Havana’s 40th film festival starts TODAY and goes through December 16, 2018. Which Cuban movies are you going to see? 📸: The talented @karinalahabana Cuban/Habanera actress.

TWO big and good news out of Cuba this week: 1) In an effort to curtail inequality, tax evasion and black market activity from lifting private business restrictions about a decade ago... Cuba recently rolled out a regulation that stopped entrepreneurs from having more than one business type of license. That meant you needed to be a restaurant and nothing else. Or a book store and not a cafe (such was the case for @cubalibro in Havana..) However, today they modified that regulation to no longer have a limit of ONE type of business license. 2) THIS ONE IS BIG!! Finally... Data packages for internet on cell phones are available!! (Unfortunately, still exorbitantly high for the average Cuban but let's keep our hopes up that this gets better!) I can’t imagine a Cuba where I can just check my online stuff from a cafe or from my bedroom. This is going to be revolutionary! (Pun not intended).

Havana at dusk. 📸 Beautiful photo by local Cuban photographer @shaldrian

The oldest and one of the most classic hotels in Havana. They’re joining Marriott International in Dec 31, 2019. Making it the second American managed hotel in Cuba since the revolution. Photo by: @humbe_martx

Farmacia Taquechel - entrance is free to this small museum which is also a working pharmacy established over 100 years ago. Porcelain pots and carved wooden interior is really worth a look... bonus: try to spot the skeleton in one of the cupboards while you’re there! 📸: @mimaincuba - check out her insightful IG stories on rethinking the way you refer to Cuba as “being back in time”.

ENTONCES yo era un tipo perseguido por las nostalgias. Siempre lo había sido y no sabía cómo desprenderme de las nostalgias para vivir tranquilamente. Aún no he aprendido. Y sospecho que nunca aprenderé. Pero al menos ya sé algo valioso: es imposible desprenderme de las nostalgias porque es imposible desprenderse de la memoria. Es imposible desprenderse de lo que se ha amado. Todo eso irá siempre con uno. Uno siempre anhelará tanto rehacer lo bueno de la vida como olvidar y destruir la memoria de lo malo. Borrar las perversidades que hemos cometido, deshacer el recuerdo de las personas que nos han dañado, quitar las tristezas y las épocas de infelicidad. Es totalmente humano, entonces, ser un nostálgico y la única solución es aprender a convivir con la nostalgia. Tal vez, para suerte nuestra, la nostalgia puede transformarse de algo depresivo y triste, en una pequeña chispa que nos dispare a lo nuevo, a entregarnos a otro amor, a otra ciudad, a otro tiempo, que tal vez sea mejor o peor, no importa, pero será distinto. Y eso es lo que todos buscamos cada día: no desperdiciar en soledad nuestra vida, encontrar a alguien, entregarnos un poco, evitar la rutina, disfrutar nuestro pedazo de la fiesta. . . . Están de acuerdo? Que opinan? Amamos la literature Cubana! . . . Cuales son sus favorites escritores [email protected]? . . . Lindas palabras por el escritor Cubano: Pedro Juan Gutiérrez. . . . Photo por el viajador: @williamramostv

One of the best sights in day to day Cuba living. Nice wreath of onions/ garlic... Fresh LETTUCE!!... plump plantains... coming towards you... And best of all... no lines 😆💃🏽 #itsthelittlethings 🇨🇺 Remember to support cuban small businesses and entrepreneurs by giving them your business $. This is one of the easiest ways :). 📸 by @adventureworldguide

Banned throughout much of the world, cockfighting is especially popular in the Caribbean and increasingly in Cuba where it’s often a legal gray area. To the dismay of animal rights activists, a new cockfight arena opened up in Ciego de Avila to sit 1,000 people. . Some say this is cruel and backwards, others say it’s a centuries old tradition that provides much wanted entertainment in a country with little of that to provide. . Like bull fighting in Spain, many argue cockfighting generates tourism revenue. Income that is much needed in Cuba but others retort that it’s at the cost of a brutal death/sadistic sport. What do you think? Should it be allowed or should it be banned? And should tourists boycott this excursion? Or would you go to a cockfight in Cuba? PC 📸: @a.changcastan

“La Habana se da un baño con las olas del Hucaran Michael. Niños y adultos encuentran un parque de agua natural en el malecón.” @gabrielguerrabianchini photographer & poet

El malecón on a beautiful sunny blue skies day by @jaiworldtour ☀️ Now check out the next IG post for what it’s been like this month! 😜