Vedado 15.01.2014 - Let’s give it another chance. Somehow I must let my family know I’m alive and well. A deep breath and I click again on the wifi icon. Connection lost. How come it is “lost” if it was never even found?! It’s already the third time I go to the luxurious Cohiba Hotel, I pay 5 dollars for an hour of internet and every time there is a new problem. I show R. all the frustration of a web-dependent Western. To my surprise he offers me to use the wifi connection at his place. What? Can Cubans have an internet connection at home? Sure, but every coin has another side and in Cuba, if you turn it another time, it will probably show a third side. Patiently he explains that during the 90s there was already a plan to open up to the internet but, apparently due to the embargo and the lack of funds, the project was never brought into use. In 2007 a new law allowed to purchase a personal computer and slowly the situation started to change. He specifies though that “slowly” means that in 2012 only 25% of the population had access to the web. The situation is now twisted: on one side there is an intranet which is entirely controlled by the Government; it is used only inside the country and in internet cafes it costs 1,50 dollars/hour. On the other side the “normal” internet connection costs 4,50 dollars/hour: almost one third of a monthly salary! In public offices that require the use of internet, a special operator is in charge of controlling all the links used by the employees. As far as other accesses (internet cafes, hotels, private connections) are concerned, nobody really knows the level of State control on the web. And how come you have access at home? Because my father works for the Government. Ah, Ok.