At the Cathedral we met the Dean and his wife. She is also an ordained Episcopal priest. Three of the 25 priests of the Diocese are women, a situation very different from the more conservative stance in Central America. This was the first of several surprises that we encountered, correctives to the viewpoints we absorb in the U.S. about political and social life in Cuba. We arrived in Havana nine days after the Cuban MIGs shot down the two avionetas belonging to Brothers to the Rescue.
Sovereignty is a major issue in Cuba.
Many feel that the U.S. blockade is an act of war. Walking and driving through the streets of Havana we saw dramatic contrasts. The luxury hotels stood sparkling next to old homes that were in remarkable disrepair. Yet there were many buildings under construction or covered with scaffolding for major repairs. The Habana Vieja, the old section of the city, was bustling with tourists, workmen, students, business people and school children.