December 12, 2008..Virgin of Guadalupe Day
Writing from Antigua, Guatemala where we arrived yesterday...and glad to be here where we can basically understand the Spanish.
That was not the case for the past 11 days while we were in Cuba.....we were never quite sure what was being said...they cut out syllables, change endings and rolls words around before they come out of their mouth. So about Cuba....it was interesting, fascinating, we learned alot, sweet people, unforgettable experiences, and beautiful countryside. It was expensive, everything seemed in short supply...including food and we had alot of meals of bread, peanut butter brought from Mexico, cheese(taken extra from our hotel breakfast buffet)--the food was pretty bad...even when we splurged with a dinner a Ambos Mundos..Hemingway`s hotel hangout. Everytime we did see a menu and request something from it..."sorry, we don`t have that"...or "the hurricanes ruined the vegetable crops, so we don´'t have vegetables" and we ate some things that definately were in the mystery food. Shortages were throughout....we stopped into some stores in Havana...within one store a great variety of things would be sold: tablecloths, paint, pants, frig, outdoor table, doorknobs, etc..yet they would have one or two of each..
They survive on a ration card issued yearly....combined with a few pesoes one can get cooking oil, rice, flour, beans, pasta, limited toilet rolls (tiny ones)...not included was soap, dish detergent, lotion, etc. So we were asked repeatedly for soap...just one of the several things we were asked for...
There are two currencies in Cuba....the peso which most of the local people live on and then there is the Cuba Convertible (CUC) that is what the tourist get when they change money. It makes for a very confusing system ...especially for travelers. Since we could not use our credit card or the ATM, we were daily counting our money. We were very surprised at the expense of things. An hour on the internet cost over $7, for comparison here in Antigua it is about 75cents for a hour. Everything costs....and because income is so low...$15-$20 per month, everyone is looking for how they can make a buck.
Seeing the l950's cars was a novelty for awhile, but the air is filled with exhaust...the car may look like a l956 Chevy, but under the hood something has happened and it spews dense exhaust. On the highway there are many, many, many people trying to get rides...buses are overcrowded and always late...maybe a couple of hours...lots of bike riders, motorbikes with sidecars, Russian made tractors, old trucks with 20 or so people hitching a ride in the bed of the truck. The tourist buses are Chinese made and were quite comfortable.
While outside Havana...in the far west: Vinales (tobacco growing country..those Cuban cigars...which I did get to roll) and in Trinidad (sugar cane area on the south coast) we stayed in homes...called "Casa Particulars" . That is the primary accommodation outside of Havana...and many in Havana also....The family rents out a room in their house for about 20-25 CUC per night, then will do you supper for 8CUC and breakfast for 4 CUC. (1 CUC =$1.20 US) They pay a license fee of $70 per month to the government to do this. There are not many restaurants in the smaller towns, so eating in the casa is almost the only choice. We had a variety of experiences with these meals!
Havana was once a beautiful city..with beautiful architecture..but much is crumbling. We met alot of European tourist there....and, according to a guide we had extended conversation with, the government will say that nickel and tobacco are biggest industries, but really it is tourism.
And just as in Mexico and here in Guatemala, tourism is also way down in Cuba...here in Antigua it is half of what it was last December....the world financial situation reaches all.
I am very glad for the eleven days we spent in Cuba....it was an important experience...but I left there feeling very sad .
Everywhere we have been the expression is the same "we have great hopes for your new President".
I hope to add some photos when I get to a better computer.
Looking forward to these next 10 days in Guatemala....
karen