I was feeling unsettled about my trip to Cuba even before it was time to step onto the plane a few weeks ago. The inscrutable little island had been near the top of my travel wish list for years. It had originally wormed its way into my consciousness through my reading and the stories of Cuban exiles I knew and admired, particularly my thesis advisor, who is vexed to this day about his native country. Cuba had an aura of impenetrability – both physical and psychological – that made it all the more attractive to me as a travel choice.
Suddenly, though, Cuba seemed to be everyone’s new destination, and I was feeling peevish about that and my own life situation. Getting in before now had required joining a group, and I balked at paying the exorbitant fees and traveling as part of a package tour, so I stifled my desire and waited. As soon as individual entry was allowed, I jumped to make a plan, but after a Christmas break full of sorting and packing, dumpsters and goodbyes, I was utterly exhausted and cranky going into the trip, so that “plan” was quite vague. Basically, we (my sister and I and each of our daughters) had two cities in mind and a few Airbnbs booked. Luckily, this works just fine in Cuba!
My first surprise was finding Havana light on Americans, but perhaps we avoided them with our choice of accommodations and activities. The throngs of tourists I expected (based on fawning articles, recent Instagram photos, and Facebook posts, all brimming with classic cars and peeling paint) did not materialize in our neighborhood or most places we visited. We spent our first three nights ensconced in a seedy building on a bustling local street, our dingy metal door right next to a window with Fidel’s portrait overseeing a small display of outdated ladies underwear. We loved it!
A second (less thrilling) revelation was the need to stand in lines. I remembered, idiotically, that this was actually still a Communist country, and we started the endless queuing before we even left the airport, spending almost an hour waiting to exchange euros for CUCs. We stood outside state-run establishments, and we warily eyed the disorderly hordes outside the Etecsa offices waiting to buy internet cards.
All the waiting, then buying supplies at shockingly under-stocked stores, and then waiting some more – all with no wifi since we stubbornly resisted the crowds – helped us understand the daily ordeals of the Cuban population even as the new, secondary economy grows almost daily. There are so many signs that change is coming or almost here, yet so many reminders that it really is not. As a traveler, I wondered which one I wanted? And then I wondered which one they wanted.
Those three days exploring Havana were my favorites of the trip. Our apartment in Havana Centro was forbidding on the outside, but very clean and comfortable inside. We were able to walk most places, including the Malecón (which we were lucky to see on the first day as it became inaccessible after a fierce storm on day 2),
Havana Vieja and all its charming small streets and plazas,
and central Havana (which included the most unique restaurant visit of my life – chronicled here).
We dined at a classic state-run place that involved over an hour’s line-up outside, made a failed attempt to tour the Partagás cigar factory, and took numerous taxi rides all over the bigger-than-expected city in everything from utilitarian and supremely uncomfortable Russian Ladas to chugging and wheezing 1951 Plymouths or 1948 Buicks with no door handles, seat cushioning, or in one case, windows.
After a foray into the tobacco-growing countryside (future post), we returned to Havana to experience a different part of town. This was to be our splurge – two nights in an old colonial house in what was billed as Havana’s poshest neighborhood. We were giddy with excitement after our humble digs in central Havana and Viñales. We had booked a place that showed white columns, a manicured lawn, a small pool, and huge rooms in the Playa/Miramar area. We pictured ourselves sashaying into Club Havana in cute sundresses and gleefully ogled the few fancy houses we saw from the bus windows on the way back into town.
Expectations are everything, as I’ve cautioned in previous posts, and those cheap places in Havana Centro and rural Viñales exceeded them: Hairdryers! Semi-modern bathrooms! What a deal! About to pay four times as much money, we fantasized about the luxuries we’d get in this fancy house in its stylin’ neighborhood … we would see the pre-revolution lifestyle of wealthy Habaneros up close and personal.
Then we rolled up to the place. The columns looked good from the street, the grass was green, and there were some palm trees,
but we entered our grand house to find mildewy rooms, cloyingly heavy decorating, open showers that sprayed the whole bathroom, NO POOL (filled in with concrete per government edict), no hairdryers, truly bizarre art (think wild cats in Shakespearean ruffles), abominable crumbling structures next door, few commercial establishments, and cold, gray, windy weather (the only part not their fault).
We salvaged the stay, finding another fun state-run outdoor restaurant nearby one night and paying 10 CUCs (US$10) for a day at the beach and pool at Club Havana (which looked nice enough but was eerily empty, with no visitors other than us and a middle-aged Russian lady in a bikini).
After two piña coladas each, we were finally feeling like the socialites and celebrities who’d hummed along to Frank Sinatra here in the 1940s and ‘50s … until our driver rolled up to fetch us in his rattletrap car and we crammed in and bounced our way back to the casa to the beats of 2017 Cuban hip-hop.
Contrary to some opinions and the fears of those who can’t get to Cuba fast enough, there was little to suggest that this place is going to change inexorably in the coming months. It can be both charming and maddening at the same time, and the quirks that make it that way are not going to be ironed out overnight, for good or for bad. Like one of its famous classical ballerinas, Cuba is turning slowly, carefully, even gracefully, toward its new future – no sudden lurches, no wholesale jumps into a new reality.
It’s a fascinating place, and when I stopped asking myself why and when, or good or bad, it delivered. I was being a terrible travel snob, I realized, and all those colorful car and fading façade photos that had seemed like overblown clichés before I went were authentic representations of Cuban life today. As my daughter said one afternoon as we snapped our 17,000th photo of a classic car against a crumbling building, “This just never gets old, does it?”
arv! said:
Cool pictures!
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lexklein said:
Thank you, arv! It’s a photogenic place.
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arv! said:
🙂
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J.D. Riso said:
I’m laughing right now, imagining the typical American tourist dealing with the long lines and other inconveniences. I was not so sure that Cuba wouldn’t soon become the next mainstream destination for US tourists, but this alone has convinced me that there’s still time. It’s been such a trendy destination for Europeans for more than a decade. Practically everyone I know has been there. Anyway. There were ways around the obligatory tour groups for Americans, by the way. You could fly there via Jamaica or Cancun, buy a separate ticket to Cuba in either of those places, and the Cuban immigration didn’t stamp your passport so you wouldn’t get caught. I wanted to do it, but then I moved to the South Pacific and became a French citizen so it was no longer necessary, and the mystery sort of faded. 😀
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lexklein said:
My guess is that practically everyone you know is a low-maintenance traveler! It still takes a certain amount of flexibility to enjoy Cuba, in my opinion, so that may curb some of the influx. Yeah, I know I could have gotten in via Mexico City or Toronto or other gateways, but every time I looked into it, it seemed so damn complicated that I didn’t feel like dealing with it. Plus no one would go with me! (Not that that has stopped me in the past – haha – I’m just too tired and overwhelmed by life in general these days.) Glad I went, though.
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J.D. Riso said:
I know how it is to not want to deal with the hassle of visiting the tough places. It took me a long time to muster up the motivation to go through with the intimidating Belarus visa process. I’m really thankful I have been able to visit the difficult places while I still have energy. This will be a chill out year for me, by choice. Sometimes life’s turbulence just can’t be avoided.
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Jane Lurie said:
What a trip you’re having Lex. Wonderful photos.
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lexklein said:
Thanks, Jane. It was a great escape, and a good view of a way of life that seems familiar on the surface yet is so different in many ways.
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thirdeyemom said:
Oh Lexi you are bringing me back! This post and your last are excellent and I love ever single word!!! I think the images say it all too like the old outdated underwear or the concrete pool without water. A masterpiece Lexi! I can’t wait for more!
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lexklein said:
Thanks, Nicole – I love your passion for Cuba! There are so many funny blasts from the past for us in Cuba, yet it’s their reality to be living in a 1950s world while we move forward. So many strange anachronisms there; I wonder what time and money will bring them? Here’s hoping it’s all to their benefit!
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thirdeyemom said:
Yes, it is a bittersweet love isn’t it as for us tourists it is all so fascinating yet for the Cubans their life is so darn right hard. I remember going into the grocery store to check it out and seeing huge unstacked shelves. I brought deodorant, toothpaste and other toiletries to give to the hotel maids and even gave her my hairdryer which brought tears to her eyes. There is no freedom of speech and doctors are moonlighting as cab drivers so they can survive. There are black markets and the list goes on as you know. I read an excellent book that was also comical on Cuba called “Cuba Diaries: AN American Housewife in Havana” by Isadora Tattlin. Check it out if you haven’t already read it.
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lexklein said:
Thanks – I’ll look that up! And yes, the grocery stores were shockingly empty and sad. They alone brought home that this is still largely the country it’s been for decades.
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thirdeyemom said:
Yes so true. Whenever I got disheartened which is about every minute these days I think it could be worse. At least we still have somewhat of a democracy at a least for now.
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leggypeggy said:
We didn’t see a lot of tourists when we were in Cuba, but we stood in plenty of queues. I think we were struck by many of the same anomalies. It will be a long while before Cuba delivers what many American tourists expect. We thought it was wonderful.
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lexklein said:
It’s certainly a wonderful way to look at a place and lifestyle that have not been compromised by commercial priorities. When were you there? I wonder if much has changed even since then with the wider opening of the doors?
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leggypeggy said:
We had a few weeks there in April 2016.
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Alison and Don said:
Love love love! Thank you for this appetizer! Gorgeous photos and compelling narrative. More than ever I can’t wait to get there.
Alison
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lexklein said:
Thank you, and you’re welcome! This is indeed a mere appetizer for the feast you guys will have in just a few short weeks! Can’t wait to hear your impressions and see your (I already know they will be) amazing photos!
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Jeff Bell said:
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this country. You make a great point in that it isn’t what we want as tourists, but what do they want as people living there? I went to Cuba in 2003 and again in late 2015, and there were a lot of changes that made it much easier to visit, but I think overall life for the average person hasn’t changed all that much. Just because the US has begun to normalize relations doesn’t mean the leaders of the country are moving on from their communist experiment.
In 2003 there was a great hopefulness among a lot of the young people I met. They wanted change, and they thought that as soon as Fidel Castro died they’d get it. Sadly for them, there are still very limited opportunities on the island and almost no chance to move overseas.
I look forward to more of your posts on Cuba.
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lexklein said:
Thanks, Jeff. If I just let Cuba wash over me, I see that I love it – the colors, the music, the cars, the people, the slow way of life. But if I actually think about it, I get all muddled up. The last sentence in your first paragraph says it all, and hints at the fact that the presence of Americans is not going to change things overnight – again, for good or for bad. I think that’s what gets me – that there will be good and bad and I hope that line is walked carefully for their sake.
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Jeff Bell said:
On my last trip, as we stood in line at the airport in Cancun, there were people in line with us with tires, air conditioners and TVs for checked luggage. That says about all you need to know about the state of the island.
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twobrownfeet said:
Cuba has been on our list for a while. 🙂 I don’t remember when I got hooked on. I might have either seen a Cuban movie or just got lured by the countless pictures on travel portals — as you pointed out. Love the old world charm and those cars! 🙂 Thanks for taking me there. 🙂
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lexklein said:
I’m sure it’s the old world charm and those cars! They are so symbolic of the country; what’s great is that they lure you in but then you can learn what’s behind those photogenic scenes. I was glad to get some context there.
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dave ply said:
I have to admit those classic cars are pretty cool. I suspect that much owner pride and dignity go into them, possibly lacking other outlets. But on the flip side, Cuba’s never really been on my list, with the exception of being curious about the quality of the diving on their reefs. Maybe some year…
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lexklein said:
I’ve seen a few articles that argue that the diving there is the best in the world, largely because it is so untouched. I’m not a car person at all, but I was transfixed by the vehicles, both the ones that had been lovingly restored to a fine shine and the ones that had been lovingly nursed into a (barely) running state!
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Mabel Kwong said:
A very interesting account of Cuba, especially about the queuing up part from the airport to the main part of Cuba too. It sounds like locals are patient, though, and they are probably used to it – used to waiting, hoping for a better tomorrow, or as you inferred, wondering as to where to go from here.
PIty to hear about the place that looks like a good place. It does look like a place for the middle class from the outside, but you just never know until you step foot inside. Hope you managed to sleep well those nights
Those cars against the backdrop of the architecture must be classic Cuba. In a sense, like the queues, it is so apt in the Cuba is always on the move, but perhaps moving around the ideas of its past and not wanting to let go. Not that that is a bad thing as what has been has a purpose. But sometimes a place just has to look forward into moving along with the times if they want more than what they have.
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lexklein said:
I like your linkage of the cars to the idea that Cuba is on the move; to extend that, I’d say that some of those cars are barely hanging on and we have to hope they make it to a better future!
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Mabel Kwong said:
The cars don’t look like they are falling apart, at least the ones you showed in this post. In fact, in these photos, the cars look like they had a good polish and no bumps and scratches. Maybe for other cars and places in Cuba it’s a different story.
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Bama said:
Another fabulous post on Cuba, Lex! I’ve been wondering how fast changes occur in the country as relations with the U.S. had been normalized. The same feeling hit me when I traveled to Myanmar for the second time in October 2015, three and a half years after my first trip. It has been experiencing tourism boom, and foreign investment has been pouring in the once isolated country. Will Cuba go down the same path? Maybe. Is that good for the people? Maybe. As soon as Myanmar opened up to the world, Yangon Heritage Trust was established to promote conservation of the city’s colonial buildings — Yangon is said to be home to Southeast Asia’s largest collection of British-era buildings. Maybe Cuba can also learn about that: quick to change, quick to preserve. Hopefully for everyone’s best interest.
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lexklein said:
Thanks, Bama! What a great comparison you make with your two trips to Myanmar; I hope also that Cuba can preserve as it changes and develops. Of course there are other issues there, like the government and what direction future U.S. policy will take. It will surely be interesting to follow!
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fumblingthroughitaly said:
Thank you for sharing your experience in Cuba! It has been on my list for a while now but I’ve definitely wondered what it’s really like… It always seems so glamourous and perfectly preserved but no one ever talks about the not-so-pretty side of Cuba.
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lexklein said:
There are parts (like Havana Vieja) which have been studiously preserved and beautified, but the main parts of town are in a state I have not seen even in many poorer countries. However, all of Cuba, Havana included, feels very safe at all times, so even if it’s not-so-pretty in spots, it doesn’t have that sinister feel that blighted areas sometimes have elsewhere. In that there is its own beauty, I think!
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fumblingthroughitaly said:
Interesting! I look forward to exploring the area someday!
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Debbie said:
Lexi, love the photos and love the way you ended this thoughtful article with your daughters comment. the food shortages and empty hotel lines remind me of when i was in nicaragua at the time of the sandinistas. everyone there then too was well aware of why those shortages existed: the blockade from the USA. it is not communism per se that causes this, it is economic embargos. its not the lifting of tourist restrictions that is the factor, it is the lifting of economic sanctions and the stopping of clandestine attempts to undermine a country that both began with Obama, in his last months of office. Health care, schooling and education are the two biggest legacies that improved the life of all Cubans, especially the poorest. “When it comes to health care, Cuba is a success story like no other, writes Huffington Post investigative journalist. “http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-blumenthal/fidel-castros-health-care_b_13308526.html. Cuba also has the highest rates of literacy in the third world, courtesy of Fidel’s policies. Florida’s 29 electoral votes make it a state which can make or break presidential campaigns, according to above article, and thus the success of republicans like mr trump depend on the loud voice of anti-castro cubans living in florida. the world is a complex place and this year promises to be a chaotic one where everything is turned upside down, where truth comes to light, and where people power will hopefully overrule the power of vested financial interests. kinda like what the cubans did during the revolution Fidel led.
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lexklein said:
There are many things (like education and healthcare, as you mention) that have been done well in Cuba under Communist rule. There are certainly other things that have not fared so well in that regime, and the embargo did not help. It is indeed a complex place with complex needs in the future and I, for one, have trouble seeing what that future will look like for them.
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Sue Slaght said:
I’m thinking that a trip to Cuba can be quite varied. Even 20 years ago going to an all inclusive resort in Cuba was wildly different than our time in nearby towns. It will be fascinating to see what trips to Cuba in five years look like.
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lexklein said:
I may have to do that comparison myself! It’s hard to imagine what differences you might see today after 20 years, and I’ll bet what we would both see in 5 years will be pretty different from the current state of affairs, at least in tourist areas. My guess is that everyday life will look pretty much the same, for better or worse.
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christie jones said:
Great posts Lexi! I think your daughter is right, this never gets old, certainly worth the visit. I had Havana on my list for awhile, but I think I will prioritize it after reading your posts:)
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lexklein said:
Thanks, Christie. It was a few other bloggers’ posts that kicked me into gear! I’m glad I went when I did, but as I said to Sue above, I might feel a need to check back in here in a few years to see what changes have occurred.
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Manja Mexi Movie said:
Most excellent. I won’t say that now I don’t need to go (even though I really wonder if ever) but my curiosity has been sated and piqued too, but I still need to read your previous posts. 🙂
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lexklein said:
Thanks, Manja! And I apologize for the late reply and lack of recent browsing around your blog … real life has intruded on my activities (how dare it!) and I’m falling woefully behind here on WordPress! I’m glad my post could bring you a little virtual Cuba!
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Manja Mexi Movie said:
Oh, I know exactly how it is, I was behind for a month and now am slowly catching up. Your Cuba posts have been the best I’ve even seen on Cuba. So thanks a lot!
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lexklein said:
Wow – thank you! I will pay MMM a visit as soon as I plow through my inbox!
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James said:
Lex, I love this – it’s is such an eye-opening and honest report on the realities of life you encountered on your trip. Given all the recent coverage I was assuming that Cuba was on the cusp of the immense changes I saw in Myanmar last year. In Yangon the flood of new cars was already bringing traffic jams, skyscrapers were going up in the downtown area, and there were new coffee shops, fast food chains and malls – all the trappings of modern life that we expect and take for granted.
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lexklein said:
Thanks, James. for whatever reason, the tourism onslaught has not begun in earnest here. Lots more tourists – yes. But no traffic jams yet (in fact, the roads seemed oddly light on traffic), no glittering new buildings (but definitely some renovation and construction), and for sure no malls or fast food chains! I do wonder when/if it will happen, and what that will look like. Luckily, I am very close, so I can take a second look in a year or two!
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Shelley @Travel-Stained said:
It’s so interesting that you have always considered Cuba “impenetrable,” because for us it’s considered that easy and affordable all-inclusive to be taken for a sunny break. When we went, we booked 2 days in advance and paid $600 each for flight, accommodation, food and drinks for a week. Granted I’ve never traveled independently there (aside from renting a scooter and escaping our resort daily), and I’d love to go back and experience the new reality. It sounds frustrating and amazing and totally worthwhile.
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lexklein said:
Well, you Canadians had no entry restrictions, so I guess the impenetrability came from the U.S. side, not so much from Cuba (so it’s not really the right word!). But it also seemed hard to “enter” in a philosophical way; Communism was a metaphorical big gray wall for many of us in earlier decades. Now, it is so easy! And we, too, came in and stayed very, very inexpensively. Of course, having it also be just a few hour’s flight was awesome, too!
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Tina Schell said:
Wonderful post Lex – you really shared the spirit of the place, good and bad. First time I’ve really felt the real Cuban vibe from a travel write. Well done!!
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lexklein said:
Thanks, Tina. I don’t know why I felt so conflicted in Cuba! Everyone loves it, and I did too, but it brought up so many questions in my mind. Thanks for the positive feedback!
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Cecilia said:
Cuba might be a place to visit one day. Your photos sure do theirs to convince me …! Thanks for sharing.
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lexklein said:
I’m glad I’ve inspired you! Thanks for visiting and commenting.
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tperders said:
Great post Lex! I feel like I’ve got a much better sense of the place from this than I get from the other posts and images I’ve seen. That question about what development we want vs what the locals want plagues me constantly here in Thailand. I need to improve my Thai so I can get more of it from the people themselves! My Thai friends are generally more privileged than most and I don’t feel like I fully understand how modern development impacts those at the poorer end of society, and what they want from it. So much to learn about the world.
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lexklein said:
Thanks, Tanya. Cuba really is an enigma, and it was fun trying to unwrap it a bit. I could totally see that development dynamic at work in Thailand and much of Asia as well; the hard part is that we think we know what’s best for others (and we mean well!), but I’m not sure how it affects people across the economic and social spectrum in so many places. I do enjoy the investigation, though!
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Pat said:
Great post. We visited Cuba in October, using a private tour company out of Naples Florida. It was customized for us, our daughter and three friends. We traveled through central Cuba and in Havana in two Taxis with a tour guide. It was a great experience because accommodations were arranged to meet our needs (although a government hotel/resort was not a good experience) and they took us to eat at a wide variety of places, including the guide’s friends who served us lunch in their garden while we met the family. My overall impression of Cuba is the same as yours and I, too, believe that change will be slow and will result in both positive and negative outcomes for the citizens.
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lexklein said:
Thank you, Pat! What a fun trip you had … I would have enjoyed having a guide for parts of our trip and I would have particularly loved the interaction you had with the family at lunch. We got a snippet of that when we stopped by a small tobacco farm and were able to get a totally impromptu tour with the people who owned and ran it. Time with the local people is more often than not the highlight of a trip, and this was no exception!
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Pat said:
I totally agree.
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CompassAndCamera said:
Love your photos — especially the residential view from your apartment. I also love the journey you make within yourself between the beginning and end of your post. It’s easy to mistake Cuba as contrived or putting on some kind of show with its odd mix of antiquities. But it really is authentically emerging from a wrinkle in time, so to speak, as shown so visibly by the cars and the architecture. You’ve summed it up perfectly in your last paragraph. I agree — the old never got old!
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lexklein said:
I loved that view from our apartment also, and interestingly, I remember how much I loved the view from the balcony of your place in Havana! That open-to-the-street (and often in the street) way of life in Havana is so appealing. It’s a life lived outdoors, lounging in doorways, shopping the produce carts, drying the laundry, listening to music, etc. Glad I could bring back a little piece of Cuba for you!
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Sariska Jeep Safari said:
What an outing you’re having Lex. Brilliant photos….First time I’ve truly felt the genuine Cuban vibe from a travel compose. Well done!!
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lexklein said:
Thanks for your nice comment. I was trying to capture that vibe, but it’s hard to put into words, so I’m glad you got it!
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awtytravels said:
Hi Lexi,
Ah, I somehow managed to miss this one out. So, what was better, your humble digs or the posh (of sorts) villa?
Quite sad to hear that the cabbie was listening to hip hop and not to Buena Vista Social Club!
Fabrizio
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lexklein said:
Hi Fabrizio! The humble digs were the winners for sure! We really liked both of our very inexpensive lodgings in Havana and Viñales; they were clean and comfortable and well-located. The villa was a disappointment, but it was interesting to see what that part of town was like decades after it really WAS the posh neighborhood.
At least it was Latino hip-hop! 🙂
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restlessjo said:
I was paying close attention till I got to that shot of water pouring onto the Malecon. My heart flipped and I lost concentration altogether! 🙂 🙂
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lexklein said:
It was quite the storm! My daughter went for a run down by the waterfront the next morning and was forced off the malecon by huge waves!
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Bespoke Traveler said:
Expectations really are everything and so impossible to get rid of as a human. It will be interesting to see where Cuba will head in the future. The most important thing is what do its people – all of its people, not just the ones with means and foreign connections – want. The traveler’s love-affair with the classic American cars there puts me in mind of a documentary I once watched in which a Cuban taxi driver said his greatest wish was for a modern car which needed no “babying.”
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lexklein said:
Exactly! And your comment about the Cuban driver is also so telling. We tourists love riding in and photographing those car relics, but they are probably just thinking how wonderful it would be to open and close the doors and turn the key without anything falling apart!
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lisadorenfest said:
OMG I just love your pictures and am relieved to hear that the imagery is real and the scenes won’t be going anywhere soon. I’ve had your experience of ‘expectations’ in lodging…but not quite to the same degree. Came here today to find much needed find visual delights and as always your words and images delivered.
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lexklein said:
Oh, thanks, Lisa – so nice to hear from you and read your always-positive comments! I’ve been a bit absent (as have you) as we both re-gear, but I must find a time to drop you a real note soon! Hope all is going well!
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estelea said:
Oh I had to laugh at your priceless reactions when you discovered the reality of your palace .. But I also had to applaude your everlasting resilience 🙂 I get this is what travels feed you with, this ability to change your mood each step you take, to be able to appreciate your surroundings. And I loved the picture of Castro in the panties shop!
It’s a good thing if the country doesn’t rush into modernization and get flooded with cheap internet cafes .. Hope it will keep its unique soul in spite of the mass of tourists that will invade in the upcoming months and years ..
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lexklein said:
We laughed too – after we got home … while there in our supposedly posh palace, we were a little cranky! But yes, that’s travel and really that’s life in general, right? We made the best of it and have some fun memories about all of it.
I have high hopes that Cuba’s unique soul will indeed survive, but at the same time, I hope any development and changes that do occur will benefit *all* the Cuban people across the board, not just the government or a lucky few.
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gallivance.net said:
Lexie, Cuba has been on my list for years, and like you, I didn’t want to go through all the hassles to visit. I enjoyed both of your posts for their honestly and realistic view of things. I respect and appreciate the opinions of any traveler with as many miles on the meter as you have. Every place in the world, and I mean every single place, has warts. I don’t obsess about the negatives of a place, but some advance notice helps with the mental preparation. Good posts and very good information. ~James
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lexklein said:
Thanks, James. My predilection is also to look past the warts and negatives of a place, and I often find myself writing all sorts of wonderful things about places that have annoyed me in some way at the time! I was cranky going into my week in Cuba, but even with the annoyances and my attitude, it cast a positive spell overall and its complexities made it all the more interesting to visit. I’m so glad I went.
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badfish said:
Lex, finally made it over here!! Hope the move is going well? I am Soooo glad you are saying what you are saying about this place. I’m glad it will take some time for us to ruin it. I’m glad things are the way they are. I would like a pool with water in it though. And hey, get this, the first car I ever bought was a 1951 Plymouth. Get this: for $50. Your photos are stunning. Are they with your phone????
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lexklein said:
I’m about 50% done with the move(s) – everything out of DC and in storage in Houston, but now trying to finish up a house sale in Chicago and then a move-in in Houston, and just typing that made my blood pressure go up again! No wonder I haven’t been on the blog circuit for weeks and weeks.
If you have any sentimentality or love for old cars, you’d love Cuba for that reason alone. There’s lots more to enjoy, too, and I really think there’s time before Cuba turns into some awful Caribbean cruise port kind of place. Thanks for the compliment on the photos; as usual, I didn’t think they adequately captured what I saw. This time I used a combo of my iPhone and a small Canon I have; I just can’t get excited about the big Nikon DSLR and all the lenses anymore. My cameras are downsizing along with my homes!
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badfish said:
Good luck with all the moves. And yeah, me too, I just ain’t gonna lug an extra camera bag full of glass and stuff and a tripod to boot. I am considering…get this…a drone! Talk about stupid.
I do want to see those old cars in Cuba, I grew up with that vintage, I know them all…by year even.
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wheresjwo said:
You captured my feelings about Cuba exactly! I haven’t really been able to put it into words but my experience was very similar to yours. I just went a month ago and El Malecon was nowhere as dramatic. It was calm and smooth as glass. The photo you have of it is great.
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lexklein said:
It really is a tough place to unravel, isn’ it? On the surface, it’s everything you see in EVERY Instagram post or travel mag article, but there’s something underneath that’s hard to grasp. As a non-Cuban, I don’t think I ever will. Some of my Cuban acquaintances will never go back, others are thrilled with the changes, and yet others feel totally conflicted. And they’re all in the U.S.! How can we ever discern how the native population feels about what is happening.
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wheresjwo said:
I completely agree. I really wish my Spanish was better so I could have talked to more Cubans. I started reading The Caribbean by Michener to see if I could get a better idea of what happened there.
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lifeintrips said:
Beautiful pictures and great description…
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lexklein said:
Thank you! It was a very picturesque place!
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maxlcrepeau said:
. !
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