helping tourists lose their Anglo-Saxon reserve.
A word of warning though; don't expect your lessons (or anything else for that matter!) to run on time. The entire country operates on a 'mañana mañana' principle and Cuban's attitude to time is very casual. However, taken with humour and a laid-back approach, you will find that the easygoing, slightly chaotic nature of Cuba holds its own distinctive charm. In the evenings, groups of Cactus Language students gathered to go to the world-famous cabaret, Club Tropicana - a sight to behold as much for the opulent costumes as for the stunning acrobatic dancing - or to take a stroll down to the Malecón. Presenting a colourful slice of Cuban life, Havana's famous seafront boulevard is usually frequented by Habaneras, Bohemian musicians, Rastafarians, a motley crew of travellers and anyone else looking for a party.
Other unmissable sights include the majestic Plaza de la Catedral in Old Havana, the stunning palm-fringed beach of Santa Maria del Mar (a 15-minute drive from Havana) and the spectacular firing of the canon at the ancient fortress of El Morro.
As I hugged and kissed my host family goodbye on my last day, there were tears in my eyes and I was told that I was not the first who had no desire to leave this beautiful, sun-kissed island with all its wonders and idiosyncrasies.
Factfile:
• Cactus Language offers Cuban Spanish and Salsa holidays in Havana, Trinidad and Santiago de Cuba.
• Prices for Havana are £379 for one week and £629 for two weeks with half-board accommodation in a host family, 20 hours of Spanish lessons a week, and five hours of salsa lessons a week. (NB: Spanish lessons are advertised as 'mini group' and salsa classes are advertised as 'individual' but in reality both can vary).
• International flights and airport transfers are not included.
• For more information, call 0845 130 4775 or visit www.cactuslanguage.com