A Cuban Mystery (to me)

[Guest]

This thought has occurred to me many times during my trips to Cuba:
I have had been fortunate in my Cuban travels to have met many Cuban families that were very hospitable. It started with one person and then I was meeting every cousin, uncle aunt, neice, etc. Everyone I met I was surprised when they told me how old they were!!! They were probably on average 10 years older than they appeared to be! I was constantly slopping on the 200 sunscreen and still getting darker by the second. They on the other hand wore none and didn't run into the shade every chance they got (I did). So why is it that they remain so fair skinned and young-looking despite what we now know about the ravages of the sun? I'm confused.

[cubado]

Hi Rick.... i think the opposite!
i have made the observation that cubanos age much quicker after the age of 25 or so! i attribited that to the lack of good diet and lack of vitamins! just another persons observation!
just goes to show how one persons impression of cuba can be quite different! one of the lures of the island!

[Charo]

;D ;) I agree with cubado, I was very surprised to learn the ages of people, I felt everyone looked 5 to 10 years older than what they were.. So maybe vitamins would be a good thing to take with you as gift..

[cbob]

Got to go with Cubado on this one. :P

Had the honour of spending a brief time with Sr. Alejandro Robaina, a famous Cuban tobacco grower, who is about the oldest 84 year old I've ever seen. 8)
His skin looks like he just spent 84 years in the sun, which I guess is about right, but the overall effect is one of extreme age.

Of course, another side of this is that most of the women I meet also look older than their true age, which is a downer for an old guy. :o :-[

[beardo]

I am surprised by the number of Cubans I meet that look younger than they are.

But I suspect the real guajiros naturales don't.

[Rick]

Boy, hard to find concensus on any of my threads. You can't deny that even after slopping on the spf 200 sunscreen and constantly trying to find the shadier side of the street (even at noon!) you still end up darker than the "white" Cubans who could care less about protecting themselves from the damage of the UVA and UVB rays. There could be other factors at play such as cigar and cigarette smoking to add to the aging of those Cubans who do appear older for their age. Or... maybe everyone is not telling me their true age! ::) ;)

[MARILYN]

haha!that's funny, my cuban family, have a joke about , never tell your age. always say you are younger. I thought that was just my family but maybe it's not.

[greslogo]

Of the people who's true age I know, they generally look it.

Anyone who spends a lot of time in the sun will look older than they really are.

My girlfriend looks much younger than her age, as do her sisters. She avoids the sun as best she can, which makes going to the beach problematic.

beardo...... I can't beleive he was as young as he was alleged to be... neither did any of the Cubans I know.... jeje

[poco_pete]

Uncle Pete is going to tell you Cubamaniacs a story!!

It is about a girl.....Goldilocks was her name and her encounter with 3 bears............................

[mellisas]

hola uncle pete.are their names tony,george,and john.na ! that the 3 monkeys :P

[Rockmen43]

I found many late 20 people looked older because of sun damage, but health wise I encountered an unusual amount of vibrant people for their age. I think the walking does a lot of good for the people. Elderly people were shriveled a but from the sun as well but I found many to be in very good health. I don't know about the vitamin thing. At least here in canada people have the choice but many have very poor diets.