A Kenyan experience in Cuba

[Jacaylbaro]

The hot humid air welcomes you as soon as you land on this beautiful island of Cuba, in the lovely city of Havana. Despite the language barrier of hola! Adios! And so on, a language that you hear of but never see its importance, the airport is bearable as you struggle through customs. Welcome to a new world where English is a foreign language. You understand a few words such as gracias! (Which you use back at home without the knowledge of where the words come from) You get into a taxi and enjoy a ride to your hotel of choice. The green vegetation around the country crowns it all as the vegetation disappears into buildings and you enter the city.

 

The vegetation extends even into the city. You can see a few trees here and there among the buildings. We booked a ‘casa particulare’ which means ‘a house’, so we are welcomed by this amazing lady who speaks English. She and her husband are very nice people. A reflection of what to expect in Cuba!

 

The food is ok. The chicken and the pork is amazing. The beef is more expensive, but chicken and pork is readily available. Compared to Kenya where pork is a phenomenon delicacy that rarely appears on our tables, it is the Cubans usual and normal protein. As you pass by most kiosks you find the statement written ‘cerdo ahi’ which means ‘pork sold here’.

 

Downtown in a hidden area, on the ground floor of one of those buildings, you find a market. The best mangoes you have ever had in your life, all juicy and sweet. Amazingly these fruits are sold in pesos ‘moneda nacional’- ‘national currency’ that is used by the Cubans. There are two currencies CUC and PESOS. Pesos are readily available to Cubans but Cuc is used by tourists. 25 pesos make one Cuc. The fruits are all cheap and readily available. The restaurants have good food and variety but you have to be sure of what you are ordering. Do not order what you do not know.

 

From the hot humid air outside you walk into the cool air-conditioned restaurant, with incredible waiters ready to serve you. They wait to listen and try to understand what you want to order. There is a variety of food to choose from, chicken meals, fish meals, pork meals, pizza, pasta and so much more on the menu.

 

As you enjoy the delicious pasta that you just ordered, some soft jazz music is playing in the background. I turn to see where the music is coming from and by the piano an elderly man is playing the piano. We sit and enjoy the music but do not realize that time passes by so fast. It is already 11.30 p.m. when we exit the restaurant. We are afraid of robery or kidnapping because it is very late in the night. However, there are so many people on the streets walking so we join them and walk home feeling comfortable. On our way we are not harassed and we arrive safely. I never felt so safe walking at night! We enjoy some ice cream when we get home. Cuba has the best nestle ice cream that you have ever tasted, it is addictive! It is an amazing city and country in so many ways as I may say, safe in all perspectives. You can take a night walk by the malecon (a walkway by the ocean) and feel very secure. Apart from the food you need to see and meet the people.

 

Spanish speaking individuals but willing to do everything they can to understand you. They welcome you into their homes ready to give you food and shelter. In which part of the world do strangers welcome you open heartedly into their homes, give you food, shelter, and even wash your clothes at a minimum fee? We haven’t even reached that state of washing clothes using a washing machine, yet we call these people backward. To them lack of a washing machine is lack of a basic necessity. The people want to show you around so that you can learn about their city. In the street someone hits you and says ‘con permiso’ meaning ‘excuse me’. If it were in a Kenyan street the response would be ‘watch your way’.

 

Later on I am invited for an evening music concert. I join my friends as the sun sets at 8.00 p.m. and we walk to the venue. We sit around and sing to the music being played for a while as we chat away. Within 2 hours the field is fully occupied, packed up with people who are ready to watch their own local artist perform. The concert is a success, the entry was free but the number of CD’s sold and bought after the show are enough to cover all expenses and make money. If Kenyans were that ready to support their local musicians, music would surely be a successful industry in Kenya. Early in the morning we stroll home at 3 a.m. feeling very safe and secure sure that all is all right.

 

The different cities in Cuba welcome you ‘Trinidad’, ‘Santiago de Cuba’, ‘Camaguey’, and others which I don’t remember. The means of transport used is those 1950’s old trucks but they have buses, long buses that are imported from China. In one of our many trips we decided to tour the town, we got lost but someone was kind enough to show us the way. We had gone by bus, paid our way but the person who showed us the way back paid for our fare. In which part of the world do you find this courtesy? In the bus it was really full of people. Some looking like thugs, others working class. All kinds of people. We were afraid of being harassed or having things stolen from us. However none of those things happened and we traveled safely. One of the safest places to be in the world I believe is this beautiful island.

 

There is a lot to see in Cuba. The blue water of the Atlantic ocean and the sandy beaches. The swim through the lovely warm water is amazing you don’t want to leave the water; Great waves to make the swim more enjoyable. The excitement is beyond containment.

 

I would recommend it to anyone who wants to go for a vacation. Despite the long trip of two days to the country it is a success in the end. The longer you stay the better the experience. You begin to learn the survival skills in a country where capitalism is not the leading market philosophy. That is the Cuba I know; Hospitable and worth the trip.

 

 

By Diana Kimani (KEN Correspondent Kenya)