Cuba Moment #2: Rooftop Surprise

My general rule of thumb: When traveling, always make the most of each night -- especially your last night of the trip.

Following my own advice, I rounded up some peeps to go into Old Havana our last night in Cuba. Though we arrived back at the hotel around 8:30 pm after a day at the beach, about 10 of us found the energy and pesos to head into town (about a 15 minute cab ride away).

Our sites were set on an old hotel -- Hotel Raquel. Jody had discovered it during the Rookie Trip in March. Earlier in the week we walked past it and learned that there was a restaurant on the roof. I made a mental note: Go back to Hotel Raquel.

The hotel is located at the intersection of two cobblestone streets and is absolutely stunning inside. Our group of 10 broke up into two (6 in one, 4 in the other). The small group went on toward the "central park" area of town and had an experience similar to the one I'm about to tell you about ...

Our group of six went in to the lobby and inquired about rooftop dining. Still having not actually seen the so-called rooftop, we went by faith and ordered in the lobby (as the process goes). The waiter then ushered up to the roof in an old time elevator -- the kind with the accordian-style metal gate for a door. (I referred to it as the "Fatal Attraction" style elevator, but quickly learned that that was probably not the most appropriate reference in mixed company on a mission trip. My bad.)

We arrive on the roof, the gate opens, and there we were -- on the rooftop terrace, all by ourselves. Just the six of us. It was one of those great travel moments that you just fall into because you took a risk and went exploring. And it got better ...

While waiting for our food, we explored the rooftop a little more. There was an elevated room on the corner. From the street level, it looks like part of the main building. But the only way to access it is from the roof, up a small set of stairs. The room has a mural on the ceiling and wooden doors/shutters on four sides that we could open. In the middle was a table and four chairs -- the perfect place for dinner overlooking the city.

Since there were six of us (and we were not feeling THAT romantic), we crashed on the wicker lounge chairs, instead. Under the stars and with the sounds of Old Havana in the background, we enjoyed our sandwiches and coffees -- and the best darn strawberry ice cream I have ever had in my life. (Sorry, Blue Bell. I have to betray you on this one.)

It gets better.

We heard a smattering of applause drifting up from the lobby through the opened stained glass windows of the enormous skylight that covered the multi-story atrium. The waiter explaind that a well-known Cuban trio had just finished performing. Too bad we missed it.

Within minutes, though, I heard a guitar and turned to see where it was coming from. There they were -- the trio. Called Los Rodrigo, the group has been together for 48 years -- since they were 19 years old. They were there on the rooftop performing for us. Just for us. In matching shirts, too.

The night had to end eventually. Besides, there was a 15-minute walk and 15-minute cab ride in front of us -- and much packing to do. But I tell you what ... this is why you never stay at the hotel on your last night. No matter how tired, how late, or how much packing there is to do, I say, "Suck it up!" and hail a cab. You just might be surprised by what you find.