HAVANA…Snazzy Cars, Vibrant People

The first impression most people have of Cuba is the old brightly colored cars. I confess, I would have said the same. Next, I would think Communism and oppression of the Cuban people.

My first impression was correct. Old American cars, hot pink, sunflower yellow, deep ocean blue ARE everywhere surrounding the Old Square Plaza Vieja, matching the colors of the 3 to 4 story old Colonial buildings along the streets running off of the Plaza. They seem to perfectly blend with the vibrant old town.

Since Cuba is an island, it seemed fitting to arrive by ship. We sailed into Havana on the Azamara Journey accompanied by good friends, Ed and Cynthia. As we had only 2 days in Havana and I had a list of photography “must sees”, I hired Alfredo as my guide. Searching the internet for a guide can be risky, especially in Cuba’s controlled environment, but Alfredo, a photography professor at Havana’s University of the Arts, proved to be a gem. Born and raised in Havana, he knew the city inside out.

As we walked the narrow streets outside of the tourist zone, he encouraged me to freely photograph the people going about their daily lives.

We visited a friend of Alfredo’s in his modest home. The gentleman and his daughter were happy to pose while Alfredo translated . Their home was very spartan, a narrow concrete structure with crumbling plaster walls, frayed furnishings and a very tiny kitchen. An ornate, once beautiful iron stairway in the middle of their “living room” led to another apartment above.

The obvious cataract in the gentleman’s right eye made me wonder about what medical care is available. Alfredo later explained that health care is free, but slow. Homes and apartments in Cuba are not free, but heavily subsidized by the government. Unfortunately, much of the old Colonial infrastructure is falling apart, most certainly because of the country’s economic, political, and social system.

Boxing and baseball are Cuba’s major sports. I knew there were small boxing clubs all over Cuba and although not a fan of the sport, I wanted to visit a club. Escuela Cubana de Boxeo is an outdoor, fenced in property with an official sized ring and multitude of equipment. I was “invited into the ring” to photograph the sparring up close. I nervously worried about being too close to the action, but survived without a scratch.

Cuba requires all American visitors to attend government sponsored cultural events and even with a private guide, Alfredo said we must visit the ballet school. The rehearsal was a great opportunity to marvel at the muscle involved in ballet dancing.

Alfredo expressed his envy of my camera equipment. He said that most of his students can’t afford their own cameras and share 3 or 4 owned by the University. I mulled that thought over all day and by the end of our time, I made arrangements to ship him my retired cameras and miscellaneous equipment. He appreciated that very much. To this day we keep in touch by email and I enjoy seeing his photography and hearing about his life.

On Day 2, the four of us had a private tour of Havana with Billy in his hot pink Pontiac convertible. It was a warm day but we covered a lot of territory, as well as cooling off with some local cerveza and enjoying a fabulous whole red snapper meal at a private restaurant.

After a little rest and an early dinner, at 8:30 we departed the ship for a late evening at the famous Tropicana Club. Begun in 1939, it is an outdoor theater that holds a large crowd of mostly tourists. Our VIP table, which included Cokes, a bottle of rum and some snacks, was directly in front of the stage so we had an up close view. The production was a colorful extravaganza of 35 or more dancers, both male and female. Scantily clothed female dancers wore head pieces nearly 3 feet tall while performing flawless kicks, swirls, and sashays. Not sure why the men were so fully clothed! It was an evening to remember.

After a long day, it was past midnight when we returned to the ship. At 1:00 AM, we watched from our veranda as the ship sailed out of the Havana Harbor toward Cienfuegos and then Santiago. Rethinking my initial impressions, Communism has certainly left most of the country suppressed socially and economically. I didn’t, however, get the feeling people felt oppressed. Many either don’t know what’s outside their boundaries, or accept what they have…asi` es la vida!