FRIDAY, August 5, 2016: Gazing out over the ocean, I sit at a hotel table finally able to get my computer on the internet! I just posted yesterday's post a minute ago, sans pics. But they are to come on this one!
I arrived in Cuba at around 4 p.m. two days ago. Customs smooth. Driver waiting. All was well. Only the neighborhood that I got driven to was kind of shoddy, so the next day I called Nestor, a young attorney who is a friend of one of my Facebook friends, Richard Weibe, who is a Cuban art broker. Richard was going to try to meet me here to introduce me to artists and take me to see good music, but he is in Canada closing on a house and doesn't know when he'll be done. When I told Nestor where I was staying he said, and I quote, "WTF. I'll be there in one hour. Be packed." And so I was. While I was waiting, I listened to Alex and his tia (aunt) talk in the living room and was greeted with a kiss by Alex's 5th grade nephew, who also stopped in to visit. When tia left, she kissed me on the cheek. All this aloofness I felt the day before in the streets of Cuba was now nicely being made up for! lol
Nestor arrived, swooped in gave me a big hug and kiss and drove me to stay with Rosa. I met Rosa and Humbarto, her "boyfriend," who pays for her to live in a nice two-story house where I now live. Rosa is Humbarto's mistress, Nestor later informed me. While I got settled in, Nestor waited patiently in the living room talking to Humbarto (an "older-ish" man).
As soon as I unpacked, Nestor and I set off on what would be a 3-4 hour walking tour of the malicon (strip along the ocean front), the parks, the oldest church in Cuba, the fortress where they fended off the Spanish. He pointed out the wall, not unlike the Great wall of China, which they had built to keep enemies at bay.
We walked through narrow streets, with colorful clothing dancing off the balconies. Tall, he explained, to allow shade for everyone walking.
Over lunch I learned from Nestor that Cubans have NO firearms, and are even put in jail if they have a knife. There are cameras posted at every corner of the streets. It is a very secure place. He said I could walk there at any time of the day or night and be safe, although I came in from the streets at 8 p.m. last night. He also mentioned that Cuba has free education and free healthcare and only about a 4% unemmployment rate. I am liking what I am seeing. He said I needed abut 4 days to see all of Havana, which is great since that's how long I'm scheduled to be here! Lunch was amazing. I had pollo serae coos sause, which was chicken in a delicious dark sauce with the freshest green beans I've ever had, with a side of the Cuban staple rice and black beans. We drank Cuban beer and I had a wee little cup of coffee which was yummy. We must have walked 2-3 miles past shops galore, live music at about every 5th corner or restaurant, people, people everywhere. Tons of tourists and locals lined all the streets.
Here is the sign that greeted me at the Havana airport
My first taste of Cuban cars- 80% OLD!
My bedroom at Alex's house.
A loco nino at the park, where you have to sit to be on the internet.
A typical Cuban street.
Alex made me a yoman's breakfast with papaya, banana, mango, watermellon, etc. !!
Alex and his Tia (aunt)
Nestor sweeps in to save me and we drive to the city.
In the neighborhood where I spent the first night.
My first driver. He took me to his mistress' house to change money and get water. He said it was his house, so I asked if the blond was his wife. "No, in Cuba we have girlfriends." He is married. When we left, someone threw something after him. "Don't worry," he smiled.
Across the street from my first casa particular (house where I rented a room.)
My hour is nearly up, so I'm going to sign off for a bit.
The old half-naked Cuban with the cigar who hangs out of his balcony across the street from Rosa's house and stares at me when I'm in the living room.
Nestor and I at lunch.
The capital building (far left) is an exact replica of ours!
My new digs: Rosa's house
I arrived in Cuba at around 4 p.m. two days ago. Customs smooth. Driver waiting. All was well. Only the neighborhood that I got driven to was kind of shoddy, so the next day I called Nestor, a young attorney who is a friend of one of my Facebook friends, Richard Weibe, who is a Cuban art broker. Richard was going to try to meet me here to introduce me to artists and take me to see good music, but he is in Canada closing on a house and doesn't know when he'll be done. When I told Nestor where I was staying he said, and I quote, "WTF. I'll be there in one hour. Be packed." And so I was. While I was waiting, I listened to Alex and his tia (aunt) talk in the living room and was greeted with a kiss by Alex's 5th grade nephew, who also stopped in to visit. When tia left, she kissed me on the cheek. All this aloofness I felt the day before in the streets of Cuba was now nicely being made up for! lol
Nestor arrived, swooped in gave me a big hug and kiss and drove me to stay with Rosa. I met Rosa and Humbarto, her "boyfriend," who pays for her to live in a nice two-story house where I now live. Rosa is Humbarto's mistress, Nestor later informed me. While I got settled in, Nestor waited patiently in the living room talking to Humbarto (an "older-ish" man).
As soon as I unpacked, Nestor and I set off on what would be a 3-4 hour walking tour of the malicon (strip along the ocean front), the parks, the oldest church in Cuba, the fortress where they fended off the Spanish. He pointed out the wall, not unlike the Great wall of China, which they had built to keep enemies at bay.
We walked through narrow streets, with colorful clothing dancing off the balconies. Tall, he explained, to allow shade for everyone walking.
Over lunch I learned from Nestor that Cubans have NO firearms, and are even put in jail if they have a knife. There are cameras posted at every corner of the streets. It is a very secure place. He said I could walk there at any time of the day or night and be safe, although I came in from the streets at 8 p.m. last night. He also mentioned that Cuba has free education and free healthcare and only about a 4% unemmployment rate. I am liking what I am seeing. He said I needed abut 4 days to see all of Havana, which is great since that's how long I'm scheduled to be here! Lunch was amazing. I had pollo serae coos sause, which was chicken in a delicious dark sauce with the freshest green beans I've ever had, with a side of the Cuban staple rice and black beans. We drank Cuban beer and I had a wee little cup of coffee which was yummy. We must have walked 2-3 miles past shops galore, live music at about every 5th corner or restaurant, people, people everywhere. Tons of tourists and locals lined all the streets.
My first conversation with a Cuban was with this man. He told me there are no firearms in Cuba, and we agreed that the United States has WAY too many.
Across the street from my first casa particular (house where I rented a room.)
My hour is nearly up, so I'm going to sign off for a bit.
This is a live guy/artist who imitates a famous old homeless wanderer in Havana.
So glad for Nestor and your new digs!!!! Xo
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