Remember the times when we were kids and dreamed of becoming adults? Oh, well, now that “we’re living the dream”, we’re looking back at the kid we used to be and smile nostalgically… If only we knew that from some perspective, THOSE were the best times. Maybe we would have laughed more, got upset less, enjoyed the time spent with our loved ones more.   

And sadly, no time machine was invented yet, so we can’t just turn back time and be kids again. What we can do is take a short trip down memory lane. Today, our invite takes you back home to Cuba, to the childhood years and the cobblestone streets. This picture cannot be complete without the cheerful voices of the children playing around. Picturing it? Now let’s see what games they are playing…

Juego del Taco

The Juego del Taco used to be as popular as Cuatro Esquinas, but this competition involved pairs. You draw a square on a wall to indicate the strike zone. Instead of a ball, you usually use a small wooden block or a small piece of rubber that gets hurled forcefully against the wall in an attempt to strike out the batter. The batter uses an improvised bat or any sort of stick and when he overcomes the defense in the safe zone, he gets a run. The winning team is the one that reaches the number of runs that were previously decided on.

Cuatro Esquinas

So many generations of Cubans have enjoyed Cuatro Esquinas or “four corners”… The game involves four players: one defending first base, another playing second base, yet another at third base and a fourth player located between second and third. The basic rule is to not bat between first and second base. Also, you walk from home plate to first base. After getting to first base, you can either run or walk—however the players agree—and when players go backwards from one base to another, they have to walk. The offense always hits the ball with a closed fist.
There are different versions of Cuatro Esquinas, if you remember another one, please share it with us on Facebook.

El gato y el ratón

The Cuban version of Tom and Jerry :). The cat has to catch the mouse, that has to escape passing under the arms of those who form the chain. Those who form the chain, when the mouse wants to pass, will raise their arms to facilitate the passage and lower them when the cat tries to pass. Sounds like fun even for today’s children, right?

Now that we opened this nostalgic gate, we invite you to share your memories.