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| Havana's decaying downtown |
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| Street scene in Trinidad |
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| Tabacco plantations in Vinales |
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| Cuba's mountainous countryside |
Meghan and I just got back from two weeks in Cuba. Like so many Canadians we flew into Varadaro but didn't dally there. We spent time in Havana, Vinales, and Trinidad, with a brief stopover in Santa Clara. It was an eye opening and fascinating place to visit. And also a perplexing place. We came away with so many questions about how the country functions.
I still don't know where I sit in regards to my views on Cuba. Before visiting I probably had a rosy image of the country. There are after all many lovers of Cuba; Canadians embrace it’s beaches,
rum, and cigars. Permaculturalists and Peak Oil observers upheld Cuba as a leader
and living example of a sustainable low-carbon future. And yet human rights
violations are systematic. To complicate matters there is
a humourous cultural mash-up of the gunslinging-freedom fighting Che Geuvara with bikinis and rum All-Inclusive Resorts.
Confusing? Yes.
It would be impossible and useless for me to provide any
real analysis of what’s happening in Cuba. I haven’t done my homework and I
know that such a complicated country can’t be summed up after a two week vacation.
But I can express some of what we did see firsthand – surprising, beautiful, and humourous.
