Today we didn’t expect the rain to start and left our window at the Casa Particular (private residence with a permit to rent rooms) open. Fortunately Emilio closed it in our absence, but that didn’t stop the water that’s coming through the roof.
Poor light this morning, so our early walk ended early and we returned for breakfast and a nap. Then a tour of the National Theatre where there is a ballet performance on over the weekend. So many people out to squeeze you for money; even the theatre’s security guard offered to sell us tickets 5 CUC (Cuban Convertible Peso, 1USD = 0.89 CUC) cheaper than the 25 that non-cubans must pay. He of course would buy a local’s ticket in Cuban National Pesos (1CUC = 24 pesos) and make a killing.
There seems to be no faster way to duplicate, perhaps overtake, western democracy’s gap between rich and poor than to have dual currencies running the economy. Perhaps it was Fidel’s wish to have a monetary unit stronger than the USD (on top of the exchange rate, USD is taxed another 10% upon exchange), or maybe it was simply the best way to keep the maximum amount of tourist dollars and Euros in the country, since the poor little peso is like an ant to an elephant.
Had a similar thing occurred in Greece, i.e. the drachma was maintained in parrallel to the Euro, there would be complete anarchy.
For 10CUC (~12USD), you can get a poor meal at a (tourist) restaurant. (better food at Versailles in LA, although shrimp here was good). Or, for 3 pesos (12 cents!!), you can get a pizza from a state-run eatery (also from street doorways where women sell from their home) and a glass of Jugo Naranja. Granted, it would be hard to replicate the degree of lack of flavour in the pizza (tomato sauce and ketchup both seem to be watered down here), and the Jugo is actually orange cordial, but the quality is on par with that of the restaurants. A 1000% difference!!! Give a beggar 1CUC and they can buy 12 pizzas…
The Gran teatro de la Habana:
Monumento a Julio Antonio Mella:
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