SPRING 2014 CUBA VOL 3

OLD TOWN HAVANA

It is time to get back to sharing our experiences in Cuba with you.  Most days began with lectures.  The first was Miguel Coyula, an architect, urban planner and professor at the University of Havana.  His charge was to present an overview of Havana now and then.  We heard several times, and from various presenters, that historically Cuba was considered the access point to the Caribbean.   It was also the last stop on the eastward voyage, for the wealth coming out of Central and South America headed for Spain.  That meant ships and pirates and all the other problems associated with a transient population,

For the longest while it was a Spanish colony. In 1762 there was a British occupation which lasted a short while, until it was traded for Florida.  That is what my notes say, though at this remove I honestly don’t remember.  Perhaps I should confirm what really happened but I need internet access to do that.  But that is not happening since we are currently sitting at a standstill on a British Rail (Southern Line) train, because of a signal failure.  Methinks our scheduled 40 minute train ride to Victoria Station will be considerably longer.

The long and short of it, old Havana has a lot of Spanish Colonial buildings dating from the

18TH CENTURY HOTEL

1600s.  The government has designated the entire area a historical district and is involved in restoring the exterior of the buildings.  At times this means the buildings are completely gutted and only the exterior shell is retained but the resulting ambiance is historically accurate even if the original occupancies bear no relationship with todays.  If you are in the old town it is quaint and appealing but you only need go a few blocks before you are surround by dilapidated buildings and holes or piles of rubble where building once stood.  This may get renovated or redeveloped at some future date but currently it is home to many families who have no other options in terms of housing.

Thanks to government subsidies, home ownership in Havana is extremely high — about 87 percent.  However, because the average house is 75 years old or more and the people do not have the money for maintenance many homes are in great disrepair, with a significant portion of the population living in squalor.  I gathered from our lecture that for many working people — even doctors, professionals and academics home repairs are simply too costly.

HAVANA SKYLINE

For example, a sack of cement can take as much as 55% of a months’ salary, while a window can be as much as 10 months income.  So much has to be imported and skilled construction workers are in short supply.  This means you must decide whether to eat or to paint. 

 

The problem is exacerbated by huge income disparities, often the result of remittances from the United States and other countries. Also the entrepreneurship fostered by Raul Castro has meant those who have the means to own their own business have a greater access to cash both peso and CUC.  According to Coyula, it’s not uncommon for “poverty and privilege to exist side by side” in Havana neighborhoods or even within single buildings.  How do you manage to begin to maintain apartments or condos where the tenants are not on an equal financial footing.  

HAVANA TAXIS

Okay this has become way too serious but there are those among you who have inquired the cuban missile crisis, the Bay of Pigs and generally the why of the American embargo.  So I shall intersperse images but try to explain what I understand of the politics. 

Okay, trying to confirm what I think I know/understand about the embargo I came across a 2005 speech on the Cato Institute website.  http://www.cato.org/publications/speeches/four-decades-failure-us-embargo-against-cuba about the effects of the embargo.  I may not agree with all of his analysis or conclusions but if you choose to read it I believe you will find it enlightening.  If that is not enough and you want to get a grip why on what happened in the first place, try this one from Time http://content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1891359,00.html.  I think these two articles will do a far better job than I could ever do and they are more likely to get it right.  

 We were supposed to visit Hemingway's finca (farm) on the outskirts of Havana but it was being renovated so all we got was a ride out to the small community where it was located.  These shots were taken there and this building is actually still being used by some element of th military. 

 The next selection of pictures are people in Havana.  

STREET SWEEPERS ARE EVERWHERE

LOCAL ENTREPRENEUR IN THE CITY CENTER

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In the past I have collected images of mailboxes in the UK.  This one is in Havana, don't remember when it dates from let's just go with old. 

I think it must be time to finish with Cuba.  I have a few more pictures to share and will write a little about some of our "people to people" adventures and then it is on to England.