I tossed and turned all of last night, going from having chills to sweating out what I thought was s fever. I had a nightmare about being sick while I was getting sick. Most likely I got sick from a Cuban sandwich, or from the ice at Casa de Musica (which unbeknownst to be, they do not purify). So, today has been tough.
Jenny and I went on a 3-hour guided tour of Havana. We rode in a 54 Chevy convertible (my second convertible ride ever, after my riding in my friend Enrique's dad's Del Sol. The tour was light on history, but we learned a few things:
- our guide drove around Conan O'Brien a couple months ago when we was filming a bunch of segments
- we visited a supermarket. I wasn't allowed to take photos, but the aisles were very soviet - only one brand for everything.
- the soviet embassy in Havana is shaped like a dagger being thrust into the Cuban soil. Not sure why this is. It's a very ugly building.
- our driver (not the guide) got his car from his grandfather. Before Raul's changes he couldn't use it for a taxi business, but now he can.
- it's interesting how people develop travel preferences. Our guide wanted to visit Minneapolis because he knows someone there.
After the tour, jenny got dropped off at El Castillo del Morro to roam around some more, while I too a nap. We then went to get some crackers and water, but I started feeling nauseous so came back. We got caught in our first rainstorm here.
At the casa, I had a good conversation with the casa owner. She made me tea and we talked about:
- before Raul's changes, you couldn't buy or sell your house. What you could do was trade it for someone else's house. So on the radio you'd hear and ad for "mr Rodrigues wants to trade his 2-bedroom house in Vedado for something a bit larger."
- I noticed today that I haven't yet seen magazines or newspapers. There is one newspaper, but it's clearly a government-sanctioned publication. There are also no ads on TV. I told Aymee this, expecting to hear the response "yes I would love to read US Weekly, etc!" But she likes the lack of commercialization. She said it helps a lot with raising boys - they don't really care about getting a iPhone 6 or new Adidas shoes (or at least not as much as usual). She talked about how being bombarded with ads causes stress. She's observed that travelers often have trouble making eye contact; they'll hold a gaze for only a few seconds. A Mexican psychologist guest of Aymee observed that he feels the most human in Cuba.
The lack of commercialism is radical. There is no possibility of checking espn.com during s free moment. There is nothing to vie for your attention except what's in front of you - often people. Aymee asked me if I have friends in SF. The question was more timely than she realized, as I've gone to a 60% schedule to do two things: a) reconnect with friends, b) learn to slow down. In this sense, Cuba comes at an appropriate time. The level of disconnectedness here is extreme. It's not so uncomfortable, but is noticeable. Something worth pondering.
I had hoped to walk around the university and stadium (where they have a dilapidated pool from the Caribbean Games) to take photos, but I'm not sure my stomach can handle such movement. Maybe in a couple hours (it's 4:45 right now). So here I sit... In my air conditioned room. This food sickness kicked my ass. Tomorrow will be a better day.
Our hungover tour guide
Strange revolutionary monument
Che's face on the Ministry of Spying on People
Our ride for the tour
The Russian embassy - shaped like a dagger
A strange Gaudi-inspired house
The American "special interest" station (i.e., embassy)
Our casa
The stadium and swimming pool
Inside our casa
Jenny and I went on a 3-hour guided tour of Havana. We rode in a 54 Chevy convertible (my second convertible ride ever, after my riding in my friend Enrique's dad's Del Sol. The tour was light on history, but we learned a few things:
- our guide drove around Conan O'Brien a couple months ago when we was filming a bunch of segments
- we visited a supermarket. I wasn't allowed to take photos, but the aisles were very soviet - only one brand for everything.
- the soviet embassy in Havana is shaped like a dagger being thrust into the Cuban soil. Not sure why this is. It's a very ugly building.
- our driver (not the guide) got his car from his grandfather. Before Raul's changes he couldn't use it for a taxi business, but now he can.
- it's interesting how people develop travel preferences. Our guide wanted to visit Minneapolis because he knows someone there.
After the tour, jenny got dropped off at El Castillo del Morro to roam around some more, while I too a nap. We then went to get some crackers and water, but I started feeling nauseous so came back. We got caught in our first rainstorm here.
At the casa, I had a good conversation with the casa owner. She made me tea and we talked about:
- before Raul's changes, you couldn't buy or sell your house. What you could do was trade it for someone else's house. So on the radio you'd hear and ad for "mr Rodrigues wants to trade his 2-bedroom house in Vedado for something a bit larger."
- I noticed today that I haven't yet seen magazines or newspapers. There is one newspaper, but it's clearly a government-sanctioned publication. There are also no ads on TV. I told Aymee this, expecting to hear the response "yes I would love to read US Weekly, etc!" But she likes the lack of commercialization. She said it helps a lot with raising boys - they don't really care about getting a iPhone 6 or new Adidas shoes (or at least not as much as usual). She talked about how being bombarded with ads causes stress. She's observed that travelers often have trouble making eye contact; they'll hold a gaze for only a few seconds. A Mexican psychologist guest of Aymee observed that he feels the most human in Cuba.
The lack of commercialism is radical. There is no possibility of checking espn.com during s free moment. There is nothing to vie for your attention except what's in front of you - often people. Aymee asked me if I have friends in SF. The question was more timely than she realized, as I've gone to a 60% schedule to do two things: a) reconnect with friends, b) learn to slow down. In this sense, Cuba comes at an appropriate time. The level of disconnectedness here is extreme. It's not so uncomfortable, but is noticeable. Something worth pondering.
I had hoped to walk around the university and stadium (where they have a dilapidated pool from the Caribbean Games) to take photos, but I'm not sure my stomach can handle such movement. Maybe in a couple hours (it's 4:45 right now). So here I sit... In my air conditioned room. This food sickness kicked my ass. Tomorrow will be a better day.
Our hungover tour guide
Strange revolutionary monument
Che's face on the Ministry of Spying on People
Our ride for the tour
The Russian embassy - shaped like a dagger
A strange Gaudi-inspired house
The American "special interest" station (i.e., embassy)
Our casa
The stadium and swimming pool
Inside our casa
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