What It's Like To Stay with a Cuban Family (see photos of homes in "Gallery" under the "Trip" link)

Judy and I stayed with Rosita and Juan Navarro Salazar on the fourth floor of Building #417 on 25thStreet (between L and M) in Vedado. They are a lovely couple and we couldn’t have asked for nicer hosts. Juan is the Minister of Public Health in Cuba and since I worked in environmental consulting, it was a nice matchup. Rosita (Rosy) and he are two of the nicest people I have ever met.  Despite the fact that Juan spoke only a little English and Rosy none, we managed to communicate and enjoy each others’ company. Their apartment was very comfortable. Judy and I shared a large bedroom with two beds (one double and one single), a full-sized refrigerator, a locking closet, A/C (for evenings that kept things quite cool), and both an overhead and a standup fan. From my window, I could hear people singing carols on Christmas eve in the nearby Methodist church. The room and full bathroom were both very comfortable and clean, with maid service several times during our stay and Rosy emptying our wastebaskets daily. They had a gorgeous patio overlooking the green trees that are so abundant in Verdado. We loved to eat breakfast on the patio or catch up at day’s end with a glass of wine. For breakfast, Rosita made delicious Cuban coffee and cooked us omelets with toast and sometimes served juice as well. Since they adamantly refused to let us pay for breakfast, we insisted on taking them both out for a lovely dinner that we all enjoyed immensely. Afterwards, Juan drove us to the Hotel Nacional for an evening walk of the beautiful hotel and its enchanting grounds.

 I loved staying in Vedado and would highly recommend it and the pleasure of staying in a casa particulare. While hotels may be more convenient for some, it can’t match up with getting to meet Cubans and experience their lives.  And Verdado is a short cab ride (loved the Coco Cabs) to Old Havana and very close to the harbor/seawall. Our host’s apartment was two blocks from the Hotel Habana, where we could exchange American dollars or Euros for free and a nice walk to the fabulous Hotel Nacional. It was near the university, the elaborate historic cemetery, and a Napoleon museum. Not to mention a bakery with the most exquisite pastries.

 The Salazars apartment was a terrific place to stay. Like so many Cubans I met, they are warm and outgoing people, delighted to have Americans visit them, and couldn’t have done more for us. We arrived on Dec 26, Judy’s birthday and after getting settled went out for dinner with friends. When we got back, Juan and Rosita surprised us and opened up a bottle of pink champagne and gave Judy a lovely ring as a birthday present. After Judy left (several days ahead of me), Rosita even invited me to dinner several times though because of previous commitments I couldn’t join them. Such wonderful people. Towards the end of my trip, Rosita and I spent the day in Central Havana and we had a lovely lunch on our way back. Please do encourage people to bring gifts for their families as, even though those renting are in better shape than many Cubans, because of the embargo, they have difficulty getting simple things, like baby powder, paper products, duct tape, pens, bug or skin ointments, cold medicine, etc.  I left all my extras as did Judy and all my medicine and they were so appreciative. Judy gave Rosita a striped shirt. The last day when it poured (I was loving the cool), Rosita was so chilly and then happily put on the shirt Judy had gifted her to stay warm. We have been communicating by email (thanks to my Spanish translating niece) and I look forward to staying with them again. Couldn’t recommend anyone more highly!

Loved, loved every minute of it and will go back again to explore more of Cuba.  (Photo and narrative by Meris C. Delli-Bovi, Boulder, Colorado)