Béisbol no, pero sí Dominó

Cuban men playing Dominoes in the shade along the side of a street.

On our recent trip to Cuba, my boys were hoping to take part in the Cuban national sport by going to a baseball game. We weren't able to work that into our itinerary, but I was able to view the second national Cuban sport while there, Dominoes.

As a child I once received a Domino set for Christmas, and I don't remember ever playing the game.  Instead we would line up the dominoes in intricate patterns and tip the first one over so that all the dominoes would fall one after the other.  Then we would build yet another pattern and start all over again.

In the last few years though I have learned to play at least one game of Dominoes, Mexican Train.  I have cousins that enjoy this game, and whenever we visit them we usually have a game or two of Mexican Train.  So it was with great interest that I was able to observe Cubans playing Dominoes.

The game demands few resources and Dominoes pieces can be hand-made. Cuban Dominoes differs from Mexican Train that I have played. Two teams of two players acting as partners play Cuban Dominoes  Cuban Dominoes sets are double nines where regular Dominoes Sets are double sixes.  In Cuba, you frequently will see people  playing Cuban Dominoes in tables set up along the sidewalks, in parks, or in other public areas.

Painting by Jorge Arche

Among the few souvenirs I brought back from Cuba were two handmade Dominoes Sets (one for my cousins and one for Dan and me). Now I'll just have to learn the rules of Cuban Dominoes and find folks who will be willing to play the game. 

My Cuban Dominoes Sets: A Double Six and A Double Nine.

Here's a video from the BBC showing a game being played in Cuba.

Jose Fuster, the "Picasso of Cuba"

Kathy taking photos in front of Fuster's house and studio.

One of our first stops in Cuba was at the house and workshop of artist, painter and ceramicist Jose Fuster often called the "Picasso of Cuba".  Fuster has adorned more than 80 houses with colorful ornate murals in the little fishing village of Jaimanitas.

A pretty table top.

One can see the influence of Picasso in Fuster's work.

One of my favorites.

Two of my fellow travelers, Marge and Helen from Maryland.

Patrick and Michael surveying Fuster's work from the rooftop of his house.

A small villager "riding" a Fuster horse.

He used old sewing machines in several of his sculptures.

Two pretty senoritas out front of the house.

 We had hoped to see Jose, but he wasn't home.  I did find this You Tube video of Fuster singing "Te Odio" to poet Pablo Armando Fernandez in Fuster's home in Jaimanitas. 

The Cuban Welcome Drink: The Mojito

The Mojito

I've just returned from a week in Cuba as part of the NC State University Wolftrek People to People trip, and this is the first of a number of posts I'll be doing on this blog about the trip.  

We were almost always welcomed at restaurants,  hotels and other places of interest with a drink, and it was often the Mojito.  I found this recipe that is supposedly the recipe that Hemingway enjoyed at the Mojito's place of birth, La Bodeguita del Medio.

We made a quick pass by La Bodeguita del Medio, but weren't able to have a drink or a meal there. 

The Bar

Mojito Recipe Ingredients:

1 teaspoon powdered sugar
Juice from 1 lime (2 ounces)
4 mint leaves
1 sprig of mint
Havana Club white Rum (2 ounces)
2 ounces club soda

Place the mint leaves into a tall glass and squeeze the juice from a cut lime over it. You'll want about two ounces of lime juice, so it may not require all of the juice from a single lime.

Add the powdered sugar, then gently smash the mint into the lime juice and sugar with the back of a spoon. Add ice, then add the rum and stir, and top off with the club soda (you can also stir the club soda in as per your taste). Garnish with a mint sprig. Serves 1.

Here's a video showing how to make a Mojito. 

A Visit From Evergreeners

The breakfast table is set for our Evergreen guests.

For about ten years Dan and I have been members of the Evergreen Club.  Members host other members in their own homes for a nominal fee, and it's a great way to travel inexpensively and to meet interesting people.  We just hosted Phil and Kathy from California who had visited in New Jersey and were on their way to Florida.  Raleigh was a convenient stop along the way.  It's like having a B & B, but you serve as hosts only when it is convenient. 

I enjoy preparing breakfast for the Evergreeners when they visit.  This week we had a simple breakfast of coffee, orange juice, fresh fruit, pecan raisin bread with pumpkin cream cheese spread and homemade pumpkin muffins.

Strawberries and pineapple.

Homemade pumpkin muffins.

Pecan raisin bread with pumpkin cream cheese spread.

If we find ourselves in California, we might just stay with Phil and Kathy at their place. 

Phil and Kathy, our Evergreen guests.

You might like to check out the Evergreen Club website.

Havana's Old Cars

One thing I'm eager to see while I am in Cuba are the old cars.  Most of the cars are pre-1959, and it is amazing how they have been modified and how they are kept running.  This will be like returning to the 50s.  I will be taking photos while there, but meanwhile here are some I captured from the internet. 

And finally I found a car like the first car I had.  I had a 1960 white Corvair very much like this one.  I hope I can see one of these when I'm in Cuba.

1960 Corvair in Cuba.