Whenever the media - specifically the American media - get to talking about Cuba, I am reminded of that wacky Irishman in Braveheart who refers to Ireland as “my island… it’s mine” with a look of madness in his eyes. Maybe my possessiveness stems from having travelled there fairly regularly for the better part of a decade now, that I have favorite haunts there now, friends, places to stay, people to call up when I’m town, and still, a whole lot of island left to discover, at my own pace, secure in the knowledge that the place is still protected from the greatest homogenizing force the world has ever known.
I usually keep the solace I draw from the embargo to myself: it sounds pretty damn selfish to inwardly root for economic sanctions that keep 11 million people in poverty. But now I’m hearing plenty of travelers openly admit to (secretly) being happy about the embargo - somehow, even though the entire world save for one nation is allowed to vacation in the largest, most beautiful island in the Caribbean, it still manages to feel like a well-kept secret.
This week, Roger Cohen of The New York Timesechoed the sentiment of so many of Cuba’s visitors. (the bit of being incommunicado really is striking… on my visit last month I really expected to be able to get all my e-mails via Blackberry. It didn’t happen.)
And then last night, I watched The Island (one of Leo DiCaprio’s older flicks) for the first time. Let’s just say it wasn’t at all about what I thought it would be about. More aptly, it was a movie that dramatized some of those funny feelings I have for that funny island.
Interesting link: A young woman blogs directlyfrom Havana about Communist life.
December 11th, 2008 at 8:13 pm
It sounds like a beautiful place, Nadine. I’m looking forward to seeing some of your photos sometime, too :). I’ve never seen DiCaprio’s The Island, but I’d always meant to watch it… Off to read the blog you linked. Thanks.
December 12th, 2008 at 6:55 am
I promise those pics will be up soon!