Cuba 2013: DAY 8

Cuba assesses a 25 CUC departure tax upon each tourist departing through Jose Martí International Airport (and presumably, at other official international departure points as well). The recommendation to set aside and preserve this money up front is a wise one. There still remains the possibility of additional export taxes, levied upon artwork leaving the country with individuals. To obtain additional funds from the US, when one has run out of money in Cuba, is a huge hassle. Many of us, fearing the worst, began counting and hoarding CUCs and settling hotel charges the evening before departure. We cannot speak for others in the group, but MJ and I returned to the US with $4 in US 1-dollar bills, and about 70 CUC we retained as mementos when our calculations proved we could safely depart. We carried aboard as much of our luggage, including art, as we could, checking only one large bag.

Michel drove us back to the airport, essentially by retracing our route from a week before. Viviana came along to help us through customs and to say goodbye. We passed again through residential neighborhoods, skirted the old Havana Country Club (now a campus), seeing for the last time the old vehicles, the large numbers of people on foot, and the political banners and signs of every description. The west Havana landscape is dominated by Iglesia Jesús de Miramar and by the Russian Embassy with its tower. Viviana told us that an old Cuban joke claims the best panoramic view in all Havana to be atop the Russian Embassy, because it's the only place in Havana where one cannot see the Russian Embassy:

As it happened, customs passage was smooth, and our plane was on time. We took off to the east, describing a scenic curve around to the south of Havana, and then out over the Gulf. This time there was neither cheering nor applause. Forty-five minutes later, we touched down in Miami. Again, there was neither cheering nor applause.

We are grateful for:

– Laura Adams, of Cuba Cultural Travel, whose capable hands expedited so much, including passage through customs as a group, and who was terrific company after hours.

– Peggy Gaustad, our organizer and fount of knowledge, and the leader of our group. She speaks fluent Spanish and seemed to have friends everywhere we went. We cannot imagine a better guide. We will recommend her to our friends, and we will go again with her. Promise!

– Viviana Rives, our Cuban tourism guide. Beautiful, smart, fun, ambitious. She will go far. Watch out Cuba, when the embargo ends.

– Michel, our bus driver. How on earth did he maneuver that behemoth around those narrow lanes for a week? And all he took out was one single pirated electrical cable? Thank you, Michel. It was great to share your company and to chat with you. I hope your son is wearing out that baseball.

– Our paladar hosts, all of you.

– TradiSon. ¡Nos vemos en Santa Fe!

– New friends from among our travel group.

– Barack and Raúl, whose meeting, greeting and handshake while we were in Cuba gave hope to all Cubans, and to some Americans, that the desultory, obsolete embargo of Cuba will soon end.

-Lois Viscoli, who was in our Spanish class in Santa Fe, who has become a great friend, and who planted the first seed of a Cuba trip in our minds.

Miranda, Lois, and Sergio Jonathan Viscoli

– And finally, artists and the people of Cuba. It was our privilege to be among you for a week. Never have we seen so many smiles, heard so much laughter, or seen brighter countenances. You make the best of your world, no doubt about it.

We shall close with a revisit, to some people and faces. After all, "people-to-people" is the whole reason for a trip like this one.