HAVANA, CUBA

                                       Cuba's Capital

     Havana, Cuba’s cosmopolitan capital city is home to over two million people. The largest city in the Caribbean is the political and cultural center of Cuba. Over 40 years of neglect and economic struggle was evident in the decay of the infrastructure and the many once elegant mansions in various states of disrepair, but restoration efforts were also obvious. In contrast, I was amazed to learn Havana has over 40 museums and 14 major art galleries.

Driver resting in passenger seat

       My 17^th floor hotel window afforded me a great view. I gazed down on the Malecon, the six-lane wide seafront boulevard that follows the ocean for miles. The Malecon, designed in 1857, was not built until 1902. Immediately I spotted a line of yellow taxicabs and the cute little cococabs which I was anxious to have a ride in.  Cococabs are small yellow, fiber-glass, open vehicles with a small gas engine. The top curves to cover the driver and two passengers who sit in the back. They are seen all over the city and the average fee for a ride to about anywhere was three dollars. They’re cute as can be and a lot of fun to ride.

        The Hotel Riviera was the Mafia’s last and most ambitious attempt   to eclipse  Las Vegas. Mobster Meyer Lansky owned the hotel but was registered as the kitchen manager to evade taxes. When the hotel opened in 1958 it was considered a marvel of modern design. The egg-shaped gold-leafed casino and nightclub opened with Ginger Rogers as the headliner. The hotel has undergone a recent renovation. The pool in the back of the hotel was filled and looked very inviting. The smaller pool in the front of the hotel was being renovated when we visited.  

        The hotel had all the amenities of any good hotel. It was a surprise to find a hair dryer. Contrary to literature the water ran regularly and was hot. The beds were comfortable.

        We were informed, “Your patience may be tested to the limit here in Cuba. It will be best if you just relax and try to go with the flow."  This really was not a problem as things flowed pretty smoothly. We were cautioned to only drink bottled water which was readily available. We also were advised  to watch where walked.

       We had seven lectures, all given by professors and all of which were extremely interesting and enlightening. Lecture sites varied and were very basic, often with plastic patio chairs. All the lecturers had a good command of English. Several had been in the United States at various times, some teaching in our universities.

      La Llave del Mundo (Key to the World), Havana saw a massive amount of riches, many from Mexico, Peru, and the Philippines, pass through her sheltered harbor to Spain. At one time Havana was one of the most prosperous ports and the third most populous in the Americas. Although there were only 13 in our group, we rode around in a Mercedes bus.

       Before the Revolution the United States and Cuba had a history of friendly relations for over 100 years. We had a walking tour of part of Old Havana, which covers 4.5 square kilometers and is home to 105,000 people. Old Havana is defined as the area that was once inside the walls where 55,000 people lived. The old city wall took 23 years to build (1674-97). The wall was 3 ½ feet thick and 30 feet tall. In 1863, just 123 years later, the wall was torn down by slaves.  Old Havana was designated a national monument in 1977 and a UNESCO site in 1982. 

      Havana has many sites to visit. We were informed that taking a picture came with a $1 fee. We saw many school children wearing uniforms. Without exception they were quiet and polite.

       In 1874 ten percent of the Cuban population lived in the United States, primarily to raise money for Cuban independence. Today 1,200,000 Cubans live in the US, and it still is about 10% of the population.

With the importation of so many blacks the face of religion was also changed. Syncretism means the mixing and combining of different religions. Santeria refers to Afro beliefs and everyday issues. Combining Catholic saints and African religion is called orishas. Catholic influence has been in Cuba for 500 years, the Santeria influence 200 years, and Protestant influence a mere 100 years.

Women have always been active in Cuba, starting in the 1800s when they organized clubs to support the wars. In 1918 the divorce law was passed, but the penal code, where a husband had the right to kill his wife if she was unfaithful, was not repealed until 1930.

In 1902 the literacy rate among blacks was only 8%, but by 1940 it climbed to 80%, and is even higher today due to the literacy campaign of 1961.

It is very common to see extended or multi families living in the same home.  The Cuban family has decreased in size with the average family today having only one or two children. Women are also having their children much later in life. In the urban areas women want careers and put off marriage and children until their late 20s or early 30s. The economic crises of the 1990s had a large effect on family life.

In 1953 only 17% of women were in the work force and 70% of those were domestics. Today 65% of the professional workforce is women, the one exception to this is doctors.

Presently only 20% of Cuba’s forest remain intact. Turtles were hunted to almost extinction and in 1975 the first laws were written to protect the environment. In 1985 one third of the archipelago was protected.

Today Cuba, although desperate for foreign investment, is trying to learn from the mistakes of Jamaica, Haiti, and other areas where the entire skyline and culture has been sacrificed.

With increased tourism come additional noise, garbage, need for light, sewage disposal, toxic gases, vandalism of the environment, and the need for more energy and consumption of it. Since 1997 a license is required before a building goes up or one buys a car. 

Havana has an underground electrical plant, but underground water resources are limited. They are also making use of solar energy. They have a forward outlook and are trying to be proactive to save their island while fully realizing that some compromises are necessary.

From my limited observations it appears they may be successful, as they are intent on saving their culture while overcoming the tremendous problems that have plagued the society the last decade and a half.

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