Cuba to Costa Rica

We travelled across the Carribean to Costa Rica today, and are settling in for the evening and a 6 am start tomorrow - 5 hr bus trip to the Caribean coastline.
Leaving Cuba we were talking about the politics, something you cannot get away from or stop being aware of while here. The place is full of photos, monuments, graffiti, books and so an about the 1959 revolution, starring Che Guevara and Fidel Castro. The photographic record is excellent, showing these two exceptional young men, absolutely burning with passion but also great warmth and seeming humanity. Che in particular looks like something very special he certainly captured imaginations and was the face of an idealogy that went much further than Cuba. I remember the idealogy alive and well as a uni student. In a way the 70s ideals were his ideals - despose of institutional and vested interest by revolution, not evolution. Anti commercial, pro a more simple life with more equality across the board, and people power sweeping away the existing order of things. But it was deeply influenced by socialist idealogy in a way that was not apparent on the surface. The Cuban revolution stripped land ownership from individuals, the state took ownership and control across the board. They destroyed resistant idealogies and the state became the new power.
Today there is, in general, no individual ownership. The state owns all infrastructure, resources, all business exept some small enterprises heavily taxed so as to be not capable of amassing wealth. They own the farmers tractor and his bullock (if one dies you have to report it so officials confirm it is dead and they dispose of the body so it cannot be consumed). The population are mostly government incomes. If an enterprise does better, all wealth accrues to central govt, for example as taxi driver you work as required and receive the same pay rate regardless of effort. Average income about $USD 35 monthly although you hear different versions. A taxi driver told us he was on $US12.80 monthly equivalent. The result is an extremely poor population across the board, and an economy in a shambles. The only accumulations of visible wealth are in the standard of living of higher ranked govt officials.
To maintain this seems to require a police state and a massive bureaucracy, and a general state of paranoia. Countless individuals are employed to do nothing except check on other and fill out forms. Every transaction required paperwork and more paperwork, because everything that is done has to be documented, checked 10 times and any abnormalities reported and dealt to. There are arms of the party right down to street level, where feedback on local and individual activity is assessed and passed up the line if it warrents. No person has a job interview without a party official, briefed on you as an individual, present at the interview and influencial as to whether you are considered suitable. There are officials all around at roadside, continually stopping vehicles and checking peoples papers, and questioning what they are doing. We were amazed at one location our taxi driver became quite upset and worried because he had seen a certain someone twice in succession and believed he was being followed. He had said something tactless to his boss and was becoming fearful of the consequesces.
Education and the arts are very well supported, with full literacy, compulsory education and vibrant literary and arts scene. It is liberal on the face of it but at the cost of being politically correct. Not in the way we would think of it for example our unionised teaching profession and the need to hold the correct views (the so called liberal views) to progress in that profession. Political correctness Cuban style is about the state agenda in schools (I photographed a school billboard to show you what i mean) and the necessity of staying clear of any risky political content if you want to retain your freedom. It made me think about the old stand off between socialism and capitalism. To me they both ultimately involve wealth distribution but im definitely in the later camp because at the core of socialism as I see it is that human freedom of thought and opinion is collectivised into a set of common views (even if liberal) which in the case of Cuba has taken the further ominous step of being controlled by an unanswerable, self perpetuating state.

It will be interesting to see what happens next. It seems unlikely to continue in its present form as it is subjugation not freedom for its people as mooted in revolutionary dotrine. People are concerned but not able to individually act. One interesting person cited China as a possible future model that allowed economic modernisation but retained the power of the state.

So those were our discussions, sitting in Havana International Airport, lights flickering as if whoever was peddling the dynamo was tiring. Hopefully thats the end of politics but in this case they are in your face and its what the place is all about <9that, and the cigars!) We had a grotty night sleep in a hotel with no ventilation and useless aircon, then a 5 am rise to leave by 6 am. Costa Rica did not start too well, Shantis bag did not initially arrive off the plane. It was not looking good but an upset Shanti fired some ground staff up and they located it, somewhere. Next none of my bank cards worked at the airport so we travelled into town to our hotel luckily by pre paid transfer. Then the hotel would not let us use bank cards for an cash advance and declared we had to go to the bank, several kilometres away somewhere in the guts of San Jose. So off we went on foot, being penniless, to find it. The traffic was intimidating and we maka de mistaka trying to cross a multiple lane highway with central rail lines, getting stranded and very nearly cleaned out - meaning very nearly. Then we saw a bike smash, motorbike parts sprayed around and the victim on the ground, with someone applying a plastic bag to his bleeding. The other charming sight was armed security guards carrying sidearms or toting a pump action shotgun - they are everywhere outside commrcial premises and accompanying security transfers such as shop cash pickups. Man we thought, its a jungle out there. In the meantime however plenty of people about of all ages, so we so we thought DOESNT MATTER, dumped the sunglasses and looking ALL around style of walking and found our bank, where to great relief the cards did the business. So loaded with more good target fodder we headed back to the hotel, then out again by taxi to an internet cafe to finally download a few flickr photos and back up an SD card onto memory stick. On the way we saw our first beautiful CR bird, a blue taniger. Apparently the wildlife will be something else.
San Jose is surrounded by high mountains, forest covered and clouded tops. The place is so green and plush. Despite previous comments regarding our walkabout (and being told to be careful to be back in the hotel by 8pm), it is immediatley obvious its a more wealthy country for example the aiport is international standard and this hotel is fabulous.
Its Shantis birthday tomorrow, we have found a Birds of Costa Rica handbook which I will give to her, plus depending on our state Im hoping we can shop at our destination for a light dress and go out for dinner. Anyway I will look after her for you.
We are both well, although the last 3 days from Las Terrazas to Havana to San Jose have rattled us a bit so hopefully a recuperating night and a reasonable bus to sit in tomorrow!
sx