Friday, March 6th, 2015

After waiting 4 hours in the Miami International Airport, we finally boarded Havana Air for the short trip across the 100 mile strip of ocean that separates Cuba from the US.

When the pilot touched down on the runway, the Cubans on board became jubilant, yelling, clapping, and squealing with delight.

We were met with a blast of hot, humid air as we deplaned and walked down the ramp. Customs was long and tedious. When we walked out the terminal, we saw hundreds of people gathered to greet their relatives coming from the US with their many carts piled high with plastic-wrapped goods.

First thing we did was change our Euros into convertible pesos. Although restrictions are lifting rapidly with the new agreements between the US and Cuban government, tourists from the US are still not permitted to bring in dollars. We had to exchange our dollars for Euros before leaving on the trip. From there, the money situation gets even more complicated. Cubans have a two-currency system. There are the convertible pesos, called CUC and pronounced “kook” that are used by tourists. The value of the CUC is pegged to the US dollar and is approximately of a one to one value. The people of Cuba, on the other hand, use Cuban pesos which are worth 1/24 of the CUC. How this translates is basically a monetary system that subsidizes the people. So, for example, if you went to a state owned movie theater and could see a movie for one CUC, that would be the equivalent of one dollar, but the Cuban person could pay one Cuban peso which is the equivalent of a few pennies. We were told this system will change soon, along with many other aspects of tourism as the restrictions lift.

Look what I found when I walked around the airport parking area!!

Ok. Ok. I know I got carried away with the pictures. I just can’t get over these vintage cars. It’s like walking down memory lane seeing all those cars right from my childhood in the 1950s. Some of these relics are in excellent shape, obviously treated with great care and affection. It’s as though time stopped with the Revolution in 1959.

 

 

 

We are staying at The Park View Hotel on Calle Colon on the edge of old Habana, near El Centro. On route from the airport to our hotel, we saw stately mansions and government buildings looking like they dated back to the 18^th century and in tatters and various states of disrepair. Even from the remains, it’s easy to see that Habana was once a beautiful, cosmopolitan city. On our drive through the city to our hotel, we saw examples of about 10 different styles of architecture all blended together in a pleasing cacophony of design.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our guide, Rodrigo, is a tall, handsome man who looks like he might be half black and half German—just a guess. In the 1990’s, with the big economic collapse after the Russians left Cuba, Rodrigo received a scholarship to study International Relations— specifically Cuban American relations—at San Francisco State where he got his Master’s degree. He told us that Cubans LOVE Americans and are clear about the distinction between the American people and the American government. He said they love American music, TV, and movies. They apparently watch all the same TV series as Americans. He named “Breaking Bad” and “Sex in the City” as examples.

The evening ended with a delicious dinner of rice, vegetables, and pork. Apparently Cubans are fond of pork. I normally don’t eat pork; the idea of it makes me feels queasy knowing how they’re raised. But this pork we ate was clearly from very healthy animals who, I was reassured, have a good life in Cuba living like real pigs.

I’m so excited about walking the streets of Cuba tomorrow and sharing what I see with you. But the nearest reliable—albeit slow and expensive— internet connection is a few blocks away at a more upscale hotel. The computer room is noisy with young people playing loud music. I will make every effort to get there as often as possible, but it will be challenging since we have a packed schedule every day with nonstop adventures that I don’t want to miss. I’m completely exhausted right now. I’m crossing my fingers I was coherent in the blog and didn’t make too many typos or aesthetic mistakes.

I got to get this out to you soon before the internet crashes. I hope to be back with you soon.