In this inaugural Community Spotlight, a recurring series that focuses on members from MAEKAN’s Slack community by highlighting their experiences, we catch up with Paris-based MAEKAN Member Yannick Louis-Fernand (@yannick.louis-fernand) who recently travelled halfway across the world—over 4,600 miles (approximately 7,500 kilometers)—for a two-week vacation in Cuba.
Yannick recounts memorable moments from his visit to the Island nation in the Caribbean: the beautiful sunrise and sunset along the coast of Havana, relaxing in a nearby port called Malecón, stumbling upon a beautiful mountain range in Viñales, and walking along the beach in Varadero.
An important part of travel involves immersing yourself in a foreign culture, which can sometimes lead to uncomfortable, challenging situations. In Yannick’s case, navigating through a technologically backward country allowed him to enjoy otherwise fleeting tech-free moments such as understanding the culture around fine Cuban cigars, discovering a burgeoning art scene that blends local and occidental culture, and having genuine, unexpected conversations with locals.
The view from the backseat of a spacious, all-leather interior, classic Cuban taxi. Yannick quickly learned how to bargain with taxi drivers during his short stint. Photo by Yannick Louis-Fernand
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A mountain range in Viñales—a memorable photo for Yannick, the first series of mountains that he saw in Cuba. Photo by Yannick Louis-Fernand
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