Vivid Goes To Cuba!

US Peace ambassadors supporting the Cuban people of Cuba.

This was my trip to Cuba.

Cuba has been chosen as one of the most desired tourist destinations over the last few years. Cuba has received a lot of attention since the reestablishment of diplomatic relations with the United States which started in 2014. You should travel there before all the big corporations start to build. Before we know it we won’t be able to walk around without seeing a McDonald’s or Starbucks. (Believe me I love McDonald’s and Starbucks but Cuba can wait!)

Our first stop was in Havana (La Habana.)

You can travel at the purest form of Cuba like myself, sister and friends as we traveled place to place living in homes or Airbnb. As we traveled, this culturally diverse world of living museums and old cars, we got to feel like we are living back in the 1950s as we strolled around the streets without taxis and cars, making me feel like I was back in time.

Our next stop was in Trinadad.

Of course you’ve been able to buy great cigars directly from the factories produced by Cubans for dozens of decades. I was able to travel to different dealerships to find the best local deal. Cubans love music from street performers; DJs in Cuba are like famous bands, the entire neighborhood seems to come out of every corner. Music schools and live entertainment are featured everywhere you go. Here we definitely were able to interact with locals and spread the love with all our gifts. I even made new friends in a religious area sharing my Vivid Hair Salon & Spa nail files and toiletries. Our friend Yoa handed out numerous articles of clothing and shoes. My sister also brought lots of toys to share with the kids! They were all so excited and appreciative!

We then traveled to Plya Giron.

The weather was beautiful, it was hot and warm and not disappointing at all. I truly came back to the East coast with a beautiful tan! At times there were high levels of humidity which could make the days seem hotter, but finding local beaches and swimming holes we felt right at home.

Cuba preserves a great deal of imagery from past decades. You are able to see historic anniversaries, statues, parks, institutions and big billboards spread with many political messages.

We took a day tour of beautiful old Havana with the local guide going through the many historical parts of the city which gave us a local perspective of how many in the area live day to day.

“Walking around and seeing all the local community members and praising and loving and wanting all my Vivid Hair Salon & Spa nail files showed me so much gratitude and that I was so fortunate to bring them to Cuba. I never in my wildest dreams would have thought that they would’ve been so appreciative of my gift. I truly felt that I couldn’t give them so much more but at the end of the day I was so grateful to know that they were happy and I could make someone smile.” I told my sister.

Support for the Cuban people!!!

We were able to do much more than just interact, we were able to meet with local artists, musicians, tobacco manufacturers, farmers and people that own their own business. We were able to shop in independent markets and explore museums. Some of us were even able to take local dance lessons and learn more about the traditional music and Spanish language as we attended art shows and even purchase local artist’s works. We were able to visit the exhibitions, art galleries and shows to see a range of local artists as we showed our support to the Cubans. This was not only limited to only financial help, but also attending independent cultural events as we were able to engage in conversations with artists and discuss art with them and just exchange opinions and different topics allowing us to understand. The locals were glad to receive some interest in their art form from us and thankful of any kind of support! For all this experience in just one long weekend, I would highly you going and supporting the Cuban people!!!!

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