Marie-Christine Gay Knihy

When Charlie's artist mother is invited to a school in Cuba, the entire family joins her on the trip. However, the Cuba they discover is vastly different from the all-inclusive resorts he has heard about. Charlie encounters a country that feels like a time capsule, where the grand Hotel Nacional stands beside crumbling buildings. The streets are lined with empty storefronts and wild dogs, yet vibrant flowers and colorful houses await around every corner, accompanied by the omnipresent sound of music. He observes various types of walls, from Havana's iconic sea wall to the invisible barriers that seem to separate tourists from locals. The family ventures 'off the beaten track' on a hot, dusty bus to Viñales, where Charlie befriends Lázaro, who frequently travels from Miami to visit family. Together, they embark on adventures, riding horses bareback, discovering hidden rifles in a green mountain, and swimming with small albino fish in an underground cave. A dilapidated rental car takes them into the countryside, where they stumble upon an abandoned hotel overrun by goats and a modern resort teeming with tourists. As Charlie navigates these strange and wondrous experiences, his preconceived notions about the place and its people are continually challenged.