Travels in Cuba
Travels in Cuba
It turned out that the five little pigs lived with us. They belonged to Manzana, or someone in her family, and at dinner time they came running through our outdoor dining room. They hid under the table, and Manzana’s son chased after them with a broom in his hand. When the pigs saw him, they disappeared between two cabins, on their way to more adventures.
“Sorry,” he said shyly. “You know pigs…”
We didn’t really know pigs, but we smiled back at him. Especially since the pigs were clean. People always say “a dirty pig” or a “pig sty” for a messy place, but that’s not really fair. I wanted to lean over and pet them, but I knew what my mother would say about that.
There weren’t really any restaurants in Vinales, so we ate at Manzana’s. We shared everything with her family. It was great! Max slipped food to Monty even though Manzana told him not to. The dog followed him everywhere. I’m sure Max was thinking about a way to kidnap Monty and hide him in his backpack.
Manzana was a great cook. The food was a million times better than the rice and beans at La Roca, that refrigerator of a restaurant in Havana. When she wanted fruits or vegetables, she walked into the garden a few steps away or traded with neighbors and friends.
But there were rules even for the kind of food she could cook. She could make chicken or pork for us, but if we wanted fish, she had to go see someone in her family who had a fishing boat on the coast, not too far away. My parents told her they would be happy to go, since she had so many other things to do, but she waved her finger.
Foreigners couldn’t buy fish.
That was the point of all those rules, I decided. They were to keep Cubans and us from talking to each other.
Charlie arrives on the island of Cuba with his parents and younger brother, Max. Charlie’s mom has been invited to work with a group of school children in the city of Havana, and so the family decides to make this trip a family vacation which will involve their touring areas of Cuba that are not necessarily visited by tourists. They begin their stay at Senora Gloria’s home which showed one the many contradictions of the country. Very old, rickety cars and buildings are everywhere. Senora Gloria’s building looks old on the outside, but her home inside is lovely. She even has a little purple spotted dog (purple because of a skin condition) that Max loves right away. They spend several days working with the children, giving Charlie a chance to see a different side of his mom. As he helped her by translating, he watches how she can communicate without a knowledge of Spanish. It turns out to be a special experience for the local kids and Charlie’s family.
Next door is a beautiful hotel that Charlie’s family can visit, but Cubans are not allowed inside the hotel unless they work there. The hotel lobby is so large that Max tries sock skating on the marble floor and doesn’t stop before hitting the wall. A very embarrassed family heads towards the Malecon, the sea wall walk that many Cuban cities and towns have if they are a sea port. Everyone seems so happy there. There are musicians, kids flying kites, dancing, games…people everywhere. The contrasts and differences in culture can be seen, and Charlie finds it confusing. How can people with so little be so happy?
Charlie and his family head to Vinales, home of the mogotes, and find themselves living with a traditional family. Mogotes are little green mountains that look huge from the distance but, when seen close up, are really quite small. This effect is created by an optical illusion. Vinales is a small town that looks like it should be in a western movie. The dry and dusty main street is filled with horses and vehicles. More rules must be followed by both families, but Charlie makes a friend and goes on many adventures with him. He also hears about some of the history of Cuba and learns that Che Guevara was a very important man involved in the Bay of Pigs when people from other countries tried to invade Cuba and stop communism.
Charlie’s family continue to travel and meet new challenges, but still all the rules bother him. Charlie comes to realize that this is an incredibly unique country, and he hopes to return some day.
Gay and Homel have written a story about an unusual family who travel to unusual places. What an exceptional educational experience Charlie and Max are receiving, and, as readers follow their adventures, they, too, will learn about different cultures and countries. The characters are realistic, the story detailed and colourful, all of which makes it easy for readers to feel that they are right there in Cuba with Charlie and Max
Elaine Fuhr, a retired elementary and middle school teacher, lives in Alberta.