| Upon the arrival in Cuba, foreigners | | | | tables for 12 persons in his/ her own |
| usually get in the resort zone, where | | | | flat as the present from the government |
| Cuban economic troubles won't affect | | | | several years ago. The unauthorized |
| them for sure, at once. They have | | | | augment of seats is severely punished. |
| "smorgasbords" in 5-star hotels, diving, | | | | The menu is regulated as well: only |
| sea outings on yachts to coral reefs and | | | | chicken or beef dishes can be served in |
| lobster lunch here. The service is | | | | such cafes. But the precious sea |
| excellent, the staff is smiley, the | | | | inhabitants are the national heritage; |
| territory is enclosed, and native people | | | | common Cubans have no right to catch |
| are not allowed even to bathe in the | | | | them. According to the recently issued |
| local sea. However few foreigners can | | | | law, if a lobster is found in the |
| boast of having seen real Cuba: the | | | | refrigerator at a Cuban's place, the |
| tourist zones are the states within the | | | | refrigerator will be confiscated. |
| states that have little to do with the | | | | When you want to communicate with the |
| Island of Freedom... | | | | local population, go to famous |
| The majority of tourists buy tours to | | | | «Floridita» bar, where Hemingway was |
| Varadero, a Cuban resort. Varadero was | | | | the frequenter. Hemingway represents a |
| considered to be the best beach in the | | | | peculiar epoch to Cuba. There are a lot |
| Caribbean Basin before the local | | | | of places in Havana, where he liked to |
| revolution. American millionaires had | | | | be; there is his table, chair, favourite |
| even preferred it to Jamaica, until the | | | | bench in the park, favourite cocktails, |
| communists came to power. Divers | | | | with the recipes of which he "entrusted" |
| represent a special category of tourists | | | | his descendants. And his favourite seat |
| here. The matter is that the sea around | | | | near the stanchion in the corner of |
| is the largest cemetery of ships in the | | | | «Floridita» bar, where a small |
| world. The route to Europe, along which | | | | orchestra with the violoncello, violin |
| Spanish galleys exported gold from the | | | | and accordion plays songs to the order, |
| New World, passed here. The ships often | | | | and the visitors sip "Daiquiri" made of |
| sank because of the overload. According | | | | rum, lemon juice, sugar and maraschino. |
| to the scientists' calculations, 400 | | | | One more place in Old Havana is |
| vessels sank in the port of Havana | | | | connected with his name as well - «La |
| alone. | | | | bodeguita del medio», the bar and the |
| Small An-26 fly to the other side of | | | | restaurant. "Mohitos", rum with ice and |
| Cuba, the island of Kayo Largo, from the | | | | mint, which is a less dainty, but more |
| airport of Varadero. Sometimes it is | | | | traditional Cuban drink, is in vogue in |
| called "the only Caribbean island that | | | | this bar. |
| has preserved the quiet and the charm of | | | | By the way, if you are a great admirer |
| the nineteenth century". Playa | | | | of rum, go to Rum Museum some time. You |
| Esmeralda, the most beautiful beach of | | | | will be offered to compare various sorts |
| Cuba, Guardalavaca, the famous beach | | | | of the strong drink there, and you will |
| with the magnificent coral reef and | | | | realize the difference between Havana |
| Playa Peskero with the extremely | | | | Club, which is famous all over the |
| beautiful seabed are situated here. The | | | | world, and odd Guayabita del Pinar, |
| sand is wonderfully white there, the sea | | | | which is produced nowhere else in the |
| is never stormy, and the hotels that | | | | world. "Having degusted to your heart |
| work according to «all inclusive» | | | | content", buy a bottle of seven-year-old |
| system are jam-packed with the | | | | rum in order to regale the friends at |
| Europeans. | | | | home. It will cost only 7 dollars. |
| But if you want to see real Cuba, go to | | | | Of course, one should sip rum holding a |
| Havana. The history of the city has been | | | | cigar in hand. The best-known Cuban |
| traced from 1515. The splendid mansions | | | | cigars are of |
| of the Spanish colonization period | | | | Воlivаг sort, |
| neighbour upon the socialist buildings | | | | with the smack of dry earth and spices, |
| here, ultramodern skyscrapers -upon the | | | | of Соhiba, La Gloria Cubana |
| ramshackle hovels of the outskirts. The | | | | sorts and of noble and expensive Hoyo de |
| private houses or the "particular" | | | | Monterrey sort. Cuba even opened a |
| represent the most exotic and cheap | | | | special hotel for experienced smokers to |
| variant of lodging here. It is possible | | | | spite the Americans, who create hotels |
| to find such "private boardinghouse" | | | | for nonsmokers. It is called "Conde de |
| only if you take a Spanish dictionary | | | | Villanueva" and is situated in the |
| with you and pester some local with the | | | | marvelous building of the city mansion |
| question. One can find a "particular" | | | | of the XVIII-th century in Havana. There |
| with all conveniences in the centre of | | | | are only nine rooms of a huge size on |
| the city for 20 dollars per day and a | | | | two storeys of the total area of 2,5 |
| couple of dollars for the "guide". | | | | thousand square metres. Each of them has |
| In order to follow the style, we advise | | | | been given its own name, which is |
| to eat in private institutions called | | | | connected with the concrete sort of |
| "paladar" as well. Every resident of | | | | cigars, and the prices for the daily |
| Havana acquired the right to open a | | | | lease here strike imagination. |
| small restaurant consisting of three | | | | |