Walking Around Havana, Cuba
Photo Feature by Idania Cardenas
HAVANA TIMES – On its streets, daily life flows to the rhythm of its people, who, despite economic difficulties and social challenges, maintain a resilience and contagious joy. In Cuba, nothing is thrown away; everything is repaired. That’s why, when you walk through its streets, you can find someone repairing a mattress right there on the sidewalk. People greet you, ask you to take their photo, strike up conversations, and often share their life stories with you.
A friend told me the other day:
“Every day in Cuba is 24 hours of full-on survival, stress, and meticulous planning—minute by minute, peso by peso, step by step. Not a single second goes unoccupied, even while sleeping. All of it is just to try and strike a delicate balance between surviving and maintaining a bit of sanity and mental health, because you need it.
You open the fridge—at least the power was on, so nothing spoiled. You check daily what’s left, what’s gone bad, and calculate how much it will cost to restock. The list isn’t long: chicken, sausages, and ground meat. If you’re lucky, you have all three; sometimes, you don’t. Sometimes the trio fails, and the US chicken—somehow still arriving despite the embargo—doesn’t make it to the ports, leaving you with the other two, or just one. That happens too.
‘Dad, are we sleeping with or without electricity tonight?’
Mom: ‘According to the doctoral theses your father has conducted—factoring in the number of people whose power has already been cut off today, the hours, the existing generation deficit, the full moon, and the guy who fell into the well—I have no idea. Here, you might sleep with power for three consecutive nights, only to go a week without it afterward, all under the same supposed daily deficit.’
Dad, that’s rough.
‘Uh-huh.’
And all you can say is “uh-huh” and let them vent, because even you aren’t fully aware of how much endurance a child in Cuba can have—drenched in sweat all night, only to wake up happy the next day and go to school or daycare with a joy that makes you wonder where the heck they get it from.
The phone rings.
Hurry, it’s the gas cylinder truck, and the whole neighborhood is out there. And so you go, after spending the entire morning and part of the afternoon in line, dealing with fights, human pettiness, listening to everyday stories as people vent about how bad things are—and you laugh.
Laughter is the only reason Cubans are still alive is their ability to dream, to keep hope alive, despite the many obstacles. You get home, turn on your phone, and start sharing memes. Everyone else is in the same boat as you, or worse, and you think, let’s share and brighten someone else’s day a little.
Cuba is a fascinating study in forced human resilience. The island is beautiful but there is garbage everywhere and I have not yet seen people mending mattresses on the streets. It is a broken land and they are broken people. I saw one impoverished back yard where the children were laughing and playing while dirty clothes hung on the line in the dirty breeze. It exports rum (about US$92M); liquor is cheaper than water.
I return there because I still am of the belief that the money I spend there somehow helps the residents. I may be wrong. For the most part, it’s a beautiful place to be and the people are as kind and content as any I’ve known. It is by far the most interesting and intriguing place I’ve been.
I have visited Cuba since 2003.
I’m going again Feb 2025
Each year I have met New Cuban families & have listened to their heart breaking stories of their life.
I have met many Cubans that I now call family.
Every time I go I take 2 big suitcases filled with medicines & necessary items that they either can’t get there or can’t afford.
I get nothing in return except hugs and thanks.
That’s all I need!!!
To all the people living in other countries, be thankful for what you have each day. I know I am, every morning I wake up thankful for what I have in my life.
Bernie says Cuba is great I wonder why he’s never gone to live there
I am about to embark on my first foray into Cuba through Exodus, a British company. What things can I take to the Cuban people that they are in need of? One person said “spark plugs”, another said sanitary pads and tampons. So far I have gathered baseball hats, beanie babies, tshirts, sanitary pads, ibuprofen and bandaids. Other thoughts?? What did you notice a huge shortage of? I am very excited to experience the culture, the cars and the music!
How sad! These pictures are a reflection of the failures of a Communist regime! Cuba, once a jewel and prosperous island. Now, a total eclipse and destruction! Not an embargo problem! Look at Venezuela! Communism is a cancer and kills everything on its path! Poor Cuban people.
Not sure what the answer is to sort out this piece of paradise. Corruption seems to be a part of running any country now, I know living in Britain, not sure you could find any MP who doesn’t do insider trading. Just have everything crossed you can sort your country out and I can carry on visiting. Have been holidaying for around 20 years but only seen the huge drop off in 23 with the issues. Please don’t go down the corporate commercial route with American fast food chains on every corner, I won’t be back.
The Cuban people have suffered so that the Castros can get rich. The embargo should end but don’t minimize the destruction that Castro and the elite have bought to Cuba. The best and brightest leave, look at the success in Miami, a testament to how hard Cubans can work and build if given a chance, a chance that the Cuban government has never given them. I have been to Cuba, talked to government people, same old story, it’s all our fault! Right….
I’m Canadian and I have a wife and son in Cuba … It’s time for a change please world
Hoping to visit this year if health allows. Is Canadian Funds appropriate? I have a prescription for testosterone, can I bring this ? Are there any prescription drugs not allowed?
It’s not resilience of the Cuban people! Everyone wants to live despite their lack of basics and living extremely poverty conditions and the lack of freedom!! Too much repression from the military regime if someone dare to protest!
It is long past time for the United States to lift the 65 years + of sanctions. The have not succeeded and never will. Live and let live. The perceived evils of Communism and Socialism are the same evils in Capitalism. They only difference is Capitalism may take us to the last victim ( Mother Earth) before the others.
Let’s not dance around the truth. I visited Cuba. Cubans have become, out of necessity and survival, serville and flatterers to their dictatorial government and to tourists who exploit them. They don’t laugh and dance out of happiness and a resilient spirit, not out of kindness and love. They have been stripped of dignity and self-love which amounts to a wasted life.
What a constellation of lies, carefully fabricated and adorned so people of the world, potential would-be-the-absolutely- necessary-tourist, do pay more attention to the undoubtedly resilience of this punished nation. Yes. Cubans, as all humans, do adapt. Cubans are friendly. Now ask if they are happy with communism, the true cause of their present miseries. ( of course I doubt this opinion will be posted)
Thank you for putting into words my very thoughts about Cuba after visiting twice in 12 months. My experiences were so very much exactly what you wrote with the people with the joy, the resilience, and (as they call it) the fight! The warmth and goodness of these people could never be overstated. I have left a bit of my heart and Cuba, but I will again return.
Whom fault for the suffering of the Cuban people? The USA reconciliate with the Vietnamese communist government, as well wth Red China, and other socialistic regimes, why not with the Cuban one. It is about time for the embargo to end, therefore the suffering of the Cuban people would end.
I have visited Cuba twice and everything you wrote is true. I’m amazed on how Resilient the a people of Cuba.
Samira Jama
We want a Cuba free, no more comunism, no more be in jail because you think different, no more family divided, we want PEACE!! and to live like normal people.
These superb photos bring back so many happy memories of my Cuban holidays.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL AT HAVANA TIMES AND TO THE PEOPLE OF CUBA !!!!
My wife and I have visited Cuba about 13 times, usually staying in non-touristy areas of Havana. Despite all of the difficulties, we marvel at the friendliness and warmth of the Cubans that we meet. While the economic systems may not be the most productive, something very good exists in the people’s core values.
With respect, when foreigners compliment Cubans as being heroic regarding their resilience, I am moved to ask, “what is their alternative?”. In the modern history of the world, what oppressed people have voluntarily capitulated their oppressors? The Castro dictatorship has ruled Cuba since 1959. Since then, there has never been any real resistance to their oppressors. Is the lack of Cuban resistance to the Castro regime what we are calling resilience? I would argue that the lack of resistance is capitulation. When the Vichy France during WWII cooperated with their German conquerors, were they being resilient? Certainly not! Instead, the smaller but effective French Resistance movement became the resilient French patriots. Let’s not encourage Cuban apathy by applauding it as resilience. Instead, we should recognize every effort, however small and infrequent, to challenge the powers that be. Those are the true Cuban heroes.
…the resilience of the Cuban people constantly amazes me!! I have visited 5 times since 2014, the last was 2019, and my wonderful memories overflow as I remember the kindness & love that was always offered…I hope with all my heart that normalcy will return back to this magical island & that the suffering & hardship ease…