Destination Vacation: Cuba

The Cuban territory is not a single island but an archipelago (a group of islands) with a total surface of 40,000 square miles.  

Four sets of smaller archipelagos consisting of 4,000 islets surround the main island of Cuba: 

• Archipielago de los Colorados, in the northwest; includes Cayo Levisa. 
• Archipielago de los Canarreos, in the southwest; includes Isla de la Juventud and Cayo Largo. 
• Archipielago de Sabana-Camaguey, also known as Jardines del Rey (the King's Gardens), along the northern coast; includes popular resort areas such as Cayo Coco, Cayo Guillermo, and Cayo Santa María. 
• Archipielago Jardines de la Reina (the Queen’s Gardens), south of the provinces of Camaguey and Ciego de Avila is a protected area (National Park). 

Cuba has a wide variety of tropical vegetation and animal species, including some endemic species. 

Cuba has a mystique unlike any other island in the Caribbean, perhaps even any other country in the world. Much of the intrigue surrounding Cuba is based on the fascinating story of how Cuba evolved from being a rather obscure island in the Caribbean to one of the most celebrated and controversial Caribbean nations. In this lesson, we'll explore major events and characters that have shaped Cuba over the years. 

Main Historic Periods: 

• Pre-Columbian (Prehistory – 1500) 
• Spanish Rule (1492 – 1800) 
• Independence (1800 – 1898) 
• Pre-Revolution (1898 – 1958) 
• Cuban Revolution (1953 – 1959) 
• Post Revolution (1960 – today) 

Music is so much a part of Cuban culture that it is difficult to visualize any part of Cuba without a musical backdrop. While top classical music composers do exist in Cuba, it is popular music, a fusion of Spanish melodies and African rhythm, that is the very essence of Cuba. No matter where you go in Cuba, you hear the irresistible rhythms of Cuban music.  

Music genres: 

• Rumba - the African soul of Cuban music and dance that originated as a voice of rebellion against slavery and segregation and is still widely popular today. 
• Son - a traditional genre of music that originated in Cuba in the 19th century, a blend of African rhythm and Spanish melody, which then greatly influenced Latin American music as a whole. 
• Salsa - popular dance music that maintains the rhythmic structure of son while adding new sounds borrowed from jazz and other Latin American genres. 

Dance, too, is an essential part of life here; Cubans are known to launch into spontaneous dances wherever music is played. Cubans also love ballet and proudly support the National Ballet of Cuba. Of course, Cuba is famous for its cabarets that feature glamorous dancers and lively music, such as the Tropicana and the Cabaret Parisien at Hotel Nacional.