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“It’s only a matter a time”, said Javier Dominguez, a Cuban government official in 2003 when the Bush administration just about carved out all permissible travel categories to Cuba. Not even a surviving war hero from the battlefields of Fallujah, Iraq would be allowed to visit Cuba to see his children before being sent back for another tour where he thought he would not return.  I was inspired by Javier’s optimism. After all, his whole life existed under the U.S.

You knew about the classic cars, temperate climate, and rollicking music. But did you know these other interesting things about our near neighbor? As our countries resume their old friendship, why not brush up on your knowledge? If you visit, it might come in handy!

Visiting Cuba often feels like entering a portal for a trip back in time, and this sensation is especially strong when stepping into Havana’s Hotel Nacional de Cuba. Situated in the center of Havana and a stone’s throw from the sea and the Malecón, the hotel is an important symbol of history, culture and Cuban identity.

Odd though it may sound, Cemetario Cristobal Colon (informally known as "Colon Cemetery") stands among Havana's best-loved attractions. At Colon, named for explorer Christopher Columbus, visitors find more than 500 chapels, vaults and mausoleums, the graves of notable citizens—and countless stories.

Literary giant Ernest Hemingway loved Cuba: its fishing, its climate, the daiquiris he discovered at a local bar and would popularize. Cubans, in turn, adored “Papa” Hemingway, who described himself as “Cubano sato,” an average Cuban. He first saw Cuba as a layover on his way to Spain, and ended up living on the island for most of his last two decades (1940-60). 

What do you picture when you think of Cuba? Most people associate it with the world’s finest cigars, cool rum drinks, vintage cars and lively music. Sports fans know that Cubans love baseball, and if you paid attention in English class, you might remember that Earnest Hemingway wrote sections of “For Whom the Bell Tolls” and “the Old Man and the Sea” from Cuba. But there’s much more to the story of this island than many realize, as revealed by the following facts: