The (true) colors of La Habana

A salesman of "Granma" (the governments newspaper, or - shall I say - the only newspaper available) discreetly hidden behind the columns of the terrace of Hotel Inglaterra, La Habana, enjoying the music show that has been set for the tourists there. No social classes differences in Cuba? I don't think so...

As much idiosyncratic as fascinating, even the most seasoned traveler is set for a shock while wondering around in La Habana.The shock is not of a cultural nature. After all the colors are familiar from books, the old fashion cars are familiar from postcards, the salsa music you hear everywhere is familiar from Latin clubs all over the world. Is not that. You are set for a shock by the hidden poverty, the one just beneath the skin of the city... the one that is not obvious, not perceivable in its crippled buildings or the warn out clothes of its people. It's the poverty characteristic of those that lost all - but dignity and hope.

The distant look of an habanero while walking around in Calle Obispo, the convertible peso shopping street of La Habana. Hardly anything for his pocket...

With the charm of an old movie star that refuses to accept her age, La Habana stands. Simply stands. It must have been grandious, graceful, once upon a time. For sure it could rival Paris or Madrid. But time was implacable and the moody caribbean weather has left its unmistakable scars in the city.

Inside "La Mansión Camagüey", beautiful building in Calle Concordia where the movie Fresa y Chocolate was filmed and where now is located one of the most famous paladares of Havana, La Guarida - a truly wonderful gastronomical experience... especially after 2 weeks and a half of rice, beans and fried banana!!! I was fascinated by this building since its crippled beauty is, for me, an allegory for La Habana. Hardly standing but with dignity and of incredible beauty...

Like the city, its people stand firmly. Stand in a middle of all the storms that have struck Cuba over and over and over again for the past centuries... Broken dreams and broken promises, colonialism, neo-colonialism and now mass tourism, Cuban people endure much more than the eye meets and still retain its quintessence. This is the true attractiveness of Cuba, not its beaches nor the 5 stars all inclusive resorts. Its the strength of the people and the high moral of their dreams.

Seated woman, Plaza de San Francisco, La Habana

We've grown accustomed to a happy image of Cuba. The musicians, the salseros and the vibrant colors. This is the "real" Cuba we are all looking for when we travel here. Indeed we can find this real Cuba everywhere. But many fail to notice the hidden (yet present) gloomy side of Cuban people. Their smiles are plentiful and generous but you understand by talking to them that their dreams and aspirations are far from fulfilled and that time has carved its wounds in their souls, as deep as in building fascades.

Inside a house in Havana. The contrast between the brightness of the outside and the darkness of the sheltered inside is a constant in Cuba. The sun light is always filtered by colorful glass, lending an ethereal fell to houses.

But first shock aside, and seeing Cuba with no delusions or naive fantasies, you start discovering the true colors of La Isla... and you can not help falling in love again with Cuba...
Despite difficulties, happiness is a way of life and a constant state of mind of Cubans.

Two persons dancing in the street to the sound of a salsa tune playing on some radio, in Calle San Ignacio.

Happy with soap. Two kids in Calle Concordia, happy with their newly acquired treasure: a bar of soap for each, given by Marion. In Cuba is a common place that locals ask tourist just about anything they can think of. I've been ask for my shirt and my bra (that I was wearing!) to which I had to say no for obvious reasons... But the "best sellers" in Cuba are pens, soap bars and candies. Make sure you always carry one of these items with you if you wanna make some people happy.

Santera in Plaza de la Catedral, while predicting Marion's future. No confie en nadie...


Old-school street musicians in Plaza de la Catedral

Slowly but surely building its way into the future, Cubans raise their heads and fight. Sin lucha nadie llogra. That's the strength of their dreams and the lesson leaned from the Revolution. They can stand on their own if the chose to do so. No colonialism. No Spaniards, no Americans. Patria o muerte! Cuba belongs to its people and even when left totally alone, even during the hardest times in history, such as periodo especial, Cubans stand straight!

La Habana in green. Man repairing his (relic) car - a much too common street scene in Cuba.

Previously accustomed to being abused by its colonizers and laking a national identity, their acquired self respect and nationalism is probably the biggest legacy of the Revolution of Fidel Castro. For the audacity of being independent from the paws of capitalism, the Cubans are paying a high price, suffering from a long lasting criminal embargo, as harmful against liberty and human rights as the dictatorship the US aims to attack...

Political propaganda, Fidel's style, in front of Museu de La Revolution, La Habana


Mural painting, La Habana

But Cuba is a dictatorship. No mistake here. There is no freedom of speech, there is no easy access to unbiased information, its not always possible to speak freely to people in the street. In the begging I almost couldn't feel it, but as time went by I could perceive more and more the warm breath of the regime on the back of my neck. It all become obvious when, in our last evening, one of us was taken aside for 15 minutes (sure seemed longer than that...) by a policeman to answer a few questions, after talking quite briefly with two locals. She was just asking for a quick information and talked maybe for 1 minute with the boys. This probably happened because we were at the entrance of Casa de la Musica, "the" dancing place of Havana and a well known location for jiniterismo - designation for activities lead by men or women (jiniteros e jiniteras) that offer their services to tourist in exchange of convertible pesos. The services provided span different levels of social interactions (depending on the jinitero) and can go anywhere from taking the tourist to a hotel or paladar, to prostitution. The locals authorities have been effortless in trying to eradicate such activities, and I do understand their goals. Normally they do so without disturbing the tourists, trying to preserve an image of tolerance. Nevertheless this time was different and we didn't feel a bit comfortable in a situation that was obviously not the normal interaction police/citizens. It all ended as fast as it started, with no clear information from the police. We were happy though. The tension was high and left no doubts... you can only do and say so much in Cuba...

US embassy in Cuba. Through the windows of one of the last floors it should be possible to read world news by CNN. A clear provocation from the US government, that claims (rightfully so, I'm afraid) that Cuban people have no access to international news. As a reaction, the Cuban government placed all these flags, to block the view from the embassy and prevent its people from reading the news. An act of provocation or censureship? Hard to say...

Pretending I was taking a picture of the man fixing the bus (on the right) I could capture the oh so common scene of a policeman asking a local for his documents (on the left). Probably he was caught talking to some tourists while trying to sell them cigars in the black market, as we were just next to the Partagas Cigar Factory.

Recognizing Cuba as a dictatorship was probably the toughest part of my trip.
Since very young age I've admired the ideals supported by the Cuban revolution and its endurance facing the arrogance of the United States and the brutality of the embargo that lasts for almost 50 years. It's hard not to admire a country where social differences are eradicated, where everyone has enough to eat, has a house, has health and education for free. Most of the motos of the Cuban revolution are indeed put to practice. For a very symbolic amount of Cuban pesos per month each person has enough food provided by the government. It's not very diverse, but is plentiful. Nobody starves in Cuba nowadays. Every child has 1 liter of milk for free until the age of 7 and after that either milk or yogurt until its mid-teens. There is no racial or social discrimination. It's hard not to like such a system, that puts to practice the teachings of those that dared to dream of a New World for a New Men. But somewhere down the line the Cuban dream became a Cuban nightmare. It's not possible to say what Cuba would have been without the embargo or if the regime would ever had become so suffocating and repressing if the country was not facing such difficulties. Most likely it would end up the same, as the nature of Men is corruptible, and even the spirits of the barbudos are subverted by power. What would Che say if he was still alive? Would he support Fidel? Would he support the lack of freedom? Would he tolerate that Latin America becomes free from the colonization of the imperialists, only to be again colonized by its own people? And what would Che think of all the incongruence and hypocrisy of the system? There are no social classes in Cuba, but some people live better than other. There are no social differences in Cuba, but the locals are not allowed to enter the areas where international resorts are set. Everyone has enough to eat, has a house, has education, has health treatment and even though you and me think they have everything they need, they don't feel that way. And probably they will never feel so, until they have their freedom.

"Madness". Street scene in Havana.

After bleeding inside with this great disappointment, I realize... It's not the basic morals of the revolution that are wrong, or the principles of communism that are incorrect. Is just the men that tried to put them to practice and somewhere along the way took many wrong turns... just the men...
Despite everything I deeply respect and love Cuba and the Cuban revolution for what it represents. I'm sure Cuba will stand strong and unique, beyond time, beyond Fidel, beyond the embargo and beyond the challenges the future holds for them.

"Standing out of the crowd", a colorful habanera walks to her work indifferent to the tourists. Plaza de la Catedral.

“Revolución es sentido del momento histórico; es cambiar todo lo que debe ser cambiado…; es emanciparnos por nosotros mismos y con nuestros propios esfuerzos…; es defender valores en los que se cree al precio de cualquier sacrificio…; es no mentir jamás ni violar principios éticos; es convicción profunda de que no existe fuerza en el mundo capaz de aplastar la fuerza de la verdad y de las ideas…, es luchar por nuestros sueños de justicia para Cuba y para el mundo, que es la base de nuestro patriotismo, nuestro socialismo y nuestro internacionalismo”.
Fidel Castro

There is always a light even in times of darkness. Viva Cuba Libre, siempre!

Clothes drying. La Habana.