Cuba for some reason wants to be called a miracle island, about which is sung in the song "Chunga-Changa". But is it really easy and simple to live there? Is life in Cuba good or bad for Russians and according to Russians?
Everyone has their own opinion on this matter. And they say about Cubans: "Poor, but proud. Half-starved, but dying with laughter."
The country itself is seductive. Here are the most beautiful natural landscapes: extensive beaches, impregnable mountains. Havana is bright and colorful. All these different people at different times spoke about one country - about Cuba. This is how it is to this day.
Before socialism
Cuba was a big gambling house. There were a huge number of casinos, fabulous sums of money were spinning. All this was in the hands of a handful of foreigners, mostly Americans. They also owned the industrial enterprises of the island and most of the land. In power was Fulgencio Batista - the most cruel tyrant. For ordinary people, life in Cuba was a real horror. Hunger, murder were the norm in those years.
Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro is a personality for Cubansambiguous: some consider him a hero-liberator, others a dictator.
In 1953, 27-year-old Fidel Castro entered the country's political arena for the first time. The son of we althy parents who had friendly relations with the president, who has bright prospects as a lawyer, decided to end the injustice in the country. On July 26, he, with a small detachment of daredevils, including his own brother Raul, stormed the military garrison in the city of Santiago de Cuba. The operation ended in failure and arrest. Castro and his accomplices were tried as rebels.
Sentence - 15 years in prison. But in May 1955, Fidel left and went to Mexico with his brother. Che Guevara joined them there.
In 1956, the rebels returned to Cuba with a detachment of 16 people. Very soon, the detachment suffered its first loss - 15 rebels remained. A guerrilla war began on the island. More and more ordinary people joined the liberation movement.
The standard of living in Cuba was so low that people simply had nothing to lose, and even a drop of hope pushed them forward to fight against tyrants.
In 1959, Batista left the country, the government he left did not last long, it was forced to surrender to the rebels.
Fidel Castro demanded respect for the prisoners. They were forbidden to offend, rob. They could dine at the same table with the rebels and communicate quite friendly.
The country began to build socialism under the leadership of Fidel Castro and his associates.
Having distributed the land to the peasants, the fighters forpopular interests began to nationalize industrial enterprises and banks.
Dissatisfied with the new government were repressed.
The reign of Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz continued until 2006. Then his brother Raul became his successor.
Castro continued to have a fairly active political life, as far as his he alth allowed.
The Comandante, as they called him on Liberty Island, died at the age of 90 in 2016. By his order, the cause of death remained a mystery.
Characters
Ordinary Cubans idolized their ruler, because he freed them from a tyrant and ensured a quite good, by their standards, existence.
People in the country to this day revere their liberators. All over the country you can see posters and portraits of Che Guevara, Fidel Castro. On the streets of cities you can meet musicians singing songs about the revolution and their glorious rulers.
Cubans are very friendly and sociable. They are ready to talk around the clock, especially if they see the interest of the interlocutor and if they are not bound by any vows or fear of the special services.
Cubans are very responsive. They will certainly come to the rescue if they see that a person needs it.
Cubans' favorite games are football and baseball. The baseball players of this country are gladly accepted to play in the national teams of neighboring countries, including America.
Food
The standard of living in Cuba today remains low, but this does not prevent the indigenous people from feeling happy.
To this day, Cubans use cardsto get basic food at low prices.
And these include black bean rice with or without meat, sugar, some vegetables. The rest of the products can be bought in the villages near the city. Although it happens that on the streets of the city you can see chickens or black pigs walking around and getting their own food on lawns and lawns, and returning home on their own in the evening.
Cows, as in India, are idolized. It is forbidden to kill them. The animal must die its own death. The owners call special services and the carcass is taken out and buried. Violation of this rule is punishable by a serious fine.
For all foreigners, the same products are sold at completely different prices many times more expensive.
The salary of Cubans is 12-20 dollars per month in the national currency - the peso. Moreover, civil servants receive $20, and this can be called a high income.
Cuba is famous for its rum. It is sold in different varieties, different shades. The darker the rum, the better it is.
And also cigars - they are probably known all over the world. Their export from the country is limited to 23 pieces. The country is also famous for coffee, but here it is very expensive.
Education
Life in Cuba today is possible with such small salaries for several reasons other than ration cards. At all levels - from kindergartens to higher educational institutions - education is free and public, although recently there have been attempts to open private educational institutions. Its level is currently low, although earlier the schools of Cuba were famous for their teachers. Now the old teachers have retired, and the new ones are former school graduates who do not have a proper education.
Medicine
Another aspect that helps maintain a more or less acceptable standard of living in Cuba for the local population is medical care. It is also absolutely free for Cubans, including dentists and abortions. Moreover, good specialists are still preserved here, which attracts foreigners to the country who need inexpensive medical care from good doctors. For many years, Cuba has been a supplier of medical personnel to third world countries.
Lifespan
Life expectancy in Cuba is quite high. An example of this is the Comandante, who lived to an advanced age.
The reason for this fact is the absence of synthetic food, all food is natural and simple. Here they eat at home, it is not customary to go to cafes and restaurants. They often cook right in the yard on a fire, as it is too hot in the house.
Again, affordable medical care plays a role, despite the fact that pharmacies have a very modest range of drugs.
Another reason is the low development of industry, that is, the favorable state of the environment.
It's amazing that Cubans smoke almost from early childhood, and in large quantities. Their pockets are literally stuffed with cigars. At the same time, addiction does not particularly affect their he alth.
Positive attitude is anothera huge plus for a long lifespan. Despite the modest life in Cuba for most of the population, people never lose heart.
Only foreigners who meet on city streets look sick here.
So you can talk about what life is like in Cuba as much as you like. The inhabitants of the country themselves are quite happy, as they have not yet been spoiled by the benefits of civilization, which, however, may change in the near future.
Money
The monetary system in the country is completely unusual for most residents of other countries. There are two currencies: local and for foreigners. The first is the peso. Local money is privileged. When paying in stores and for services, the owners of this currency purchase everything at completely different prices, much lower than the owners of cookies - this is how the local currency is called for foreign guests of the island.
In Cuba they do not favor American dollars, like the Americans themselves, but they are happy to use the financial assistance of relatives living in America. Tourists are advised to take with them currency in euros, preferably in cash.
It is best to exchange currency right at the Havana airport. There are exchange points both indoors and outdoors.
Moreover, those who have been here are advised to change money smaller. Tourists say that tips are expected everywhere here, even in exchange offices. Many, leaving reviews about what life is like in Cuba, indicate amounts from $ 400 left for tips in various institutions of the country.
Transportation
The country has poor transport links. To leave onesettlement to another, people can stand on the road for several days and wait for some opportunity to turn up for them.
There are very few scheduled buses. Here they ride on any transport, including open trucks. There are no traffic jams due to the lack of cars.
The main share of cars falls on American brands of the 50s and Russian "Zhiguli" of the 70s.
Often they have a very shabby appearance - corroded to holes in the body, broken windows, broken headlights. These "wonders of the automotive industry" often break down right on the roads, where they are left until a convenient opportunity. Parts are expensive and hard to get. Here the ubiquitous Chinese come to the rescue, so there is little left of native spare parts.
Used in Cuba and tractors. There are also very few of them, they are driven only mainly in rural areas.
For communication between nearby settlements, local residents use bicycles, also very old, sometimes more like a pile of scrap metal. Looking at them, one can only wonder how this transport can be used.
Another type of transport is a horse-drawn carriage. Slowly but surely. It happens that bulls are harnessed to the wagon, but few, except the owner, risk using such a vehicle. But on a horse around the city - easily.
How urban transport works here and what looks like a three-wheeled moped with a roof that does not protect at all from rain andwind.
Taxis run around the city for foreigners. Local residents rarely use them, as pleasure is not cheap, primarily because of the high cost of gasoline.
There are rail links between major cities, but trains also run infrequently.
In this regard, Cuba does not spoil its citizens, the life of ordinary people cannot be called easy. Many even have to hitchhike to work.
Weather
For many, life in Cuba seems like a paradise because of the mild climate. In July and August, the time is the hottest, when temperatures reach up to 35 degrees. In January and February it is cool here. The temperature drops to 20 degrees. In autumn and winter, the sea is often rough. The rainy season is from May to September.
Religion
The country has a huge number of people who believe in magic. The most common religion is Santeria. This is a mixture of Catholicism and African cults. One of the directions is Yoruba. Its followers say that it is the most ancient religion, and all others have descended from it. 75% of Cubans are its adherents, even Catholics. All rituals are kept secret, although real ritual performances are played for tourists. Locals claim that Fidel Castro was also an adherent of santeria - this helped him save his life after many assassination attempts.
