Little Havana

Miami is often depicted as a sunshine paradise full of beautiful faces and places. It is. It’s the greatest place on Earth, no really. Here, you’ll find a kaleidoscopic revelation of humanity on display. However, sometimes the most impacting and culturally defining locations take a little digging. Last Thursday, the gang traveled to the celebrated Little Havana, or Calle Ocho, to trace our Hispanic roots and get in touch with one of the most culturally rich subsets in Miami. We passed bakeries, record stores, cafeterias, domino clubs, and other interesting spectacles invigorated by culture. Cuban old-timers resting on park benches discussing their ancient doctrines and historical recollections. Hordes of citizens packed together in the streets wearing straw hats and puffing cigars, rambling on about the primordial ways of the beloved country they yearn for. It’s impossible not to pause in bewilderment and reflect on the beauty of it all. All these people. United. Reconstructing a city to mirror the life that they so deeply miss.

As you walk down the sidewalk, you can hear the sharp, cataclysmic clatter coming from Maximo Gomez Park, the domino park, where dozens of residents (only ages 55 and up can play at this park) socialize and “hacen agua”—they shuffle the dominoes before a new game—while others play a game of cards or chess. The park is a gathering place and a sanctuary for seniors seeking to mingle with others, but, don’t be fooled, they take their games very seriously. The exhibition is both heartbreaking and beautiful. It illustrates the dying manifestation of Hispanic, particularly Cuban, heritage—a living and breathing link to the past. A piece of history for some and a piece of familial correlation for others. Little Havana was inhabited and established by a cluster of proud, patriotic exiles. They arrived with customs that they sought to integrate in our society and thus created a unique, idyllic offshoot of Cuban life itself. The city was revolutionized musically, artistically, and downright culturally. Consequently, they produced yet another distinct and mesmerizing division in the idiosyncratically remarkable and communal city that is Miami. So swing by, grab a Batido de Trigo and a Medianoche, and immerse yourself.

- Gabriel Heredero