Tourism has invaded Havana. In 1995, when I  visited the island, restructuring the economy had just begun during its "special times" following the collapse of the socialist bloc . The government wooed foreign investment in industry, mining and most of all, in building luxury hotels to lure international travelers. It was obvious upon my return in January that the plan was working. Tourists were coming in droves.

I no sooner collected my luggage when I was herded through the crowded waiting room. Outside, shiny new cars and new tourist buses jostled for room with the old cars of the 60's. My Witness for Peace no--frills tour became a reality as I clambered into an old yellow school bus, piled with the luggage of my fellow travelers where I found a corner of an antiquated seat. We were driven to our headquarters, the Martin Luther King Center, a modest Christian-based organization located in a working class neighborhood.

MLK neighborhood is a dramatic contrast to the tourist areas of Central and Old Havana. There, the profusion of luxury hotels, many on splendid beaches, has lured international and US vacationers to bask in benign climate, enjoy Cuban jazz bars and buy coveted cigars. Their impact, a visible presence in Havana, is both negative and positive. In the square bordering the art and craft market in Old Havana, Cuban musicians play to a tourist audience. White jacketed young waiters served drinks, charm the visitors and earn the coveted dollar. A few yards away, private entrepreneurs hawk their wares, some reflecting the culture of Cuba, others from China. Along side of this bustling area of music, hawkers and cabs an occasional beggar crossed my path.

The pace in these last five years has changed. The frenzy for the dollar is reminiscent of other marketplaces in developing countries. Since those who serve the needs of the Cubans--doctors, teachers, administrators are paid in pesos in contrast to those who earn dollars in tourist areas --a dual class system is emerging of haves and have nots. It is difficult to predict the impact of prosperity from tourism and the social price it will exact upon an uneven economy, victim of the US blockade.