The long, long Air Canada boarding gate
Havana
Santiago de Cuba
Sierra Maestra Mountains, the hideout of the revolutionary army
Santa Ifigenia National Cemetery
Cubans prepare for Guantanamo and the New Year
Baracoa, the land where Columbus first set foot
Organic farming in Cuba
Biran met a beautiful family
Bayamo, the city of the Bayamo March
Holguin, the city of the cross
Camagüey, the city of bicycles
Trinidad, the city of wind
Cienfuegos with the Valle Palace
Santa Clara, the city of Che
Matanzas, in search of traces of the Korean diaspora
Varadero, Cuba, a Cuba that is not Cuban but rather like Cuba
Back to Havana
The Cigar Kings Benito and Viñales
Epilogue

An era where everything is shown.
But seeing it on a screen and going there in person, feeling the wind and sunshine, smelling the air, meeting people and holding hands, gives a different level of feeling and enlightenment.
There are countless reasons to hesitate, but you and I both know that our lives are not eternal.
There's no time to hesitate any longer, is there? Even at this very moment, our bodies are hurtling towards decay.

- From the author's note

Land of Enchantment and Forbidden
A Humanities Journey to Cuba

Cuba, considered a dream destination for travelers from all over the world, is a land brimming with allure that is bound to become the dream of countless travelers.
Moreover, Cuba was also a forbidden land until Korea established formal diplomatic relations in February 2024.
That is why Cuba has become an object of romance in the hearts of many people.


There were countless reasons to visit Cuba—Hemingway, the rhythm of salsa, a successful revolution, a model of organic farming, an alternative to capitalism, the waters of the Caribbean, mojitos and rum, and some of the world's finest cigars—but the first reason, of course, was Che Guevara.
The greatest person of the 20th century.
By dying at the age of thirty-nine, I gained eternal life! To experience that pure passion and dream was my long-held wish and dream.
A dream that we don't give up on will eventually become reality, and that reality will become our life.
p.8-9

More than anything, the author wanted to meet Che Guevara, considered the greatest figure of the 20th century, and his wish came true when he left for Cuba.
The trip to Cuba was hectic from the start with the commotion of losing luggage, but starting from the capital city of Havana, the heart-pounding adventure of Cuba began.
From the Cojimar beach with its bust of Hemingway to the thrill of a trip where you can laugh and enjoy yourself to the beat of salsa.

As Lois, who had bought maracas at the souvenir shop at the entrance to the village, began shaking them and dancing, I too joined in and started dancing along.
The loosened bonds of reason.
That's what travel is all about! p.22

In Santa Clara, the city of Che, my heart races at the sight of the magnificent Che statue piercing the sky, and when I come from Baracoa to Santiago, my heart aches in front of the small Che statue I found in the mountains, and I meet the Che I so desperately wanted to feel up close.

He did not choose a life of reform and revolution because someone told him to, nor did he live that way knowing that his death would be remembered by people forever.
He simply lived his life according to his beliefs.
He did not plan anything, and by not planning, he achieved what could not be achieved by human will or effort.
Isn't that what revolution is? Reading a book a day, writing a page of text...
This is not a revolution.
Trying to make a revolution is not a true revolution.
If you don't do that, you can't stand it.
So there is no choice but to do it.
That's what a revolution is.
p.37-38

In Baracoa, where Columbus first set foot on Cuba, we look back on the pioneering spirit that led to the unknown world, as well as the brutal suffering of slaughter and pillage for the Indians.

History is always written by the victors.
I paused for a moment, thinking of the Indians who had disappeared without a trace amidst the excruciating pain of slaughter and pillage.
p.60

We also explore Cuba's urban agriculture and organic farming practices, which have opened up self-sufficiency and freedom from big capital, at the Alamar Farm on the outskirts of Havana, and discover the community that seems to be an ideal form of life at a Cuban farm.

In the yard, hens herded their chicks, dogs had their own way, cats had their own way, and even a pig slept sprawled out in a corner! The sight of people and animals living together in harmony, true to their natural nature, was beyond refreshing; it was deeply moving.
Although it may be just a few, it seemed that people lived much more affluently in the countryside than in the city.
An Alternative Lifestyle for Capitalism, Caught in the Whirlwind of Unlimited Competition in the Wave of Neoliberalism! p.74-76

In addition, you can experience and feel the long east-west stretch of Cuba in detail, including Bayama, the city of the Bayamo March, which became Cuba's national anthem; Holguin, the city of the cross; Camaguey, the city of bicycles; Trinidad, the center of world sugar production in the 19th century; and the Palacio de Valle, which offers the most beautiful view of the Malecón bordering the Caribbean Sea.
Also, in Matansis, where the first traces of the Korean diaspora and the Korean Migration Monument are located, one feels a sense of reverence for the Koreans who, despite the extremely harsh conditions in which they lived, worked hard to not forget their Korean identity, such as by collecting independence funds and delivering them to the provisional government.
You will also experience Cuba's present and culture firsthand by visiting Varadero, a resort city that is unusually affluent for Cuba, and Viñales, a tobacco farm famous for its tobacco production.

But paradoxically, the lives of ordinary people seemed to be more affluent the further they went from the city to the countryside.
The rural farms we stopped at on the way to Bayamo were like that, and even in the tobacco farms of Viñales, we could feel a sense of abundance and leisure, to the point where we wondered if we were really in a socialist country.
It was surprising to see the extended family structure that had already disappeared from our society, and it was also moving to see all kinds of livestock living proudly alongside humans in their original form.
p.154

sunken
A turning point in my life!

A journey into an unfamiliar space and time allows us to pause for a moment from our busy daily lives and glimpse into our own lives and the lives of others.
These times give me new energy when I am tired of everyday life, broaden my horizons, and give me the strength to live today and tomorrow again.
Especially in today's world where the world is becoming more and more similar due to globalization, a trip to Cuba, where people and animals live together with respect and steadfastly adhere to their own way of life, provides us with many thoughts and challenges as we live today.
I sincerely hope that this journey to Cuba, a land brimming with countless charms, will become a small turning point in the lives of each and every reader, leading them to a stronger, happier, and more confident life.

There are countless definitions of “travel is like this and like that.”
But it comes down differently for each individual depending on their environment and tendencies.
For some, it is innovation, for others, healing and comfort, for others, adventure, and for others, new love… … .
Each one works differently.
This solo trip allowed me to unleash the freedom within me that had been stifled by the immersion of everyday life, and it was a time when what I saw, heard, felt, and experienced through that freedom expanded my hardened sensibilities and perceptions.
p.175~176