As I watched a Godfather marathon on television recently, my eyes locked onto the Mercury Montclair Michael Corleone drove while he was in Havana. I thought of the cars I saw while I was there and wondered what the recent announcement that the government is planning to allow Cubans to buy and sell their cars and homes would mean. Would Cubans exchange their iconic cars for much needed foreign currency?...

There are so many places I’d like to visit that I get overwhelmed when I try to choose. Each place has something that appeals to me. For example, although I’m not a good swimmer, I love water and places that have beautiful beaches call me. I discovered recently that I also love the mountains. Mountains capture my imagination and give me a sense of peace so any place that has...

Yes, I have still more photos. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I took nearly 400 photos in just a week walking around Havana. There was that much to see.   Havana’s Coco taxis an eye catching jolt of color that can’t be ignored. Like this post? Subscribe to read more, comment and share. Related Articles Havana Journal: In Cuba, Cigar Lovers Are a Lifeline (nytimes.com)

I love a good cocktail, especially one with a rum base. So when I knew I was going to Havana, I was as excited about going as I was about all the rummy cocktails I knew I’d get to drink. Cuba is, after all, rum country. It’s also home of the mojito, the daiquiri and the Cuba Libre – all made with rum and lime juice, my other favorite ingredient....

Cuba‘s well-known for, among other things, its architecture. However, after 50 years of neglect, many of its now historic buildings are falling apart. Many others struggle to retain their majestic beauty. I can only imagine how splendid these buildings looked back then. We should have stopped at La Floridita for a daiquiri, but didn’t. Previously supporters of the revolution, the Bacardi family left Cuba rather than let the regime nationalize...

A few people have asked me why I went to Cuba. In case you’re one of them, here’s why. To me, Cuba is like the neighbor behind a wall that you hear but you can’t see. In Western Jamaica, where I grew up, from very early on, I could hear Cuba from my house through the sometimes faint, sometimes clear sounds of music and voices in a language I didn’t...

If you’ve been reading my posts about Cuba and would like to travel to that country, there are a few things to keep in mind. Despite the Obama Administration’s recent announcement of further relaxation of the ban on U.S. citizens spending money in Cuba and expanding the number of airports that offer direct flights there, Americans still need special permission from the Office of Foreign Asset Control to enter Cuba....

As we meandered around Havana, these are a few of the things we saw. A few mornings we walked the Malecon, from Vedado, where we were staying. to Old Havana. We’d always see people sweeping the streets and cleaning up in front of their buildings. We were impressed by many of the metal gates, fences and window grills we saw. One of the things that struck us right away was the...

More than anything else, meeting local people who are warm and friendly is what I remember most when I travel. To increase my chances of interacting with locals, I prefer to stay in smaller hotels, guesthouses, Bed & Breakfasts, and when possible, with families. So when my friend, Lett and I decided to visit Havana, there was no question where we’d stay – we chose a B&B or casa particular....

Five years ago, on February 6, 2006, these black flags – 138 of them – each with a white star, were hoisted in Havana to commemorate the lives lost during the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion and several other tragic events the Cuban Government has attributed to the United States. Was it a true commemoration or an attempt to block the illuminated crawling sign on the side of the U.S....