While in Cuba, I visited the nature reserve called Las Terrazas. There I found a coffee shop that served this capppuccino with a surprise cinnamon topping. With a specially designed stencil, the servers offer up a real Cuban coffee with an image of Che Guevara. It only seemed appropriate as Che Guevara is a beloved figure in Cuba. If you travel to Cuba, be sure to visit the town of Santa Clara. There you will find the Monumento Ernesto Che Guevara... a complex with a huge statue of the revolutionary hero, a museum detailing his life, and a mausoleum holding Guevara's remains.

While visiting Old Havana, I couldn't resist a photograph of this elderly cigar smoker. She added some local color to a wonderful day in the historic and colonial heart of Havana. Old Havana is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is a beautifully preserved colonial city. Travel restrictions have eased somewhat for Americans traveling to Cuba, so if you want to visit this fascinating island country, now is a great time to consider a trip there.

I had the opportunity to visit Cuba this year, and for the week I was there, I felt like I had taken a trip back in time. The vintage cars are a delight and they are seemingly everywhere. Many are used as private taxis or utilized by hotels to transport their guests in style. It was a thrill to be driven out to Hemingway's House from Havana in one of these vintage convertibles. It brought back wonderful memories of these cars from my childhood.

Havana, Cuba is a living, breathing piece of art. The sky and sea battle daily for the most brilliant, striking shades of blue, and the decay on the buildings creates a contrasting natural canvas with varying hues of rust and oxidation. As the light changes hour by hour, it slides in between the buildings, highlighting new colors, turning others darker the shadows. It's a city that's "bright" by default ... like Mother Nature just dipped a giant paintbrush into 20 colors and then splatter painted it all.

In recent years Cubans have been permitted to open their own restaurant businesses called paladars. Davimart in Trinidad is one of the most successful of the paladars. Here a photo of our dinner shows why. We found good paladars pretty much everywhere - most of them are within the owner's houses and frequently unique ways to meet local people willing to have "real" conversations about their lives with visitors from abroad.

The Cuban National Ballet is one of the most respected classical ballet companies in the world and the Great Theatre of Havana is just gorgeous.   It was quite a special night out for 30 dollars.

America isn't the only country infatuated with the automobile. Cuba loves its cars too. What's considered a classic car in the United States is just a daily driver in this country limited to fixing up fixer-uppers due to trade issues. I'm betting if the embargo ever gets lifted, there will be a traffic jam of car collectors heading down Cuba way to pick up a vintage ride.

Right across the bay, facing the Old Havana port, it's the fishermen town of Regla. There is a very simple boat that crosses people over several times a day. It's an opportunity to experience a more 'local' and genuine Cuba, further from the tourists and it's innate infrastructure. More on this story on: http://www.martinhsphoto.com.

I found it amazing how the old American cars could be kept in such beautiful condition. It seemed like each time I turned a corner, there was another car in even better condition.

The malecon (boardwalk), that spans for over 4.5 kms along the coast of Havana, it's a gathering place for people as the sun sets down. The breeze (which combats the otherwise overwhelming heat of the city), the fishing and not least important the people watching make up for a great afternoon activity. More on this story on www.martinhsphoto.com.

This beautiful baroque facade belongs to the Cathedral of Saint Christopher in Old Havana, Cuba. This classic cathedral occupies a prime position on a beautiful square in Old Havana. If you visit Cuba, be sure to visit this treasure with its vaulted ceilings, large pillars, and collection of antiquities.

Here I am, getting my hair blow-dried by the gales crossing over the Malecon. Once I was 'perfectly coifed,'I headed back up to the hotel veranda for a relaxing evening of mojitos and cigars.

During a humanitarian trip to Cuba in 2010, we stayed at the Hotel Telegrafo in Havana for a few days. on morning I got up early, walked down to the waterfront and saw a group of men standing on the seawall fishing. If you get the chance to visit Havana, or anywhere on the island for tha matter, definitely take the time to explore a little on your own. You never know what you will find.

From my vantage point on Cafe de Maria's outdoor terrace, I'm struck by the undulating slopes below me coated in foliage. Here, in the petite community of Las Terrazas, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve that was founded on a green ethic, my intention was to meditate on nature while sipping perhaps the best coffee in Cuba. But I'm distracted from my musings by my cappuccino that arrives with the cocoa-sprinkled visage of Che Guevara staring at me. Serving a dozen different coffee beverages, Cafe de Maria is hailed for its signature iced drink – Las Terrazas is made by blending espresso with milk, chocolate syrup, coffee liqueur and ice – that's particularly appealing on this humid day. But Che only makes an appearance atop a foamy cappuccino, making my coffee the focus of every tourist's digital camera within reach on this terrace. Despite this photo frenzy, Las Terrazas, that's home to just over 1,000 residents, is the hallmark of tranquility and sustainability. The self-contained community is surrounded by foliage thick with indigenous species, including hibiscus, teak and ebony, trees that were part of the reforestation project that gave birth to Las Terrazas. With such a respect for nature, no wonder Hotel Moka was constructed without chopping down a single tree. Even the lobby was built around a towering lime tree. The veggie restaurant, El Romero, sources its honey from the local bee hives and the fruits, including guava and sour orange, from the nearby mountain orchards.

and he might even have slept here- this place is world famous for two things - its Hemingway connection (Papa still resides in the corner of the bar in a life sized bronze) and it is reputed to be the home of the original daiquiri. what I can say is they make a mean one and the place is always hopping - live music adds to the atmosphere of the party hearty past when all of pre 1959 Havana was a playground for tourists. so walk the streets of Old Havana and follow the music from bar to bar but end your evening here- with Papa and his favorite drink.

The ' Revolución es' (Revolution is) poster it's just one of the many elements you will find reminding people of the revolution, it's principles and keeping the new generations connected with the revolutionary ideals. From my interactions with people on the street, it became clear that the younger generation, confronted with lack of possibilities and fully aware of what those are due to the impact of globalization and the internet, is struggling to connect with the ideals of the revolution. It’s also true that beyond what they hear from their parents, most have no reference point of what life was like in the island before the revolution. It’s notorious the different perspective you hear from those that are old enough to remember; from those that actually lived in the years of Batista. It’s hard for me to take a stand on which direction this system should go. One thing it’s certain, the Cuban people are magnificent, warm, joyful and strong. I have no doubt in my mind that they will find in their destiny the right social and economical model that best works for them. As for me, I continue to search for a working system by which I feel more fully represented. Hopefully one that will combine the best of both worlds, one where I will feel more enthusiastic and committed, in a more explicit and direct way.

Yes, you read that correctly. This beautiful bar at the Saratoga Hotel is a place for both drinking and smoking. Now forgotten in the US, this used to be how most people passed their time in bars in the "olden days" - here in Cuba, it IS the "olden days"... so light your cigar and order a daiquiri and enjoy your trip to the past. And although it would seem this ambience cannot be topped - they also have a roof top bar (The Mirador) with a stunning view of the senate building and Old Havana to entice you to the top floor poolside bar and restaurant.

If you ever find yourself in Baracoa, on the eastern tip of Cuba, dine at La Rosa Nautica Restaurant and Bar. Perched on the top floor of a nondescipt building away from Baracoa's main drag, this "paladar's" (e.g., a privately-run restaurant) fittingly-designed sliding wood frame-glass windows, not only keep the rain out, but slide open to snapshot views of the Bahia de Miel (Bay of Honey). The entrees - chosen from an international or Creole Baracoa menu - are tasty, colorfully presented, well proportioned and priced. Side dishes are varied, and desserts are local fare and mouth watering. The mojitos and daiquiris from its well-stocked bar add just the right sting. Top dinner off with a cup of cafe con leche or if one were so inclined - "un mojito mas, por favor". What makes this paladar one not to miss is its service and ambience. It is par excellence. Friendly, warm, attentive, authentic and unexpected. Where service in Cuba is at times lackadaisical, here it is served in spades. In addition, Spanish, English and French are spoken. The evening may have been a drizzly and quiet night - but that didn't dampen the spirit of the evening when a girlfriend took to the floor to Bob Marley's music, and La Rosa Nautica's proprietor and staff gamingly took part in the revelry. Truly, a lovely place to be in Baracoa. La Rosa Nautica 1 ro de Abril, No. 185 altos Baracoa, Guantanamo, Cuba tel. 64 57 64 or 58 14 46 54

Stop by the Ambos Mundos Hotel in Old Havana. Ernest Hemingway spent many years living in a hotel room here and the view from the rooftop restaurant and bar is breathtaking. Have a cool, refreshing mojito after visiting the small Hemingway museum and take in the views of El Morro Fort, lighthouse and rooftops of Old Havana.

Since 1939, Havana's Tropicana Club has illuminated Cuba's nightlife scene with a strong latin music beat and beautiful dancers. Get the rum flowing, the dancers strutting and the music pounding, and a good time is guaranteed.

I came across this grandmother and her granddaughter on the streets of Old Havana, Cuba last May while I was studying there. In Cuba, families and their neighbours flock to public spaces such as this street corner to converse and socialize. Because of the US embargo, Cuban's have little access to the materialist-based activities Canadian's have access to. Instead, social interaction within the community and family bonding is an lengthy activity of leisure. I love the way this photo captures love and comfort and nourishment in I witnessed in Cuban family life. Also, mangos in Cuba were unbeatable, and this woman shared her mango with us after the photo was taken!