The impetus for this trip is nothing you haven't heard before—we wanted to visit before restrictions are fully lifted and you can find Starbucks on every street corner in Havana. Matt and I thought we were going illegally (i.e. through Mexico), but truthfully the 12 stipulations under which Americans can legally visit Cuba are so vague, and no paper work is required, so it's unclear as to whether we even broke any rules.
At any rate, Cuba is a fascinating country and aside from a nasty stomach bug, I thoroughly enjoyed being there and found it unlike any place I've previously traveled. If you'd like to read on, here is a recap of where we visited within the country as well as some general tips for traveling to Cuba (sorry, this is a long one!).