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Tourism coaster, "Playas del Este de la Habana" (Cuba), with manuscript farewell note on reverse
Object/Artifact
Front: round coaster printed in blue and cream — a radiant rising sun reserved in white over stylized waves, above a cream band reading "PLAYAS DEL ESTE / DE LA HABANA" with the lowercase "cuba" tourism wordmark below. The coated printing surface is crazed and abraded. Reverse: plain pulpboard, inscribed in blue ballpoint. Header "PACO:" (underlined) with the date "29/11/85." The note reads, in Spanish: "A partir de hoy comenzamos a despedir a Leo (¡qué problema!) y pensamos lo triste que la van a pasar ustedes allá. ¡Pavos de 160 Kčs. y A-4! Hay que recibirme en la ✚," ending with a small drawn Red Cross. In translation: "Starting today we begin seeing Leo off (what a problem!) and we think how sad a time you all are going to have over there. [¡Turkeys at 160 Kčs. — and A-4!] I have to be received at the [clinic]…" — an affectionate, joking farewell. ("A-4" is a spirit Leo's father distilled at home, probably used here generically for alcohol.)
2025.1.297
Leopoldo Arús [Caraballo / Gálvez] ("Leo") brought this coaster home to his parents' house after a gathering with his work colleagues who were seeing him off before his departure on a work trip, probably to Czechoslovakia. The coaster is the souvenir of that farewell meeting.
A Cuban tourism coaster repurposed as a personal keepsake of a workmates' farewell. The front promotes the Playas del Este de la Habana (the beach strip east of the capital), using the national "cuba" tourism wordmark of the INIT/Cubatur era. The handwritten reverse, dated 29 November 1985 and addressed to "Paco," is a joking send-off written by the colleagues bidding Leo (Leopoldo Arús) goodbye as he prepared to leave Cuba for a work trip abroad, probably to Czechoslovakia — the phrase "lo triste que la van a pasar ustedes allá" ("how sad a time you all will have over there") ironically addressed to those departing. It pairs with a companion coaster elsewhere in the collection (dated 23/12/85) that was inscribed later in Czechoslovakia by Leo and the friends already there — together the two pieces bracket the same circle of compañeros (Paco, Leo, and others) on either side of the journey: the Havana send-off and the reunion abroad. The "160 Kčs" (Czechoslovak crowns) joke on this Cuban-side note anticipates the destination and the banquet that those traveling abroad will have.
The Cabrera Arús family collection
Leopoldo Arús Caraballo collection
2025.1
1985
1980s
Havana
Cuba
Caribbean
Central America
Maker: Front: Cuban state tourism promotion for Playas del Este de la Habana (INIT/Cubatur-era branding); printer unidentified. Date tentatively late 1970s–1980s. Reverse inscription: by an unidentified member of the group, addressed to Paco; hand-dated 29/11/1985 (tentative; possibly 24/11/1985).
Inscription
front
Playas del Este de La Habana Cuba
Spanish
Beaches from East Havana Cuba
Ink
Note
back
Paco: 29/11/85 A partir de hoy comenzamos a despedir al Leo. ¡Qué problema! y pensamos lo triste que la van a pasar ustedes allá! Pavos de 160 Kcs. y A-4! Hay que recibirme en la (pharmacy sign)
Spanish
Paco: 11/29/85 As of today, we inaugurate the goodbyes to the Leo. What a problem! and we think how sad you guys are going to be over there! Turkeys of 160 Kgs. and A-4! They'll have to send me to the (pharmacy sign)
Ink
front
Ealo Leo
Names carved in the paper/ink. Probably the two persons departing.
9.5 cm
Cardboard
Coated pulpboard with blue-and-white printing (front); blue ballpoint ink (reverse).
Fair
Leopoldo Arús Caraballo
owner
Havana
Cuba
Caribbean
Central America