Old Havana is not something built for tourist consumption only. Ordinary people live here.
Many beautiful buildings have fallen into disrepair...not for lack of trying. I saw many restoration/renovation projects around town. But, reality is Cuba is not yet a well-to-do country.
But people are easy-going and friendly. It is a socialist country. Education is free...up to university, if you qualify. Someone explained to me that students must pass competitive exams to get into available university slots of the field of their choice. If they fail to qualify, they can try again next year. Employment is provided by the government for maybe 90% of the population. I did not see any ostentatious pockets of opulence...apart from one Audi sedan zooming along the highway. VIP's also breed everywhere! :-)
Sadly, history and politics have not been kind to this country. Many locals I spoke to have negative feelings towards the U.S. They believe a big part of their economic hardship is due to the embargo imposed by the U.S. After the revolution, land reform took place. (Notably, Fidel Castro's family's land was also redistributed.) Many assets of foreign (mainly American) businesses were nationalized...think sugar plantations, mining operations, church landholdings...and Bacardi rum. Only the Bacardi building remains in Havana. It is said to be one of the finest examples of art deco in Latin America.
Atop the building is the famous bat logo...and it wasn't Police Commissioner Gordon who put that there! he! he!
Currently, Bacardi operates out of Bermuda. Havana Club is the Cuban rum brand now...owned by the Cuban government and marketed internationally (except in the U.S.) by Pernod-Ricard, a French company. Funny enough, Bacardi also makes its own "Havana Club" brand rum (in Puerto Rico) and sells it in the U.S.
That's a mojito, by the way. White rum, sugar, lime juice, soda water and fresh hierbabuena (mint leaves). It's so refreshing that it's dangerous. You could get drunk in no time! :-) And where else can you ride a horse carriage while tossing back mojitos? Only in Havana, of course!
(To be continued...)
(To be continued...)
(All photo credits: Yours truly. All rights reserved.)
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