We didn't get to say goodbye to the family as Rhys lost his passport getting off the plane and by the time he'd changed into warm clothes and found it, we missed them at the baggage pick-up. Pity, I would have liked to say 'thank you.' Each one of them contributed something to my holiday. Mostly positive. I think I may have been a bit too lairy for some, too eccentric for others, and kept Ainsley talking too long for others' liking by asking too many history questions. If it spoiled your holiday, I'm really sorry.
I'm still processing what this holiday means to me. I went to try and understand to what extent the socialist revolution had worked-is still working. I learnt that it's not communism or socialism in Cuba. It's Fidelism. Raul Castro, Fidel's brother was with him from the very start of the revolution and they fought along aside each other. There's a memorable photo in the Che Guevara museum, where a young Raul is looking up at Fidel given instructions or a speech, perhaps? I wondered what he might be thinking and feeling. Is he in awe or jealous? The emotions of a younger brother towards his older sibling are always complex. Ainsley said Raul is a very different character from Fidel but believes that before he takes any significant action he might ask himself, 'What would Fidel do?'
Fidel is sick and so are some of his friends. Chavez, in Venezuela for example, has cancer. The two countries have a special relationship. Venezuela sells oil cheaply to Cuba. What will happen after he dies? The Cuban economy has been through many ups and downs since the fall of the Berlin Wall. In Havana they learnt to use any piece of spare land to grow food. Russia's withdrawal as a reliable trade partner that previously bought Cuban sugar at inflated prices and sold industrial goods at knock down prices, is long gone. Obama promised an end to Guantanamo Bay and a review of the US trade embargo. Both still exist.
There is some easing of the absolute socialist state. It has started with small businesses aimed at the tourist industry with people renting out rooms and using their yards as restaurants. But it is creating a two-tier system. Those who work in the tourist industry and those who don't. Dual currencies perpetuate inequality of income and standard of living. Ainsley's view is that it is not politics that is the problem for Cuba. It's the mentality. If you're having everything provided, why work? The revolutionary woman at the Moncada Barracks told him,
'Our generation was lucky. They knew who the enemy was.'
A friend who's an astrologer told me before I left Gatwick that Mercury was in retrograde and this might mean problems with communication. Well, the Chinese bus we travelled on did break down on a couple of occasions. Not as reliable as the old Volvos. She said it could also mean that I would have insights and be inspired. I was certainly inspired by Cuba. I respect what the country has achieved in such a relatively short time. It has made its priorities the eradication of poverty, literacy, free education and healthcare and stuck with it. Nobody would appear to be starving or homeless, although undoubtedly there is still a lot of poverty. The only beggars we saw seemed to have disabilities or mental health problems and I didn't learn how the State takes care of the vulnerable. Housing and basic food are provided by the State but in the cities we saw overcrowding and a lack of maintenance. Then there's what most tourists go for- the sunshine, the rum, the music and the dancing.
'What about freedom of speech?' I hear you say. I put this to Ainsley when we were on our own and we had an interesting discussion on how you could still be creative, an independent thinker and discursive. You can in Cuba, but in private. In public it would be very difficult to air a dissident voice. With three political parties in Britain all speaking the same bland language, a massive deficit and the right to make a profit put above all other national objectives, are we in a position to gloat?
I enjoyed the group travel experience with Adventure Travel. Accommodation, food and travel was much better than I expected. I loved the warmth and protection of our Guide, who was so willing to go the extra mile to make us happy. I liked the banter and enjoyed the company of the family. No need to take any responsibility for making arrangements. However, I think you would have a much broader experience of the country if you were to travel independently.
'You have come to Cuba at an interesting time,' Ainsley told us. 'Things are changing fast.'
He was certainly right. If you can live with the guilt of the carbon emissions produced on a long haul flight or convince yourself of the benefits of carbon off-setting, don't wait! Visit Cuba now! It's a holiday of a life time. Well, it was for me.
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