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...

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....