I am back from Cuba, but too jet-lagged to write much. It has been a big adventure. I am not sure if I have ever been in a country which seemed so clearly on the edge of change. The old socialist regime now co-exists with an influx of tourists whose money and spending power have turned many Cubans’ heads, and I could understand why. I feel it will take me a long time to digest what I saw, especially the degree of deprivation in which many people live. I will follow the news of developments in Cuba with great interest from now on.

In the old historic part of Havana there’s a colonial house with a statue of Mozart, of all people. When I visited, a magnificent peacock was in full display in front of Mozart’s face. For me it was a good illustration of the strange and unexpected things which co-exist in Cuba.