4 COPELIA

COPELIA

12 ENERO, JUEVES

Mira, Siboney, “mi amol”. Estos cubanos de ahora tienen mucho que aprender en cuestión de turismo.

Para empezar, la estación de autobuses para extranjeros- que esa es otra: los nativos viajan en unos vehículos y los turistas en otros mejores- está en el culo del mundo, en un barrio que se llama Nuevo Vedado y está formado por chalecitos, que, en su día, pertenecerían a una clase media acomodada y que ahora están habitados por funcionarios y militares, principalmente. En frente hay un zoológico.

Habíamos madrugado mucho y cogimos un taxi con Mía (10 cuc) que se quería ir a Trinidad. Aun no se había abierto la oficina de billetes, por lo que decidimos desayunar en un tugurio anejo a la estación, con la música a tope, y unas mesas altas imposibles de utilizar más que un momento.

Pues no había café. ¡En Cuba!

Desayunamos unos crepes ofrecidos por una camarera desangelada que nos dijo que llevaba 24 horas trabajando y no se tenía de pie. Gana 8 cuc al mes trabajando días alternos. Pese a que había media docena de empleados varones en la cocina- las chicas estaban para atender al público- tardaron muchísimo tiempo en servirnos.

Me parecieron unos “güevones”, como diría el difunto Chávez venezolano. Qué quieres que te diga.

Aprovechamos la espera para cambiar unos pesos convertibles (cuc), que son los que utilizamos los turistas por pesos nacionales, para uso del pueblo villano (cup). Con un cuc te dan 25 cup, por lo que los jubilados, cuando cobran sus 8 cuc de pensión, como suponen 200 cup, piensan que reciben algo.

Como no pertenezco al mundo de las finanzas, ignoro el juego que se trae el gobierno con esta duplicidad de monedas. Creo que los cubanos, también lo ignoran.

La empresa de autobuses regular nacional es Viazul y no tenía billetes nocturnos hasta Santiago, y poder hacer la ruta que nos había propuesto Rosa de viajar de noche hasta Oriente y volver replegándonos hasta La Habana, para pasar aquí los últimos días de vacaciones. Tuvimos que sacar un billete hasta Cienfuegos y, ya de paso, otro hasta Trinidad.

Era la hora de entrar en los trabajos, por lo que cogimos una guagua atestada de gente, que nos costó una miseria- menos mal que llevábamos pesos nacionales- y nos dejó junto al Cementerio de Colón, del que recorrimos tres de sus cuatro lados hasta dar con la puerta y donde casi se lleva por delante un camión a Juan, al que le pasó rozando. Menudo susto nos llevamos los tres.

Ya hubiera sido chiste morir en La Habana por atropello, dónde apenas hay tráfico ni semáforos y la velocidad de los vehículos es lentísima, con lo que la gente atraviesa las calles por donde quiere con toda tranquilidad.

Al llegar a la entrada del cementerio, echamos una ojeada y en vista de que no teníamos ningún difunto al que visitar,- Porque tú estás vivo, ¿verdad?- seguimos de largo hasta la plaza de la Revolución, con la intención de saludar a los allí representados.

En las paredes que unos edificios que asoman a un descampado enorme están las siluetas de El Che y Cienfuegos. Más arriba, en un alto, la Plaza de la Revolución, propiamente, presidida por el monumento a José Martí, Padre de la Patria, con una torre monumental que se ve desde todas partes. Supongo que allí se encontrará un grandísimo espacio preparado para manifestaciones patrióticas multitudinarias. Seguro que será dónde echaba Fidel sus arengas de cinco horas.

Como cobraban por entrar, y nosotros no somos de la cofradía, decidimos ver el paisaje desde lejos, que también tiene su encanto. Así que paseamos hasta la puerta de la Biblioteca Nacional donde se encuentra el parque móvil más curioso del mundo, con los Cadillac y los Dodge descapotables de los años 50, perfectamente pulidos, abrillantados, y mimados.

 

Los turistas se vuelven locos por darse un paseo en ellos.

Este camino está flanqueado por hermosísimos árboles, de troncos con raíces aéreas, que se merecen más atención que los monumentos y los coches.

Descansamos un rato y tomamos otra guagua, que nos dejó en el parque de Copelia, donde está la heladería más famosa de La Habana, que sale en la película “Fresa y Chocolate”.

Luego nos hemos ido dando cuenta de que Copelia es una empresa nacional- como todo- y existe en cualquier punto remoto del país.

También es de obligado cumplimiento pasarse por “La casa del chocolate” en cualquier pueblo de la isla. En el chocolate ya hay más variedad: desde helado, hasta caliente y con churros. Siempre riquísimo, como los helados de Copelia.

Decidimos que no procedía marcharnos sin probar uno. ¡Qué cola, había, madre!

Tardamos más de media hora esperando y observaba, mientras tanto, a los tipos guapetones, como habías de ser tú, Siboney de mis sueños, pero no te reconocí en ninguno. Mucho menos en el que controlaba una casetilla donde ponía “CORREOS” y únicamente se vendía el Gramma y algún que otro panfleto político.

No he visto absolutamente más prensa que la oficial. Ni en los hoteles de lujo. La censura intelectual es absoluta. Ni te cuento en las librerías: solo hay libros de escritores afines al régimen; ningún extranjero. Sin embargo, estos libros, editados por el estado, tienen un precio irrisorio. Yo compré tres por 3,50 cuc. ¡Todos!

¿Cómo va a tener la gente perspectiva y sentido crítico, por muy universitarios que sean?

Me acuerdo de cuando íbamos a París, en tiempos de Franco y traíamos, escondido, el Libro Rojo, de Mao, que era lo más subversivo que podíamos encontrar. Yo no lo leí. Pero lo traje camuflado, que es dónde estaba el morbo.

Es de esperar que, en Cuba, se lea bajo cuerda, como en tiempos de la Inquisición. Por eso hay disidentes.

En todos los restaurantes había músicos desgañitándose, que no producían tranquilidad para comer a gusto, así que comimos en un sitio de medio pelo, que no tenía “suministro” ni de café ni de pescado ni de postre… ¡ni músicos! Menos mal que tuvieron la delicadeza de bajar el volumen de la tele, que equivalía a la orquesta. Triste comida, que nos puso al corriente de la falta de materias primas elementales.

Supimos entonces que el 80% de lo que se consume en el país es de importación. La leche, por ejemplo, siempre en polvo, viene de Nueva Zelanda. Parece que los campos sin cultivar no deben de utilizarse ni para criar vacas.

Ya repuestos, y de camino hacia casa, paseamos por el Callejón de Hamel, que es un sitio muy loco, repleto de obras de arte supermodernas y de artistas innovadores, lleno de colorido y provocación. Está a un paso de la calle Oquendo, donde vive Rosa.

Susana se quedó en la cama después de la siesta y Juan y yo parlamentamos con Rosa, que está recibiendo quimio y le he regalado mogollón de medicinas que pensaba darle al sacerdote, hermano de una amiga, al que tenemos que visitar en Morón.

Rosa nos ha buscado las mesoneras de Cienfuegos y Trinidad y nos ha traído unos panecillos que le han dejado unos inquilinos que se le han ido, ya que mañana va a ser difícil encontrar comida antes de salir.

Llegamos a la habitación de Mía, que como tenía contrato de habitación compartida, estaba en otra zona de la casa y se vino a despedir muy amable. Nos volveremos a ver en Trinidad.

En lugar de Mía había unas argentinas que querían cenar y salí con ellas porque yo también tenía hambre. Ya estaba todo cerrado y menos mal que encontramos una pizzería en Carlos III. Una de ellas es abogada y la otra se dedica al teatro infantil. Se llama Lucía, con lo que comenzamos a tener gran afinidad y charlamos durante la cena. Ellas, que son jóvenes, querían explorar la Habana Vieja y yo me fui a casa donde ya estaban hechas las maletas.

Le hemos dejado a Rosa una bolsa con los pantalones de invierno, que nos guardará hasta que volvamos en el último sprint.

 

 

 

 

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