More thoughts on pending change in Cuba

When I think about Cuba, many images and emotions burble through my brain. I see classic American cars, clunky Russian tractors, Ladas and goats galore, yoked oxen working the fields and pulling wagons, horse carts, cattle trucks that double as public transportation, bad roads and good friends, bicycles, bright flowers of many hues and beautiful people of almost as many hues, happy hugs, sincere smiles, music, sunshine, soaring mountains, swells of saltwater and warmth – best of all, the warmth.

Warmth is foremost whenever I find myself talking about Cuba, explaining why I keep going back. The physical warmth of the climate is what first attracted me, as well as the affordability of travel there. That was the bait but the emotional warmth of the people set the hook. I can’t say enough good stuff about the Cuban people. They are easy to love.

Naturally, no population is perfect; there are clinkers in every bowl of popcorn. However, I have to say, the majority of the people I’ve encountered in Cuba are worthy of great admiration and respect. Admittedly, my sampling has been rather small – mainly in the Granma region, around Marea del Portillo and Pilon – but my sentiments have been echoed by other visitors I’ve spoken with and guidebooks I’ve read. The people are wonderful. They are welcoming. They are curious about foreigners and proud of their own rich culture. They are giving, even though they have little material goods in comparison to many countries. They long for greater freedom, from what I’ve observed, but are patient; it will come one day.

Changes are now occurring in Cuba. The government is shifting its weight, reshaping the way it operates. There have been massive federal employment cuts and more are expected but, as a counterpoint, there appears to be greater openness to self-employment opportunities and private enterprise. The scales are finding a new balance. In the long run, I think the outcomes will be positive but, in the short term, I fear there will be many hardships, especially in remote, rural regions like Granma, where there are fewer options than in areas frequented by hordes of tourists.

It is the uncertainty of the upcoming transition that causes me concern, stalls my heart on behalf of the decent people who will likely struggle to survive during this period of flux. In addition to nationwide layoffs, there is talk of the ubiquitous ration books being done away with. These books entitle people to purchase a set amount of cheap food from government-run stores – not quite enough to live on but, by most accounts, vital to the majority of homes. What will families do without the accustomed rations? How will they be able to afford to buy enough food on the more expensive open market when the wage earners in many households have been laid off or had their work hours severely cut? Will theft born of desperation become a more serious problem? Some fear so. I hope not.

At present, tourists can feel reasonably safe from peril in Cuba, provided they take normal precautions to protect their valuables, just as they would at home. If the financial picture becomes bleaker, however, it could mean that visitors to the country become tempting targets for desperate, needy people who have run out of other avenues for survival. That, unfortunately, would only worsen things for everyone, since tourism is such an important part of the economy. One of the attractive elements of a Cuban holiday, in my opinion, is the feeling of safety, in comparison to some other places I’ve traveled.

Will Cuba still feel as warm? Will people still be as welcoming? Yes, I think so. I will continue to travel there, even if images of poverty begin to dominate my mental portfolio. Change will not happen overnight. In the next few years, I’m fairly certain that Cuba will need foreigners more than ever before. I just hope we are able to help the people as much as some of us would like to.

POEM: Love Poem to Cuba

I like playing with images when I write, particularly poetry. Here’s something recently written but not dated - atypical for me. When I wrote it, I wasn’t really sure I liked it, so I set it aside, intending to rework it later. In reading it over today, I’ve decided it doesn’t completely suck, so here it is!

Love Poem to Cuba

I want to absorb you into my pores
like saltwater and sunshine,
run my fingers through your sand
and let your waves lick my toes.
I want to nibble your pineapple,
sip the milk of coconuts and
let mango juice flow freely.

I want to know you as intimately
as the feel of my own hand.
I want to taste your essence,
suck the marrow of your bones
and understand why
you are you.

And when the night comes,
I want to lie with you, cradled
between mountains and beaches.
You are in my breath and
I am in your air, as we
inhale.

– J.R.C.
Nov. 21, 2010

Light at the end of winter: Cuba, April 14-21, 2011

[PLEASE NOTE: Since this was posted, the booking deadline has been extended and the price has come down significantly! It is now (mid Feb.) about $600 for the VIP pkg. Contact me - Jenny - for current details:  jcgb@vianet.ca]

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I am finally ready to officially announce that I am organizing a group trip to Club Amigo Marea del Portillo, April 14-21, 2011. It's being called "Write in Cuba" because there will be a writing-related component, but it's open to anyone!

So, if you're a writer, grab your favorite travel companion (not necessarily the same as your favorite travail companion), and sign up! S/He doesn't need to dress up and pretend to be a writer to be welcomed to the group...unlike the All-Girl Posse trips in October, when men aren't invited, even if they offer to wear dresses.

For this trip to fly, I need to have 10 people signed up by Dec. 15, complete with a deposit of $150 for each. The "Donate" button on the right-hand side of my blog will facilitate deposits by sending money directly into my "Cuba account" via PayPal.

The open quote I now have for this VIP Cabana package trip is $818 (including taxes and deposit) - that's right, it covers your flight, accommodation and all you can eat, drink and be merry! Writing workshops, off-resort excursions or daytrips, if you choose to participate in such things, would be extra.

However, the current price being quoted will likely drop. Sunwing offers a "one-time adjustment" option. This allows us to lock in a lower price, if one shows up on their website up to 60 days prior to our departure date. I'll watch the Sunwing site religiously!

I will be going for the preceding week (April 7-14) as well, and I will be using that time to finalize arrangements for some excursions I think our group would be interested in. For instance, a culturally rich and historically significant 2-day trip to Bayamo and La Plata has been discussed.

In Bayamo, we would see some sites pertaining to the city's history and art, then we would enjoy an evening of live music, followed by a night in a hotel there. In the morning, we would drive to a nearby national park and hike to La Plata, the headquarters of the Revolution. Several buildings have been preserved and, with a little imagination, I'm sure we'll see glimpses of Che and the Castro brothers hangin' out there. I think this will be an intriguing trip!

Other things I will arrange include a special welcome dinner for our group in a private dining area and guided kayak tours into the mangrove to look for manatees...and I'm not teasing! They have been known to graze near the resort.

Here's a list of the extras the VIP package includes:
• Fully stocked mini-bar with best Cuban brands (once upon arrival)
• 1 Gala dinner during stay with lobster and wine
• 1 Sunset cruise per stay
• 1 Lagoon tour per stay
• 3 Excursions to Cayo Blanco per stay
• Express reservations at à la carte restaurant
• Turn down service
• Safety deposit box
• Express check-in
• Different bracelet
• Welcome letter signed by general manager of the hotel
• Late check-out

 The clincher for me, as I'm sure it will be for you, was the "welcome letter" signed by hotel's GM. (Ha, ha!) Do they know how to sell the place or what?! Well, that's partly why I'm doing this - organizing group trips - I think the place (more correctly, the people of that area) could do with the added economic injection a nice gang of Canadians could supply. You could think of these spring and fall trips as booster shots in each shoulder season for the people around Marea del Portillo.

I know that the 45 women in October's All-Girl Posse were extremely generous in both their gifts and tips; I'm sure proud to have been part of that group! We had some adventures, as you can read about in other posts, and we had a lot of fun in the sun and under the moon. Perhaps I'll be able to travel with some of you again soonish, either in April or October of next year.

Meanwhile, I'll be looking forward to hearing from you and I'm happy to field any questions you might have about the resort, the VIP pkg., the pricing, the possible excursions, or whatever.

Adios,
Jenny

Tale #5 - Native idols, pop stars & a singing posse

After a crazy, later-than-planned night of hanging out at the Niquero police station, a gaggle of posse members were up bright and early to ride again. This time, we were transported past Niquero (waving at our new police amigos as we passed the station) for a hike in a beautiful and culturally interesting national park.

Cuba's Desembarco del Granma was designated as a national park in 1986 and inscribed as a world heritage site in 1999. Within this protected expanse of land – over 26,000 hectares – there is a quaint little fishing village called Cabo Cruz, which has a great lighthouse (photo opp!), a charming beach and a decent seafood restaurant (that is not open on Mondays). Also within the park, there's a historic region known as Las Coloradas, which is important for several reasons.

This was were the Cuban Revolution physically began. The Castro brothers, Che Guevara and 79 of their closest friends came ashore here – "desembarco" means "landing." When in the neighborhood, you should stop at the museum and see the life-sized replica of their legendary yacht, the "Granma." The boat is remarkably small!

When I visited the site on a previous trip, my friends and I hiked out to the actual landing site on the mangrove-snarled coast. (This time, that wasn't possible; I was told that some of the concrete walkway had been damaged during the summer's storms.) It's hard to imagine fighting one's way through that murky, mucky terrain, as those young revolutionaries did. It would have been incredibly exhausting and, since they'd landed in such an obscure location, there would not have been many options for getting a bite to eat.

On this trip, however, the group's goal was to hike into the Las Coloradas site that's immensely rich in archeology and native history. Here's an excerpt from an encyclopedia site that talks about this special place, explaining the cultural heritage:

"The area has a remarkable archaeological value as it was the original settlement of groups that belonged to the Taina Culture. In the area, the local population has strong genetic and spiritual links with this group. The El Guate archeological site includes a group of ceremonial caves. There is a well-preserved XIX Century lighthouse. Finally, most of the relevant milestones related to the Cuban Revolution took place in the area of Cabo Cruz. For instance, in 1956, 82 members of the Granma yacht landed in the area of Las Coloradas."

At the archeological site, stairs give you access to some of the most spiritually significant caves, containing several important idols and a couple of phallic stalagmites. En route to the caves, the terrain is quite rugged, so be sure you've got sturdy footwear...and plenty of water.

Our group was very glad to have two incredibly knowledgeable guides, Nelson and Leicy. They adeptly answered all our questions and provided many interesting details about the site, including the flora and fauna of the area. They both love to share information, and enthusiastically did so – particularly Nelson. In fact, the day of our excursion was supposed to be his day off but, because he truly enjoys talking about history and nature, he volunteered to lead our group!

After the hike, we ate lunch at the Niquero Hotel and, once again, Raul Lora appeared to us. I spotted him in the lobby and, like Leticia had done the day before, accosted him. He graciously agreed to let us sing Happy Birthday to him again (Oct. 17 is Raul Lora's birthday – send him a card next year!), and then hauled out a larger-than-life poster of himself as background for photos. Here's a link to the man in action – Raul Lora with El Abuelo (a different YouTube clip than the one linked in the preceding post, Tale #4). He still owes the posse a song, in my always humble opinion, since we sang to him twice!

Following lunch, we had a little free time to wander about the streets of downtown Niquero and absorb some of the atmosphere. This was the final day of the town's annual carnival, so there was a parade and a bit of dancing in the streets, not to mention live music and roasted pigs. It was fun to hang out, take pictures and get better acquainted with Leicy – another new friend in Cuba, whom I'll be looking forward to seeing again.

As we headed out of town, we waved, once again, to our cop friends. We were very glad that we didn't have to pay them a visit this time.