Irina Pino’s Diary

Greetings to all rockers in Cuba, the good news is that rock band “Malas Noticias” has played at Havana’s rock venues over the past few days and they were a real hit! These guys from Matanzas play covers by famous rock bands such as Guns and Roses, Led Zeppelin, Beatles or Aerosmith. (8 photos)

It’s common for married people to get tired of each other after living together for so long and for passion to dwindle. It’s normal: these are the stages of love. Hopefully you’re left with affection, common ground and friendship.

With a distinctive rock/folk sound, Ivan Latour, the Cuban musician, who captivated an entire generation in the ‘90s with decent lyrics and catchy music, played recently at the Casa de la Amistad.

At the places I regularly go, La Casa de la Amistad, El Submarino Amarillo, La Maison, where rock music takes control, I meet friends in their 50s whose view of sex has changed after menopause. They are experiencing it in different ways…

Nelson Mandela, the tireless fighter who struggled against apartheid in South Africa, is the star of the new traveling exhibition “Mandela 100”, at the Africa House on 157 Obrapia Street in Old Havana. It will be open to the public from May until August. (22 photos)

Rockers, metalheads and anyone who wanted to see and hear the band “Suicidal Tendencies” in Havana were in for a great night on May 11th at La Tropical, in the Benny More room. I believe Benny would have risen from his grave listening to these musicians and told them to be quiet because of all the noise they were making.

I recently had the chance to get to know Panama city, at a friend’s invitation, and I got to see a pleasant landscape where people are kind by nature, something which we see less and less every day. Violence between Cuban people can be seen in our everyday, in a line, on a bus, or maybe even in seemingly calm places.

Gerardo Chijona, the director of Adorables mentiras and Bolteto al paraiso, and co-director of the famous movie Strawberry and Chocolate, has directed a piece of garbage which should be wiped off the Cuban film map. I personally believe it’s a waste of money and time.

It’s hard for some men to assimilate the fact that women sometimes don’t want to respond to their sexual advances and try to sidestep them by saying that all they want is a friendship, that they don’t want to get into a relationship…

The uncertainty of what you might find when you return to your country of birth worries Cuban emigres, returning after years of being away. Carlos, a friend, almost a brother to me, came to Havana to see his mother after 7 years of being apart.