Cuba's Own Rubik's Cube. By Uncle Monty at Cuba's Old Havana.

Cuba’s Own Rubik's Cube.
By Uncle Monty

At Cuba's Old Havana.

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For an Anglo or gringo like me, staying for

awhile here inside Hispanic Cuba is something

like trying to figure out the rubik's cube. No mat-

ter how you twist and turn the multi-coloured

rubik's cube, Cuba still confounds the likes and

minds of most Anglos and gringos. And, it leaves

us, more often than not, red in the face.

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The colourful Cubans themselves delight and chuckle in

confounding us, but without any malice or any deliberate

harm on their friendly part. For me, standing now at

Cuba’s Old Havana filfills one of my great travel dreams

to finally come here and to try to figure out all that is

behind Cuba’s Own Rubik's Cube. I’m so glad I did.
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Old Cuban Jew at Havana Synagogue with

his WII Nazi-issued ID card for Jews Only.

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Big America is just 90 miles away that has boycott Cuba

forever and a day or for close to 50 years now. It’s time

to do away with that and bring Cuba out of isolation and

embargo for all the free world to finally see.

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But first also be aware here at Old Havana of “hustlers,

rogue taxi drivers, and other bad people who may offer

you cheaper accommodation services, transporation or

money exchange. This happens frequently and the ser-

vices they offer are not legitimate or are of very poor

quality. We, at Havana Stay, strongly discourage any

sort of deals with these (illegal) solicitors to aviod a

dangerous risk to you,” says Isabel Lopez at pre-

warning Maria and I. That also helps us to solve abit

of Cuba’s Own Rubik's Cube, right? Sí. Muy bueno! ...
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The Flag of Cuba.

Many Cuban Americans mellowing to new Cuba policy.

By Pascal Fletcher.

http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSTRE54I4FX20090519

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Before leaving for Old Havana, I went to the Cuban

Embassy at London’s Grape Street to get my tourist

visa. While there, I saw three or four highly-polished

black Cuban diplomatic cars parked outside with

important ambassadorial members arriving like

English knighted lords with their groomed chauffeurs.
Inside the small consul section, the atomsphere was

family-like with an informality that was quite homely

and relaxed with some of their fellow Cuban com-

patriots visiting with their new-born babies to say

"hola" or "hello" to their consular staff friends.

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It took just minutes to obtain my 30-day Tourist

Visa card at only 15 quid! Not only was it the quick-

est visa I have ever been issued with, but by far

the cheapest. At the Chinese and Iranian Embassies

in London, when I went to Bejing and Tehran, I had

to pay, for example, over 60 quid for each visa

and wait in line for hours, too. Not so, how-

ever, at Fidel’s! Ah, Muy bueno, again!!
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And before I forget, don’t bring “credit or debit

cards and traveller’s checks issued in any country

by American banks or their branches for they are

not accepted in Cuba and, therefore, are useless. If

you bring US dollars, unlike all other currencies,

you’ll be charged a 10% tax on top of the exchange

rate," states Isabel Lopez. No doubt this will change

if and when the Obama Administration finally lifts

America's long-standing embargo against Cuba that

prevents and deprives all Americans of free travel to

Havana. Cuban Americans, however, can now freely

travel to their homeland of Cuba due to Obama

recently freeing them to do so, but all other Am-

ericans are still left in travel limbo for now.

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It is also here at Cuba that houses America's huge blot

in the shape and form of its world notorious Gitmo

or Guantánamo Bay Detention Camp that smacks

of Nazi character more than anything else with

its concertina fortress and gun towers to "protect"

Americans and their Washington government from

those who hate or would attack the United States

for whatever reasons their "terrorist" hearts and

minds might forever desire. The fallout of America's

9/11 will live on and on until the Gitmo dies its own

death at its world shame that it now represents.
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Two Gringos: Ah, Kiss And Make-Up! :-:
From Old Havana, Maria and I will then travel
stateside to vibrant Miami and then onto The Big

Apple at New York City to stay there at Maria's

luxury-owned Upper Manhattan Duplex - which

would cost about $450 or £210 per day, if she

rented - until I fly back to home base. I've held

permanent US residency, or the so-called "Green

Card," for the past 38 years. So I think I know

America very well. But for Cuba,

I obviously do not!

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:: FACTBOX ::
Some key facts about Cuban society.
http://www.reuters.com/article/globalNews/idUSTRE4BR1LP20081228
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So for me, Cuba's Own Rubik's Cube I hope to

fathom out abit from now on. Then perhaps, I can
figure out who and what she really is. The Cuban
combinations are truly rubik to me although after my

10-day here, I hope to be alot wiser than I am now.

Perhaps, too, I may, ironically, find myself to be more

the Rubik's Cube than Cuba will ever be!!! We'll see!!
.
Adiós, Uncle Monty
at Old Havana, Cuba.
+The Ascension, 2oo9.
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::: While in Cuba and America, I shall take a needed
break from my little blog, unless something major

happens that requires me to return to my blog faster

than before I know what. So again, adiós amigos!! :::

:: Rubik's Cube ::

{ Click on any Image For Full Size View }

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