«Lechon asado cubano» as our first meal upon our arrival to Havana was phenomenal since this type of dinner only happens for Christmas as a specialty for family. Although very unusual for me I knew this came about through sacrifice when I think of the average Cuban family or individual’s disposable income, if any at all, this meant I may not know you, but by all means please accept this welcoming as my utmost respect for you as a guest in my home, in my country… Someone took their time and used their money to provide this as a gift of welcome which speaks volumes beyond measure.
Without a doubt in the capital of Havana the contrasts present themselves in subtle yet striking ways if you pay attention to them. The Mercedes-Benz on the left next to two impoverished Cubanas near « La Bodeguita del Medio» simply sitting as tourists pass them by and a parked luxury vehicle out of their reach sits in front of them. It’s a joy to see luxury in Cuba, but painful to witness the poverty beside it. Contradiction speaks in this shot of grunge and cardboard plaguing the two ladies taking a seat. The Cuba we imagine or know firsthand is not represented here. It’s a harsh reality showing distance between the average Cuban and the Cuban who has connections be it from the government, friends or family.
The Cubans’ way of greeting one another fascinated me as they were always genuine in interacting with anyone. Warmth and straightforwardness are definitely Cuban qualities that I cherished. The one simple, quick kiss on the cheek fit me well since I am used to insincere handshakes or smiles at home or the French who have at minimum two kisses to possibly five depending on the region of the country, but the Cubans manage to be unique, hospitable and affectionate even if you are a stranger. To Cubans, the physical contact for a first-time salutation suffices and what matters afterwards is your character not your appearance, your race, your nationality, your age, etc. Conviviality, it’s definitely mastered by the Cubans!
Travelling to Matanzas from Havana on the Autopista Nacional gives anyone a chance to see all aspects of Cuba through rapid changing sceneries, with many contradictions and contrasts to be exact. For example, at times one may drive in wilderness for a while and suddenly, there are housing buildings vibrantly glowing in all colours from red to purple in any shade you may think of. The patterns of the colour schemes as well as the colours chosen represent the importance of art and the need for superb aesthetics in the Cuban society. The class of Cubans or the location in the country nor the vacancy matter, only the presence of art. The buildings pictured above intrigued me due to the simple architecture of the structures in addition to artistic, colourful façades at the same time. They remind me of the many diverging parallels of Cuba.
Fruits for breakfast every morning served to be a mandatory unchanging ritual, but a life-saving one. The plantains, the guava, the papaya, the pineapples, and the watermelon provided hydration and nutrition needed to survive Cuba. Without them as a kick-start for our daily plans, the amounts of water we drank would not have been enough to sustain us for the sunny or rainy days. It gave us all the energy we needed to persevere even when we may have been ready to pass out for the day! It was our lifeblood for sure while in Cuba! Throughout the entire trip I never realised that apples were practically non-existent in our diets, but mangoes were the best out of all the choices for me! Fruit saved me and I am positive that it helped the rest of us too without the use of any medications for the most part.
The majority of the stay in Cuba included heavy rainfall most of the days. It caused cancellations at times, but it had its purpose. If I recall correctly, there was a drought before our arrival. Bottled water isn’t readily accessible for the Cuban population due to finances so it forced me to realise the value of water. No matter how small, a drop impacts someone or something even if it is overlooked. The potable water in Cuba may come from these scattered showers making them essential to daily life. Water is the makeup of our bodies and our ecosystem; without it we would perish. All great things come from an humble beginning! Each drop of water makes just enough to fill the blue tubs for collection of rainwater for someone as seen in Havana in some apartment buildings so that a person could use it to get by in daily life. Water isn’t so ample in Cuba; therefore, it is greatly appreciated when available. My first choice has never been water yet now I value its importance, thanks to my journey in Cuba.
The words “critica” and “silencio” beside the name of José Martí creates a pun to me. Until his death, he fought for the cause of freedom, liberty and most of all freedom of expression for Cubans. I found this coincidental together and I am quite sure “la critica” would be the answer if Martí was alive. Journalism was his forte; criticism is freedom while silence is not. Voilà, there a newspaper lies next to the booklet we were making about him. It was cool to have this right before my eyes. That moment was like living in the future for a historical figure! Being from the country he strived to protect his country from feels very paradoxical to me, yet I have the privilege to live with the freedom of expression to even type this. This is an honour within itself and a democratic act to Martí even if Cuba isn’t the democratic nation he hoped for today!
The American flag combined with a Cuban flag caught my eye due to its ambiguity. Could this be a play on colours since Puerto Rico belongs to the United States as a territory with one difference in its flag: the blue stripes are red and the triangle is blue? Maybe it’s a historical message to allude back to American colonialism in Cuba or Cuban presence in the United States; history could have occurred differently. Who knows. It is very interesting that Cuba and the United States share the same colours in their flags; yet, the meanings differ greatly and the relations immediately make one thing of diplomacy gone wrong!
Seeing this group of Cubans sitting together conversing and using cell phones, I immediately thought of progress made in Cuba. Phones remain a fairly new technology as of 2008; however, it is beautiful to see human interaction happening even with the presence of telecommunications improving. Connection to others matter in Cuba even if technology gradually makes its way into daily life. Change in one’s way of interacting with others via cell phone or face-to-face remain a core value in Cuban society. In spite of this positive change, the dichotomies are here to stay! As you can see a car from 1950s America is present while the Cubanos are wearing current day clothing.
Omnipresence and propaganda formed a loyalty pact as we drove to the cleanup the beach! In my opinion this symbolizes a simultaneous chain of irony and inspiration. (Left to right) The principles from the Revolución are taught to the children at school while they must remember to search for peace, fight for justice without tiring and become a knowledgeable people never to be defeated. Those beautiful pieces of inspiration sound motivational, but an obstacle stands in the way of them coming true due to the one thumb on the people at all times: the government. The beauty, yet impossibility of this fascinates and saddens me. Mixed feelings are the only outcome of these for me and it was difficult not to acknowledge the sayings everywhere as we travelled.
Ropa Vieja remains my favourite Cuban dish along with the beans and rice! The history of the national dish is phenomenal and its taste is to die for. The best pork I’ve ever eaten. The cucumbers and green beans were the perfect vegetables to accentuate the flavours in the pork. It made me feel as if I was on top of the world; it may just be some silly pork to some, but I took it as a privilege to visit Cuba and use my five senses to the fullest, especially for eating!
The art in Cuba always gave a message of inspiration or anything to evoke thought while incorporating art appreciation! This masterpiece drew my attention above all others like it around me here since censorship must not be taken lightly while here, although the artist made sure to include that one can discuss secrecy, but it cannot be published. From that I got an interesting message: in Cuba, one is free to do as one please as long as what one does never affects or offends anyone who may inform or involve the government because of it. All in all, you do as you want as long as the government is appreciated and obeyed (according to the message in the artwork).
Cuban coffee represented the people, strong due to their lives of difficulty and struggle but sweet like sugar because of their genuine interaction with others and their will to always smile even if feeling blue!
Most places were always come and secure naturally; nevertheless, a police officer always made his presence known. It was assuring, yet strange since it required much observation to even notice them at times. They are subtle as Cuban ocean waters. The waters calm you subtlety while the officers make their positions known in the same manner.
Returning home to Houston gave me time for reflection and processing my stay in Cuba. The country served as a catalyst for development of my sense of self and an opportunity to learn more about my ancestors and culture in spite of it being in Spanish. Appreciation of communication with others with ease and putting my best foot forward at all times got its kick from Cuba. Seeing Cubans go the extra mile and smile while having less than me (materially, that is) really lit a fire under me to persevere. I will never forget their welcoming souls and the resourcefulness I saw them put into practice…
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