“The true creator is necessity, who is the mother of our invention.”
– Plato
It’s almost like breathing. The rocky relationship between Cuba and the USA tips back and forth according to whatever administration holds power in Washington. The endless policy changes create confusion for travelers. But the good news is that travel to Cuba is open and viable for Americans. That’s big, because for most of the last 60 years that freedom has been severely limited or completely cut off.
For now, it’s possible to go to Cuba and have a full-on experience of this unique and splendorous tropical island nation. That’s good news, because Cuba is an incomparable travel destination. Though only 90 miles from Florida, Cuba presents one of the most fascinating travel experiences possible.
Cuba would be a great destination if only because it’s a Caribbean island, with all the natural beauty that attracts people from all over the world. It is the largest Caribbean island, at the heart of the Caribbean Sea. But Cuba is not just another island. We are talking about another dimension of travel experience. Every place is unique, but Cuba exists on a different plane.
Cuba presents a shining example of the human resourcefulness that can turn hardship into beauty. By visiting Cuba, and gaining some historical perspective on what you are seeing, you unveil the broad swath of history that makes Cuba unique. Visiting Cuba opens a hidden world, another dimension that has been right in front of us all these years, but which we couldn’t see clearly. It was was, and still is, the Jewel of the Caribbean.
The best part of travel to Cuba is seeing how resourceful and resilient the Cuban people have been through decades of shortages and difficult economic conditions. It’s a glowing example of the human capacity to bring good out of any bad experience.
A Universe in a Test Tube
When Sir Isaac Newton said “Every action has an equal and opposite reaction,” he was talking about physical forces, but it also rings true in human affairs. I have never seen a misfortune that didn’t engender some benefit.
In compensating for what they lack, Cubans have developed in extraordinary ways. Cuba has existed in a bubble, isolated, as if trapped in time. As the world has evolved through the ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s, 2000s, 2010s and now into the 2020s, Cuba has remained relatively isolated, cut off from most of the fruits of progress of the Western world. It’s almost as though it was grown in a giant test tube, under controlled conditions.
Cuba has evolved on its own path, radically differently from most of the world. It’s inspiring to see what the Cuban people have done with what they have had to work with. It’s so strikingly different that it’s almost like going to another planet, or an alternate universe that evolved differently, as portrayed in a sci fi movie. Touring Cuba will alter your world view, at least a bit, guaranteed.
A Different World
I felt like I was in a different world the moment I walked out of Havana’s José Martí International Airport for the first time. The feeling was so pervasive I couldn’t put my finger on the difference. It seemed to be everything. The first thing noticed was the preponderance of antique American cars in the parking lot.
I had seen photographs of the vintage cars, but it’s striking to see that it’s not an isolated thing. That’s really how it is in Cuba. Roughly a quarter of the cars you see are American cars from before the revolution of 1959. Most of the others are imports from Europe or Asia.
There is nothing that more clearly exemplifies Cuba’s triumph over adversity than its antique car culture. The ingenuity of the automotive craftsmen is mind-boggling. I don’t even know what to call these artists of automotive creation. They start as auto mechanics, but take those skills to heights undreamed of anywhere else in the world.
Because they had no access to American products, they couldn’t order parts they needed. So they learned to make everything themselves. They have had to build their own auto industry from the ground. At this point they can practically build a car from scratch. They find a way.
If they need a bolt, or a rivet, their machinists can make one. They can create almost anything. I saw a craftsman pounding a piece of sheet metal into the perfectly sculpted fender of a 1959 Chevy, with its elaborate sideways fin. I saw one piece of sheet metal near the beginning of the transformation, and another that was finished. It was jaw-dropping, a feeling you get repeatedly in Cuba.
The second thing that struck me was the lack of advertising that appears around airports all over the world. There were no ads anywhere we went. I’ve heard that a fish has no concept of water because it has no experience outside of water. I felt like that with advertising. I noticed it more in its absence than I do in its presence, because I am so used to it. I can’t think of many cities where I haven’t seen a Coca Cola or McDonald’s or KFC logo. But in Cuba, you may as well be in the 19th century. If you see the rare billboard, it is a government promotion. Strange indeed, but I can’t say I suffered from a longing to see more advertising.
Practically everything you encounter in Cuba will be striking and will give you knew ways of thinking about things. Music in Cuba is a very different experience from in the U.S. Recorded music is not prevalent in Cuba. Most of the music you hear is live, played by Cuban musicians with laser focus. They’ve lived and learned in a relatively quiet environment and have a whole different take on music. It’s a great thing to see and hear.
Cuba’s arts in general are lively and colorful. Their painting, sculpture and dance are all lively and extraordinary. The government puts a lot of its resources into art education. So enjoying the arts in Cuba is a major part of the experience.
Cuban Cuisine is unique as well, from Cuban sandwiches and empanadas, to modern international fusions, with Cuba’s rich multicultural blend of Spanish, indigenous, African and Caribbean cultural influences.
These are the kinds of eye-opening experiences you will have in Cuba. It’s a tropical island with a rich history and beautiful people who exemplify the supreme creativity of the human spirit. Even though Cuba seems to exist in its own time, separate from the rest of the world, its people have had to be among the most adaptable in the world. And as they strive to improve their lives, the country continues to undergo dramatic changes. That’s another reason to go while you can, and to see it before it changes much more.
Your humble reporter,
Colin Treadwell