As the tourists come crushing into the beaches of the Amalfi Coast, it’s been a pleasure to dream of traveling to other beaches around the world with this fun series of guest posts. With the crowds and the heat, nothing beats a bit of armchair traveling from the comfort of home! When the summer heat rises, out comes my collection of Cuban music by the amazingly talented artists such as Ruben Gonzalez, Compay Segundo, Omara Portuondo, Ibrahim Ferrer and so many others. If I can get my hands on some limes and mint—not always the easiest ingredients to find here in Italy—I’ll even whip up some mojitos. This week Andi from My Beautiful Adventures really tempted me with her story and gorgeous photos from her beach adventures in Cuba. She certainly does know how to have beautiful travel adventures!

Welcome, Andi!

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I am an adrenalin junkie like no other! This trait was developed several years ago and must now be satiated constantly. So, if you add my fascination with Cuban history and politics, my crush on Che, my love for mojitos, and all things Latin WITH being told that I am not allowed to legally enter the country; well, I could not have designed a better place to get my adrenaline fix in, nor to celebrate my 25th Birthday, than La
Habana, Cuba.

The trip itself was a dream-come-true, but one of the most memorable parts of the whole trip was spending my Birthday at Playa del Este, or the East Beach in Spanish. It is only about a 20 minute and $5 taxi ride from downtown La Habana.

As I walked over the sand dunes and in the direction of the ocean the sight of the crystal blue waters took my breath away! I will never become jaded with the Caribbean. The beach is long and wide, with white soft sand and warm gentle water.

Throughout most of Cuba you will encounter a separation between tourists and locals. That type of segregation was really unsettling and bothered me the entire trip, however unlike everywhere else, Playa del Este had no separation and being amongst the locals, especially in such a gorgeous setting, made the experience that much more unforgettable.

Surrounding the beach are numerous restaurants and bars, but my favorite place for a snack was the popular ice cream stand that always had a line.

I revisited Playa del Este once more on my last day in Cuba. It was the perfect place for me to reflect on my trip. The island was full of life and desperation at the same time. Surrounded by tropical heat, the beat of salsa music, dilapidated architecture, and the constant presence of political unease; in Cuba I had the constant feeling that something was just about to occur, because in a place so full of uncertainty the only thing that was
for sure was that something inevitably would happen!

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Andrea Perullo is a Chinese Medicine Doctor by day, travel addict by night. When she is not treating patients, she is exploring the world or dreaming of the next place to visit.  She also writes travel features for MNUI Travel Insurance and blogs at My Beautiful Adventures.