2015 Mexico & Cuba

First stop was the casa de cambio at the nearby Hotel Melia Santiago to change money. A sign announced that it was only for peole staying at the hotel so while luci queued I went to reception to get the room number of any guest with the surname 'Johnson'. It turned out that the last Johnsons to stay were about a month ago. But it didn't matter anyway, they never asked, so we got the CUC900 that we needed.

Then walked to Plaza Marte to find the chocolate shop, it turned out to be pleasant inside with nice views and reasonable cold chocolate drinks. About this time Mira realised she hadn't properly completed her university enrolment so she and Aleisha went off to log onto internet in the park while Luci and I walked the streets on the way to Moncada Barracks.

On the way we came across small stalls selling Icecream, fritters, pizzas to school children. The fritters were very greasy and tasteless, the icecream ok but unexciting.

Then past a very impressive fountain dedicated to Abel Santamaria and on to the Moncada Barrracks were we talked with the guard, a man of about 55 who lived with his father and brother. He earns CUP280 per month, electricity is CUP5 per month and water CUP3. I photographed a mule dragging a cart around the filed, eating grass. Mira and Aleisha arrived and we visited the museum, seeing also kids from the school being taught, one group enjoying fresh air under a tree, others in their classrooms.

Abel Santamaria was leader of the July 26 1953 attack on the hospital that was meant as a diversion to the Fidel-led attack on the Moncada barracks. When Abel realised that Fidel's attack had failed he and his insurgents did what they could to divert attention away from Fidel's group. A third attack. led by Raul Castro, took the Justice Palace for a while. Considering that 119 rebels were pitted against 1500 or so soldiers, and that they were woefully prepared, it is amazing that only 61 of them were captured, tortured and killed (not always in that order). Of Santamaria's group all died bar two women and a man who one of the hospital patients claimed to be his grandson.

But the attack shocked the country and acted to ignite discontent. Fidel was captured a few days later by a soldier called Sarria who, despite orders to kill him, said "Don't shoot, you can't kill ideas!" Sarria was sent to gaol, Fidel later was tried in the hospital, where he made his famous 'La historia me absolvera' (History will absolve me) speech. The hospital was later largely unnecessarily demolished by a functionary who later left Cuba as a counter-revolutioary. The barracks were turned into a school. And Fidel was sentenced to 15 years gaol but was releasted after only 3.

Just over the road was the Arte Soy gallery with modern paintings and photos, a lady at entrance plus a guard, and no one visiting.

M&A went to our rooms where Mariano gave them a tour on his motorbike with sidecar around the city, looks like that was a great success. I walked back via Copelia where people queue top buy icecream in bulk, there is also a park where families go, but they must queue to get in ("because it is full" I was told, but there were many spare seats and some waiting staff waiting around with nothing to do.) Near a school I bought a 20 cm charcoal-fired pizza (dough and cheese, with tomato sauce later squirted on top, didn't taste bad for CUP5 =CUC0.20.) Down the street I was I was intrigued by a house under construction. A family was living in there, they had decided to add a storey and the husband (66 years old, still working full time) was doing the construction in his spare time. The government provides the materials, but when he finishes they will value the house and give him a heavily subsidized loan that he will pay back at the rate of about CUP15 (=80c AUD) per month.

Later on a paper cone of warm peanuts (CUP1) from a guy walking around with a tin and ringing a bell.

Everyone else returned a little after I did, so we went to dine at the restaurant XXX with Afro-Cuban influence. It was the first 'different' food since we came to Cuba: lamb slow cooked in a mildly interestingly spiced sauce.

Walked to town as Luci really wanted us to all go to the Casa de la Trova to dance to Cuban rhythms. There were about 80+ people, maybe 20 of whom were Cubans (mostly males) apparently there to try their luck dancing with foreign women. As the entry fee was CUC5 (= 2 weeks' wages) I doubt they were there just for the fun, particularly as Luci had seen them there previous nights. Two at least had some success as I observed them kissing and fondling white 30-40 yo female tourists by the time we left. Mira got bored and went to another club with a Cuban who was a friend of a guy she and Aleisha had helped get internet cards for. She complained bitterly when we wanted to go home about midnight, but we had to be up earlish and ready by 9 for the taxi that will take us to Trinidad.Read more