Out of the meat, cheese, and bread left on my plate at breakfast I made a sandwich and wrapped it in a napkin. Out the door I went looking for the first hungry person I saw. It took all of a second to catch the eye of an elderly man. I approached with my sandwich which he gratefully accepted. He offered me a coin with Che’s image on it in exchange and then showed me his large, impressive Che tattoo. After I wished him a nice day and turned to leave, he asked if I had any soap or shampoo. I asked him to wait while I ran upstairs for some we had saved from other hotels. Anyway, up I trudged two flights of irregular stairs to get the toiletries and back down only to be asked for medicine for his earache and, well, maybe some small money. When I said I had no medicine and no money on me he suggested I run back upstairs. The man at the hotel door was keeping an eye on me and came over to disentangle me from my new friend’s requests. It was actually a fun interaction and a nice start to a great day.

Today was customs and culture day in one of Cuba’s initial seven communities, founded by Spanish colonists in the early 1500s. No surprise: its UNESCO-listed meandering pastel-colored alleyways ooze history but also offer a glance into modern life. We enjoyed five fun experiences.

1. The Unbak Ballet welcomed us to sit in on a warmup session. Their campus is large and impressive in spite of needing some attention in the (expensive) upkeep department. Ballet shoes and costumes are made on site, and we visited the workrooms where they improvise with what is available, not what is standard in the world of dance.

2. One of my two favorite activities of the day was a huge buffet lunch and tour of Rancho Zaragozano, an 84-acre dairy farm that also has 22 sheep, two horses, a hawk, ducks, cats, peacocks, and a dog or two. The family of six (architect dad, cardiologist mom, dentist son, veterinarian son, pregnant girlfriend of veterinarian son, and sister of the dad) share a home built by relatives in the 1930s. We feasted on pork cooked on the spit, toured the house and grounds, and heard about life on a modern-day dairy farm. Modern day in Cuba means milking by hand at 4:00 AM, taking the milk to the collection spot by horse-drawn cart, using two 1930s windmills, and bringing in extra income to cover the costs of running a farm.

3. Martha Jiménez, a renowned Camaguey artist, is known for painting and sculpting women. Not wispy women who would be welcome on a fashion-forward runway, but fun, sturdy gals who have found their voices. We visited her studio, enjoyed seeing her work, and chose a picture of a chubby threesome to take home.

4. A visit to Larios Gallery gave us my other favorite activity of the day: a peppy musical performance by students of Jose White Conservatory. Two cellos, two bases, and eight violins were played skillfully by a group of musicians who looked like they ranged in age from their 20s to their 60s. They had us spellbound with the first note.

5. A very common form of transportation is the cycle rickshaw. Some are pedal power and others are electric. After piling into them two by two we toured the highlights of Old Camaguey and enjoyed the charming atmosphere created by the impressive squares and twisting, turning streets.

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... Seriously ? …

The symbol of the city is a clay pot or tinajón. Seriously.
They are everywhere, some as small as a hand, some large enough for two people to stand in.
Most are decorative, but others serve the practical purpose of collecting rainwater and keeping it fresh.

Camagüey, known for its intricate street layout, was reputedly designed this way
to confuse and deter pirates and invaders.

Cuba is shaped like an alligator swimming east.

… Famous Cubans …

Gloria Estefan, Jose Canseco, Desi Arnaz, Marco Rubio, The Office’s Oscar Nunez,
Eva Mendes, Andy Garcia, and Pitbull (a rapper George, a rapper) are Cuban.

Jeff Bezos, Ted Cruz, and Cameron Diez have Cuban fathers.