Things to see and do...
Out of context: Reply #11
- Started
- Last post
- 16 Responses
- rafalski0
Ernexbcn, that seems rare coming from a Spaniard (or a Catalan). I thought it was quite common among Spanish to be somewhat supportive of Castro's comunismo.
I had the same opinion as yours, didn't want to go there before I was sure I wasn't paying to support the system, but eventually went there and tried to make it as good as possible. I paid to the people whenever I could, rather than to the state. I didn't buy official cigars. I took bicitaxis (it's illegal for them to carry tourists), I stayed at casas particulares only. I talked to people and took thousands of pictures, then told many people outside Cuba what I saw there.
Cubans are very misinformed and a lot of them are afraid to talk openly. The misinformation comes not only from local propaganda, but from many Europeans who tell them that the capitalist world outside is just as bad or worse than the propaganda says and that USA is the source of all evil.
It was funny sometimes.. There is a small square in the centre of Trinidad, la Plaza Mayor:
A few palm trees, a few benches. There was a guard sitting there at night, telling us about a great communist achievement: such place as that square would've been closed for the night in a western country, but in comunismo it's free for everyone all the time. He was just as much "telling" as he was asking for confirmation. He was, just like many other Cubans, unsure of what he knew about outside world and hungry for information. I smiled, agreeing that in many countries some parks are closed after dark, but such square would likely remain open even in the US. Not sure if he believed. Then he asked if we had already bought cigars, because he had excellent ones for sale and that he could take us to the station in his bicitaxi the next day as that was one of his daily businesses.Some people were particularly interested in us Poles, as we were "brotherly countries" until the fall of communism in Eastern Europe in 89. Again, it got unintentionally humorous at times. "How is it there, is it better now?" a waiter asked us having found out we were Polish. "Better" I answered. "Better.." he nodded, looking in my eyes. "We live in Ireland now, though", I added. "Better?" he asked again. "Better" (I had no better answer at the time). "Better.." he nodded, looking at me, his eyes showing deep understanding.