My colectivo to La
Habana arrived at 9 am, like clockwork. We were indeed taking the turnpike
along the coast, which is in perfect condition and fast. By 11:30 am I arrived
back in Nuria’s home, only to find out that a water pipe had burst inside my
bedroom, which in turn triggered some major work in both the bedroom and the
underlying living room. I was thus relocated to Mimi’s house, about a block
away. I had arrived too early, however, and the room was not ready, so I just
dumped my luggage and took to the streets.
I had one last place I wanted to visit in Habana: The Barrio Chino in Central Habana. I wanted
to see it as a tribute to my late friends Armando and Estrella Ley. Armando,
who reached the ripe age of 104 years old, was born in China but came to Cuba
as a young man. According to Estrella he was a Jack-of-all trades, but
eventually became a photographer. He was quite the dapper man and not afraid of
courting the good-looking Estrella. Like in all good love stories they married
and lived … a very hard life in Cuba, and suffered many hardships after the US
declared the inhuman economic blockade of the island. On separate occasions
each of them told me about the tough years, and of the miracles they engineered
to keep afloat, educate their son, see him married, and eventually emigrate as
a family to Spain (so the story has a happy ending after all 😊). I am glad I had a
chance to remember them as I drifted through the streets of China Town, feeling
that they had walked these same streets.
Later I drifted without aim through Old Habana, visiting
bookstores and admiring handcrafts that I had no interest in buying. I have
managed to spend most of my CUC’s, having saved only the absolutely necessary
to have lunch, pay for my lodging tonight, and get a cab to the airport.
Once all is said and done, I spent exactly US$ 1,500 dollars
in this trip, of which 200 dollars went straight to the government, and I was
left with 1,300 CUC. Minus 100 CUC buying guayaberas (which is not strictly a
travel expense) brings the total to 1,200 CUC. Minus 150 CUC for colectivos for city-to-city travel
yields 1,050 CUC. In 14 days that would
make an average of 75 CUC per day. Average lodging (with breakfast) was 35 CUC,
so what was left was 40 CUC per day for food and entertainment. Not too bad
overall, but not necessarily cheap.
Tomorrow I will fly from La Habana to Cancún, and five hours
later I will take the flight to Monterrey, where I shall arrive at 7:30 pm. I
am renting a car at the airport to drive to Monclova, but will actually spend
the night in Monterrey at a hotel near the airport. I would not like to fall asleep
on the way to Monclis. Since a day of travel is completely uninteresting I
guess it is time to bring my Latin America 2018 blog to an end. Before I go,
however, let me tell you that Nuria and her husband took me to the airport. My
papers said I was leaving from Terminal 2, but Nuria assured me that it was
from Terminal 3. Since the terminals are kilometers apart I was a bit anxious
about being at the wrong place with very little time to spare. Nuria put me at
my ease, asking her husband to wait in the car while she walked me into the
airport and located the correct counter; she was correct, of course, and as she
gave me a last hug I once again had the chance to thank God for giving me this
warm lady as a guardian angel. Goodbye beautiful Cuba. I take with me the happy
memories of the kind and friendly Cuban people, the peculiar music of your
Spanish, your rhythms and delicious food, and the beauty of your mountains and
shores. May we see each other again.
Finis
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