30 Days of Cuba: Day 2

For a person from the U.S., Havana (La Habana) is like a dream or a movie set, with its stunning but decayed architecture, old automobiles, and lack of consumer culture. I was in Havana for a week and I never saw a general store or convenience store, much less a commercial retail chain. I can't tell you where to buy a bottle of water in the city. The lack of goods in Cuba is glaringly obvious. Imagine if you were an artist and you had no where to buy paintbrushes. Imagine if you were a builder with no hardware store. Imagine if you were a mother with no where to buy diapers, bottles, or toys. Many Cubans rely on family and friends in the U.S. to bring them basic necessities. Every day at the Havana airport hundreds of Cuban expats are bringing in bundles of goods for loved one called, "pacotilla". When I return, I will bring as much as I can to my friends there. You could call me la pacotilladera!