Cuban social life

Hey, if anyone is reading this I would be happy for a comment or an email!

Social life in Cuba is really important. Everyone depends on everyone else. It is normal to share coffee, food, favours, everything in daily life. People talk, exchange and interact. Having a social network is the basis of daily life. Apart from being necessary, it is pleasant. People kiss and hug and stop and chat. That is life. I have not seen anyone in a hurry or anyone looking too stressed.

Then there is the rum. Some people say that it is the most important thing in Cuba. Perhaps this is true. You simply cannot get away from it. Today I took a photograph of Havana´s Alcoholics Anonymous club, just because it does not fit in at all.

Then there is the conversation. People don´t just socialise lightly, they talk over issues at length. They talk about everything in depth and the general knowledge puts Australia to shame. It is not just the knowledge though, it is that fact that people have ideas and are really good at negotiating the expression of difference. We are all enjoying this aspect of Cuba. Josh is absolutely blown away by it, because he has never seen anything like this before.

Then there is the flirting. Everyone does this, boys love girls, and girls love boys. They seem to be having a great time of it in small groups dotted around each public square. Young men go into raptures about beautiful women and shamelessly declare their lastest infatuation.

Then there is the most important thing of all as far as I am concerned. The music and the dancing. EVERYONE IN CUBA CAN DANCE. If you can´t dance you are not Cuban. They learn from a very early age and keep doing it til they die. Boy are they good at it, unbelievably mezmerisingly good at it. Old and young, beautiful and not so beautiful, fat and thin, everyone can dance and everyone does dance. There seems to be no discrimination on the basis of age or even ability, the most important thing is that you give it a go.