English Translations of Cubans Writing From the Island
14ymedio, Luz Escobar, 16 May 2016 — A fine drizzle falls on the city and Felix, a pedicab driver for 22 years, takes advantage of the chance to take a break. Beside Havana’s Capitol building the man recalls a protest held last Monday by a group of his colleagues in the Plaza of the Revolution. They … Continue reading “Pedicabs, A Battle For The Streets / 14ymedio, Luz Escobar”
14ymedio, Luz Escobar, Havana, 2 May 2016 – The roots of a bush have grown up between the stairs and weeds hang over the marquee. The Hotel New York, a few yards from the Capitol Building in Havana, is the very picture of abandonment. For more than a decade its doors have been closed to … Continue reading “Nobody Is Welcome At The Hotel New York / 14ymedio, Luz Escobar”
Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo, 10 April 2015 We Cubans are going to miss Fidel a lot. Fidel was a spontaneous, almost infantile, assassin with an irresistible charisma that eroticized even his bodyguards. Meanwhile, he could kill just out of a curiosity to see his victims’ last expression of panic or rage. Like someone who naively opens … Continue reading “Everyone Bears Your Name, Fidel / Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo”
14ymedio, Rosa Lopez, Havana 6 February 2015 — Discreet and elusive, donning gray habits and cross-adorned veils, they attend mass at the Shrine of Our Lady of Charity in Pinar del Río. The three nuns, originally from India, belong to the Order of the Most Holy Savior of Saint Bridget headed by the Italian religious … Continue reading “The Bridgettines, in the Shadows of Power / 14ymedio, Rosa Lopez”
Image of the pro-government supporters taken from the Internet Rebeca Monzo, 15 April 2105 — The 7th (of April) arrived. The Summit of the Americas in Panama and, with it, the invited and participating delegations started to arrive in the Central American country. The official Cuban delegation, one of the largest, had a good time organizing and preparing, under … Continue reading “To the Government supporters: “You showed your trashy ways” / Rebeca Monzo”
Rebeca Monzo, 23 February 2015 — In the Plaza de San Francisco in the historic center of Old Havana there is a traveling art installation, United Buddy Bear, made up of huge bears that surround the square. Each of them represents a country in the western hemisphere and they are decorated by an artist from each … Continue reading “The Art of Tolerance / Rebeca Monzo”
14ymedio, LUZ ESCOBAR, Havana, 17 January 2015 — “Where is the end of the line for a picture with the Cuban bear?” yesterday asked a youngster during the opening of the United Buddy Bears show in Havana’s San Francisco Plaza. The project, created in 2001 by Eva and Klaus Herlitz with the collaboration of Austrian … Continue reading “Strange, Like a Bear in a Havana Square / 14ymedio”
Cubanet, Rafael Alcides, Havana, 13 January 2015 — Following the reestablishment of diplomatic relations with the United States, Havana has become a cauldron of ideas about how we could have elections by secret and direct ballot – an exciting thing to contemplate. Many here see it happening right around the corner, maybe within a few … Continue reading “The Communist Party in the New Cuba / Cubanet, Rafael Alcides”
As ancient buildings are crumbling, the vacant lots are transformed into parks that are always closed 14ymedio, Victor Ariel Gonzales, Havana, 9 January 2015 — A group of tourists stops at the entrance of the “ecological park” on Mercaderes Street, a few steps from the Havana Cathedral. The guide speaks to them about this vacant … Continue reading “Look But Don’t Touch / 14ymedio, Victor Ariel Gonzalez”
By Jeovany Jimenez Vega Jean-Paul de la Fuente, director of New7Wonders, the Swiss foundation behind the online contest to name the seven most marvelous cities of the world, is visiting the Cuban capital. Having been received by Marta Hernández Romero, president of the Havana Provincial Assembly of Popular Power, and Eusebio Leal Spengler, city historian, already De … Continue reading “Havana: City of the “Marvelous” Unreality / Jeovany Jimenez Vega”
This small video — with English subtitles — is a tribute to Cuban architect Mario Coyula by Eusebio Leal, Havana City Historian. The film was made by Miguel Coyula, the well-known Cuban filmmaker, and Mario’s son. For the Spanish speakers among you, and others who can enjoy the photos, following is an extract of Mario … Continue reading “Homage to Cuban Architect Mario Coyula / Miguel Coyula”
Reopening of the Marti Theater Since we were kids we dreamed of this space full of magic and history, where a great part of Cuban culture was staged and presented for our enjoyment. Timeless works were presented there: “Cecilia Valdés,” “Amalia Batista,” among others, without forgetting that in this space in 1900 the Constituent Assembly … Continue reading “Marti Theater, Much More Than a Stage Set / Angel Santiesteban”
HAVANA, Cuba- Some years ago the American sociologist George Ritzer adopted the perspective of the “McDonaldization of society.” Within this, and thinking of the Disney parks, he coined the term, “McDonaldization of tourism.” It would be interesting to know Ritzer’s opinion about the great theme park that Cuban has been turned into. Or the several … Continue reading “Havana: Castro-McDisney Theme Park / Luis Cino Alvarez”
HAVANA, Cuba – The Cuatro Caminos (Four Roads) Market, one of the most important of Havana, and pioneer of the system of supply and demand for agricultural products, will close its doors on 2 February. They already met with the employees and told them the site will undergo “repairs” and that they will be relocated … Continue reading “The Cuatro Caminos Market Will be a Museum / Orlando Freire Santana”
It was the evening of November 29, it was still raining in Havana and Rebollar Augustine, a retired 71-year-old resident of Vedado, stood crestfallen covering his face with his hands so no one would see him cry. His mattress, appliances, clothing, furniture were all wet and to worsen his mood, his neighbor below started to … Continue reading “Booby-trapped Roofs / Pablo Pascual Mendez Pina”
