In a highball glass, mix the juice of half a lime, 1.5 oz. of Havana Club Light Dry Cuban Rum, and half a tablespoon of sugar. Add ice cubes and fill with cola.
Every table is occupied so Alex and I sit on a bench at the very back near the bar. Neither of us can dance and so we are actually very content to not be next to the salsa band or the twirling couples. The waiter promptly comes over and asks us what we’d like to order. “Dos Cuba libres por favor.”
Alex lights a Marlboro and gestures to the gentleman sitting next to us that he would like to borrow the ashtray on his table. He would have just asked except he doesn’t know how to say “ashtray”, “borrow”, or “may I” in Spanish.
We ask him if he speaks English and he says a little bit; he asks us if we speak Spanish and we say un pocito. In Spanish, I ask the gentleman what he does for a living. He seems to understand and quickly replies, avocado. Avocado? We probably wouldn’t have ever figured out his occupation had Alex not been familiar with the Spanish word for lawyer, abogado. Coincidentally, both Alex and our new friend, Jose, are in their final year of law school. They are instantly curious about each other’s studies but are unable to have anything but a simple discussion. Alex orders another round, “Tres Cuba libres por favor.”
Cubans not involved in the tourist industry do not earn tips and hence have no money to make unnecessary purchases. Therefore, Alex and I insist, as guests in their country, on paying for each round—which actually isn’t too expensive since the price of a Cuba libre is ubiquitously fixed at two U.S. dollars.
Fresh mint is the key to a perfect Cuban mojito.
Jose points at a lady sitting next to the salsa band and says that she is his cousin. I tell him that they don’t look alike and he explains that his uncle married a very light-skinned woman. He waves her over and introduces her to us. Martha is an agrarian engineer as well as a dance instructor. She asks Alex and me if we’d like to dance. I try to explain that we don’t dance but she can’t understand that concept and insists that I join her on the dance floor.
Martha grabs my hand and leads me onto the dance floor. Then she places my hand on her hip and explains to me how to count the beat. “One-two one-two-three. One-two one-two-three.” I try to follow her lead. One-two one-two-lo-siento, one-two one-two-oh my god is your foot okay! She smiles at me even though I know she’s in pain. We return to our table where Alex and Jose can’t stop laughing. I feel bad so I say the only thing I can, “Cuatro Cuba libres por favor.”
Tags: cuba, cuba libre, cuban alcohol, cuban dancers, cuban drinks, cuban mohito, mint, mojito, salsa
