Cuba by Bill Hetzer

Exuberance of Youth, Cienfuegos

I visited Cuba in March 2024, traveling for 13 days with an American small group tour. We started in Havana, then branched out to other towns and cities throughout central Cuba — Cienfuegos, Matanzas, Trinidad and Vinales.

The itinerary for an American tour group requires an educational or humanitarian focus. Basking in the sun at beach resorts or staying at hotels and eating in restaurants owned by the Cuban government are off limits.

To my surprise, there’s an actual US State Department blacklist of such tourist facilities. Therefore, we stayed in hotels that were built after the blacklist was established or accidentally left off the list. Additionally, we had the pleasure of dining in small privately owned restaurants. So in Havana we stayed in a beautiful new 30 story twin tower on the Malecon, and in other locations comfortable older buildings distinguished by their colonial style architecture.

Our well educated Cuban guide was enormously helpful, informative and candid. Everyone else we encountered along the way was also very hospitable, making our stay enjoyable as well as educational. Whether meeting members of a dance company, local artists and musicians, writers, educators and even a former ambassador to the United Nations, their presentations were neither judgmental nor political.

Unfortunately today, the economic situation in Cuba continues to be dire, impacting every level of society. While the government provides subsidies for basics, life in Cuba is expensive and challenging. It’s a daily struggle, and most people have to rely on informal networks and individual resourcefulness to make ends meet.

There are major food, fuel and electricity shortages too. We experienced rolling power blackouts, some lasting longer than 12 hours. Since my trip there, countrywide blackouts, each lasting several days have been reported. We were also told by our guide that remittances from abroad help sustain the economy. The sole investment source for almost all privately owned restaurants and B&B guest houses comes from relatives abroad. These investments are crucial to the continued development of the tourist industry, still not totally recovered from the Covid pandemic. But Cuba continues to encourage large scale tourism, a major source of foreign currency that contributes to at least 15% of the country’s GNP.

Cubans face many hardships today, but one must marvel at a country that has achieved 100% literacy, free quality education up to the highest levels, and maintains a well established and free health care system for all. Even tourists have national health insurance while in the country. Your plane ticket landing stub is your health care card.

The spirit and friendly nature of the people I met there, despite major hardships, make Cuba a very intriguing place to visit. Enjoyable may not be the best word to describe my visit — but it did indeed leave a positive impression of ordinary people making the best of a fluid situation. All the best to them.

Revolution Square, Havana

A focal point for beautifully restored American cars from the 50s and early 60s.

Chevy

Beyond tourist areas most American cars are not restored. Russian diesel engines have replaced the worn out original ones.

 

Colonial balcony, Old Havana

Rehearsal, Rosario Cardenas Dance Company, Havana

Beautifully restored colonial houses in Trinidad’s historical center. Sugar plantations made Trinidad rich during the 18th and 19th centuries, much to the credit of slavery.

Museum in Trinidad presents the work of regional artists.

This young lady was a docent at the museum. Within a few months she was starting studies at the music conservatory in Santi Spiritus.

Quintet

At the Cienfuegos arts center, a Cuban quintet plays classical music as well as fusion classical/Cuban compositions. As with all our cultural stops, the group mingled with the artists after their performances.

 

Murals adorn a popular cafe in Cienfuegos

Apart from tacky revolutionary paintings in tourist areas, contemporary art is widely seen in small galleries and workshops.

Afro-Cuban Dance

A renowned Afro/Cuban dance company based in Mantanzas performs all over Cuba, as well as abroad — intercultural themes and African musical instruments prevail.

A local tobacco farmer, Vinales. We toured his farm and fine cigar rolling factory. We nicked name him the Cuban Clark Gable.

A "barbecue" apartment in old Havana.

Many 19th century buildings have very high ceilings. Due to the housing shortage some families have cut the space in half by installing a new floor midway up, doubling the footage of the apartment. This makes the space brutally hot, especially during the warmer months.

This street scene in Havana is steps away from lux tourist hotels. Residents cannot usually afford to properly maintain their properties. Many of these apartments are government owned, tenants pay no rent and there is a lack of incentive to invest in improvements.

Recent gas shortages and price hikes mean fewer cars and trucks on the road; motor scooters are everywhere.