There’s a salsa rhythm in the air as you cross over 11th Street into the heart of Miami’s Little Havana. The aroma of spicy peppers, chorizo sausage, marinating pork and other wonderful things cooking drifts out of just about every doorway. There’s an energy in this friendly neighborhood that’s almost tangible and certainly contagious. Just west of downtown Miami, this is the heart of south Florida’s Cuban community. Thousands of Cubans have sought and found refuge in Miami’s Little Havana since Fidel Castro overthrew their homeland in the 1960s. They have brought with them their cuisine, their language and their vibrant way of embracing life. The liveliest section of Little Havana is Calle Ocho (Eighth Street) between 11th and 17th Avenues. Sample the area’s invigorating café cubano (Cuban coffee) or try a plate of frijoles y cristanos (beans and rice). Take a moment to relax in Maximo Gomez Park alongside older Cuban gentlemen playing their afternoon game of dominoes or chess. Explore the small cigar factory on Calle Ocho, where they still produce cigars in the traditional way, by hand-rolling them. If you’re lucky enough to be visiting on the last Friday of the month, join in the street party, known as Viernes Culturales. There’s live music, dancing, street performers, and, of course, that wonderful Cuban food.