|
 |
| Seabeams |
19 Mar 2008 22:58:01 GMT |
| |
Cuba was a blast. Really good stuff.
I stayed at a five star hotel in varadero. Originally i had planned to go to the Canaries for a break, but my parents said they'd sub the price of the flight if i paid for my own room. I did, and we spent mealtimes and lounged around the pool together. I spent the rest of the time sunbathing, sleeping, eating loads and chillaxing on by the patio outside my apartment.
The hotel was completely self-contained and, mercifully, child-free. Everything was inclusive, and they had top-notch drink brands there. There were numerous restuarants, but the buffet was the best by far. Everything you could want available at all times. I did nothing but gorge myself and unwind. The vanilla beach next to hotel was beautiful too.
It was an interesting time to be Cuba as well. We were encouraged to listen to public opinion on Fidel's departure. Most people were afraid of change, as you'd expect after 50 years of a dictatorship, but unsurprisingly they were more concerned about what the US would do if they got in. You have to understand that although Cuba is dirt-poor, it has world-class schools and hospitals. Nobody eats steak for dinner, but nobody goes hungry. Cuba's military is tiny and so most of the money made (principally by the hotels like mine in varadero) goes to the social programs. One of the roommates were shocked when we told them there were homeless people in the US. Nobody in Cuba is homeless. On the other hand, Cubans understand the concept of money very clearly indeed. I got chatting to my room maid, Ari.
"Why do people go to London?" she asked.
"Mostly for the money. There are a lot of rich people in London, but there are lots more poorer people" i told her as well as my spanish could allow.
"What do you mean?" she probed.
"Well, i earn more than my neighbour, but i pay more rent. He earns the minimum wage" i said. My neighbour earns more than the minimum wage because he works non-stop, but that was a minor point.
"How much is this 'minimum wage'?" she asked. I was beginning to regret starting the conversation.
"Around 10 US Dollars an hour, but you have to understa-"
"10 dollars?!? And that is not much money?!?". She was stunned. She usually makes that in a couple of days.
"Yeah, but his rent is 200 dollars a week" i guesstimated, trying to work out how to finish the conversation.
Ari's forehead wrinkled as she did the math. It took her around 5 seconds to come to this conclusion:
"That means, if he works 10 hours a day for 6 days, he would have 400 dollars left over. That's a lot of money. So much." she picked up a nearby towel and starting turning it over in her hands thoughtfully.
Sadly, my feeble grasp of spanish didn't allow me to explain the concept of Basic Rate tax, council tax, transportation fees, working-hour laws, national insurance, SERPS and household bills. The Cubans don't have to pay water bills, national phone bills, and their household expenses are miniscule. Water rates are, like, $5 a month. I watcher her think about all the things she would buy with that money. Up until recently, Cubans could buy western goods in "Dollar Shops" if they had Dollars (their national currency, the peso, is pretty much worthless). Ironically, hotel maids and taxi drivers earn a lot more than scientists and doctors because they can get hold of dollars and CUC.
I left her with a tip and a lot to think about. She left me with the most beautiful piece of towel sculpting i'd ever seen.
|
| |
| Security Clearance: 5 |
|
|
|
