Diaries Archives - Page 477 of 633

In the Mountains of Cuba

I waited for the truck that would take me to Pinar del Rio Province for the first time and for my first time camping.

A Cuban Anthropologist’s Lapse

Miguel Barnet, a prominent Cuban anthropologist, suffers lapses in memory from time to time. These are brief instants when he forgets important things.

Another Type of Photography

About two months ago Frank proposed that I work along with him in a made-for-TV movie. I’m not an actress or anything close to that, but the proposal was to do the still photography.

Cuba Dissidents Score Win with Gay Wedding

“Pulling a victory out of the fridge” is an expression used in Cuba by sports announcers to describe that boxer who, after having been beat in each round, is able to win the fight thanks to a devastating blow at the last moment, something nobody watching was expecting.

I’m Bienvenido’s Brother

Bienvenido, my neighbor’s oldest son, called her the other day asking about her health. She explained that she’d been getting better but that the doctor had prescribed her a few medications that are hard to find here in Cuba.

Aging in Today’s Cuba

Seeing my grandfather still kicking at the ripe old age of 93, while continuing to maintain my grandmother and two of my uncles who don’t work, is no less than a source of pride – though also worrisome.

The Culture of the Street Vendor

The variety and originality of these exhortations range from simply shouting the name of the product to composing entire tingles or jokes to call attention to what they’re hawking.

Cuba Needs Animal Protection Law

On the TV news/commentary program “La Mesa Redonda” (The Roundtable) — known for its tedious monologues and a skewed approach to any subject — its producers had the surprisingly good judgment to take on the issue of environmental regulations in Cuba.

Repeated Mistakes in Haiti

Few voices in the aid and development industry are speaking out for radical change in how the Haitian government, and thus the Haitian people, should take control of the fruitless reconstruction process from the multinational NGOs.

Website Makes Life Easier for Cubans

The website revolico.com has helped facilitate daily life for many Cubans. One needs only connect to this eclectic online center of classified ads to obtain anything as varied as computer accessories, an inter-provincial house swap or a gallon of paint.