Thawing Of Us-cuba Relations Inspires Havana Tourism Dreams

Otero is renovating a house he hopes to rent to tourists, and he also works as a private guide, with a goal of someday opening his own tourism agency. Otero speaks excellent English, as well as French, and his ambitious nature, outgoing personality and clever insights into both Cuban and American culture make tourism a natural fit for him. Switching gears, he recalls losing his mother at a young age, being encouraged by an uncle to continue his education, and getting his tourism degree from the University of Havana. Gutierrez takes photos, makes videos and writes about Cuban food — restaurants, chefs, recipes, culinary traditions. [...] he dreams of launching a digital magazine devoted to Cuban food that could potentially be supported by advertising from the culinary world. At a restaurant he likes, Cafe Ajiaco in Cojimar, near Havana, he points to dishes like fritters made from meat, sweet potatoes and corn, and Monteria, shredded pork with vegetables. Majel Reyes, 38, studied English language and literature at the University of Havana and worked as a government translator before carving a more ambitious path. With an MBA and experience in filmmaking, she now assists foreign film crews shooting commercials and movies in Cuba. Reyes, who lives in her brother's house, bought a small apartment in Old Havana consisting of several tiny rooms, and transformed it into a stylish one-room studio with soothing colors and handmade stone tiles.