Havana, The Afro-Cuban Culture And Navigating Travel In Cuba
Lisette Alvarez - photo credit Lisette Alvarez
Ep 158 w/ Lisette Alvarez - A Deep Dive Into Cuba - Havana, The Afro-Cuban Culture And Navigating Travel In Cuba
My 158th guest episode on the Winging It Travel Podcast is with Lisette Alvarez who joined me for an in-person interview at Podcast Movement to discuss Cuba.
Lisette is a Cuban-American who has visited the country and shares about Cuban culture and how to travel there.
We discuss Lisette's background as a military kid, her cultural identity, and the historical context surrounding her travel to Cuba.
Lisette shares her first impressions of Havana, the emotional significance of her trip, and the cultural exchanges she experienced. She explains the importance of local tours and interacting with local people, which she loves, and shares them with anyone visiting the country.
The conversation also covers practical aspects of travelling in Cuba, including budgeting and navigating money. Lisette has propelled Cuba to the top of my list after this conversation.
Let’s dive into some topics.
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About to hop on board for a scenic flight over Whistler
What to expect when travelling in Cuba
Cuba is one of those countries where you hear so much information through the regular mainstream news cycle that getting proper, accurate information is challenging.
Lisette travelled there recently and gave us some pointers as to what to expect when travelling there.
She mentions that in terms of food, meat is scarce, and one should only expect chicken. Due to the rationing policy, you will see people queuing up for bread.
Most families are self-contained, with their own farm animals and garden to grow their own vegetables, which means if you stay local, you can expect beans, rice, and whatever vegetables they have.
In a sense, I love this as people are not consumed by their choice of food, which we can see is not always a good thing when you look at obesity rates in the US, for example.
However, Cuba seems to be too extreme with the rationing rules, so we definitely need something in the middle.
Cuba is known for its drinks, such as daiquiris, and rum is regularly included in most Cubans' diets.
I remember tasting the best daiquiris in Barbados; it was dangerously good.
Wifi is not going to be consistent throughout the country, so don’t expect to be on Instagram posting your breakfast. This excites me because how rarely do we go away off-grid these days?
When I visit, I can not wait to try the local transport to get amongst the local population. The roads may be rough, and the buses may not be comfortable, but I love a good ride on a bus.
If you can avoid the resorts, then I am in for a treat when I visit in April. I can't wait.
Watch below for more tips from Lisette.
You must speak to the locals in Cuba to understand the country.
As an American, Lisette never had the chance to visit Cuba for obvious reasons, such as the history and visa difficulties; however, it was emotional when she did get the opportunity to go.
Half of her family are Cuban, so she felt the urge to visit on a whim, and when she arrived, the locals instantly welcomed her.
In the episode, she shares two tours you must do in Havana (you must watch to find out!). These are all about the people, their history, and how they live.
One of my mantras when visiting a new place is to mix with locals as this is where you get the real experience and knowledge of a place.
Lisette explains that Cubans are some of the warmest people you meet, especially when having coffee. They want to get to know you. If you are lost, they will direct you, or if you stay at a local accommodation, they will help you find somewhere to stay next.
Don’t believe the written press or media when formulating an opinion; go there to form your opinion. If not, read traveler’s blogs, as they present a much more accurate picture.
Lisette advises that openly speaking about the problems or the government is not readily available due to trust issues. If you want to hear this side of the country, then a real, local bar with a rum might get you in, but don’t expect them to openly talk about that subject.
However, I would say to park that aside for one moment and concentrate on the people. Please learn their history, family story, what they do for work, their favorite dish, and what they think of your country.
I will be taking that trip in 2025 to ensure I get the genuine experience and real-life stories that fuel my podcast. You never know, I may even get an interview for the podcast. Watch this space!
However, I need to improve my Spanish to get that request accepted.
The Winging It Travel Podcast in a studio, what an experience!
This episode was filmed at Podcast Movement in Washington, DC, back in August. It was filmed in a studio with Yap Media, which was a super cool experience.
The long-term strategy of the podcast would be to have a setup like this as I love sitting at a table with a coffee in hand talking travel, it is the dream.
However, there is one problem: Hosting a travel podcast normally involves people coming on as guests from around the world or me traveling myself.
It's not ideal for this type of podcast, but you never know.
When prepping for the interview, I had a few last-minute letdowns, but Lisette stepped straight in to fill the hole. I had no notes or idea on a topic, but I quickly found she went to Cuba, so I went with that.
There are no notes, someone is watching in the background (another potential podcaster wanted to watch), and there is a comfy sofa—what a vibe!
I suggest watching this podcast on YouTube and letting me know what you think of the vibe, feel, and sound.
The experience was so good that I want to experience it again. Watch this space!
Lisette and James recording the episode at Podcast Movement
Check out my latest Roaming with Hammo YouTube episode about my scenic flight over Whistler.
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Who is Lisette Alvarez?
Lisette Alvarez is a storyteller and communicator with experience in international affairs, creative multimedia production, and interdisciplinary web strategy. Her production company, Stormfire Productions, produces storytelling podcasts, and Lisette has an incredible passion for podcasting.
Lisette Alvarez/Stormfire Productions
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