Westworld Alberta

Fall 2014

Westworld Alberta

Issue link: http://westworldmagazine.ama.ab.ca/i/365611

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26 w e s t w o r l d A l b e r t A | f a l l 2 0 1 4 (top) Walter bibikoW/maXX images, (above leFt) mischa oak, (above right) per-andre hoFFmann/maXX images Havana: Most Cuban itineraries start in Havana, a musical and gloriously romantic city that is in the process of renovating its historic core brick by brick. but Havana is as much a city of atmosphere as his- tory. First-time visitors will be quickly seduced by its dilapidated-yet-dignifi ed streets, where asthmatic 1950s-era buicks crawl past billboards of Castro and Che Guevara. Lone travellers can quickly get the lay of the land – and the flavour of the city – with a personalized architectural tour. Check with your hotel concierge for a reputable guide. A meal accom- panied by music is a must for any visitor to Havana. Try the slick Jazz Café on the corner of Avenida Paseo and 3rd (just remember that trade embargoes prevent the use of American currency and credit cards). Also be sure to take a stroll along the magnifi - cent Malecón, a seaside drive where the whole city comes to meet, mingle and dance. Varadero: Cuba's largest resort region is rightly famous for the unbroken, 20-kilometre-long beach that lines the narrow Hicacos Peninsula, 150 km east of Havana. Independent travellers will want to dive straight into Varadero's many organized group activ- ities, most of them water-oriented. Catamaran cruises, snorkelling and deep-sea fi shing trips are all easy to arrange and off er a chance to meet other visi- tors. Venture off -resort to socialize and dine at one of the new paladares (private restaurants) in the village at the west end of Varadero. Salsa Suárez has a changing chalkboard menu with traditional Cuban dishes, along with international fare such as spaghetti and tapas. Try a dish with local seafood or pork served with yucas fritas (fried root vegetables). TIP! Some travellers fi nd Cuban food bland. Spices can be pricey and tough to get on the island, so think about packing your own pepper, hot sauce, dried herbs, chili fl akes or other fl avouring. if you're staying in a casa particular (see p. 29), bring extra to leave as a thank-you gift. (top) Tourists go for a sail in the resort region of Varadero; (bottom left) a merchant smiles at passersby in Trinidad; farmers harvest tobacco in the province of Pinar del Río.

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