The Canadian passport gave me the freedom I had always wanted. Since I became a citizen and applied for it, I have crossed borders and traveled the world without worries. I have been welcomed in Spain with a smile, a stamp and no questions (when only a year before I had gone through the long […]

Harold Lopez resides with his girlfriend in an apartment located next to the coast, in the centre of Havana. I am thrilled to be at their home as interviewing him has been on my mind for a few years. The smell of fresh-made coffee got to the living room only a few minutes after my […]

“This island is something special. The strangest, most tragic things have happened here. And it will always be that way. The earth, like humankind, has its destiny. And Cuba’s is a mysterious destiny”                                              […]

Documental reciente sobre los actos de repudio y la represión en Cuba.

The Canchanchara was drank by the 19th century Cuban independence fighters. People say Antonio Maceo invented the drink to keep the troops with energy (and tipsy, I suppose), for the fight. Back in the day, fighters used to drink it out of “jicaras”, a bowl made of the Güiro tree (Calabash tree). The real Canchanchara is not […]

Private business are notably flourishing in Cuba, particularly in the most touristic areas. Places in Convertible Pesos (for tourists or Cubans who somehow can afford them): On my November trip to Cuba I spent some time discovering new places and also wondering how the owners manage to open and to run certain restaurants or bars […]

New York Hotel in Havana City is falling apart. The building has been shutdown for several years for restoration purposes and the state of it quickly went from bad to worse. Located on 16 Dragones St. in Old Havana, not too far from the Capitol, the four-story building still stands proud of what it was […]

Sucu Sucu (or Sucu Suco) was born in mid 19th century on Isle of Youth, Cuba. This rhythm, similar to son montuno, was created in a farm called La Tumbita, close to what we know as  Santa Fe town now. When I visited Cuba in November, I brought with me the CD “Mongo Rives y […]

  Mi madre ha recibido la respuesta del Consulado de España en La Habana. Su solicitud de nacionalidad ha sido denegada ya que según la ley vieja española, cuando la mujer se casaba adoptaba la ciudadanía del esposo y por tanto no puede pasarla a sus nietos. Mi bisabuela española, al casarse con un hombre […]

Todavía no he llegado al aeropuerto de La Habana y ya estoy sufriendo. Desde hace un mes estoy pensando en que cuando llegue tendré que pagar por la laptop que dejé el año pasado y que no pagué a la salida porque mi vuelo salía en media hora. Para allá voy con mi “carta de […]

On my way up to the office I saw a tourism ad about Cuba that read: “Old cars never looked better”. I chuckled for a second, rolled my eyes and thought about how much Cubans would like to have modern cars and how often they struggle when these heavy giants break in the middle of […]

(Por y para mi madre)   Esta vez, te prometo callar. Cuando en inmigración la funcionaria me reciba con un “Hola” desganado, cuando note a los aduaneros cambiar su gesto al ver mi pasaporte de la República de Cuba, cuando la encargada del “tráfico” me indique que debo seguir para la derecha porque “para esa […]