As I descended the stairs of the Air France flight to Douala, I was accosted by a wall of heat and humidity. We dragged our bags across the tarmack, up two flights of stairs, and down the unlit passageways leading to passport control. There are no escalators, no moving sidewalks, no air conditioning and barely […]
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What I Saw in Habana
As the lights came on at the Teatro Nacional in Habana, I wasn’t sure if I was in Cuba or the U.S. The audience was Caucasian, well dressed, with an air of sophistication and worldliness. I had just seen excerpts from Giselle, performed by the famous Cuban National Ballet, and again the dancers were all Caucasian […]
Once Upon a Time in Cuba
First impressions… I wonder if it’s better to leave a place with great memories or to return and be completely disenchanted with what it has become. I would soon have an answer to this question. After a nine year absence and ten trips to Cuba between 1995-2004, my curiosity finally lured me back. I […]
On the Tourist Trail
The most popular tourist destination in Ethiopia are the famous churches of Lalibela. I never made it here in 1973 since it was several days trek by mule but now there is a modern airport with several flights from and to Addis everyday. I chose the 950 km drive from the north in Mekele since I […]