Little Havana and Calle Ocho
A lot has changed here since 1980 when I last visited. The heart of Miami's "Little Havana," west of downtown, is home to "Calle Ocho," a concentration of mostly Cuban businesses that attempt to re-create the street flavor of Havana. In some cases, they may do so, but in this section of Eighth Street, most of the establishments are playing to tourists. Maybe I just didn't notice forty years ago, but I don't remember the many gift shops with refrigerator magnets, mugs, and other souvenirs, or the clubs with doors open to the street, beckoning passers-by to savor the infectious beat of live Cuban rhythms while sipping on a mojito. I didn't remember seeing Domino Park, a dedicated space where mostly older men and some women play dominoes in the open air, mixing up and slapping tiles onto specially-made tables. (It turns out this place was actually established 35 years ago, shortly after my last visit to Calle Ocho.) The double-decker buses with gawking passengers on board and clumps of tourists on the street, following headset microphone-equipped tour guides were all new to me. Who cares? We were tourists on that day, too, and we loved it! I aimed my camera at everything around us, and we stopped in briefly at the aforementioned Domino Park so I could get my tourist shot of the guys at play. I hadn't had a super sweet Cuban coffee in a long time and found a place that had them at a surprisingly low $0.75 per cup. And though I don't smoke, I enjoyed smelling the fresh tobacco that was for sale in the form of cigars in one of many cigar stores. A guy was rolling them in the store. I shopped for a guayabera shirt, a style that, in my mind, is usually sported by older gentlemen. I got mine at Cubavera, one without the four pockets (because I'm cool, I guess), an all-white shirt with two distinctive, black, vertically embroidered designs on the front. Our visit was on a Monday, Veteran's Day, and the streets were lively. We encountered two video interviews in progress and a fashion photo shoot that was taking place. We were enticed by and succumbed to the Latin rhythms playing at Ball and Chain, a bar and music venue dating back to 1935. The pretty gal in red and white Tropicana gear had a winning smile and the music was good, so we entered and sat at the bar. I snapped some pictures and turned to see that Maria had already accepted the band's maraca player's invitation to dance a bit. It was easy to feel nostalgic for an earlier time in this rustic bar with its beautiful patio in the back. Posters and pictures on the green wall did that, along with the great live music. We stopped at El Cristo Restaurante for a bite to eat, and Maria's first taste of a Cuban sandwich made her an instant fan. (After that one, we shared two more at different times during our trip.) I had a beer at this place, a beverage formerly brewed in Cuba, and now produced in Florida: Cerveza-Hatuey. We enjoyed the food and drink, listened to laughter and lively conversations, and reminisced about a country and a city in which I have never been. Not that I don't have the memories, though. Vivid stories told to us by Cuban friends, the music, food, sights, and sounds, were all familiar to me, and all contributed to a wonderful, culturally rich experience. They made Cuba, especially Havana, come alive. (Click on the thumbnail photos to see the whole thing.) | |