MIA to HAV

Airport

Four hours before flight.

Havana Air

Riot of people

Massive mounds of luggage wrapped in plastic by spinning machines. Vertical saran wrap.

Spanish. No English

Confusion

Lines Lines Lines

Spanish

Wait Stand

Line for Visa check

Wait Stand Spanish

Wait

Visa in hand. Next line

Stand

Wait Wait Wait

Counter. Almost there.

Old man weighing bags decides to weigh our very small carry-ons.

We packed so little wanting to avoid chasing bags

“One bag, one pound over weight. Check.”

“There is no over weight on a carry-on bag, ” protests my son.

Stalling on all sides.

Spanish.

Another bag “over weight.”

He motions. We check two small, light carry-ons.

Agitated.

Try my baby Spanish

“No”

Three boarding passes.

One hand written invoice

Next line

Stand

Wait

$83 owed. Bags and fees.

Cash only.

2-1/2 hours later, cleared to stand in line for security

Long, long line.

One line. One worker

No TSA pre-check

No priority pass

Wait

Looking at the massive amount of carry on bags the Spanish speakers carry

Look at our one carry-on we didn’t have to check.

We understand

The Spanish speakers are carrying essentials family back in Cuba

We are just tourists.

Plane. Havana Air red seat covers over Eastern Airlines logos

Clean. Fresh. Nice

Applause on take-off, even louder when landing 30 minutes later,

Habana, Jose Marti International Airport.

Walk across the tarmac

Heat Humidity

“We’re on a tropical island”

Immigration fast. We are the only plane.

Luggage

Wait

Wait

Wait

Wait

Wait

An hour later, bags appear on the conveyor belt

Finally ours.

Leave the Arrivals Hall

Family and friends every where

Waiting

Jubilant.

“Thank God. Intrepid Travel always comes through”

We see our driver with a sign:

Betheny/Richard/John

“Money exchange?”

“Si”

Another building

Another line

More than two hours after landing, we are in the taxi.

Retro cars

Bicycle rickshaws

Horses pulling carts

Trucks used as buses

Faded plaster

Crumbling concrete

Parks dry and brown

Che staring from a building across the Plaza de la revolucion

“Who’s that other man? He looks like Juan Valdez, the coffee guy.”

Habana Viego

Our B & B, a casa particular

an oasis in what our son thinks is a slum.

It’s not.

It’s very poor

And decayed.

Twenty foot high ceilings

Mosiac tile floors

Old but maintained furniture

Rooms with window a/c

Feeling like an ugly American, we turn on the cool air immediately.

Twin beds

Mini bar: water, beer, wine, soda

En suite

Hot water

Remember to put the toilet paper in the trash can, never the commode.

Starving.

“Donde esta un restaurante?”

“Si. Cafe Ron Ron.”

Just down the street

First Cuban meal: cucumber, tomato and cabbage for salad. Frijoles y arroz. Pollo, carne or pork.

Realize later, these are the choices for EVERY meal.

EVERY meal.

“You eat what’s in season.”

Afterwards, we walk.

Cubans pay us no notice.

No begging. A casual glance

As if we are one of them

Dogs trotting their neighborhood

Kids playing in streets.

Back to the casa

Shower

Nap

Dress

Men in suits

Down the street, standing for a car

Someone stops

“10 CUCs para Hotel Nacional?”

“Si”

We glance at one another and whisper:

“This really isn’t a cab is it? A future Uber driver.”

Hotel Nacional, regal, standing high on a hill over looking the Malecon and sea.

Elegant lobby

Chandeliers

Marble floors

So glad we came here

Large painting of Fidel

Flag of Che

Revolutionary buddies.

We are the only only formally dressed.

People stare thinking we must be “somebody.”

Purchase our tickets for “Le Parisien Cabaret”

Then we wait outside in the courtyard.

Lovely.

Soft breeze

Jazz trio and singer

Chairs and eating everyone inviting guests to linger,

and they do.

Finally, showtime.

Inside the Cabaret, red velvet seating

frayed carpeting, but dignified waiters in tuxedos

Most are 65-75 years old.

We are seated in the center on the first raised platform

Perfect seats probably because we are the only ones who dressed to code

Everyone else in shorts, jeans and tourist clothes.

Blue daiquiris served to all.

Showtime

Dancers, singers

Feathers, costumes, bright colors

Recorded music

The story of Cuba re-enacted.

Not the famous Tropicana production located just out side Habana and three times the cost,

but quite good.

Real taxi ride back

with glassy-eyed driver.

Bedtime.

End of day zero.