Another era. The (in)famous National Hotel
First there was a past… then WiFi has come.
There is the past and then there is the past. Cuba’s past is definitely the later. 50 years have gone (or is it 60?) yet the distinct feeling of Havana’s glamorous past and its former grandeur is still very much present. The former glitter is still pretty glittery although in bad need of some polish to shine again. The rest is in ruins. It almost feels at the country had been in the war and is now rebuilding whatever can be rebuilt and what cannot be rebuilt is being demolished making room for something new to be built in its place.
A new beginning?
Central Havana
The everyday life isn’t easy. People struggle. There is a shortage of everything. And long lines everywhere. People are queuing up for every single thing. There are new challenges and new mountains to climb on a daily basis. For everyone, visitors included. For no matter how trivial visitors inconveniences may seem in comparison even they need to face challenges and learn quickly how to handle them. The learning curve is steep and not always easily understood but… what do they say?… if there is a will there is a way?
WiFi challenge
Locals and tourists alike queue up for Internet Card
Hadn’t I come to Cuba I would have never known how totally my life is dependent on the Internet. All information, banking, accommodation booking, work, my social life, even editing and spell checking this very post is totally dependent on the Internet. My entire life depends on the WiFi. When the WiFi stops running my entire life stops with it.
This is not all. I have also noticed how addicted I am to WiFi and how miserable my life becomes without it. I need a daily fix of minimum one hour to get out of my misery and begin to fly again.
It was only two years ago that Cubans got some sort of access to the Internet. There is no WiFi, or rather there is no WiFi as we know it. And there is definitely no free WiFi. The talk of the town is so called Internet Card which everybody needs to get connected and which everybody buys on a daily basis. After the initial frustration (panic really) there was no other way for me but to accept the harsh reality, adapt to the new situation and find a way to deal with it. I guess, this is what Cubans have been doing for the past 60 years.
WiFi the Cuban way
A hot spot where locals connect to the network
Hotels and many Airbnbs have, as they advertise it, WiFi. This is not quite true. What they have is some sort of connection to the Internet provider. You can connect to their network but there is no Internet access. To get the Internet access you need to buy an Internet card for 1-5 CUC /hour depending on where you buy it. Most hotels have their networks open but only visitors are welcome to connect to it. Locals are directed to local parks and squares where hot spots are provided. Needless to say, all hotel lobbies are packed with tourists trying to get in touch with their lives “back home”.
Airbnb:s, on the other hand, have their networks password protected. Not only do you need a password to get connected to the network but your host’s computer must also be connected and running. Once the host shuts his/hers computer your WiFi also shuts… and you need to go to a nearby hotel if there is one. But when you get connected to the host’s network then you need to use your newly purchased card to get access to the Internet. As many devices can be used at the same time, on a very rare occasion, a host leaves his/her network (and card) open.
But this grandma, I am sure, doesn’
t care how good/bad the connection is.. as long as she can exchange a couple of world with her loved ones
Unfortunately, as the demand is huge, the connection is so slow at times that it is practically useless. The money/time is ticking but nothing can be done during that time. The other day things were so slow that I couldn’t even shut down my session and lost all my minutes that were left (and a dollar).
On a positive note: to save time and money I have quickly learned how to use the Internet more efficiently and less time consuming by multitasking. The “trick” is to get as much as only possible done offline, and once online, let things run in the background (uploads, facebook/skype/whatsapp message deliveries) so that there is enough time to take care of tasks that can only be done online.
On a more personal note: I am (re)discovering Windows 10 and finding lots of interesting apps that I didn’t know/forgot I had. Perfect opportunity to brush up on somewhat stale knowledge?
A reflection that comes into mind: how is it possible that a hole in the wall cafe run by the indigenous people living in the mountains in Sapa Vietnam has access to free WiFi but a capital town inhabited by (supposedly) five million people has not.
National Hotel in Havana established in 1930
Central Havana
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