If you want to get a feel for local culture in Cuba, settle down for a morning (or afternoon or evening) of people-watching in any one of Cuba’s central parks.
You’ll find a central park in every village, town, or in each area of a city all through Cuba. Warning: you may find it fascinating.
The people and activity in the little park, Plaza del Cristo (Parque Cristo) which was half a block from our Casa Particular in Old Havana, was quite entertaining.
Here is a little photo essay of regular Cubans in one of Cuba’s Central Parks in Havana, Parque Cristo.
A father and daughter relaxing in the park…
School children rumbled out of the school at the end of the plaza, teasing and laughing playfully. Hugging each other was not uncommon, and they seemed genuinely happy.
The school is the building with all the windows at the end of the park in this photo.
Because Wifi is primarily only available in central parks, others rested and checked their cell phones, some with dogs at their sides.
For some reason, I was totally enthralled by this black woman sitting on the bench reading a book. Later she had a nap, and after several hours, slowly walked away. To me she seemed entirely beautiful.
People walking through the park…
This little girl saw me watching her and started a little dance performance, coming closer and closer. 
Then a little boy wanted to dance with her.
The park is filled with families and school children and lovers and walkers and internet users, but there is always one happy drunk in every park around the world.
Another day, school kids came out in to the park for a puppet show. It was a simple show but the kids seemed to really enjoy it, especially when an old gentleman joined the dancing. Here is a short video.
Of course, there is the local park janitor cleaning the park and emptying garbage.
But take a closer look…
It is not at all uncommon for women in Cuba to smoke cigars.
This little Cuban boy captures the expression on the faces of most tourists when they first see a Cuban woman smoking a cigar.
So if you want to get a feel for the real people of Cuba, spend some time in Cuba’s Central Parks. They are everywhere, in every area of any town or city in Cuba (and in any town in Central America as well).
But we have to ask,
“Would you smoke a Cuban Cigar?”
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