When it comes to the subject of Cuba, let me first state emphatically, I'm NO expert. Far from it; I've been there twice. The first time was almost 30 years ago, and this last time was a little over a year ago. And, while I do have my own romantic, dreamy ideas of what it was like, back when all of those 1955 Chevy's were brand new, and the buildings were freshly stuccoed, and the costumes for the show girls were gay and colorful, and money flowed... there's no question that "times have changed" as well as my dreamy notions.
"Guys and Dolls" was on TV a couple of days ago, and it reminded me of the first time I saw it and the first time I saw Cuba. The ease that Marlon "Sky Masterson" Brando had, "Sky"-ing down to the island for dinner, dragging Jean "Sister Sarah" Simmons into that Hot Den of Iniquity, left an indelible impression. We, in complete contrast, had to wait for 6 months to receive visas, back in the '80's, and we left clandestinely through Canada. Also, on that trip 30 years ago, we traveled from Havana to other parts of Cuba; Santiago; The Isle of Youth (Isla de la Juventud) and other sports. The more recent trip was just to Havana. At an early age, I was aware of the mesmerizing hold the tropics could have. I'd been to Barbados, the Bahamas, Jamaica, Haiti, the West Indies, the ABC islands, and many more, long before I was 20. They were fun, colorful, filled with gaiety and laughter and all the amenities my capitalistic little heart could ask for. Oddly, in comparison, the first time I visited Cuba in the early '80's, it was a land locked in time... well before my time. Stepping off the plane onto the hot tarmac, was like stepping onto the set of that Runyonesque movie, that I earlier mentioned.
And, it was a wee bit scary, back then.Soviet Mig's parked side by side. We had big, burly body guards who were introduced to us as "interpreters" around us from morning 'til night. We were told where we could go, and how we would go, and when we would go. We sure weren't in "Kansas" anymore...
But, this last trip was very different. Harry, my dad, called me on a Thursday night to ask if I would go with him, to video his conversation with Fidel; and to shoot him walking around the Old Havana that he so loves. I asked "When?" He said "In a couple of days, for 10 days." I was on a plane the following Monday to Miami, and caught a 7am flight (one of several that leave) directly from Miami to Havana, the next morning. When I landed fifty minutes later, I noticed that as much as a lot of things had stayed the same, indeed, quite a lot had changed. Although there are a few new developments since my first visit to Cuba, such as a handful of more modern edifices, cranking out cool, central air; more restaurants with fantastic items, listed on their menu; and just a couple of souvenir shops to pick little mementos up from... There is still a great deal of restructuring, rebuilding and constructing to be done. I had an interpreter- a petite, pretty lady, who indeed, was just that... an interpreter. The ability to get in the car, with a driver, and go anywhere, to photograph just about anything alone... it was definitely different. People, particularly many of the young, are more vocal and proactive in the community for the betterment of their people; but more remarkably is the admittance by those in power that things could have been done differently.
There was a huge Peace Concert, consisting of twenty or so Latin artists from around the world (including a couple that live in the US), that was happening in the square. Hundreds of thousands from around the world showed up to partake, in spite of ridiculous, unwarranted protests that were happening in Miami. I certainly didn't see that happening, 30 years ago. Times, they are indeed, "a-changing."
Shari Belafonte