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Yes, that's some of my luggage on the roof – there wasn't enough room in the trunk! | | | |
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TRIP REPORT: My most recent Cuban adventure
Hola! I've been thinking about what to say in a "trip report" on my recent two-week stay in Cuba... That's how I began a Facebook post with a semi-brief report. It will serve as a base (original text in blue),
which I will add to below. I have to warn you, though, I have a lot to
say! So, grab a drink and snack, to tide you over as you read. Here we
go...
Life
in Cuba is difficult and expensive. Food and other basic necessities
are randomly and inexplicably unavailable. When things suddenly appear
in a store after a long absence, word spreads like wildfire and lines
form. If you're lucky, you may get to buy what you've been needing. If
you can't get to the store or don't want to stand in line, you can
usually find things "on the street" later, due to the efforts of
re-sellers. The black market is thriving in Cuba these days! But, of
course, street prices are significantly higher than store prices; you're
paying for not having to stand in a line for hours and for being able
to use paper money (national currency) instead of a credit card.
For
example, one of the largest stores in Pilón, where I was staying, was
converted to an MLC ("freely convertible currency") store and reopened
with a fresh supply of stock while I was there. The line-up to get in
reminded me of a queue for concert tickets for a popular band. Cubans
are used to standing in lines, and they have it down to a fine art.
They don't actually need to be in a physical line, in fact! When someone
new arrives, they will ask who is last in line. Thus, they know who to
follow and, so, they can all relax and sit in the shade... if there is a
place to sit, and if there's shade!
On
opening day, one of my friends traveled from Mota (a village approx. 15
km away) and stood in line from about 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. before being
able to enter. His goal was to buy shoes for his young daughter. By the
time he got inside, however, all the girls' shoes in the appropriate
size were gone. At least there were some boys' Crocs in her size. "She
won't care that they are for boys," her parents said. They were just
happy to have shoes that fit her. Shoes like Crocs (or knock-offs)
are popular in Cuba because they are easy to clean, okay in rain and
the loose fit means they will fit a growing foot longer than other types
of shoes. If you are able to take footwear as gifts, they are a great,
lightweight option for children or adults.
The
MLC stores are now pretty much the only option and, in order to shop
there, one must have a credit card. For Cubans, this means opening a
special bank account where money (foreign or domestic currency) can be
deposited and applied to what is essentially a pre-loaded credit card.
Unfortunately, obtaining an MLC card is not a quick process, and it can
be daunting as well as time consuming. Not all Cubans have MLC cards
(especially in rural areas) and, if they don't, they cannot shop at
these new government-run stores, since cash is not accepted. The
MLC stores were instituted shortly before COVID began; discontinuing
the use of the CUC ("tourist pesos") came hot on the heels of both. These
three things occurred within such a short time frame that it was like a
financial triple whammy for many families. Cubans are still paid in
CUP, the national currency, but they now have to purchase most things
with MLCs, which creates daily challenges.
If
you have cash, you can buy things from other outlets but prices have
increased astronomically. Produce is still available at street markets
and roadside stands, as usual, but costs can be crazy. For instance, one
vendor was selling a pineapple for 140 pesos (CUP); previously, it
might have cost about 10 pesos. Everything has gone up, up and up in
price – if the items are even available. During
my recent visit, friends frequently commented on the price increases.
Another graphic example of the insanity of current costs is this: a
single plastic disposable razor (the kind you can buy in a bulk package
at a Canadian dollar store) is now being sold for $2. I didn't ask if
that would $2 CAD or $2 USD; the price is horrific either way.
Officially, the exchange rate at a bank is 24 pesos = $1 USD. But, if
you're comfortable having your money changed on the street, you can get
as much as 100 pesos for your American dollar in some places. Canadian
money, of course, is less valuable but, even so, the street rates are
better than a bank's. I started using a general calculation of 500 pesos
= $25 dollars, with it being slightly over/under, depending on whether
you prefer to think in CAD or USD. When I was out and about in Pilón,
the cheapest rum I saw for sale was a bottle of Pinella for 500 pesos.
Havana Club was significantly more! Wine is priced much higher (I saw
one kind for 1,000 CUP), if you can find it, and beer is simply not
available in that area at this time.
Challenges
pertaining to food supply are most worrisome, especially regarding
protein sources; for that reason, more people than ever are raising
their own pigs. When possible, people are also growing their own
vegetables. In this respect, those living in rural areas have an
advantage because they have more space for gardens. I
noticed quite a few patches of squash, both in yards of country homes
and in town, as well as more backyard plantain trees. It was also the
right season for tomatoes, so they were plentiful everywhere. These are
great, of course, but protein is important. Rice and beans are staples
of the Cuban diet and they do seem to be available now (a few months
ago, they weren't), but they are more costly than "normal" – the new
normal is pricey!
Since the places I visited (Pilón, Marea del Portillo, Mota and Niquero)
are all along the coast, fish would seem like a natural option. When I
was there, unfortunately, the fishing hadn't been good because of the
unsettled weather. Wind and turbulent seas make it more difficult to
catch fish! And, as with everything else, the price of fish has gone up,
making a balanced diet on a tight budget a very big challenge. I took
some cans of tuna with me, for the family I stayed with, but the weight
of canned goods adds up quickly.
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Mota Playa (above) and the road near Marea.
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Those
living in the rural region to the east of Pilón (Marea del Portillo and
Mota), also have a special challenge to contend with: the roads. In
that part of Granma, you can't drive for 2 seconds without seeing a
"bache" (pothole). And, some of these craters are so large, you can't go
around them – you have to drive right into them and hope you will
emerge safely on the other side, muffler intact. Instead of 30-40 mins.
to travel from Pilón to Mota, it now takes an hour, and it's difficult
to find a taxi willing to make the arduous trip. For this reason, as
well as the high cost of fuel, taxi prices have also risen
significantly.
The day I visited the Marea
del Portillo resort and village, my taxi rides cost 600 pesos each way.
My trip to Mota, on a different day, cost 1600 round trip; on that
occasion, I had the same driver for both directions. You can sometimes
find a driver willing to do it for less but it's difficult. Most taxi
drivers simple don't want to deal with that nasty stretch of road and,
after seeing it, I understand. Some government officials recently
visited the region and promised to repair the road from Mota to Pilón
this year. People are skeptical, since they've heard this song before.
But, a long section of the same road has already been repaired,
beginning in Santiago and heading west toward Granma. So, the roadwork
machines are moving in the right direction!
And
yet, life goes on. Schools are in session and public events are
beginning to happen. People smile and welcome guests into their homes
(paying attention to COVID protocols). There are some cases of COVID in
Pilón, as there are here in Ontario, but the concern is much less than
it was; things are improving in that respect.
Current Cuban regulations still require people to wear masks in all
public places – riding in taxis, sitting in parks, walking along any
street or road. The only time you're allowed to remove your mask in
public is when you are "actively" eating or drinking. Most people are
triple-vaccinated with one of Cuba's home-grown vaccines.
I
was pleasantly surprised to find some new restaurants open in Pilón,
though I didn't have a chance to try them all out. There were also
several casas particulares (B&Bs) open in Marea del Portillo and
Punta Piedra, as well as Pilón – I stayed at Casa de Noel, near the
town's "malecón"... I've finally sorted most of my photos, some of which I've added here. If you want to see more, please check my Facebook page, where I'll post additional photos as I get them organized and processed.
Now we're in the home stretch of this lengthy report! In conclusion, I
want to tell you about the humanitarian aspects of my trip. Thanks to
the support of many wonderfully generous friends, I was able to purchase
a LOT of medical/health supplies to take with me to Cuba. MUCHAS,
MUCHAS GRACIAS! I want to give a special shout out to Denise, who was my
personal shopper at Costco. She was able to get large bottles of
ibuprofen, acetaminophen, naproxen, children's Tylenol, etc., etc.
I also took several packs of masks and an assortment of vitamins and
pain meds. for arthritis and muscle strains. I distributed everything as
equitably as possible, giving extra supplies to nurses and large
families, who will share with each other (I took small zip-bags, so they
could divvy up the large bottles as needed). All of these gifts were
very much appreciated. I wished I could have taken more!
Since the Cuban gov't is currently offering an exemption on a suitcase
filled with medical/health supplies and food, I took a 23 kg/50 lb.
packed-to-the-gills duffel bag (topped up with rolls of toilet paper,
when the weight limit was almost reached). As well, my other large
suitcase and my carry-ons were stuffed with more medicine-cabinet items
and other gifts – some of the things I'd been waiting to take for over
two years. I felt like a Sherpa but, thankfully, I wasn't headed for a
mountain of snow!
Well, that's my report. If you've read to the end, you deserve some
chicharitas (fried plantain chips) – one of my favorite Cuban snacks!
Thanks again to everyone who was with me in spirit on this adventure in
Cuba. The boat name in the photo below expresses my feelings: Shalom.
XOXO
Jenny