Cuba: Cigars, Rum, Coffee, and the Lesson Soil Taught Us (Before the Window Closed)
Written by Matt & Linda (empty nesters who caught Cuba during that brief window when cruise ships could actually go there)
There was a window.
A brief moment when U.S. cruise ships could sail to Cuba.
The second we found out, we bought tickets.
We’d always wanted to go. But we were too nervous to go on our own.
The stories—oppression, danger, frozen-in-time everything—made us hesitate.
But a cruise line backing us? That gave us the courage.
So we went.
And what we found wasn’t what we expected.
Not even close.
Carnival Built Fake Havana on the Back of Their Ship (No, Really)
Carnival didn’t just sail to Cuba.
They went all in.
They redecorated their Cuba ships with Cuban flair.
They redid the stern to look like Havana—complete with “Havana Suites.”
Cuban cantina. Authentic Cuban entertainers. Separate pool area.
It was impressive.
But this isn’t a cruise post.
This is a Cuba post.
Sailing Into Havana Harbor (And Trying Not to Look Like an Invader)
We were intimidated as we sailed in.
The entrance canal is narrow. Big ship. Tight squeeze.
And as we entered, you could see—and imagine—the defensive positions on both sides.
Castles on each corner.
A massive fort watching everything.
If you were an aggressor centuries ago, you wouldn’t have made it through before you sank.
But we weren’t the enemy.
We were just tourists with cameras and questionable Spanish.
We Expected Chaos. We Got Peace.
We’ve cruised a lot.
There are ports where the second you step off the boat, you’re mobbed.
Locals selling things. Taxi drivers grabbing your arm. Chaos.
Cuba wasn’t like that.
When we stepped off the boat and onto the streets of Havana, it was surprisingly peaceful.
We—all of us flowing off the boat—were doing more gawking at the Cuban people than they were at us.
After hearing all the “stories” about how Cubans were living, I expected something completely different.
I expected struggle.
I found pride.
We Expected Happy Days. We Found History.
We thought we’d walk into a 1950s time capsule.
Like Happy Days but with more Chevys.
Instead, we found a beautiful historic square with the gorgeous St. Francis of Assisi Basilica.
Quaint side streets. Shops lining both sides. Small squares appearing every few blocks.
As we walked around, we felt safe. Welcomed. Comfortable.
And then we learned something cool:
Cubans don’t erase their history.
Regime after regime has taken control of Cuba. Each one erected their own statues and monuments.
But here’s what makes this island different:
They don’t remove the statues from previous regimes.
They make small parks and place them there for history.
Because if you eliminate your history, you don’t learn from it.
Walking around Havana was a history lesson in itself.
We Booked the “Ultimate Cuba Experience” (And It Actually Was)
Because of all our pre-trip nerves, we did something we almost never do:
We booked a cruise excursion.
This one was called the “Ultimate Cuba Experience.”
And we’re here to tell you: it lived up to the name.
Of course, we went to Fort San Carlos—the fort that guards the harbor entrance.
We went to Revolution Square.
We rode the bus to touristy things.
But then…
Our guide asked a question:
“Do you want to go to an authentic Cuban salsa café where we can sample Cuban cigars, rum, and coffee?”
Hell yeah. We’re doing that.
The Back Streets of Havana (Where Tourists Don’t Go)
We drove through back streets to the other side of town.
If they’d dropped us off and not come back, we never would have found the boat.
And honestly? After what happened next, I wouldn’t have minded.
We walked into a bar/café in the middle of nowhere.
Live salsa band playing.
Candlelight.
People dancing.
The real Havana.
The one most tourists never see.
The Setup: Cigar, Coffee, Rum
We sat down at one of the little café tables.
The server brought each of us:
- A Cuban cigar
- A small cup of coffee
- Some rum
Then one of the servers started talking about the Cuban soil.
How it infiltrates everything that grows in it.
The coffee beans.
The sugar for the rum.
The world-famous cigars.
Everything comes from the same soil.
They Told Us to Try Each One First
Now, most people don’t like strong espresso coffee.
Especially without sugar. Or cream.
And a lot of people definitely don’t like cigars.
The smell. The taste. The smoke.
Rum is different. More people like rum.
But this grouping? This was different.
We were told to try each one individually first.
Light the cigar (the Cuban way). Taste the smoke.
Sip the coffee.
Taste the rum.
Each had its own particular flavor.
But then…
Then They Taught Us About Pairing (And My Brain Broke)
The server told us:
Take a puff of the cigar.
Immediately take a sip of coffee.
Then do the same with the rum.
What Happened Next Changed Everything
We’ve been to Napa Valley many times. We know about pairing.
But this was the best pairing we have ever experienced.
The cigar smoke made the bitter coffee taste sweet and delicious.
(By the way, we hate espresso. But we drank every drop.)
The rum made the cigar taste smooth and pleasant.
It was all in the soil.
Each of these items had been grown in the same Cuban soil.
Which made them part of the same family.
And they each complimented each other perfectly.
Linda’s journey from ‘I don’t smoke cigars’ to, “Wait… this is fun.“
We will never forget that experience as long as we live.
Epic. Cuban. Experience.
That Evening: Hemingway’s Favorite Bar
That night, we traveled on our own to Ernest Hemingway’s favorite watering hole.
El Floridita.
Known as “the cradle of the daiquiri.”
Or more accurately: where the daiquiri was invented.
We had to taste that rum inside the drink that was also created in Cuba.
El Floridita—the cradle of the daiquiri and Hemingway’s favorite spot in Havana”
And of course, we hired a taxi with a classic 1950s car to get back to the ship.
Because if you’re in Cuba, you ride in a classic car.
That’s just what you do.
What Cuba Taught Us
We went to Cuba expecting one thing.
We found something completely different.
We expected struggle. We found pride.
We expected danger. We found welcome.
We expected a museum. We found a living, breathing culture.
And we learned something we didn’t expect to learn:
Sometimes the best experiences come from the things you’re most nervous about.
The Window Closed
That window to Cuba?
It closed again.
Cruise ships don’t sail there anymore.
But for a brief moment, we got to step into a world most people will never see.
We got to taste the soil.
We got to feel the music.
We got to understand what it means when everything comes from the same place.
And we’re grateful we said yes.
Helmets optional. Detours allowed. Autopilot disengaged.
Thanks for coming along for the ride.
With love and laughter,
Matt & Linda
No 2 The Quo
Before We Had the Framework, We Had the Stories
We didn’t start No 2 The Quo with a tidy little life design model and a color-coded spreadsheet.
Shocking, I know.
We started with a few lived decisions. Big ones. Messy ones. The kind where you say, “This is probably fine,” while quietly wondering if you have lost your entire mind.
These three stories explain how we got here before we had the words Declaration of Intendependence™ to describe what we were doing.
These are the origin stories behind No 2 The Quo.
👉 Why We Said No 2 The Quo After the Kids Left Home
👉 It Took Two Years to “Suddenly” Change Our Lives
👉 Yes, We Really Did Pack Our Whole Life Into a Car and Leave
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