Cuba: 6 Days in Havana

As is common in many Latin countries, garbage overflows the dumpsters in the streets and some areas smell as though the rotting food has always been there – probably thanks to the heat. Most of the streets are extremely narrow – maybe by design? It certainly helps to create a lot of much-needed shade. I counted at least 5 large plazas, but there are many more small, well-used parks throughout the city. In fact, the Habanero thing to do after the heat of the day is to congregate in the streets and the parks for everything from an intense handball game called Cancha or various soccer-like games, to the national pastimes of chess and dominoes. They play music loudly, dance in the streets together, and argue and laugh – often in the same breath. It was so refreshing to see people of all ages playing together without the interruption of smart phones and video games.

Cars, Creativity & Hecho a Mano

Of course I would be remiss not to mention the highly celebrated vintage cars and other mid-century memorabilia because it’s everywhere you look. Diego loved photographing the cars and they are an obvious point of pride for the people. We also enjoyed wandering into various studios around the city. Almost everything is still done manually and the craftsman and artists were happy to talk with us and demonstrate their old-school techniques. Pictured below is a plaster shop where they make all of the moldings and architectural details found in most of the buildings in Habana Vieja, a seamstress shop, and a shared artist’s shop that is primarily used for lithography. Most lithography these days is done using aluminum whereas a special type of marble was once the primary medium and still is in Cuba. Speaking of art, Havana is a torrent of creativity. There is so much personal expression everywhere – we saw leather handicrafts, incredible film photography, street murals, fine paintings and etchings and lithographs, performers, music, and dancing. I also didn’t expect that because, socialism.

Politics & Propaganda

On that note, Cuba’s government may be billed as purely socialistic, but capitalistic principles are definitely present in their system and comparatively recent legislation suggests there is more to come. For example, sometime around the turn of the century the State began to allow the people to register small businesses such as taxi driving, home stay hostels, or photography. I can attest that the entrepreneurial spirit of the Cubans is alive and well. And, just three years ago a law passed that allows the legal buying and selling of personal property (houses and cars). Previously the only real way to build a better life for oneself was through study. Education is paid for by the State, which is wonderful, and there are both trade and intellectual routes. But teachers, for example, make the equivalent of just $25 per month and doctors around $50. Of course housing is provided, healthcare is free, and food is subsidized, but it’s not hard to see why the option to pursue a private business is attractive. Consider the opportunities in tourism alone. Don’t get me wrong, I certainly saw tons of political propaganda dedicated to the ideals of the revolution and, perhaps, trying to win back the hearts of the people who have witnessed incredible corruption over the years. Maybe that’s why the face of Che Guevara is plastered everywhere – I mean aside from his movie star looks. Maybe the people celebrate his nobility and dedication. He was a martyr for the cause after all. Dunno, but Che was Argentinian so the mere fact that Diego is also Argentinian (obvious due to his dialect) practically made him a celebrity in Cuba. Plus, well, it’s Diego.

I was fortunate to talk with several people about the current political situation with our country. A wise Cuban said it best. He said that Raul has a rock and Trump has a rock, but neither of them have a very powerful arm. They throw rocks at each other, but they land on the heads of the people instead. Others explained the anger that many Cuban-Americans displayed during the recent speech that Trump gave from “Little Havana” as generational anger from families who lost everything when their businesses were nationalized after the revolution – pretty understandable. But for the Cuban patriots, their presence only added insult to injury as they listened to Trump tell the world that tourism in Cuba wasn’t a good deal for the Cuban people. Hearing their perspective and touring the Museum of the Revolution really helped me understand the basics of the conflict. America supported Batista, the dictator who was overthrown by the revolution. We used similar puppet governments all over South America in an attempt to gain control of resources and, around the time of Batista anyway, to stop the spread of communism. The essence of the revolution was noble, I think. They wanted to liberate South America and improve the lives of the people with housing, education, and work. Sadly, power always seems to corrupt nobility. Plus, socialism doesn’t work. But I digress, again.

Towards Victory Always

Diego Dominates – Sorta

Let’s finish on a high note with a Diego story. He and I happened upon this gathering in Central Havana one afternoon. The guys were celebrating Mr. America’s birthday – that’s him in a stars and stripes tank top. They asked us where we were from as we walked by and I was happy to respond, which landed Diego a seat at the table that he could not refuse. His partner, Omada, was a bit grumpy about this development because dominoes is a serious game in Cuba.  Truth be told, I think Diego was dreaming up helpful tips for alternative ways that I could have responded. But that’s the smile of a very happy Maestro (Teacher). He’s actually a bit overjoyed because they won 8 straight games. Winners are not allowed to leave the table until they lose and the natives were getting restless – and passionately loud – so I was glad to see them finally lose a game. It was our most authentic experience in Cuba. The birthday boy even invited us for dinner.

Those who know Diego would say he’s luckier than most and probably aren’t all that surprised. But it’s not all rainbows and butterflies. Just a few days earlier, a local handily defeated him at chess in just 12 moves!