A year later, moi pal, Bacolod’s numero uno jetsetter and Paris- educated Edouard Garcia and moi were part of a media groupie invited to cruise around the Caribbean by Baron Travel agency on that world-class cruise liner, the Royal Caribbean. On our way back to Miami, we cruised by Havana. We were so close, we could clearly see the city lights. Moi then said we had to go there soon before it was spoiled by outsiders.
Last summer, while debating with Monte Carlo-based banker Eduardo "Nene" Lacson over where to spend New Year 2002, moi suggested Cuba for the heck of it. Well, dahlings, that suggestion turned into a go signal.
Nene scanned the Internet for places to stay and see in Cuba. By October, Nene and moi had reserved a gorgeous Art Deco-designed house in Cuba. It had five bedrooms and was available at a give-away price (compared to the outrageous fees in other hotels and resorts worldwide), palanggas.
Everything was set. The French Connection left for Havana on Christmas day while moi left the next day on that tres chic and dependable Air France for Paris. There, moi got a connecting Air France flight to Cuba.
Moi had a superb 14-hour straight flight. The way the stewards and flight attendants pampered moi, moi didn’t even notice how fast the hours flew.
An excellently prepared dinner was served when we reached the cruising altitude of 37,000 feet. Our meal began with hors d’oeuvres followed by three choices for the main course, a sinful selection on a cheese platter, and a calorific French dessert.
Naturellement, moi chose the absolutely delicious chicken dish. Apres, moi went through three of the six choice movies before moi took a little shut-eye.
An altogether pleasant flight has always been Air France’s credo, dahlings. The airline has even mounted phones in seats in the Business and Economy sections. In the former, your seat can recline almost all the way down. They also have lots of leg room and space, and there are only two seats to a row.
Air France also has a bar and a buffet of Asian noodles, sandwiches, cookies, and baskets of dried and fresh fruits, palanggas, for anytime you get hungry.
Before moi knew it, we were landing at Paris’ gorgeous Charles de Gulles Airport. Stepping into the Terminal building at 6:30 a.m., moi felt a refreshing blast of winter-cold air.
Moi waved "thank you" to the attendants standing by the doorway of our Airbus A330. Apres a couple of hours at Air France’s Business Class lounge, moi boarded Air France’s 747-400 aircraft for Havana, Cuba. To moi shock – and delight – the flight was full in both the Economy and Business classes. Moi couldn’t believe the number of tourists going to Cuba! No wonder Air France has – take note, dahlings – seven (yes, seven!) daily flights to Havana in their 747-400s.
The 10-hour flight seemed a lot shorter. An excellent dinner was served as usual, with unmatchable wines.
After watching more movies and sleeping a bit, we were served another hearty meal. Now, if that ain’t pampering, then I don’t know what "pampering" means.
At 8:30 p.m. Havana time, we landed right on schedule at Havana’s International Airport. Moi had to pinch myself to make sure moi was really in Cuba. All I could say was "Wow!", palanggas.
To my delight, the airport was absolutely ultra-modern. It reminded moi so much of Vancouver’s International Airport.
Nene L. had made arrangements with a local travel agency to take care of moi upon moi arrival. A sultry airport representative wearing a mini-skirt breezed me through Immigrations and Customs. A car then brought moi to the house which our groupie would call home for 18 glorious days.
The house stands on Havana’s once-upon-a-time chic-kiest district now called Vedado. Today the palatial homes with 10 to 18 bedrooms are still there, with four or five familles living commune-style in them since the Revolution. The previous owners now live in Miami or other Latin countries.
Since moi arrived at the house at around 10:30 p.m., Bacolod social columnist and world traveler Edouard G. kept me company. Moi just wanted to chill out in our beautiful Art Deco home. It had four huge bedrooms with air-conditioners (which we didn’t need during those chilly nights); TV sets; a fridge; and private bathrooms.
We also had a great cook; a lavandera and a plantsadora who picked up our clothes each morning and had them hanging in our huge closets by 6:30 p.m.; a housemaid who changed the bed sheets and towels daily; and a tall Mulatto security guard. All these at – hold your breath – only $150 a day, breakfast included, mind you. We divided the sum among the five of us. Not bad, huh? Not bad at all!
Apres a great night’s rest, moi explored Havana. Cuba boasts classic Caribbean landscapes complete with swaying palms and gorgeous beaches, and a multifaceted musical culture which is Latin and African in its roots.
Intertwined with this heady mix are the laws and practices imposed by one of the world’s last communist regimes led by "El General" Fidel Castro.
The United Nations regards Cuba as "excellent" for its fantastic distribution of income. It provides its citizens free health, dental and maternity care. There is also a free University educational system that sends scholars abroad to other once-upon-a-time communist countries for graduate studies.
A visitor will notice immediately that Cuba’s streets – even in the more depressed areas – are super clean. No garbage, no litter, no beggars at all. Best of all, the crime rate is less than one percent, would you believe (with the exception of petty pick-pockets now and then)?
No wonder tourists from all over the world are flocking to Cuba. So much so that since 1998, the country has a gross income of a cool $1.8 billion from tourism alone. Now, palanggas, we and Dick Gordon better start learning what magic Cuba has which we haven’t!
We started the day bright and early by going to Old Havana. We walked all over the place because you can get to know a city better by walking among its people in the streets.
La Havana Vieja (Old Havana) is fantastic and so interesting. The city’s buildings have gorgeous columns, imposing entrances and arcades with multicolored glasses.
Another thing that will thrill you about Havana is its music. The streets are alive with Latin music. It amazed me how music serves as a backdrop to daily life. The minute you enter a taxi or one of those eye-catching American cars of the ’50s and ’60s, the driver will always turn on the radio even before he says "Buenas dias" or "Buenos noche."
At the old city’s huge square is the famous Palace of the Captain Generals. This housed the Spanish government from its inauguration in 1791 until 1898 when Spain lost sovereignty over the island.
You will also find in this square a book market where you can browse through rare works of famous local and international authors.
Also in the tres interesting old city is the Hostal Valencia, installed as a noble house in the 17th century. It has been beautifully renovated with only 12 elegant rooms. It is known for its highly personalized service and also boasts the best resto specializing in paellas in the entire city.
Stopping for a late lunch at the picturesque Plaza de la Cathedral was an experience. Seats under umbrellas stretched out into the plaza. Rhythmic music from a live band filled the air as we have lunch in what used to be the House of the Marquis de Lombillo. It has a picture-pretty courtyard leading to the three-storey edifice now housing the Education Museum.
More surprises awaited us apres lunch as we walked to the world famous Ambos Mundos Hotel. A cult of sorts in Havana, it was Ernest Hemingway’s base during his endless visits to Cuba after 1932. He always stayed on the fifth floor’s Room 511, from where he could see the goings-on at the Plaza de la Cathedral, part of the port, and some of the city’s oldest roofs,
It was here that Hemingway wrote some of his finest pieces particularly those describing fishing in the Gulf Stream. Among them were the best-selling Great Blue River and the final draft of For Whom The Bell Tolls. He later wrote The Old Man and The Sea. His works won for him the Nobel Prize for Literature. Havana was his favorite home and he was a friend of Fidel Castro. Three years apres the Revolution he returned to the US and in 1961 shot himself to death in Idaho.
Apres a dinner of okra and chicken bola-bola soup; to-die-for black beans called Frijoles Negros dormidos; Pescado Asado a la Cubana; Carne Mechada a la Cacerola; and the calorific dessert coco rallado and dulce de papaya excellently prepared by our creative cook at home, it was time to boogie!
Loads of action take place after sunset in Havana’s bars, discos and clubs which are alive and kicking with music, dahlings. Just walk around and you’ll be bombarded with musical sounds from people pumping up the volumes of their house radios or amateur groups hanging out in parks.
If you like such impromptu musical treats, then you’ll love the Malecon (similar to our Roxas Blvd.) apres sunset. Havana’s eye-catching seashore road turns into the city’s largest communal living room featuring salsa music, rumba, or anything with a pulsating Latin beat.
While in Havana, it’s a must to go to the world-famous Tropicana where you’ll experience the typical Cuban perversity, one of the greatest examples of pre-Revolutionary decadence.
Opened in 1931 and hailed as the biggest night club in the world, The Tropicana has played host to legends like Nat King Cole; Maurice Chevalier; Josephine Baker; Robert de Niro; Jack Nicholson; plus, plus. You name it, they’ve been there.
The 20-piece band gives a mighty cue for the grand procession of – take note – 200 tall, super gorgeous Mulatto dancers wearing sequined dental-floss bikinis and chandelier-shaped headdresses. They sashay through a full range of popular Cuban dance music.
This musical extravaganza is absolutely, infectiously sexy. Tickets can be booked at hotel tour desks or Havanatur. In case of rain, don’t worry; tickets may be refunded or exchanged for another date. The prices: $65 to $85, including snack and wine; $75 to $95, including dinner; and $5 supplement for cameras.
There are also great dining places in Cuba, palanggas. It’s just a matter of choosing a resto. Most restos charge in dollars while hotel restos accept credit cards. The golden rule: Check the prices of menus. Always take enough dollars for your meals and remember, no US credit cards. Even those issued by a bank associated with an American bank are not accepted anywhere in Cuba because of the US embargo.
We had an excellent meal at the famous La Guarida Restaurante in Old Havana which is open until midnight. The renowned movie, Fresa y Chocolate ("Strawberry and Chocolate") was filmed here.
Family communes live in the first two floors of what once a mansion. But the resto on the third floor has been beautifully renovated. There are photos all over the walls of royalty and world celebrities who have dined there. In fact, I’ve sat on the same spot where Spain’s Queen Sofia sat with her party when they had dinner there. (For reservations call tel. no. 624940).
El Aljibe is one of moi fave Havana restos. It caters to diplomats, business people, and nouveau riche urbanites (yes dahlings, there is a steadily-growing NR class), and tourists. This is the best state-run resto serving creole food.
Their specialty is the chicken dish which moi couldn’t get enough of. It was simply yummy. Other dishes include all the rice you can eat, black beans, salad, fried bananas and French fries. Oh yes, banana (fried, boiled and flattened, then dusted with a little flour and fried) and banana chips elicit the most orders. (For inquiries call tel. no. 241583).
As for La Julia, don’t let this hole in the wall fool you. Here we enjoyed one of the city’s best home-cooking. It’s found in a pretty house with a front room which is more like a lounge. The food tastes so good, damn it! They also have a decent wine list although one can never rely on that because of the country’s supply problems. It is open from 12 a.m. to 12 midnight (tel. no. 627438; reservation is a must). (To be continued)