Ahoy from Havana!

Hello again, Blogonauts! 

Even as you read my last post, I was already winging my way from Miami. The flight to Havana lasted barely more than an hour, and yet it feels like a world apart.

The tour group secures rooms in privately owned/operated home-stays. My current domicile is in an apartment about 4 blocks east of the nation's glitzy capitol building.

Cuba's Capitol Building

The Parque de Cristo, across from my rooming house

When I arrived salsa music from loudspeakers filled the air in the Parque de Cristo across the street. My goodness! It was Valentine's Day, so of course everyone feeling festive!

The neighborhood is clearly vibrant, and ever since arriving, my curiosity took me wandering the narrow local streets and some broader boulevards.

Street art near my temporary home

An anti-alcohol display

More bored Cubans?

 

Initial impressions suggest that many of the stereotypes about Cuba are at least partially accurate. Most of the building exteriors are ramshackle, largely because the country lacks the cash to put toward improving them. This open-air dilapidoreum may exaggerate how much poverty exists in Cuba, but the forlorn image is hard to ignore.

Some snapshots around the neighborhood

 

One particularly nice feature is the large number of covered porticoes, offering shade from rain, and today, from the vigorous sunshine.

Havana's porticoes

The shops that exist seem small, dark, crowded, and not very well supplied. These seem to be supplemented by various vendors on the streets.

"No hay pollo!" Even in Cuba there's a shortage of chickens!

A street vendor selling sewing needles

Transport seems to mimic that of other developing countries. There are occasional buses, loads of motorcycles, a few tuk-tuks, and entire fleets of bicycle rickshaws.

And unique to Cuba, a visible minority of the full-sized automobiles are restored American cars from the 1950s. These relics of the pre-Castro era stand out, but in reality, most of the cars are a more modern vintage.

Some well-kept, pre-Castro Cuban cars

Interacting with the local residents in developing countries can present a challenge for tourists. We are wisely advised to be suspicious of any unsolicited friendly attention. Any visitor from a more well-to-do country seems to present an opportunity for getting a bit of cash. Most of these are easily dismissed, innocent inquiries, but some can be annoyingly persistent.

And at times, tourists can be targets for outright thievery. (This morning, while I was snapping photos, the only thing that saved my iPhone from being snatched from my grasp was the finger strap that keeps it attached to me.)

That said, Cubans do seem to be friendly, not only with visitors, but with one another. There's exuberance in the music and a tropical "gozo del vivir," which is Spanish for "joie de vivre," which is French for... oh, never mind. Here's a musical sample:

 

Last night, thanks to WhatsApp and a fortuitous purchase of an eSIM for my phone, I was able to have dinner with 3 other tour group "early arrivals." And bowing to frequent pressure to feature food photos, here's a snapshot of my dinner last night: 

Last night's dinner!

We should all count ourselves lucky if you receive and can view all the content here. In spite of the slow Wi-Fi, and the need to fool Cuba's internet monitors into believing I'm really posting from the USA, it seems this may actually reach you!

That's all for today! Tonight I meet with the rest of our tour group, and the pace definitely picks up from then forward.

And you in New England... Don't be jealous that I'm avoiding your upcoming snowstorm. Nay, pity me, for I am sweaty. 😜 

Blog to you later!