I went to Havana with a diverse group of business people, financial professionals and representatives from the US Fed.
Here is a photo taken with some of the classic cars that proudly dominate the roads despite cheaper Russian and Chinese alternatives.
The city was beautiful … dirty and broken, for sure … but still beautiful. Here is a view from my hotel room.
I commented that it was almost like seeing a severely wounded elephant. You can tell that it's hurt (and barely a shadow of its old self). Nevertheless, you can see the amazing bone structure. It is easy to imagine what it once was.
In Cuba, the geography and the architecture are amazing. However, money hasn't been spent on the upkeep. Even though people live there, it seems surreal (almost like a post-apocalyptic wasteland).
In the story of Exodus, the Jews spent 40 years wandering the desert after escaping from Egypt. That means two generations of people, who didn't remember life as slaves, were ultimately the ones who entered the “Promised Land”.
On some level, that's how Cuba is now. Most inhabitants weren’t born (or can’t remember) the 1960s. They have known nothing but this.
Cuba is an interesting place … and I’d bet that it has an interesting future.
The “lack” had a side effect. It produced a mutation. A portion of society grew more resourceful and resilient.
Like natural selection … nature finds a way.
The rules change, the players change, even the game itself changes … That is how new ideas and new leaders emerge.
Sometimes, almost no one notices. Sometimes they do.
Ultimately, change remains the only constant.
Onwards!
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