A touch of Cuban sun -The Hindu ,Preethi Kengatharan

If you’ve thrown your hands up in the air and experienced the thrill of the roller coasters of Universal Studios, taken numerous cheesy photographs in front of the Disney castle, marvelled at the incredible Kennedy Space Centre and enjoyed the serenity, sun and tropical drinks by the beaches of Miami, you still haven’t done it all. Little Havana, a neighbourhood in Miami, gives you a taste of charming Cuba with its cultural outburst. The eighth street, or as the locals call it, the ‘Calle Ocho’, meaning ‘the heart of Florida’s Little Havana’, is a hub for Cuban culture, history, food and art.

 The art

Walking along this strip, you will be welcomed by vibrant coloured roosters and modern murals that adorn the walls. Street art adorns every wall along the sidewalks. Tourists swarm these walls for a perfect Instagram post, besides art enthusiasts who appreciate the graffiti on the fly.

Amid these pathways stands the antique theatre originally built in 1926, staging live performances and screening Hispanic movies. It gives visitors a dose of the latest independent cinemas in a superannuated yet brilliant ambience.

The streets are dotted with a number of souvenir stores that vie for tourist attention. You’ll find anything from Latin American art to vinyl, clothing to signature Cuban straw hats.

The food

Lip-smacking Cuban food will tease your senses around every corner of Calle Ocho. The Cuban sandwich, croquettes or a takeaway of their famous pastries are a treat to the taste buds. The cafés are predominantly a family-run business by Cuban settlements and the food is reasonably priced.

The cigar shops are hard to miss, with the overwhelming scent as you walk across each store. Do step in, even if only to take a look. You can shop for a variety of cigars, ash trays, cigar cases and witness the craft of rolling a cigar from scratch.

The authentic Cuban coffee will give you the much-needed caffeine kick along with a sumptuous breakfast. Your sweet tooth will be more than content, with the ‘far from plain vanilla’ flavours the ice cream shop offers. Experiment all you want.

Perhaps a little dancing wouldn’t hurt, when you hear the live band play spirited Cuban music at restaurants. However, the music, art and food have a whole new celebratory spirit on the last Friday of every month at the cultural fest, the ideal time to live it up in Little Havana.

 The Domino Park

The Domino Park or the Maximo Gomez Park, named after the famous soldier Maximo Gomez who fought for Cuban independence from Spain, is a pivotal hangout for the locals. The walls decorated with domino tile work run along the park. You will witness the place filled with Cuban veterans and locals smoking cigars, enjoying a Cuban sandwich along with their coffee and playing the famous game of dominoes. Catching up with any one of them will give you in-depth stories of how they exiled in Miami, along with some hot politics.

This major Latino community speaks its beautiful Spanish language that resonates in your ears hours after. Travelling beyond the regular routes gives us a taste of the splendour and charm that Havana offers, without having to travel all the way to Cuba. Go slow, soak in the milieu and watch the glamour of this neighbourhood unfold.