First impressions of Cuba

Written by Redacción. Posted in Internacional, Minuto a Minuto, Noticias Destacadas

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Published on junio 29, 2016 with No Comments

Foto: Helena Prentis

Foto: Helena Prentis

By: Helena Prentis

Feeling slightly apprehensive for the first time since my initial arrival in Central America, I touched down in Havana in the early morning. The air of mystery which swamps this country means that I have met many people on my travels who have visited Cuba and I found that these travellers had such varying opinions of the place that I really didn’t know what to expect, let alone if I would even like the place.

One thing that struck me straight away, and which I am still slightly reeling at is that Cuba is a very expensive country if you are a tourist- Cuba has a confusing dual currency system, where the Cuban Convertible Peso is a currency designed specifically for tourists. After five taxi rides to and from the airport to collect my friends arriving at different times, each journey costing a whopping equivalent of twenty-five dollars my pocket was feeling the financial strain.

The dual currency system in Cuba can be a very confusing, but necessary part of any visit to the country: the communist system which still rules means that whilst devastating poverty is less rife than countries such as India, the vast majority of the population live in similarly poor conditions and so the tourists who come generally pay higher prices to spread the money amongst the locals. For me this system took a long time to get used to and I often became frustrated knowing that I was paying much more than locals for the same thing, but in reality it’s an unavoidable part of Cuba’s interesting history.

Another thing that I was not prepared for was the huge amounts of political slogans and propaganda which are plastered throughout the country. Pictures of Fidel Castro and Ché Guevara are the norm, as well as inspirational quotes with reminders that the ‘revolution lives on’. Though intriguing, this was also slightly unnerving for me as I frankly had no idea how to act appropriately in such a situation. A simple excursion to look for food became slightly stressful after I became unsure as to whether it was insensitive to ask if I could buy a measly apply anywhere.

My general confusion and miscomprehension of Cuba remained largely intact as we continued our venture out of Havana and eastwards to Trinidad, but these both thankfully subsided once we left the packed streets of the capital and we slowly accustomed to the cuban system of life which- although slightly bizarre for an outsider- can be adapted to quickly.

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