Cuba

Havana, 5 June
Moira's summary of Cuba
28 May to 29, Havana
30 May to 3 June, Trinidad
3 June to 16th, Havana
10 June to 11, Varadero
Vinales
Soroa, on way back to Havana
18 June to 25, Havana
Jane's version of Cuba
Relaxing back in Cancun, 26 June

Back to Mexico
On to Belize
Road map

Havana Monday 5th June

We didn't think that we would be able to use the Internet here due to cost and availability but I'm now sitting in a little glass booth in the library section of the Science and Technology Museum in Havana, looking through the glass and out through the open windows into the street outside.

The museum is housed in a building called the Capitolio that is the same design as the White House in USA!!!!!

Cuba is overwhelming due to the poverty, magnificent buildings in rapid decay, language and lack of privacy!!! You know how I like my space. It's a long time since I travelled to India that had a similar effect.

Don't know about photos of Mexican gigolos but you'll find some photos of some young Cuban men at some stage!!! We have discovered that young men here like older women!!!!!!! Apparently because they have more experience and money!!!!!!

We were in Trinidad for 5 days and were picked up by some young lads at La Casa de Musica, which was having a performance of contemporary Cuban music, followed by disco. Well, one seems besotted by Moira and mine was out for a good time, but they are threatening to come to Havana!!!!! “No problema” was their reply to the age difference, all of 20 odd years, yes 25 year olds!!!!!!!!!!!

Today we went and registered at the Uni of Havana for a 2 week Spanish course. I think it will be exhausting but we need it. We have been getting along on my survival Spanish that has improved with vocab at any rate.

Tomorrow after classes we are going to find out about dance classes, although what I saw Moira doing the past few nights seemed like salsa to me. I'm still with two left feet. The Cubans must have invented "dirty dancing" or we are just too presbyterial. Even the youngsters dance in what we would call a most sexual manner with plenty of hip grinding etc.

We are staying at a Casa Particulare, which is like a registered home-stay. It is very small, confined space and only a small sitting room, also fairly dark.

Neria, the proprietress is very kind and I think we keep her amused with our young men dilemmas!!! She doesn't speak English so we're never quite sure we understand each other!!!

Tomorrow we get some pushbikes for transport, as we do not feel comfortable about standing on the edge of the street and just sticking out our hands to the passing motorists. That's basically how you get around. There are some buses but are incredibly busy and overcrowded.

The place runs on two financial systems. The locals get paid pesos, mainly, and the peso shops have their prices pegged to the basic Cuban salary so are heavily subsidised, very crowded and have very little available. The other economy runs on $US and everything is expensive in comparison, but also very limited in what is available. At least there are not many people in these shops. If locals choose to shop in $ shops then they pay through the nose like tourists. We basically have to use dollars.

Everyone has been friendly (and not just to acquire dollars) despite their poverty. You are never left alone for long and it is very tiring trying to keep up a conversation in broken Spanish and also not understanding their "culture" or expectations.

We have been impressed with the educational system. The children, if they show any aptitude, are sent off to specialist schools all over the country as weekly boarders, all for free.

I am hoping to get into the hospital associated with the uni here to see the labs.

On limited time, so must get off.

Index..

Moira's summary of Cuba in general.

We were overwhelmed by the Cubanos hardship and their resilience for life displayed through their friendship, enthusiasm, love of their country, and their desire for us to like their country.

You must take into account when reading this that it is our interpretation of Cuba’s system as our Spanglish has led to some or should I say many misinterpretations.

There appears to be three levels of economies operating in Cuba.

Tourists and Cubanos working in the tourist industry use the US dollar. It has only been just recently that Cubanos are allowed to use the dollar.
The Cuban peso (20 pesos to $1US) used solely by Cubanos but can be accessed by tourists.
The black market which is mainly illegal goods that are distributed on the street by Cubanos as their second job.

An example of the differences in economies working is the purchase of a ticket to the ballet. Tourists pay $200 pesos and the Cubanos pay $5 pesos.

The average professional earns approximately $20US per month.

Knowing the average wage it has made it difficult to spend money when with Cubanos as a meal at a restaurant could be someone’s income for the month.

For survival, the Cubanos have a food ration system, the Librette that is supposed to provide the needs for basic living.

Items on the Librette include bread, sugar (brown and white, rice, salt toilet paper, soap for personal and clothes, eggs, canned fish, chicken, tobacco per person per month.

A medical prescription for anaemia, pregnancy and infancy can increase or include specific food items for the condition such as beef and milk.

These rations were not sufficient so further items that are required can be purchased through peso or dollar shops.

Shops are not obvious to the tourist’s eye and those that we did stumble across had limited range and supply and there was always a queue.

The ron (rum) and beer was cheaper than bottled water and became our main source of fluids.

People living in the country appear to have better access to food.

The cars in Cuba are worth mentioning. It is a car enthusist's paradise as most are the leftovers from the 40´s and 50´s Dodges, Fords, Pontiacs and Citreons. They still manage to keep them on the road with the restrictions on spare parts.

Another startling feature was the high level of education of the people we encountered.

Also Jane’s clothing for Cuba was ill researched, as loose fitting clothes is definitely out. The tighter, briefer and the brighter the better. Jane did not make the Cuban Vogue.

Index..

28/5 - 29/5 Havana

In its heyday, Havana must have been a spectacular town with grand buildings with plenty of marble and hand painted tiles.

Now the buildings are dilapidated and falling down except for old Havana.

Most of the old buildings are now inhabited by many families. This has made an impact on the water supply to the buildings.

We did lots of walking as the public transport system was always full and it was difficult to put ones hand out to catch a collectivo, the local taxi.

The first week we stayed at a Casa Particular, a room or rooms the family rents out, which was 45 mins walk from the university. As this proved to be too tiring, following both the Spanish and salsa classes, we moved to an apartment 10 mins from the uni the following week.

Food is limited outside the Casa Particulars, to fried chicken, pork, potatoes and pizzas.

As mentioned before most people have second jobs some of them selling various foods on the street, working as guides, or selling cigars, ron and other goods.

The Spanish classes consisted of another Australian, Kerry who is a barrister and sometimes works in the Territory, a New Zealander, Chris, Irishman, Maurice, Danish lady, Mayer and 4 US residents, Kim, John, Jai and another nutritionist, Beth.

The classes were well done in that Martha, our Spanish teacher spoke Spanish the whole time, 4.5 hrs per day, very exhausting. Now I (Moira) am able to have in depth discussions on the meaning of life with young men in Spanglish.

Mean while in the afternoons, we had salsa lessons and further practices at the day and nightclubs with many willing tutors who had their one method of dance. Jane still requires remedial salsa and has been an enlightening experience for her, as she did not realise how anally retentive she was.

Afternoon and evenings consisted of picnics and walks along the Malecon (the water front), a movie, Liste de Espera which we highly recommend as we managed to understand it without the Spanish, ice cream at the Copella (a peso queue that we did not join), dancing at the day and night clubs with live music (Jane has been going to bed at 3 in the morning) the ballet and trying to find food.

With visiting the clubs it has been difficult as you can only dance with one person. We are at a bit of a loss with the Cuban social graces but we have has some interesting experiences.

Index..

30/5 - 3/6 Trinidad

Discovered we had no control over where we were going to stay as the lady at our Casa Particular in Havana had notified her friend in Trinidad that we were coming. The family turned out to be very friendly and interesting.

The activities included swimming at the Playa Ancon in front of a Russian built resort, snorkelling over a dead coral reef, getting lost in a coffee plantation looking for a waterfall (the climb nearly did Jane in), avoiding the police in an illegal taxi with no brakes going down the mountain, very young men and lots of salsa music.

Index..

3/6 - 17/6 Havana

10/6 - 11/6 Varadero

Beautiful beaches (22 miles) holidaying with Cubans, ecological reserve of 300 hectares bound by hotels, a 500 year old cactus tree, and a very interesting tour guide, Andrea who is a speleologist?? (caves), a cabaret and a 26yr old male nurse (trying to teach Jane) at least they are getting older.

Index..

Vinales.

The Casa Particular had the best shower and food in Cuba and provided us with a restful stay after Havana.

The countryside consists of limestone and is similar to Quinlin in southern China.

Highlights were a disastrous bike ride that did Jane in for a day of rest following the ride.

Two bikes basically fell apart on us while we were cycling. Moira’s bike had a ceased back wheel and was lucky not to end up in hospital.

Other events included a horse ride with an illegal guide who was previously a lawyer. The ride was expensive and we are hoping that the money was distributed amongst the farmers that we past through. The fine is $80US if you are caught doing unregistered guiding.

It is certainly a small world as we ran into one of the DMOs in the local botanical garden.

The family and friends and fellow travellers were good company at the Casa Particular.

We also watched cigars being made and discovered the national flower, the Mariposa (butterfly is the translation) was a ginger plant.

Index..

Soroa (our way back to Havana)

Soroa reminded Jane of a hill station in India.

The hotel had paper bark bottle brush trees that were over 50 years old.

The scent of the cannon ball tree will be a reminder of Soroa.

There is a large garden with a selection of orchids.

The setting is peaceful in the foothills of the mountains and is close to one of their ecological parks, Las Terrazas.

Index..

18/6 - 25/6 Havana

Monday, 26th: Jane’s Version and summary of Cuba

Moira and I returned from Cuba yesterday afternoon -it was fantastic, stressful and exhausting!!!!!!

I think that means I had a good time!

The people are amazing. They live under such deprived conditions due to the US embargo and the fall of USSR but they still retain an incredible sense of identity, pride, energy and enthusiasm, on the most part. At no time did we feel unsafe and we wandered around the place at all hours.

There is a very obvious police presence but not in any gun totting aggressive manner.

Superficially at least, Cuba has to be the closest I've seen to a racially integrated society in all my travels - I'm sure it isn't perfect but the afrocubans, Spanish descent and every mix in between seem to get along well.

The weather was like Darwin in December before the rain starts, so quite tiring. The afrocuban men were also exhausting!!!!!! Apparently it is the normal for younger men to be with older women in Cuba!!!! Something to do with more experience and more money!!

It is just impossible to go anywhere and sit and listen to music - it is not allowed to sit and listen, dancing is required. I appalled them all with my inability to salsa or any other version of their dances!!!!

We met some really nice people tho! We did have 5 salsa lessons but I didn't realise I was so anally retentive when it comes to dancing!!! God help me in Brazil!!

Moira was able to get in her much loved dancing but it was always at some cost to privacy! She was continually reminding herself that some of them were the same age as her oldest daughter. Age certainly didn't seem to worry them, it was nice in some respects.

Music every where and different from Mexico.

Havana is amazing - an incredibly beautiful city, Spanish style, but in extreme disrepair. It reminds me of Centennial Park area of Sydney but more grand.

Places are falling down all around the place. There is a massive restoration program in conjunction with one of the UN organisations but must be costing millions.

It's hard to reconcile with the living conditions of the people. I really felt very strongly for their situation - seems like sometimes there is no hope. Professionals are lucky to earn $18 US a month.

The government does issue ration cards to everyone as a guarantee of basic food but I gather it is inadequate. They run two economies, one in pesos to which basic cost of living items are pegged, the other is US$.

Tourists must pay dollars and locals pesos. So if we bought a ticket for $US5, a local would probably pay $0.25 cents equivalent. Tourists are a big source of foreign currency, so if you visit it costs!!

Shops, what are they? If you can find them there is not much available. all foreign currency goes towards essential goods like medicine and fuel.

One thing that I found very interesting was the extent of herbal-green medicine that they have been forced to investigate-use. The university hospital has two pharmacies, one a "green" pharmacy and the other a traditional one.

When they study medicine one of their subjects is plants for medicinal use. I gather they produce a lot of their own drugs but only very basic stuff is available for the people.

The Spanish course was very tiring but well organised with an excellent teacher. She never spoke any English and I'm not sure she actually could but we all came through with flying colours. Still is very difficult to have a reasonable conversation and be certain that you have got the correct story!!! Moira and I are having some fun with Spanglish!!

We went to Trinidad, Cuba, the first week, and the last week we went west to Vinales in the mountains - a bit like Quilan province in southern China, I understand.

Index..

Cancun

We're back in Cancun, Mexico - I went to bed at 1930 hours last night!

Today is washing and e-mail, shopping.

We are finally getting our fix on the e-mail after the drought in Cuba. It was basically difficult to access, as there is only one place with six computers in the whole country. Additionally it was difficult to get to the Capitolia to use the computer after class.

Tomorrow we catch a bus down the south coast en route to Guatemala.

We hope to have a week in a hut on the beach planning the next part of our journey.

Index..