Irina Pino’s Diary

Obispo is one of the busiest streets in Havana’s old town: throughout the day, the city’s self-employed work vigorously to compete with State establishments. People’s toing-and-froing makes the street difficult to walk through.

Having had the opportunity to write for Havana Times is the most important thing for me in this year’s balance (I don’t know whether I’ve already told readers I tried to become a regular contributor several times before accomplishing this).

Everyone is talking about the same thing: the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between Cuba and the United States. Though some are optimistic and others skeptical, the truth is that the news has stirred everybody up.

A few days ago, pianist Frank Fernandez and flutist Niurka Gonzalez performed classic pieces by Mozart, Bach, Gluck and Tchaikovsky at the San Francisco de Asis Convent in Old Havana. I made the trip down to the old town to attend the concert.

“The sun will burn out, whether we like it or not.” In other words, it doesn’t matter what we do in life: everything is a meaningless illusion, because nothing endures. It is difficult to believe such admissions of hopelessness come from Woody Allen…

I had never gone to Havana’s Las Vegas cabaret before. I only went there that night to accompany a professional photographer who was interested in taking pictures of the performers in the show.

It is encouraging for those who love rock music to see foreign bands visit the country and stage the occasional concert. Music is one the arts closest to human feelings and one of the things that unites people the most.

As for me, the peculiar sound of Indian music, the country’s dance traditions, the texture and colors of its fabrics, the sari (a garment worn by women), the delicacy of its pottery, these are the beautiful things I like about the country.

I was reading an article about people who rent out rooms where couples can make love, or have sex. I wonder whether this service is offered to all couples, as, but from reading what the owners explained, it appears only for heterosexual couples.

When my son turned one, I was unemployed. Thanks to a government official my husband knew, however, we managed to find a day care center (Circulo infantil) for him. That was at the end of the 90s, when private day care had not yet been authorized. I started to work shortly afterwards.