Cuba sits in the Caribbean Sea like a time capsule full of rhythm and color. The island blends crumbling colonial architecture with the energy of salsa music and the smell of cigar smoke. Furthermore, the political history created a unique society that operates differently from anywhere else in the Western Hemisphere. Consequently, travelers find a land of stark contrasts and resourceful people. Explore these fascinating details about the Pearl of the Antilles.
Cuba
The streets resemble a rolling museum because of the thousands of classic American cars. Mechanics keep these 1950s Chevys and Fords running using handmade parts and sheer ingenuity.
You cannot legally buy Coca-Cola anywhere on the island. Cuba and North Korea stand alone as the only two countries where the company does not officially operate.
The Bee Hummingbird lives exclusively within the forests of the Cuban archipelago. This tiny creature holds the record as the smallest bird in the entire world.
Fidel Castro banned the celebration of Christmas for nearly thirty years. The government only restored the holiday in 1997 to honor a visit by Pope John Paul II.
Drivers of government vehicles must pick up hitchhikers by law. Officials designated “Amarillos,” or men in yellow, organize the lines of people waiting for rides at the edge of towns.
Snow fell on the tropical island exactly one time in recorded history. Residents of Cárdenas witnessed the miraculous white flurries for a brief moment in March of 1857.
Dominoes serves as a serious national obsession rather than just a casual game. Neighbors gather on street corners daily to slam tiles onto folding tables with intense passion.
The country boasts one of the highest literacy rates on the planet. The government launched a massive campaign in 1961 that taught almost every citizen to read and write within a year.
Ernest Hemingway lived outside Havana for twenty years and wrote some of his best work there. He donated his Nobel Prize medal to the Cuban people, and it remains in a sanctuary in El Cobre.
Until 2008, the government prohibited citizens from owning mobile phones. Now, Cubans use smartphones everywhere, but they often gather in public parks to access the Wi-Fi hotspots.
Cuba possesses more doctors per capita than any other nation in the world. Consequently, the country exports medical professionals to help other nations during crises and natural disasters.
The Manjuari fish swims only in the waters of Cuba and nowhere else. This “living fossil” has not changed its physical appearance for millions of years.
You will see almost no commercial advertising on the city streets. Instead of billboards for products, the government fills the space with political slogans and portraits of revolutionary heroes.
Locals refer to the island as “El Caiman” or “The Alligator.” They use this nickname because the shape of the island looks like a sleeping gator when viewed from a map.
Finally, ballet holds a surprisingly high status in Cuban culture. The government funds the National Ballet of Cuba heavily, and tickets cost very little so everyone can attend.
