Did you know that in Cuba the “Guije” live in the Ceiba trees??

The Ceiba tree is one of the family Malvaceae of which there are 10 known species. Its appearance makes it easy to spot; thick straight trunk with spikes on it, forming buttress roots and an umbrella like canopy of leaf and flower cover. The flower which appears before the leaves, develops into seed pods which split to release large quantities of soft, fibrous Kapok, used to fill mattresses, pillows etc. These trees can grow to great heights and live many years, but the wood is only of use for dugout canoes, as it is light and buoyant. For this reason the Ceiba is often the only tree left standing when the forest has been cut down for building materials! The flowers are pollinated by fruit eating bats at dusk or during the night and in Cuba the Ceiba tree is home to the Guije!

Travelling around the island you will encounter many enormous Ceiba trees in the plazas and elsewhere. Around the base of these trees offerings will be placed by devotees practicing the “Santaria” religion dominant in Cuba. Offerings of various types of food, animal blood, flowers or over ripe plantain for example, are placed on the ground around the tree trunk and in return the Ceiba or Chango or Santa Barbara will reciprocate a favour or some kind of help!

The Ceiba represents energy and life, abundance and force, and the force it represents is the strength of Chango or his catholic counterpart, Santa Brabara.

Chango or Sanata Barbara are represented by the colour red; thus the blood offerings!

So would you want a Ceiba in your garden?? NO you would not!

Forget the beautiful flowers and the vast quantities of kapok you might benefit from, the Ceiba tree is also home to the Guije, and you really don’t want to set eyes on him!!!

“What type of creature is a Guije?” I hear you ask! “He is not mentioned in my Guide Book”! well… He is black as coal, and very short in height. His head is big with long straggly plaits. His eyes are enormous and shiny and bright and he only comes out at night!!! He has two arms and two legs like you and me, and he’s always close to the Ceiba tree. You might catch a glance of him in the corner of your eye looking out from beside the tree trunk, but in an instant he is gone! Now you have seen him you better take care you better beware!!! He is up to no good and he is always hungry!!!

His favourite food is “Funche” which is made from sweet potato combined with flour into a type of a soup to which alcohol can be added or offered separately!!!

No one wants to see the Guije and no one wants a Ceiba in their garden! If they do have one then they put plates of Funche for the Guije to keep him calm and hope he stays happily in his tree home!

There is so much to enjoy in Cuba why not book onto a tour this year?

If you enjoyed this news item friend us on facebook and receive links weekly direct!

Summer is here in Europe despite the rain and our thoughts are turning to holidays. White, palm lined, beaches, and cool refreshing cocktails to sooth the heat of the mid day sun!!

Here in Cuba the cocktails are always at hand, all rum based and plentiful combining locally grown limes and herbs into tangy mouthfuls bursting with flavours!

Havana Club is the local poison and it comes young fresh and white or more mature and dark aged for 3 years, 5 years, and 7 years! The most popular among Cubans is the white rum and “Rum Collins” would be the typical home made party drink in down town Havana. It combines simple ingredients that are fresh and local and can be found in most homes without prior planning. White rum Havana Club, lime juice, ice, sugar

Here’s how!

Choose a long glass or tumbler and squeeze the juice of a small lime into it.

Add a teaspoon full of sugar (more if you have a very sweet tooth) and mix together to dissolve the sugar in the juice.

Pour in a good shot of Havana Club white rum and stir together

Fill your glass with ice cubes and top up with sparkling water! ……………………………………………...Enjoy!!!!

Most visitors want to try a “Cuba Libre”, which comes in a tall glass, garnished perhaps with a slice of lime, lots of ice and mixed with Cuba’s very own “Tu. Cola”. “Cuba Libre” was the battle cry of the soldiers during the war of independence from Spain in 1898 but Cola from the US did not arrive in Cuba till 1900 brought over my the armed forces. Its certain that the combination of Cola and Rum was quickly found to be delicious in a tall glass packed with ice and garnished with a slice of lime…….so the birth of this drink can be traced to 1900and has been popular the world over ever since!

Mojitos have a much longer pedigree, are 100% Cuban and fun to make, if you can get your hands on some “Yerba Buena”.! This drink needs a little more preparation but delicious and refreshing it will wake up your mouth and set your taste buds tingling! It’s been around for centuries and was popular with the pirates of the 17^th century who sweetened the available “aguardiente” (a crude predecessor of rum) with “guarapo” (freshly squeezed sugar cane juice, see our news item “the sweetest sugar in the world” https://encompasstours.com/2012/05/the-sweetest-sugar-in-the-world/ ) Freshly squeezed lime juice was always on their menu to prevent scurvy at sea so adding some alcohol and flavours made it much more attractive! These days if you can’t get your hands on Yerba Buena then any fresh mint will do, guarapo can be substituted with a couple of spoons of sugar and we have the luxury of ice and sparkling water that the pirates would have lacked!!

Hemmingway’s Daiquiri is world famous but more popular outside Cuba than among the island population! It is totally Cuban in origin and made popular abroad through the maritime connection and trade with the US during the 1940s. Originally a long drink it has evolved into a shaken short with crushed ice, sugar, lime juice and rum!

Drink it cold and short…..

…….time for another?????

Have a party this weekend! Get your friends around for a taste that is pure Caribbean and get in the mood for summer.

Get yourself a bottle of Havana Club, half a dozen limes, some sugar to taste, a tray or two of ice cubes, big bottle of sparkling water or sparkling cola, a big bunch of fresh mint , if you can’t get Yerba Buena and with a couple of friends have a Cuban fiesta!!
Or why not invent your own!!?
Send us your personal favourites with a foto and we will feature the best one on facbook and on our web site!!!
cuba@ encompasstours.com
Or fill in the comments form below! Don’t forget to leave your name so we can let you know if your recipe is chosen!

Book your Cuban Holiday now!
“A Cuban Snapshot” 7 days tour
https://encompasstours.com/tours/cuba/a-cuban-snapshot-7-days/

“Mi Cubita” 14 days tour.
https://encompasstours.com/tours/cuba/mi-cubita-cuba14-days/

Encompass Tours

Archive and Information about Small Group Holidays and Life inCuba

Tag Archives: Holidays

Sacred Ceiba & Guije!

Did you know that in Cuba the “Guije” live in the Ceiba trees??

Caribbean Cocktails, Havana Club and ….

Here in Cuba the cocktails are always at hand, all rum based and plentiful combining locally grown limes and herbs into tangy mouthfuls bursting with flavours!