I started this tradition last year. I reviewed my posts for the entire year (which was kind of interesting in a wow-is-that-a-train-wreck? kinda way, but that's not important right now) and picked a mix of some of my favorites. These links are a pretty good representation of what it's like Living the Vida Loca, MBFCF-style. If you've ...
kikita's trip to cuba
Almost 50 years.
My dad passed away on December 11th, 1999. He and my mom would have celebrated their 60th anniversary just 3 weeks later on December 31st. To this day, when asked how long they were married, my mom will always answer, "Casi 60 años." Translation: "Almost 60 years." It's as if she feels like she's lying to just say 60 ...
My Father’s Day Gift
(The following post was written and lived by Kikita. It is dedicated to her Big, Fat Verdés Family.)**WARNING: You may need tissues.** My grandfather, Rodolfo Verdés, died on December 11, 1999. I never called him "Abuelo." Instead I affecionately called him "Papi" as did all of his children and grandchildren. My grandmother, Luza, never ...
What I, Kikita, Learned in Cuba
Kikita here. There are plenty of things about my trip to Cuba that I haven't written about for various reasons. One of those reasons is that I went back to school this semester. School started exactly 4 weeks before I left for Cuba so I made sure to clear my trip with my teachers. I went back to study Spanish, so my teacher was happy to excuse ...
Kikita and La Casa de la Loma
Kikita wrote this post about her recent trip to Cuba; depending on the kind of person you are you may or may not need tissues. Have you ever had one of those moments where you thought, "Dang it! I should have taken more pictures!"? I am having one of those moments. At the time, I was worried about running out of battery power or ...
Kikita and The Most Beautiful Beach in the World
The following post was written by Kikita. My trip to Cuba was many things and I saw all kinds of things. I guess it was sort of magical. Some of the things I saw were as legendary to me as the Sphinx or Stonehenge or the Eiffel Tower. I knew the video of my mother being dragged into the water of Varadero by heart. I knew the games they used to ...
The Most Beautiful Beach in the World
Most of the decor in my home is bright and colorful and Cuban-esque. My "theme"? I was originally going for Cuban Beach Cottage. (Our home is small.) And so, I have collected posters and art and maps and things that are a throwback to the simple days of my Cuban childhood. These three framed postcards, for example, are of 3 places that ...
Kikita and The Unseen Cuba
The following post was written by Kikita; who has recently returned from a trip to Cuba with her 96 year old grandmother. Every day that I was in Cuba, I would get home to Tio Timbiriche's after a long day of adventuring and the question "Los Viejos" would ask me was always the same, "What did you see?" And every day I ...
Speaking of Cuban Dissidents . . .
The following post was written by Kikita. My whole life I've grown up hearing the songs about how beautiful Cuba is. I've seen the paintings. I know Cuba is beautiful. I've always known. "Pearl of the Antilles" "La Reina de la Mar Caribe" "Cuba Linda de mi vida" Despite constantly hearing it growing up, ...
Kikita and the Cuban Dissident Bloggers
Marta here. Back in February of this year, my friends over at Babalú blog and Uncommon Sense posted a link to a Cuban dissident blogger whose name was Regina Coyula. I was a little shocked. I have a Cuban cousin with that name, but I knew her family to be hardcore communists. However, when I clicked on the link, I saw her familiar face. It was ...
Morro Castle In My Sky
The following post has been brought to you by Kikita. On my most recent Miami adventure, the Fabregas family had me over for dinner. Once we had finished dinner, dessert and café the strangest thing happened. I'm not exactly sure how it happened other than the fact that I probably instigated it, but we all jumped up, piled into their ...
Getting Back to Reality
Today is Saint Patrick's Day. That is the reality. I'm not in Cuba anymore. That is the reality. I, Kikita, have no idea if I will ever be able to go back even though I would love to. That is the reality. I am behind on all the work I missed while I was gone and I need to get caught up . . . yesterday. That is the reality. But every time I drive ...
Why I Was Scared
The following post was written by Kikita. Fear. It permeates all things "Cuba Now." Some subjects we just don't talk about. Why? Fear. Even the fearless ones worry about saying some things (even if they don't admit it). Mami always says to herself, "I. Am. Fearless." I will tell you right now, I. Am. NOT. Fearless. As ...
Juicing It Up
Another posting about Kikita's adventures in Cuba written by none other than Kikita herself. The one thing everyone told me before I left was "Don't drink the water!" No water for a whole week? Well, not exactly. Just before boarding I bought two big bottles of water, but that was definitely not going to be sufficient hydration ...
Las Terrazas
This is another Kikita post about her trip to Cuba. Several years ago a cousin I had never met before was visiting from Cuba. Since he had never been to Las Vegas, Mami, Luza, my tia Helen, and I drove out there to meet him and then bring him back to California. It was a whirlwind adventure riddled with cucufates, but that is another story. On ...
