The following post was written by Kikita. The Damas en Blanco (Ladies in White) held their demonstration in Havana one week after my abuela, Luza, and I had returned from our trip. Most of the members of my big, fat, Cuban family have all expressed the relief they feel that Luza and I were not in Havana when everything happened. As one who likes to ...
Archives for March 2010
Ready to Roll
My 96 year old mom, Luza, has been glued to her tv watching the coverage of all the Cubans marching in solidarity with the Damas de Blanco. (See Amy's post below.) I have so many posts that begin, "my mom will be with us this weekend...." Well, this is one of those weekends. In preparation, I called her the other day and she told ...
Kikita and The Most Beautiful Beach in the World
The following post was written by Kikita. My trip to Cuba was many things and I saw all kinds of things. I guess it was sort of magical. Some of the things I saw were as legendary to me as the Sphinx or Stonehenge or the Eiffel Tower. I knew the video of my mother being dragged into the water of Varadero by heart. I knew the games they used to ...
The Most Beautiful Beach in the World
Most of the decor in my home is bright and colorful and Cuban-esque. My "theme"? I was originally going for Cuban Beach Cottage. (Our home is small.) And so, I have collected posters and art and maps and things that are a throwback to the simple days of my Cuban childhood. These three framed postcards, for example, are of 3 places that ...
Cubans in L.A. Hunger for Change
Kikita here. I'm still working on getting used to being back in sunny SoCal. I STILL wake-up everyday and have to remind myself I am no longer in Cuba. I hear the silence of my house and miss the sounds of my great aunts and uncles starting their day. When my phone rings it usually surprises me, if I hear it at all. And when I'm ...
Kikita and The Unseen Cuba
The following post was written by Kikita; who has recently returned from a trip to Cuba with her 96 year old grandmother.Every day that I was in Cuba, I would get home to Tio Timbiriche's after a long day of adventuring and the question "Los Viejos" would ask me was always the same, "What did you see?" And every day I ...
Speaking of Cuban Dissidents . . .
The following post was written by Kikita.My whole life I've grown up hearing the songs about how beautiful Cuba is. I've seen the paintings. I know Cuba is beautiful. I've always known. "Pearl of the Antilles" "La Reina de la Mar Caribe" "Cuba Linda de mi vida" Despite constantly hearing it growing up, ...
Kikita and the Cuban Dissident Bloggers
Marta here. Back in February of this year, my friends over at Babalú blog and Uncommon Sense posted a link to a Cuban dissident blogger whose name was Regina Coyula. I was a little shocked. I have a Cuban cousin with that name, but I knew her family to be hardcore communists. However, when I clicked on the link, I saw her familiar face. It was ...
Morro Castle In My Sky
The following post has been brought to you by Kikita. On my most recent Miami adventure, the Fabregas family had me over for dinner. Once we had finished dinner, dessert and café the strangest thing happened. I'm not exactly sure how it happened other than the fact that I probably instigated it, but we all jumped up, piled into their ...
Getting Back to Reality
Today is Saint Patrick's Day. That is the reality. I'm not in Cuba anymore. That is the reality. I, Kikita, have no idea if I will ever be able to go back even though I would love to. That is the reality.I am behind on all the work I missed while I was gone and I need to get caught up . . . yesterday. That is the reality.But every time I drive ...