Website design By BotEap.comLow-speed dial-up access costs $ 4.50 an hour at government-authorized locations, but you can’t use your laptop. In five-star hotels, high speed goes up to $ 10 an hour where there is no work space as such and people have to precariously balance their computers on their knees. But you can send documents to print materials for 50 cents a page.

Website design By BotEap.comSo getting my escape ticket to Medellin, Columbia, where they have free wi-fi everywhere, rivaled a Charlie Chaplin movie. It took two days to find a site to reserve the ticket. The reservation was confirmed, but for some reason they were unable to process the credit card details. Damn it, too, since I’d managed to book another ticket. I didn’t confirm the first one in 24 hours, so it was canceled.

Website design By BotEap.comThe confirmation was sent to my email address and I had to go to the hotel to have it printed. Penalty fee. The address was the longest I have ever seen in my life and I made a mistake so I had to ask the woman who worked there to write it for me.

Website design By BotEap.comWith my confirmed ticket in my warm little hand I felt safer and more secure. But this was Cuba and you can never take anything for granted.

Website design By BotEap.comFor example, when I arrived at Cubana de Aviación (CDA), after a 24-hour delay at Madird, none of my bags appeared on the conveyor belt. There was a group of about 25 people, all yelling and pushing and shoving a poor official who was hiding behind a glass wall and who was trying to resolve the claims. I wonder if he got paid for dangerousness since Latinos weren’t hitting.

Website design By BotEap.comA European woman who spoke Spanish told me that since the flight had doubled they had arranged another plane that was passing through Caracas. As it was a longer flight, the CDA people had convinced several passengers, including her and her partner, to go that route, as it was “safer.” The suitcases did not make the connecting flight, so they were in Venezuela.

Website design By BotEap.comLate the next morning, the private house where I was staying received a call saying that my bags were at the airport. They were dirty and covered in a kind of white powder. But at least they were in Havana. It took three hours and a $ 30 taxi fare to retrieve them.

Website design By BotEap.comThe next task was to find a type of Air B&B accommodation in Medellin. After waiting an hour, there are only four computers available and there is one to wait, I gave up because it was so slow. I decided to just find a hotel near the airport for the first night and organize something in the city center via wi-fi.

Website design By BotEap.comCuba is a charming country, oozing old world charm. In 1978 I was there on vacation, with my Canadian passport, and many things have remained the same. The villas, however, need even more repairs, the old cars are still running, glued together with wire and a bit of gum.

Website design By BotEap.comThe contradiction of introducing 21st century technology will definitely change that. The best or the worst is yet to be decided. And with the Americans in control, I have my reservations about how the situation will play out.

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