Letters from Cuba, June 2009 (3) Havana people

Our first full day in Havana was marked by adjusting to the heat, and learning to pace ourselves. We managed a short walk along the quay looking out onto the Castillo del Morro, the giant fortress at the mouth of Havana Harbour. We could see the colossal Cristo de Habana, which is of white marble and can be glimpsed from many parts of Habana Vieja.

We also learned to get used to people softening us up and then making demands. For instance, the black African man who said he played for the Buena Vista Social Club and intended to visit New Zealand —and, one more thing, could we go to the shop across the road for me and buy some Pampers (disposable nappies) for his baby. And the man who asked Bill for a light, which he willingly provided, but, when asked why he didn’t have a lighter, said that a lighter costs the same as a packet of cigarettes, and it’s much better to buy the cigarettes.

Our waitress at the El Alfreizar Arabian restaurant asked if we had any soap (unfortunately, I had left my stock in my suitcase). Then she said she earns only $10 per month and had to support an elderly mother; if we planned to leave a tip, please could we place it under the tablecloth so it would be specifically for her — I did exactly this, although Bill thought me unwise. We enjoyed our meal at this restaurant, which was near the Plaza de San Francisco. Bill’s chicken kebabs and my chicken fillets were served with the ubiquitous rice, beans and salad, and we washed this down with some good Cuban beer. I followed this with Diplomatic pudding, which was a piece of cake soaked in syrup.

Bill & Ann Barrie at El Alfreizar restaurant, Havana, 2009

El Alfreizar Arabian restaurant menu, Havana 2009

At the nearby Basilica Menor de San Francisco, I noticed an enormous number of attendants — it had been the same in other such buildings — mostly women, wearing smart uniforms, very professional and pleasant. We were sure they were paid very little, and that it must be a tedious job.

Mosaic of Fidel Castro giving Patriarch keys of Basilica Menor, Havana. Photo: Ann Barrie 2009

We also noticed old Canadian school buses that had been donated to Cuba:

Old Canadian school buses in Havana, 2009. Photo: Ann Barrie

Letter 5, Havana, 9 June 2009

Today we visited two museums: Museo de la Revolución, which is housed in the magnificent former palace of the dictator Batista, and shows memorabilia, film, photos etc from the various Cuban revolutions; and Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, which has Cuban art and sculpture from colonial times onwards. Wonderful.

We dined at an Italian restaurant with a pretty courtyard in the lively Calle Obispo — shared a platter of assorted seafood and cold meats. We enjoyed the music from the band and bought their CD. 

Band in Italian restaurant in Calle Obispo, Havana, 2009   Photo: Ann Barrie

In the evening as we walked back to our casa, we would often pause to watch a group of men playing dominoes. The game as played in Havana differs from that played in New Zealand, or even elsewhere in Cuba. Players each have ten pieces, the largest number of dots is nine instead of six, and the pieces come in different colours.

Inès and her husband arrived back today. She said the house was passed down to them through her husband’s family. There is no real estate industry in Cuba, and on the whole you can’t buy and sell houses. When we paid Inès, the official receipt was for 75 CUC (25x3) for accommodation, but the receipt she gave us had the extra 24 CUCs that we paid for breakfasts. Owners of casas particulares pay quite a steep licence fee, and meals are how they make a little extra money.

We were pleased with our choice of casa for our first three days in Cuba. True, it was away from the centre, and so we needed to budget 5 CUC for a cocotaxi to get there, but the area was clean and pleasant, with most people owning their own homes.