Hi, YUKA, how have you been？ The other day, I had Havana Rum at the Hotel in Kowloon, Hong Kong and it reminded me of the days in Havana where I met you. To immerse myself in the wonderful culture, I’m thinking to head over there “soon”. Has it been about 10 years since then? Hong Kong, where I live, has changed so much in the last few years, how about Cuba? / YUKAさん、お元気ですか？ 先日、香港・九龍のホテルで久しぶりにハバナラムを味わいYUKAさんにお会いしたハバナでの日々を思い出しました。素晴らしい文化に身を沈めるべく「そろそろ」そちらに向かいたいと思っています。あれから１０年ほどが経つでしょうか？ 私の住む香港は、ここ数年で大きく変化していますが、キューバはいかがですか？
YUKA）
Hi, TONY, it has been a long time! 20 years since I have come to this country, and I guess it was about 9 years ago when I met you? This country has changed a lot too. First of all “Money”! By the currency unification policy in 2021, The CUC (convertible peso) was abolished and the only currency circulating in Cuba is the CUP (Cuban peso) now. Before Corona, around when the former U.S. President Barack Obama visited Cuba, there was a great tourism boom. The first thing tourists were confused about was the CUC (convertible peso). They were like, “What is a convertible peso!?” “Why are there 2 types of currency?” A passenger cab you pay in CUP, and for a tourist cab you use CUC. If you buy vegetables at the market, you pay CUP. Cookies bought at a large supermarket you need CUC! There is no distinction between citizens and noncitizens when it comes to purchasing goods or paying for food and beverages. The only places that was divided between citizens and noncitizens were the entrance fee to state-run facilities such as theaters, museums, and movie theaters. For example, the entrance fee for a museum is 5 CUP for Cubans and 5 CUC for foreigners (1 CUC = 25 CUP). Such days finally came to an end with this currency unification. The two currencies, the CUC and the CUP, were unified into one currency, the CUP, which was the original national currency. Now only CUP is used, the system is like, foreigners pay 120-150 CUP where Cubans pay 20 CUP. After the government officially announced the unification, there was enough time for people to exchange their money at state-run exchange offices and banks, the transition was smooth and without any confusion. But…! Please accept my condolences on the loss of the CUC you have now which has become just a piece of paper since January 1, 2021. / TONYさん、お久しぶりです！ 私がこの国にきて２０年ほど、TONYさんにお会いしたのが９年前ですかね？ この国も大きく変化しましたよー。まずは何より「お金」！ ２０２１年の通貨統合政策でCUC（兌換ペソ）が撤廃され、キューバで流通する通貨はCUP（キューバペソ）のみになりました！ コロナ以前、アメリカのオバマ大統領（当時）がキューバを訪問したあたりから大いに盛り上がった観光ブーム。観光客の方が、皆さんもれなく最初に戸惑われたのがCUC「兌換ペソ」。兌換ペソって何！？ そもそも国の通貨が２種類ってドシテ? 乗合タクシーはCUP、観光タクシーはCUC。市場で買う野菜はCUP、大きなスーパーで買うクッキーはCUC！ 商品の購入や飲食代金については自国民・他国民の別はナシ。自国民・他国民で支払いが分けられるのは、劇場や美術館、映画館などの国営施設の入場料でした。例えば、美術館の入場料はキューバ人なら５CUP、外国人は５CUC（１CUC＝２５CUP）。そんな時代がやっと終焉を迎えたのが、今回の通貨統合。通貨はCUCとCUPの二本立てから、本来の国貨であるCUPのみに統一されたわけです。CUPのみになった今はキューバ人が２０CUP払うところを外国人なら１２０－１５０CUP払う、といった具合ですね。政府が通貨統一を公式に発表してから、国営両替所・銀行で換金できる期間は充分に設けられていたので、特に混乱もなく、スムースな移行でしたよ。でも！ 今、ＴＯＮＹさんがお持ちのＣＵＣは２０２１年１月１日から、タダの紙切れとなってしまったことを哀悼の意とともにお伝えいたします！