Cuba. There is so much to say about this beautiful country. Where do I begin?

Words cannot explain the unique character of this country. Old Havana exudes its beauty through live music, art displays, and fresh food markets on every corner of the city. It's kind of hard to be in a bad mood when there is so much sunshine, music, and warmth surrounding you.

Nestled away from the liveliness of Old Town is Central Havana, an area that is undergoing rapid gentrification. The signs are evident: a handful of trendy hostels and cafés are sprinkled along the main streets, and it is likely that the city will continue to evolve as the years go by. For now (at least), it's a pretty good taste of the "real" Cuban capital, and it's a nice safe-haven for those who are trying to avoid tourist traps.

One of the first things I noticed on my trip from the airport to downtown Havana was the heavy use of art, imagery, and symbolism in public areas. Various buildings, walls, and town squares are covered in artwork, slogans, and statues - a subtle yet effective way of communicating the events of times past.

It's almost impossible to speak about Cuba without mentioning politics. I may be alone on this, but I find that Canadian's rarely speak about our history, and when we do, we sound slightly detached, as if we're simply reciting the facts of distant events. In Cuba, this simply isn't the case. Their story is fresh in their collective memory. This is probably because Cuban history is not just the story of a nation and its leaders. It's the story of a people. There were just as many (if not more) Cuban families and school groups in the museum as there were tourists. I ask myself whether Canadians express the same level of interest in our history, and whether crowds of people flock to the Canadian War Museum. It's hard to say. In Cuba, however, everyone seems to be well-versed on the events of the Revolution that defined the island's politics.

Our perspective shapes the stories that we tell. Politics have always been prone to storyism. We select a handful of historical events and try to boil them down into a succinct narrative. With time and enough repetition, we fall victim to the illusory truth effect where we believe that the story is true. While perousing the exhibits, my American friends were astonished by the number of incongruencies between the Cuban and American versions of the events surrounding the Embargo of the 1960s. One friend gestured to a poster describing Operation Peter Pan and stated that the numbers simply didn't add up. Agreements that were portrayed as a peaceful negotiation between two nations were suddenly interpreted as an abuse of power. 

Is it a faux-pas to ask a local about the political climate in Cuba? Probably. So I didn't bother to ask. The decision to err on the side of caution was a smart one, because the opportunity presented itself while receiving a tour of Vinales. Our tour guide explained his frustrations with the country's rate of economic development and restrictions on telecommunications. He was happy about the way that the internet revolutionized communication in the country, but still felt that more progress was due. He was especially excited about TripAdvisor, the platform that helped him to scale his business from a hobby into a viable job with stellar online reviews.

Naturally, I was curious to know about the status of women in Cuba. On International Women's Day, I was pleasantly surprised to see the headline on the local newspaper, which read, "Women in the soul of a country". The entire edition highlighted the contributions of women's groups during the Revolution, and detailed the significant role that women play in today's society.

Oh, Rome... where have you been all of my life? To say I had an amazing time would be an understatement. If someone told me to describe Rome in one breathe, I would say that it's a remarkable city with a great story to tell. There's an amazing history to discover with every turn of its cobblestoned streets. 

My sister and I found Romans to be equally charming and comical, living up to their stereotype of being 'expressive' people. We witnessed a lot of 'talking with the hands' accompanied by bright and expressive eyes. 

Since the weather was in our favour, we walked absolutely everywhere... and I mean to the point of exhaustion and dehydration - but it was so worth it! We fell in love with the winding streets, lemon trees, and the coral and yellow coloured homes that were scattered across the city.

Rome made me feel so small. Literally and figuratively. You can easily get lost in the sea of tourists and high school students that wander about the city. Rome is overflowing with ancient monuments that have been standing strong for centuries. My favourite was the Pantheon. It made me think about how advanced civilization was back then, to create such a large structure with slave power (regrettably) and simple resources. It also makes me realize how short the human life is because I'm sure there are millions of people before me that have stood in my place (and surely after me). Humbled, I held onto that thought for a minute or two while quietly staring into the night sky through the oculus of the Pantheon.

The food! It's so simple and yet so wholesome. I found a favourite pasta dish and ordered the same thing the entire trip. It's called Cecio e Pepe, it has a cream-based sauce and it's sprinkled with a bit of parmesan and pepper on top. My sister generally opted for anything with a tomato-based sauce, which was perfect because we got to sample more things from the menu.

Before leaving, I promised myself to go back in the summer to see the Trevi fountain (it was under construction and opens in another year) and the Spanish steps. And to have more espresso, gelato and tiramisu. I'll leave you with some of my favourite pieces from the Vatican!