Currently I am in an enviable or unenviable position of calling with increasing frequencies at the cities and airports of Havana, Paris, Miami and Kuala Lumpur. Thus extremely nostalgic for places close to my heart. A few days ago, a Paris Taxi driver told me, " I am truly a Parisian, I miss Paris even when I am in Paris". I can identify with that, I use to look at the beautiful surroundings of Baracoa and tell myself.. I am missing these.. I get up feeling good that I am waking up in Baracoa!I asked myself the question, since being in the profession my self..Where would I like to be, if I am sick! I am talking about minor sicknesses, the kind one encounters while travelling, and i am not talking about serious illnesses such as degenerative nervous or oncological matters..
I had no doubt where I would prefer to be: La Havana or Baracoa...
why? because of the solidarity that i have felt in all the years I have spent in Cuba, hours and hours of sharing what you have, whatever you have and showing and receiving genuine concern about emotional matters, related to your life and loves and profession..
On the very rare occasions i have been sick in Baracoa or La Havana, I was overwhelmed by the attention of my friends and my family there, Natural Teas of all sorts were brewed, special food prepared, and most importantly, the time they spent with me..
Of all the things our friends and family give us, the one that we remember most is the TIME they spent with us..
In that Cubans excel!
My love for Kuala Lumpur has been increasing exponentially since February 2008 and I have been there at least six times.. and I am quite astounded by the circle of friends that are being built around my best friend in Asia, MC! Each of the twenty odd times I have arrived or departed from KL airport, MC has picked me up or taken me there and spent the entire annual holidays to shepard me around Malaysia, Cambodia and Myanmar! As a token appreciation of this giant hearted friend, I did introduce her to Cuban Ambassador to Malaysia ... Malaysia-Cuba friendships have sprouted, indeed!
