Blockade? What blockade?
Cuba trades with 75 countries worldwide.
The Cuban government has used the “bloqueo” to excuse it’s socialist failures for decades. In reality, the U.S. economic embargo does not place restrictions on food or medicine.
Cuba regularly receives large shipments of frozen chicken from U.S. companies.
House of Reaford chicken found in Havana.
Koch Foods chicken found in Holguin.
Tyson Foods chicken found in Villa Clara.
Trash
Chemical waste
Sewage
All these things, and more, pollute the rivers and streams of Cuba’s cities.
I’ve seen the pollution. I’ve asked people why the rivers are so dirty. Of course they blame the government and they are partly correct, regarding industrial waste and sewage. But I constantly see Cubans drop papers, wrappers, pizza boxes, cans, bottles, cigarette packs, and garbage. It’s a learned behavior that starts when they are children.
The beaches that the locals use are also affected:
Camaguey
Camaguey
Camaguey
Camaguey
Santa Clara
Santa Clara
Santa Clara
Santa Clara
The water here was actually gray!
Holguin
Holguin
Havana
This church group from Canada makes an annual trip to Cojima to clean trash from the shoreline.
Parque Calixto Garcia is the largest park in the center of Holguin.
The four streets that surround the park house stores, restaurants and taxis. As expected, it is the center of activity, day or night.
La Loma de la Cruz
At the northern end of Holguin, a stairway built in 1950 ascends 465 steps (irregular in width and height) to the top of a hill with panoramic views, a restaurant and a 24-hour bar.
A cross was raised here in 1790 in the hope of relieving a drought. During Romerías de Mayo, devotees climb to the summit on May 3 where a special Mass is held.
Taxis are available to drive sightseers to the top, but I wanted to be able to say that I climbed the steps. The climb is probably best made in the cooler morning hours, but I wanted the evening light. So in 90 degree heat and 90% humidity it took me 25 minutes to reach the top.
mstevensphotography 