Cruising World - June 2018

june/july 2018

cruisingworld.com

46

drug-sniffi ng dogs — all of whom were very polite.

Afterward, we each had our picture taken and passport stamped

(if we wanted). As I walked back to the boat from the customs

offi ce, I noticed an odd little statue. A fi gure of an animal that re-

sembled a gopher or a giant guinea pig stood about 3 feet high

right on the seawall. I climbed back aboard and mentioned it to

Jon, who was next for his passport stamping. Jon might not know

more Spanish than I do, but he’s defi nitely more confi dent, so

he had no trouble asking someone on the dock about the signif-

icance of the statue. “Ahhh ... ratón. It’s a very important animal

here in Cuba, and very good to eat,” was apparently the reply. Jon

relayed this surprising answer to me, and at fi rst I didn’t believe

him (thinking his translation might be off). But after reading in my

guidebook a bit, I learned that, indeed, a large rodent, technical-

ly a hutia, was once hunted for food. Or the dock guy might have

been messing with us.

Marina Hemingway is huge and unlike any marina I’ve been to

before. Instead of docks and slips, boats side-tie along four ca-

nals. For the most part, each dock space has electricity and water,

though the conditions of the concrete docks vary, so we heeded

advice and used plenty of fenders. Once we secured Quince Amor

and raised our Cuban courtesy fl ag, it hit me that we were actually

in Cuba.

When I think of Cuba, certain images tend to come

immediately to mind: rum and cigars, Che and Fidel, crumbling

old Havana and, of course, the classic cars, all with tunes from

the Buena Vi sta Social Club playing in the background. Cliché, I

know. I had assumed before we arrived that we’d probably see all

of these things, but I wasn’t prepared for how much. I’d thought

that the old American cars would be few and far between, so I

was fl oored when I spotted one zooming by right after we’d tied

up. Turns out, they are everywhere, in all their pieced-together,

noxious diesel-fumed glory (most of the original gas engines have

long since been replaced).

It was already late in the day, and we were all eager to get off the

boat to explore and hopefully fi nd dinner. Our rally organizers had

suggested that crews eat aboard their boats that fi rst night, but

we were feeling adventurous, and David said he knew of a small

place nearby that would be perfect. Marina Hemingway is outside

of Havana proper and within walking distance of a neighborhood

called Jaimanitas. I have an absolute love of Cuban cuisine, so

local fare was very much on my mind. After a few wrong turns,

David thought he found the right

place, though there was no longer

a restaurant there. We walked for a

few more blocks, then came across a

small paladar that looked promising.

The streets we were wandering down

weren’t the type that were frequent-

ed by tourists, and the neighborhood

restaurant we stopped at was really

nothing more than maybe six tables

and a counter, with locals coming in

and out. Green, David, Sandy, Jon and

I found a table and ordered Cristal, a

Cuban beer. The meal was simple and

affordable, and perfect for our fi rst

night in Cuba. After we had been there

for a little while, a man walked in with

a motorcycle helmet under his arm,

and he clearly looked like he was pick-

ing up some dinner on his way home

after a long day at work. Jon, who

isn’t shy at all and will talk to anyone,

struck up a conversation and invit-

ed him to sit with us while he waited

for his food. He introduced himself as

Octavio Cesar. He was eager to speak

English with us, and was enthusiastic

to chat with Americans about rock-

and-roll. After a few minutes, he said,

“You know Bon Jovi, right? Well, I met

him, right here last year!” To prove his

point, he took out his cellphone to

show us some photos, and yes, there

he was, with Bon Jovi. Unexpected

indeed.

Classic cars are everywhere in Cuba, in all states of repair.

Many are used as taxis, which offers an interesting way

to take in all the sights in Havana, including El Capitolio

(above). El Morro castle made an impressive backdrop for the

Cruising World Parade of Boats into Havana Harbor (right).

MONEY TALKS

One of Cuba’s more unique features, and a source of bal ement for visitors, is its two-currency

economy. The Cuban peso (CUP) is the national currency of Cuba and what most state workers are

paid their wages in. The Cuban convertible peso (CUC) has a value that is pegged to the U.S. dollar

and is worth about 25 times more than the CUP. Cash is king in Cuba (credit and debit cards issued

from American banks don’t work), so luckily, it doesn’t take long to get the hang of it. Before leav-

ing the United States, we exchanged dollars for euros, which have a higher exchange rate for CUCs,

and then bought our CUCs when we arrived. Most of the things you’ll spend money on are priced in

CUCs (restaurants, taxis, dockage), while basics, such as street food, produce and co ee stands, are

priced in CUPs. Some stores accept both currencies and list two prices. Just be sure you’re using the

correct bills or coins.