lalbrit

When I was in La Habana I stayed in an old colonial mansion called Hostal Valencia, which I can recommend. It puts you right in the middle of Old Havana, and the courtyard is something out of a dream. Another tip I have: to be generous to the people there in Cuba. If you visit a Cuban’s apartment, you may be surprised by how poor it seems. Havana is a city of inestimable riches and also a sadness, underneath the restored facedes of the old buildings. The people are wonderful and proud and cultured. Cuba is a paradise, one girl told me. She was being sarcastic and literal at the same time. I think.

I never wanted to go to Jamaica until I married a Jamaican. And then I went, and then I was sorry that I had previously bought into the tourist ad clichés, which frankly hadn’t interested me all that much. His family has a farm in the Blue Mountains. The Blue Mountains are wonderful, besides of course the coffee. Here you are free from the expectations that you will buy crafts or get your hair braided. Here people are living their lives and they let you in, but they are not totally focused on YOU. After the beaches, this is wonderful. I am now addicted to these mountains. I have to go back again and again. To be in tropical mountains always seems surreal, but beautifully surreal. This is a very lovely part of the world. It is a hard life for many people there, and that also humbles me as well.