These observations are simply that: my observations. As the title of my blog indicates, this is “As I See It.” If I am offensive in anything I say, I apologize. That is not my intent. If I am incorrect in any information, I also apologize. I am not an expert, simply a traveler who visited the country for a few days. I hope you enjoy my views.
Each day I will tell you what we did on one day of the trip, but I will also give some observations about other topics that span the length of the whole trip.
Day 9
Saturday, Dec 31
Santiago
Cuba is a very racially diverse combination of Spanish descent, African descent, and native descent. In Cuba, according to their constitution, women have equal rights as men and all the different races have the same rights. This was not true until The Revolution. Then they passed laws and regulated racial diversity so people had to hire a certain quota of the different races. It seems on its face to have worked. However, at one of the casas when I tried to give my passport before Steve gave his the lady of the house said in Cuba the man’s name has to go first. Also, I have found some statistics online that say the racial equality in jobs is not as they claim it to be.
Political opposition is illegal and there is only one political party: The Communist Party. They do have elections and everyone is expected to vote. They can either vote yes or no. Anything else written in is disqualified. So the results always look like a resounding win for the person the Communist Party has put forth as their “candidate.”
Until a few years ago there was no privacy or freedom of speech. After The Revolution, the state security department listened in and you might go to prison and never come out just for one small statement like saying at the market “I don’t like to wait in these long lines.” Now they can speak freely, at least about some topics. There were a few things nobody wanted to discuss in public. In spite of more freedom of expression, there’s still no alternative or change. People have the choice to either be quiet or leave (if they can afford it or find a way).
15 yrs ago it was a crime for the Cubans to carry US dollars. The penalty for being caught with even $1 was 7 years or 11 years in prison. This is not the case now, but as I said, they still have a 10% tax US dollars at all the money exchange places.
Americans are allowed to visit Cuba under certain circumstances. One of the reasons we chose Cuba for Vince’s Spanish immersion trip is that we think that Cuba is going to either open up totally to America and be changed by it, or shut back down like it was between 1961 and very recently.
We rested much of the day, knowing it would be a late night since it was New Year’s Eve. In the late afternoon we went to the square to get some Wi-Fi.
The plaza was starting to fill with people bustling about, waiting to buy things in the shops that ring the plaza. There were workers setting up for the program to be presented that night. We walked through the beautiful Catholic church on the square (there’s always a Catholic church on the square).
We also “met” one of the Chugito mascots walking around greeting people.
Notice the 26 on their head bandanas. That is commemorating the (unsuccessful) attack on the Moncada Barracks I told about yesterday.
We had a beautiful New Years Eve dinner with our group.
Then they went salsa dancing and we went to pack and then headed back to the square aka the Parque Cespides to watch their midnight flag ceremony. They raise a large Cuban flag at midnight and their tradition says that if the flag catches the wind it will be a good year. If it just hangs there it will be a tough year. It reminds me a bit of Punxsutawney Phil on Groundhog Day.
This being Santiago, the place Fidel called home and where he declared The Revolution won, they had a special program honoring him. All throughout the square were banners with pictures of Fidel to honor him.
He considered Santiago to be his hometown and they are quite proud of this. During the program, they had ballet, African style music, Caribbean music with a few dancing the salsa, opera music, speeches, and a video of Fidel speaking. At one point they did a very enthusiastic call and of response of “Viva la Revolution! Viva Fidel! Viva Raúl! Fatherland or Death!” The 2,000-3,000 people in attendance all knew what to expect and shouted along. This was very interesting to me. For some reason, I thought the Cubans would be less enthusiastic about their support for Fidel and his Revolution. However, if they are critical of what has happened or if they want something different, they keep those thoughts to themselves and yell their “Viva Fidel” along with everyone else. I will deal with this topic a bit more over the next few days.
At midnight they raised the flag and it hung still, but within a minute or so it caught the wind and the people cheered.
After greeting a few people with Feliz Año Nuevo we went to our casa to bed. Tomorrow was another day of travel.
Proceed to Day 10.