Habana Day 3 - Tuesday

Habana Day 3 - Tuesday
The first stop today was at the cigar factory. Actually first we went to the factory store. The factory we were first scheduled for had a power outage! And we had to walk around the block to another, and fit it for a tour. I'd love to share some pictures but it was FORBIDDEN to do any photography. They repeated this numerous times, so I didn't want to chance it. We watched as they wrapped the different blends of tobacco into a wrapping by hand and cut them to length. It was a different process than what we saw in Myanmar last year. All the Cuban brands are made in the same factories; the only difference is the types of tobacco put into the blend. A good wrapper will wrap 80-140 per day.
Then we went to the Foundation for Nature and Man, a small museum devoted to pre Columbian Art in Cuba and the Americas. They had an interesting collection of Kama-Sutra like figurines.
However, the best part of the museum was a talk by some university professors, Marta Lunes, a sociologist, and Rafael Betancourt, an economist. They discussed the changing sociology and economics of Cuba, and the future for Cuba when the Castro brothers retire/die. They have set a date of 2018 as a changeover to a new government. We will see how Cuba evolves as the Founder moves off the scene. It has been said that Raul has actually been working behind the scenes to put a succession plan in place, not only for leadership but for economics as well. They had to cut us off at an hour, but we certainly could have gone on for 2 more.
Lunch was a typical Cuban chicken with rice and beans and steamed or boiled yucca with garlic. Really good. As we were leaving, a bunch of US security types came into the restaurant. We asked who was coming in-Rick Abbot, governor of Texas. We didn't wait.
After lunch we went to a private dance company of 20 somethings giving a recital of drums, percussion, and chairs. Actually was pretty good.
Then a stop at the Park of the Revolution, where Fidel gave many fiery speeches.
When we arrived back in our room to find that our maid who we had left a few dollars each day had left us a towel sculpture in the shape of two swans. Very cute and lovely. We'll be sure to give her a good tip as we leave tomorrow.
On our way to dinner, we stopped at a children's theater of "The Beehive". It was a very cute production (45 minutes!!!) of very talented children. The "star" was 5 years old, and she belted out songs, danced, and remembered all her lines!!! Too long, but enjoyable.
Dinner at the Elite, on the outskirts of Havana. Beautiful restaurant, but a number of our group was beginning to get the effects of the different flora, and we had a few peel off to go back to the hotel. Ann was one of them. Hmmm. Long bus ride tomorrow to Cienfuegos. We'll see.


Stephen J. Rockower, MD
President, MedChi 2016-2017
The Maryland State Medical Society

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