Southwinds Sailing June 2004 - Southwinds Magazine

CUBACoffee-drinking writer, Katherine McDowlan and JohnLollar of Texas at dinner at El Ajibe.for contraband. We were clean.Assigned a slip on Canal One, the one closest to the ocean,we tied up and relaxed. One uses up an amazing amount ofenergy sailing in rough seas and clearing into a foreign country.It felt real good to have to do nothing whatsoever.From my perspective, Cuba has changed since I was therelast in 1999. There seem to be more regulations, more restrictions.Americans, though now a rare commodity because ofthe draconian rules involving travel to Cuba promulgated bythe Bush administration, are not the curiosity they once were.On the other hand, it seems that the authorities have moreexperience with Americans and can handle some of the curveballs that come their way. The best game plan is to tell all andhide nothing. Though our check-in inspection was cursory atbest, having a Cuban official uncover something you weretrying to bring in covertly would bring real headaches. I suppose,if the transgression were bad enough, they could tellyou to leave.Cab fares into Havana are about the same as last time,$10. It’s a good value for two. The Cuban people have lostnone of their sense of humor or appreciation of life. Their spiritand friendliness bridge all kinds of linguistic gaps. Most knowsome English. Some can speak Russian, too. If there is a treasureto be found in Cuba, it lies in the heart of its people.Downtown Havana looks less battered. The Museum ofthe Revolution is the former presidential palace, and we wereable to tour it for a couple of hours. It is worth the effort. Thesetting is lavish, several stories tall and reminds one thatBatista lived large.Old Havana (Habana Vieja) has in it several gorgeoushotels. Hotel Florida and Hotel Raquel are but two. They aretotally restored, doubtless by foreign capital, and exude charmand style. A double is $140 a night, cash. But staying in HabanaVieja is the real deal. We stayed on the boat, I blush to admit.We hit some of the hot spots. I spent $6 for a daiquiri atHemingway’s old haunt, La Floridita Lounge, until I foundthat they were half that amount and even better just a fewdoors down the street, where we could sit outside and watchthe ebb and flow of the Cuban people. Practically within spittingdistance is the Monserratt, another bar with music to diefor inside. Cuban musicians don’t seem to stop during theirsets; it’s one long musical jubilee as they segue from one numberto the next. Gets in your blood.Beer—most of which is excellent, particularly Fuerte andCrystal—goes for about $1.50 just about everywhere. It comesin bottles. Late on one day we managed to find ourselves in abar where beer was only 50 cents. It wasn’t as good as thepremium brands, and it was served in glasses made from cutoffHavana Club bottles. The rim of the glasses had not beenbeveled at all, so a seriously cut lip could come from inattention.We were down and dirty in local culture, to be sure, butI prefer better and higher priced beer and a more sophisticatedatmosphere.Courtesy of a lovely English girl, Katherine McDowlan,who hosted a safari to the famous Tropicana nightclub, wegot to see one of the legendary Cuban floorshows. A lavishproduction it certainly was, but it reminded me of the EdSullivan Show more than anything else. Balancing acts onbongo boards, frenetic dance numbers with themes of humansacrifice and such. Time warp city. The rate was $75 a head,and that included a bottle of the cheapest Havana Club rum,several colas and a tub of ice.There was far more of Cuba that we wanted to see, but Igot bogged down in red tape attempting to get a journalist’svisa. I should have been issued one on entry into the country,but the technical details were beyond our immigration officer’sken. Besides, it was nearly lunch hour—wherein all of Cubashudders to a halt—and his boss was not to be found. Afterspending nearly a half a day with helpful people from the26June 2004 SOUTHWINDS www.southwindssailing.com