Previous | Next :: The Beauty and the Broken down Car : Havana : Cuba | July 12, 2010, 11:01 pm

I see Fidel Castro has made another appearance in public today. Giving a very rare interview on TV. Only to Cuban State TV, of course not exactly hard hitting or revealing. He railed against American involvement in Iran and North Korea......... oh well..... nothing changes with Cuba then .......... although it appears some political prisoners are to be released......... and sent into exile.......... what a vile punishment years in prison..... only to be then banished......... remember this is for people who have done nothing except organize for human rights or criticize their dictators......... . Sorry i mean the leaders of their Socialist Republic.

A writer I once worked with in Cuba said : "Its an odd mix Stalinism and the Caribbean ........ the repressive police state and Caribbean culture seem to be diametrically opposed..... they somehow dwell together here"

This picture for me always captures the authentic feel of Cuba the daily life....... Havana in particular........ It does not capture the police state apparatus but does give you some feel for Havana with the jaded beauty of the architecture as it crumbles from it once glorious past....... the tired poor woman leaning into her old old car that will not start as a man labors on the old 1950's engineering.......... in the foreground is passing a young colorfully dressed beautiful Cuban woman......... This is everything....... the gritty reality......... the grind of real poverty......... living history...........the sensation of romance and passion........ For me this is Cuba........!!!!!!!!

Cheers Jez XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

www.jezblog.com