Visiting Cuba Before It Changes

And Finding Exactly What We Were Looking For

By Andy Johnson III

July 19^th, 2017

Some of my favorite places to visit are the ones that seem locked in time where the future at some point began to slow its pace and arrived without the same degree of urgency as elsewhere. I rather enjoy living with the benefits of the future but the sense of going back in time to explore a previous era fascinates the part of me that loves history and sees the future through the lens of the past.

Places like Oia on the Greek Island of Santori come to mind, where an earthquake so decimated the town that people moved back to the mainland and left this beautiful place locked in time where a later generation would ensure that construction standards would remain consistent with the former days. Rothenberg is a town in Bavaria where the Lutheran population was decimated by a Catholic army in the 30 Year War and the subsequent Bubonic Plague, leaving the once thriving town locked in the 1630s. Visit Rothenberg today and you feel like you are transported back to Medieval times.

This is why I’ve long been fascinated by the idea of visiting Cuba. The pictures of Havana’s aging colonial architecture serving as the backdrop for 1950s American-made cars zooming by, appealed to me deeply. I realize that it is somewhat naive to talk about a place as though it has not changed and perhaps we Americans overestimate our own importance when we think of how reopened trade and relations will bring investments that will change Havana. Throughout the trip I was to reflect on how my fascination with the old might be at risk of ignoring the plight of those who have to live with the conditions that I find so pictureque.

Perhaps my fascination with Cuba was also due to the allure of the fact that I grew up in a time in which few Americans have ever visited our Caribbean neighbor. I used to read up on the ways of getting there but until major US airlines began flying to Cuba in 2016, it was a cost-prohibitive journey. Ironically, the president has just announced this week that we might be going backward in terms American options for travel to Cuba.

Our Ride from the Airport

In mid-May, Bethany and I were planning out what to do with our Memorial Day weekend and were looking at nearby National Parks for a camping trip. On a whim, I began searching for interesting destinations with cheap last minute flights. I had no idea that Spirit Airlines flew to Havana from Los Angeles and when I saw this, I had to check on the price. Turning to Bethany, I said, “Or we could go to Havana for only $360!” For little more than it takes to fly back to the Midwest to visit family, we knew we had to go. One of the many things that I love about Bethany is that she is always up for an adventure.

When we arrived at the airport our driver was waiting patiently for us with a sign. After changing some money, we walked to his car and were delighted to find that it was a blue 1954 Chevy. Within minutes of our arrival, we found the Havana that we had imagined and a friendly face to introduce us in his old car of which it was not hard to tell he was very proud.

Along the road, we passed a billboard that would be the first of many signs indicating that the Cuban government has a message for its people about what is everywhere referred to as the “revolution”. “Fidel among us” the sign read, with five pictures of Fidel Castro in chronological order showing the dictator as he ages through through the various phases of his recently ended rule.

Casa Particular

Arriving at our casa particular, as Cubans call the rooms that they rent out to guests, we stepped out of the car and took a few pictures with our gracious driver before being welcomed into the home where we would stay our entire time in Havana.

The house, like many in Cuba was part of a building with two homes, one below and one on the upper floor. Climbing the steps, we walked into a wide open dining area with high ceilings and old-world charm. Evelia and Israel own this lovely home that we found on Airbnb and their niece, Claris takes care of the guests. They welcomed us warmly, showed us our room and took us up to the rooftop terrace with a view of the castle-like building next door.

We finally made it to Cuba and in our first few moments found exactly what we were looking for; a city that to seemed to immediately transport us into a period from before the world had changed.

Footnotes

All photos captured with the Fujfilm X-T2 and the XF 16–55mm f/2.8 lens. If you're interested in visiting Cuba, I would be happy to interact about our experiences. Feel free to comment or to email me.