The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-03-26
THEHASKINLETTER
CUBA AS A RESORT
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

drawback to the place as a resort. A
goodly percentage of the men, too, have
some kick or other to make about the
place Most OF them kick about the
food.
II haven't had anything to eat since
got here said a little. fellow from
Chicago. 1--WE got to 90 back and get
me sirloin steak"
And yet excellent food of a kind may
! be had in the Havana hotels and cafes
at very reasonable prices. A great va
riety of sea food, very nicely cooked,
is on every bill of fare. The Cuban
| cook is an artist in omelettes and he
knows how to prepare chicken and riSe
| in several tempting ways. The salads
are good and a great variety of fruit
| is to be had. Incidentally, this light
| fare Is far more conducive to health in
| the tropics than heavier menu. But
| the steaks and crops and roasts to
which the American is accustomed are
| lacking The native beef is CRASHED
and stringy, and imported beef is very
scarce and expensive. The American
nearly always orders beef from habit,
and is nearly always disappointed in
what he gets,
II you want to play golf in Cuba, you
| must get an introduction to the native
| club, and then your links is long way
| from the city, Is is equally hard to
| play tennis. To 60 fishing you must
expend a good deal Of personal effort
in finding a boat and boatman. 1t Is
the same way with hunting. But per-
haps 1t is the bathing which disap-
points more visitors than anything
else, Avery large percentage of those
who go to the tropics In winter look
forward to the novelty of winter surf
| bathing In Cuba there is practically
none. The beach nearest Havana is
that Of Marianao, which Is twelve
miles away. The part Of the beach
| that may be used for bathing is hardly
| that Most OF it is occupied by small
| Cuban club The visitor who is able to
! present letter OF Introduction may
get admission to this. Otherwise a
primitive little shack is his only dress
| ing room. Practically no women and
niences Of this place, which is quite
widely advertised In Havana, as one
American remarked, "as though II
were something"
Thus the beach life, which is such
an important part Of that of other
winter resorts, is totally lacking IN
| Cuba. There are only few pmces 70
| dance, which is another good# point
against the place in the feminine eye
| Public concerts are held but once q
week, whereas every American resort
furnishes good music daily
AS Tor the expense OF NVlnE III ia
vana, it Is whatever you choose tc
make It, In the best hotels, rooms are
from five dollars a day for small one
without bath up to ten or twelve dol
lars Cheaper rooms which are clear
and habitable may be found without
I difficulty. Food Is on the whole cheap
or than in American resorts, especia lly
IL you eat the native dishes, This
cafes are crowded only for short time
in the evening Generally service Is
prompt, the scale of tipping somewha
lower than in the States, and the ha
and coat pirate is not so much in evi
dcnCe
It should be said that Havana has
many projects for, and is making som'
actual progress toward giving he
American visitors what they want, |
is said that great resort hotel is u
be built at Marlanao, and the beach
which was ruined by storm, Is to b.
| repaired THIS HrojsSt has heeu in ex
istence long time. however, and 81
far not a stick has gone up.
There can be no doubt but than Hh
vaua is a wonderful field for hotel en-
; terprise. 4 great tourist hotel liz
those of Florida, built on beach
with its own tennis courts and gol
, links, and with the tremendous adVan
! tage of being able 20 serve drinks
would tend to make cuba what sh
| aspires 20 be--the American Riviera.
, |