Tripping With Toby: Santiago Walkabout

Jan. 22, 2018-Santiago Walkabout

Go Vikings! Sorry about that. The Minnesotans on our tour were wearing their purple Vikiing gear to no avail. They watched the game in the bar so perhaps they weren't feeling great pain.

Be careful what you wish for. Today was sunny and HOT. Only a welcome sprinkle. When we all got into the elevator after touring, it smelled ripe.

I haven't established a timeline of Cuban history in my head. Jose jumps around depending on what we're seeing. As I understand it, there were three tribes of indigenous people here. Columbus landed. Others followed as Cuba was a good intermediate stop from S. America and Florida to Europe. But, hold on. England owned a piece of Cuba for a short time. They were bought off by giving Florida to England so Spain could have all of Cuba. The joke is that now Cubans are taking Florida back.

Spain was in control. Cubans fought the Spaniards for freedom many times and lost. The US wanted Cuba for itself so joined Cuba in what we call the Spanish American War. Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders stormed San Juan Hill. The Maine sank. Still no victory for independence. Jose Marti sought refuge in New York City and lived there writing his insurrectionist poetry. He inspired another attempt at independence.

Spain held on until their fleet was caught in Morro Bay near the fortifications. As they sailed out into the ocean, they were picked off by US ships. Spain negotiated an agreement with the US without input from Cuba. Spain didn't recognize a Cuban government. The US was allowed to keep Guantanamo and was given Puerto Rico. Ironically, as we climbed to the monument on San Juan Hill, there were no commemorative plaques for Cubans who had fought and died with Americans.

We parked the bus near what was now a school, but bore bullet holes from when Castro attacked Batista's troops in what was then a garrison. Fidel lost and Batista went on a killing spree. He ordered the arrest, torture, and death of any young men he could gather up in Santiago whether they participated with Fidel or not. He put Fidel in prison, but made a fatal error. Elections were coming up. To curry favor, Batista freed all prisoners including Castro. Castro was told to flee to Mexico where he met Che Guevara.

From the school we walked to the 16th century home of Velasquez, which has been turned into a museum. Art and furniture was collected from around Cuba and shows the evolution of decor from Spanish to French to US New Orleans styles. Eventually, it blended to form a uniquely Cuban flavor.

Morro Castle was next. It was built by the same architect who designed the fort in Havana and San Juan, Puerto Rico. We walked around, but the sun was blazing. We ate lunch in the shadow of the walls of Morro overlooking the bay.

Fuller, but no cooler, we went to our last stop, a music school. The 600 students aged 7-80 attend for free. If they play an instrument other than a piano, they have to provide it. It's an after-school program for the kids. By 9th grade audition to continue.

From nothing can come something. I seem to be full of platitudes. The school is not air conditioned, of course. Hurricane Sandy did enough damage that ceiling tiles are still missing. But the colorful original tile floor is intact. There are 40 teachers who work with students in practice rooms with peeling paint and doors hanging by a thread. From this atmosphere they presented a short recital. I wanted to adopt the 7 year old girl ,Kira, who sang "My Heart Will Go On" in Spanglish. She looked nervous, but stood up straight in her pink halter top, white shorts, and line of colorful barrettes in her hair and didn't miss a note. A couple of boys played violin and a 19-year old with his name, Max, buzzed into his hair played sax.

Now for a bit of cocktail history. The Floridita Hotel Bar in Havana was Hemingway's favorite. Cuban peasants drank a blend of lemon juice and boiled water that the bartender thought was interesting. He added sugar, ice, and rum to it. These people were from a town called "Daiquiri." TaDa!

We heard a lecture on US/Cuban relations from Professor Herbert Perez this afternoon. He studied in the US but has mainly lived in Cuba. He claimed that since the American Revolution, the US has looked towards Cuba as a country they wanted to control. They held on to what was called the Ripe Fruit Policy. They wanted to wait for Spain to weaken and then the US would sweep in. America never wanted Cuba to be liberated despite fighting with them against Spain. In fact, in 1865, the US sold weapons to Spain, not Cuban rebels. In 1898, when Spain's hold weakened, the US moved in to "help" and actually occupied Cuba for 4 years. Anti-American sentiment grew in Cuba and anti-imperialist pressure came from the US. We withdrew in 1902. The Platte Amendment was passed giving the US the right to hold all properties they'd held (seized) while in Cuba including Guantanamo and could intervene if their interests in Cuba were threatened. It was thought that the US ambassador to Cuba had more power than the Cuban president.

Sugar cane had been booming, but prices fell in the 1920's and '30's. Haitian and Jamaican workers had come in during the boom, but with the crash, those immigrants were seen as a threat to Cuban workers. Whether he meant to or not, Prof. Perez made a case against immigration. WW II and the Korean wars were good for the sugar industry. Afterwards the US recognized and supported Cuban dictators. The US was anti- revolution and took steps to overthrow and kill Castro. Embargoes were begun and Cuban refugees were welcomed to our shores.

Perez referred to the US empire. During Q & A, I asked him what countries were in that empire. He answered that modern empires are those who exert economic and political control over other countries. I remarked that we shouldn't have been surprised when Russia tried to interfere in our elections since we've been interfering in others' elections for years. He thought that Russia was too smart to try something so stupid. I asked if he thought there might have been a Cuban connection to the Kennedy assassination. He said that Fidel was not stupid and wouldn't do what was expected. His brilliance was doing the unexpected.

All through his talk, he berated the US treatment of Cuba, but, in the end, he was disappointed that borders that were about to open were abruptly closed by Trump. I guess he doesn't have to like us to realize Cuba needs our trade and economic investment. Even with other countries' interests, the US is the closest and most logical economic friend. Cuba is still a poor country whose people are suffering from privation.

Dinner was almost gourmet level. We went to Restaurant St. Pauli and enjoyed beautiful versions of food we'd been eating all along. Flavors were delicious and presentation upscale.

Jose is going on a banana quest for us. This is his home town so he sleeps home at night. He said he'd shop on his way in tomorrow.

Tomorrow we go to Guantanamo, the city, not the base.

The day after tomorrow we move hotels. Don't panic if I don't send for a couple of days or longer.

Toby