This is Havana (pictures and commentary from my recent trip)

[RagingInMiami]

Click here to view the Havana photo slideshow. Or read my commentary about Havana and view the slideshow later, which is also linked at the bottom of the (yes, I know), very long post.



They throw the word “libre” around like we throw the word “freedom.” There is the Habana Libre Hotel (called the Havana Hilton during the 1950s), the Cuba Libre cocktail (which the locals will quickly tell you es una mentira) and signs displaying the words “Viva Cuba Libre” next to the Cuban flag are plastered throughout the city.

But only in the parts of the city where most tourists don’t venture. As if serving as a reminder to the Cuban people that they are free to purchase all the freedom fries they want, as long as they use Peso Convertible as opposed to Moneda Nacional.

After all, there are two currencies in Cuba. Two economies. The tourist economy and the local economy. The Peso Convertible is supposedly equal to one American dollar, kind of like a Disney Dollar except the Cuban government only gives you 80 percent for every dollar. Part of Castro’s cold war against Bush.

But Cuba is anything but free. If it were free, the Cubans would be allowed to walk down the street by my side without a police officer demanding their papers. They would be allowed to enter the hotel lobbies and get on the Internet, providing they are able to pay for it.

They would be able to buy a flight out of Cuba at a moment’s notice without having to go through an entanglement of bureaucracy that ultimately denies their request. Of course, not many of them would be able to afford the flight even if they had the freedom to come and go as they please. A doctor makes $30 a month and a college professor makes about $20 a month.

And if the United States were truly free, then I would be allowed to travel to Cuba without breaking the law. But that was one of the reasons I was there in the first place. To commit an act of civil disobedience. To protest the U.S. Government’s restrictions on Cuba. To send a big Fuck You to George W. Bush (more on that later).

It was my first time in Cuba, a country I have always wanted to visit because I had grown up in Miami hearing the Cuban old-timers (as well as my non-Cuban dad who used to live in Cuba in 1959) rave about the beauty of the island. And that week I spent in Havana confirmed everything I had heard.

It is a beautiful country; a magical country; a proud country; and an intoxicating country. It’s easy to fall under its spell. The laughter. The music. The climate. The vibe. The spirit of the people. La Cubanitas.

Cuba never stops singing. Songs of joy and sadness fill the Malecon, the ocean wall where the waves never stop crashing, sometimes fiercely as you will see in these photos.

While the tourists prefer to drink $4 Mojitos in Old Havana, the locals prefer to share a bottle of rum on the Malecon. And as I learned, nothing beats this. Especially at sunset when the sun sinks into the ocean and the sky turns all sorts of colors, including blue, red, orange, yellow, purple. It was during one of these moments where I realized the main difference between the Miami Cubans and the Cuban Cubans.

In Miami, the Cubans want it all; the latest car; the largest house, the trendiest clothes. Miami Cubans are generally more materialistic than other Latin American subgroups. But even when they get it all, they are never content because they don’t have what they really want.

They don’t have Cuba.

In Cuba, the Cubans don’t have much. Many ask you for spare change. Their faces light up if you give them some of your clothes. And many live in homes that would be condemned in the United States.

But they have Cuba.

But through all the magic and joy and laughter and song and dance on the island, there is a sense of desperation. They want change, but they are afraid of change. The revolution is in its 47th year. Most Cubans have known no other form of government.

They complain about working all the time and not getting paid.

They complain about the constant police surveillance and how they are constantly stopped and asked for their papers.

They complain about not being able to leave the country to travel the world even if they fully intend to return to Cuba.

They blame the system. They blame the police. They blame the embargo.

But they rarely blame Castro.

He is their savior, their messiah. Their daddy. Their Big Brother.

“Castro may not be perfect but if he enters the room right now, I will be yelling “Fidel, Fidel,” said one 27-year-old woman I met in a restaurant/bar.

“Fuck Fidel,” said the woman’s mother, looking around to see who had overheard.

“I don’t think he is a good leader, but I think he is a good person,” said a 24-year-old Cuban bagpiper I met on the Malecon who knew six languages even though he had never left Cuba.

Another man told me 70 percent of the people in Cuba are against Castro. Others told me it was about half that.

The Cubans do have free health care even though they are constant medical shortages. And they do have homes, even though it might consist of a single room behind a ragged curtain inside a former two-story multi-room house turned apartment building.

And they do have free education even though the doctors are forced to drive taxis to provide for their families and the college professors ask you for spare change after giving you a tour of the campus.

But if you ever have any medical trouble in Havana, have no fear because there is always a doctor in the house.

The best thing to do is buy Canadian Dollars or Euros and then exchange them for Pesos Convertibles. And then if you are brave enough, venture into the non-tourist areas where they accept Moneda Nacional. When I was there two weeks ago, it was 25 pesos nacionales for each Convertible Peso.

Once I caught on to the local economy, I started to save money. With tourist money, I was spending more on a Cuban meal than I do in Miami, a truly WTF moment. The problem is, it’s hard to find good food in the Cuban sector. The restaurants in Havana that serve the locals run on bare minimum.

Just because it’s on the menu doesn’t mean it’s in the kitchen. And just because the sandwich contains ham, cheese and pickles in the photo on the menu, doesn’t mean it will contain cheese or pickles once they give it to you They never seem to run out of ham, but it’s virtually impossible to buy any form of beef in Cuba (at least beef that is not mixed with pork and flour and passed off as a hamburger). Yet I saw cow pastures on the way to the airport.

While Cuba doesn’t have the extreme poverty I’ve seen in Colombia and in Mexico, the people do struggle. And although Cuba prides itself on its classless society, there are economic divisions within the country.

Those Cubans with family in the United States that send them money are better off than the Cubans who have no family in the United States.

Those Cubans that work in the tourist industry are better off than those who don’t work in the tourist industry.

And those Cubans who are approved by the government to rent their homes to tourists make more than those who were not approved.

And while there is not the violent crime that has plagued Colombia for decades, if you’re not too careful, some of the Cubans will swindle you out of your money, especially in the restaurants and bars. The best thing to do is pay for your drinks after each round because if you wait for them to bill you at the end of the night, you might get charged for everybody else’s drink in the bar. Maybe that is what they mean by Cuba Libre.

I was part of a group of Americans, lead by a New Yorker named Benjamin Treuhaft; a piano tuner who has delivered almost 300 donated pianos to music schools in Havana since 1995.

Treuhaft is also a political activist, the son of social critic and writer Jessica Mitford and California labor activist Robert Treuhaft. And he is extremely media savvy.

He had contacted CNN and other news organizations about our trip, setting up a press conference in Havana upon our arrival and a press conference in Miami International Airport upon our return. I was looking forward to it because I wanted to give Bush a piece of my mind on CNN. Unfortunately, we missed both press conferences because the plane arrived in Havana three hours late and in Miami, much later than that. We had flown on BahamaAir to and from Nassau and La Cubana from Nassau to Havana. Both planes tend to run on a lethargic/laidback Caribbean schedule.

But Treuhaft’s Cuban friends who had picked us up at the Havana airport confirmed the media had been there waiting for us. And CNN, Reuters and the AP showed up to one of the music schools in Havana to do stories on Treuhaft.

Most of the Americans on the trip came from the west coast on separate flights. I was traveling with Treuhaft and David, an African American Jazz musician who loved Benny More (famous old-school Cuban musician).

These guys made great travel companions. On our return through the Bahamas, as we waited in line to get processed through Homeland Security, we drank from a bottle of Cuban rum, preparing to test our fate with the feds. On our Customs Declaration form, when we were asked if we had traveled to any other country while we were in the Bahamas, we wrote “Cuba” in bold letters. After all, lying to a federal officer is a felony.

The three of us were immediately whisked aside as we stepped up to the first fed and he read that we had gone to Cuba. Then a tall African-American fed started lecturing us about the illegality of traveling to Cuba. Treuhaft told him the law was unconstitutional.

Fed: “So just cause you don’t agree with the law gives you the right to break it?”

Treuhaft: “If Rosa Parks didn’t choose to break the law in the early 1960s, where would the Civil Rights Movement be today?

Fed: (Turning to point to a picture of George W. Bush) “The policy was set by the President of the United States, who was elected by the American people.

That is when I stepped in.

Me: “That president stole the last two elections. He was not elected by the American people.”

Fed: (to another fed) “Take this guy to the back room.”

So I found myself in the backroom where I was ordered to put my luggage on a table so they can search it. I got a sudden sense of déjà vu of when I was a long-haired teenager and was pulled into the back room on my return from Colombia one year.

Then one of the feds started threatening me with the absurd notion that perhaps I would not be allowed back into the United States because I had traveled to Cuba, which made me laugh and mock her.

They kept stressing that it is “ILLEGAL” to travel to Cuba. I felt like I was in one of those notorious immigration debates on DU. “What is so difficult to understand about the word ILLEGAL?”

At one point, another fed brought David, the jazz musician, to the back room and began searching his luggage. Meanwhile, Treuhaft was made to pour out the rest of the Cuban rum. I was ordered to fill out a questionnaire, and was informed that I will be receiving a letter in the mail and possibly a fine. We have a lawyer who will defend us pro bono. I’m not going to pay a dime. In fact, I will go back to Cuba in the same manner.

An hour later, we were boarded on a plane back to Florida with Treuhaft bragging that he managed to sneak in a half-smoked Cohiba, which he lit up in Miami.

Despite all the inconveniences and threats, I was never scared. I knew I still had my rights. I knew I would not be jailed for speaking out against Bush (at least not permanently).

But I also knew that if I had been a Cuban citizen and these were Cuban federales, I would have most likely been jailed after accusing Castro of stealing every election since 1959. I would have become a political prisoner. After all, practically every Cuban I’ve met knows somebody who was jailed for speaking out against Castro.


Havana photo slideshow


This is me and a very beautiful Cuban woman I met, the only picture on this thread that I did not take myself.

[RB TexLa]

1. great pictures! thanks n/t

[cantstandbush]

81. Just think what Cuba might be like were it not for the embargo. Thanks

this was a great photo show.

[ausus]

150. What Embargo? The French, German, Russian, Chinese, Venezuelan, Canadian

Colombian, Brazilian, Iranian, Moroccan, Irish, Spanish, Dutch, Italian, Korean, etc., etc., ...........................embargos.

The only country that maintains an embargo with Cuba is the United States, which country comprises about 15% of the world economcy (and shrinking). Everyone else is free to trade with Cuba, but guess what, they don't. They don't because the socialist "miracle" produces little of value to trade with. Their output is either of poor quality or overpriced, or both.

There is one commodity that Cuba is producing in competitivie abundance right now: beutiful young woman who trade their bodies for currency, and the original poster unwittingly demonstrated this by posting a photo of himself with a very pretty and VERY young lady. I am not saying that his intentions was to solicit a young prosititute but I am saying that it was probably her intention to trade her time/body with this man for cash or other compensation. This is the sorry legacy of Castro and his socialist revolution.

The best move against Castro that the United States could make would be to lift the U.S. embargo, that way Castro and his Socialist Nomenkaltura would have no more excuses for the horrible economic performance that they have turned in during the past 47 years.

Castro is nothing but a brutal, oppressive, misogynist tyrant.

[SeveneightyWhoa]

2. Great stuff, thanks for sharing!

That girl in the pic is INCREDIBLE..

I need to go to Cuba!

[SeveneightyWhoa]

7. Oh and..

..your photography is excellente! I thoroughly enjoyed viewing those pics..

[Heidi]

3. .

[Drum]

4. Thanks for that.

I loved the slideshow, and welcome hearing a firsthand account from a visitor to Cuba.

[knowbody0]

5. wow

what a delight to read! an amazing journey, well written as well. thanks for sharing this RIM. are those french fries?

[RagingInMiami]

Yes, papas libres

They make great fries in Cuba because they cut them fresh. And they're not too expensive so they're popular with the Cubans.

Actually, I was kidding about them being called "papas libres", which means freedom fries. They are called papas fritas.

[Toucano]

6. You're very brave.

Though I disagree with you about many things, I salute your courage to challenge that absurd and unconstitutional law.

Good luck. I hope you don't end up back in Cuba at the hospitality of GW Bush.

[Fridays Child]

8. Love the colonial architecture, and those buses are strange looking!

Great photos!

[RagingInMiami]

10. They call them "camellos"

Which means camels. They're basically long-ass trailers pulled by a semi. They're huge but they're always full.

[High Plains]

51. What happened to the guaguas?

Those were the "buses" they were using when I was there. More like flat-bed trailers.

[RagingInMiami]

75. Yes, they're also called "guaguas"

Pronounced "Wuawuas". All buses are guaguas, but these large buses are called camellos. Or guaguas.

[Codeine]

9. Magnificent. nt

[EFerrari]

11. Great pictures. We just picked up the CubaCuba cd

and it hasn't been off for more than a few minutes all day.

Be careful.

[RagingInMiami]

15. I've been listening to nothing but Cuban music since my return

I bought two CDs from a guy on the street for seven bucks. Each CD contained six albums. Yes, six albums. They're made up of MP3s so I downloaded them and burned individual CDs so I can listen to them in my car.

One CD is of old Cuban music, such as Joseito Fernandez and Benny More. The other CD is of music is that is popular today in Cuba.

[EFerrari]

16. This one is more or less the musicians from

the "Buena Vista Social Club".

[RagingInMiami]

17. I love the Buena Vista Social Club

And Compay Segundo

[ProudDad]

109. GOD

I'd LOVE to have a copy of that!!!

I played with some of those Cuban musicians when I was there. They are GREAT!

[RagingInMiami]

115. If you PM me your e-mail address

I will try to send you a zip file of the albums. I say try cause I'm not the most technologically advanced person.

[RagingInMiami]

117. Let's see if this works

This is one album. Adalberto Alvarez. It's new Cuban music. Anybody else is welcome to download it if they wish. I'm not even sure if it will work.

But if you do download it and are able to listen to it, check out song number 8.


http://s16.quicksharing.com/v/8764814/Adalberto_Alvarez...

[RagingInMiami]

137. And if you like guajira style Cuban music; Cuban country music

You will like Polo Montanez.

http://s17.quicksharing.com/v/1759643/POLO_MONTA_ES_GUA...

[RagingInMiami]

123. Here are three albums you can download if you want

The first two are what is popular in Cuba today. The third one is Joseito Fernandez and the Guantanamera album. Everyone is welcome to download them.

I'll be converting more albums into these files because I purchased two CDs in Cuba that contain a combined 14 albums of old and new Cuban music.


http://s17.quicksharing.com/v/1834816/Haila.CD.Diferent...

http://s16.quicksharing.com/v/8764814/Adalberto_Alvarez...

http://s14.quicksharing.com/v/784364/JOSEITO_FDEZ_1992_...

[EFerrari]

140. Thank you! I can't wait to hear them!

[RagingInMiami]

141. Let me know if you're able to download them

Because I put the albums in an RAR file, which is supposed to make it easier to transport. But I've never tried uploading an entire album before, so I'm not sure if it will work.

[EFerrari]

143. I did it! I had to download a prog to do it.

WinRAR.

And that took about 1 minute. And then, using that, I got THE WHOLE ALBUM very quickly and it played like a dream.

[RagingInMiami]

146. How long did it take to download the album? Which one did you download?

I uploaded several throughout the thread. And I can upload more. In fact, I am going to upload Compay Segundo, which is one of the guys from the Buena Vista Social Club.

Now that I figured this system out, I can share all kinds of music.

[EFerrari]

147. It took seconds, not minutes and I downloaded Fernandez.

This is the album I was telling you about:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000AM6NIQ/qid=1150155...

[RagingInMiami]

148. Then I'm sure you will like Polo Montanez, who sings guajira music

Which is Cuban country music.

http://s17.quicksharing.com/v/1759643/POLO_MONTA_ES_GUA...

[EFerrari]

149. Cool! I'll check it out. Thank you.

[Kutjara]

12. Thanks for bringing back some memories

It's been about seven years since my last visit to Cuba and I really miss the place. Your photos really brought it back for me in all its vibrancy and color (I even think the cab in one of your pics is one that I used).

I don't know if the law has changed but, as far as I know, it's not illegal for Americans to go to Cuba; it's illegal to 'engage in economic activity' while there. So it should be completely legal to go to Cuba, just not legal to spend any money there. The embargo is, after all, economic. I'd be interested to know what the letter Uncle Sam sends to you says.

[TygrBright]

13. Thank you! Thank you so much...

...for the narrative and the pictures. It's very rare that we get so much honest info. on Cuba. FWIW, my friend who travels from MN to visit her family in Cuba every year is pretty much in agreement with you on all cylinders. Yes, there are bad things about the Cuban regime, but yes, it has also done much for the Cuban people and they are very proud and independent. Many of them, even the ones who complain bitterly, love Castro for what he did in freeing them from Batista and his thugs. They're no fools and they've watched American client states in Latin America come and go and they don't want any part of that. But they are fascinated by America and our culture, love American visitors even while they fleece them for all they're worth, and all want to at least visit America some day. And all DESPISE blivet & co.

I can never reconcile myself to Castro's denial of freedom of speech, or his repression of dissent and the ugly authoritarianism of his bureaucracy. But I stand in AWE of the achievements of the Cuban people under his regime, especially in terms of literacy, health care, and keeping their fragile, vulnerable island from being devastated by the dark side of capitalism.

Thank you, again.

appreciatively,
Bright

[Viva_La_Revolution]

14. Great pictures!!

thank you.

#5

[ronnie624]

18. Thank you for your post,

and I enjoyed your photos immensely

[Dirty Hippie]

19. This is Why I Love DU

I'm constantly finding nuggets of gold.

I viewed every one of your pictures.

Thanks so much.

[Peace Patriot]

20. THANKS FOR THE SLIDE SHOW--AND COMMENTARY! IT WAS GREAT!

What struck me in the photos...

minimal traffic
no pollution
very clean streets
kids playing freely in the streets
streets clean and safe, everywhere you took photos
no homeless
no squalor
no sense of menace
beautiful old buildings, some in need of paint, but looking very Venetian like great old ladies, a bit chipped at the edges
everybody has enough and are taken care of--unlike the wrenching stress on the faces of the poor in this country
the group photo of kids--no stress, no meanness in their faces, very friendly and obviously loved at home

and I liked the groovy old cars!

a thought about the police: the several policemen you ran into clearly had some kind of agenda, frowning on picture-taking, but also having police walking the beat can be good; it prevents crime and is a sign of a safe neighborhood and a society that cares about civility and the safety of individuals; cops in cop cars are a bad sign--a sign of alienation of the police force from the community. Also, Cuba has extremely good reason to be paranoid--the US has been trying to undermine and overthrow this peoples' revolution since day one. They likely fear CIA spies and US surveillance as well as bad publicity. And your kind of trek into local neighborhoods, away from tourist haunts, may have simply been unfamiliar and unusual to the police, causing them to be bit suspicious.

Wonderful photos! Imagine finding an indigenous Cuban-Celtic bagpiper and the Asturias connection! The Celts are going to save us all, you know!

Finally, thanks for the photo of Joseito Fernandez's grave. Guantanemera is my favorite song of all time! It ignites my memories of the era in which it was often on the radio, the 1960s, in a special way, both painful and beautiful. I often think of it in connection with the poor tortured people in Guantanamo Bay, I don't know why. It's so ironical that that prison sits on the island of Cuba! I hope somehow that the strains of this song played by Cuba's wandering minstrels reach the prisoners there and ease their pain a bit.

[ProudDad]

110. The crime, prostitution and begging

are the natural byproducts of the growth of the tourist economy. I think it's inevitable in any highly stratified economy, uh, like the U.S. of A....

When I was in Cuba in '93 -- at the VERY beginning of the tourist trade -- there was very little crime and no begging.

I suspect that even now the crime "problem" in Havana is NOTHING compared to the crime problem in my home town, Oakland, California or any other major city in this country.

[RagingInMiami]

118. I uploaded Joseito Fernandez's Guantanamera album

It's one I bought in Cuba. It's in a zip file. See if you can download it.

http://s14.quicksharing.com/v/784364/JOSEITO_FDEZ_1992_...

[TexasLady]

21. wow.

these pictures completely captivated me! Ive been to a few countries myself, but don't know a whole lot about Cuba. Thanks SO much for the stories that you added about the pictures. That really made them 'come alive'.

[Libby2]

22. Great pictures!!

Thanks for sharing them with us!!!

[malaise]

23. Lovely pix

I've stayed at the Habana Libre Hotel. What strikes me most about Cuba is the health of it's people particularly her children -skin, teeth, etc.

Beautiful pix - love the Malecon - dranks loads of beer there 'til all hours of the morning.

[YankeyMCC]

24. Just wow

Great, great photos thank you for sharing.

PS: I like you're caption on the last photo.

[GrapesOfWrath]

25. Fantastic

thanks for sharing. I've bookmarked this thread to share with others later.

[Vidar]

26. Good reporting & great pictures

[Samurai_Writer]

27. Raging, that was definitely worth waiting for!

I've been waiting with bated breath for your story and pictures from Cuba. Awesome photos (no wonder you are in the top 10 of every photo contest!) and amazing story. You'll be telling this one to your grandchildren.

I've always wanted to go to Cuba, but never had the guts to do it. You are my inspiration, not only for photography, but for your activism as well!

[RagingInMiami]

45. Thanks for the kind words

It's especially touching coming from one of the few DUers that I've actually met in person.

[ourbluenation]

28. this is a beautiful photo - lovely

thank you so much - i watched the slideshow over my coffee this am...wonderful

[Cha]

127. Oh, there's a beautiful

beach scene with vibrant Cubanos! I love that picture!

[UTUSN]

29. I --------------- agree ------------- with you on many things n/t

[in_cog_ni_to]

30. Your pictures are absolutely beautiful! Looking at them

felt like I was tasting the 'forbidden fruit.' It's not often we get to see the REAL Cuba and I enjoyed ALL of your pictures. The old cars were amazing. I saw a show a few weeks ago about how Cubans repair their cars and one man said that since motor oil isn't available in Cuba, they all keep bottles of DISH SOAP in their cars. It lubricates almost as good as the oil! Talk about resourceful! Your commentary was wonderful to read too. I'M SO PROUD OF YOU FOR SPEAKING THE TRUTH ABOUT THE ILLEGITIMATE ASSHOLE IN AL GORE'S WHITE HOUSE! I so wish things were different for Cuba and her people. What a beautiful, gorgeous country. Thanks so much for this post! I enjoyed it thoroughly!

[Domitan]

31. Very cool! I married in Cuba last month

Will get back to this as I'm short on time now.

Great to hear stories like this.

[madokie]

32. Thanks for sharing this, now I want to go to Cuba

[Joe Chi Minh]

33. If the US were in Cuba's place, a tiny island living next to a hostile

monster, I guarantee you that the US regime would be immeasurably worse; brutal and vicious to the nth degree. Think Chile under Pinochet, or Argentina under the generals.

Even NOW, you can be reefed in off the street and never heard of again! Being kept incommunicado from everyone, including a lawyer. Heck you could be renditioned! NOW. What are you TALKING about! What makes you think you won't be? Maybe they're hoping you'll lead them to other mild subversives.

[JeffR]

34. K&R

Great essay and great photos!

[qanda]

35. I just wiped a tear from my eye

That was simply beautiful and the last picture and commentary is just awesome.

[Jacobin]

36. Thanks for posting this. Slide show was great

Also, thanks for telling the 'good, the bad and the ugly'

Its nice to know what's going on there in reality as opposed to the propaganda from each side.

[Maven]

37. Shades of William Burroughs in your story.

Fantastic. Thanks for writing it, and for sharing the pictures. K/R

[Synnical]

38. Nice work, Raging

K&R - will read and view pics later. Thanks, and I'm jealous - I've always wanted to see Cuba, as well.


-Cindy in Fort Lauderdale

[Rose Siding]

39. Oh, my

You're pictures are amazing. The dancers, and the children, the families and the archetecture. So beautiful they made me cry!

The progressions were fun- the child on the wall, then the wave. What an inspiring skyline in that one- almost celestial. The adorable boys who were wary at first, then became misters cool. And I loved the one of the piano player and then his neighbors -are they so relaxed because of the music he brings to their lives?

What a treat!

[Sammy Pepys]

40. Went to Havana about ten months ago....

Enjoyed it thoroughly. Your recap is spot-on, except I had zero trouble going through customs in Miami. I even put that I had brought stuff back on my declaration form. The guy didn't bat an eye.

Did you guys get a Treasruy license?

[RagingInMiami]

42. None of us had a license

That was the whole point of going. To go without the government's permission. And that is why the feds were so angry.

[Sammy Pepys]

46. Oh, I gotcha.

We had a license. We flew right from Miami into Havana.

[RagingInMiami]

47. That would much easier

We had to fly through the Bahamas. What airline did you take?

[Sammy Pepys]

53. Private charter

I was kind of bummed that the Cuban officials wouldn't stamp my passport. They know the "wink-wink" deal of Americans coming into Cuba, so they typically won't do it.

I don't like the US sanctions against Cuba, but being "legitimate" greatly empowered us over there. Moreover, our group was welcomed in one town with the American flag being displayed and the Star Spangled Banner playing...in frwakin' Cuba. It was unreal.

You're right about the clothing thing too. We gave one guy an igloo cooler. You would've thought he had just been handed a million dollars.

You're also right about the living conditions. They simply wouldn't be tolerated here.

Great people...very warm and friendly. They really seem to like America and Americans. Another surreal moment was sitting in a bar with an illegal satellite hookup, watching an Orioles-Yankees baseball game with the waitstaff and talking baseball.

[Laughing Mirror]

57. living conditions simply wouldn't be tolerated here ... Except they are

There are hundreds and hundreds of square miles of dilapidated and abandoned and rotting buildings in big cities all over the US. You are invited to go do some exploring. You might encounter some 50 million of our citizens who live below the official US poverty line, people you might never run into on a private charter.

[Sammy Pepys]

60. I've been there, thanks....

jerk

[kineneb]

78. and they can be found in CA.

out here in the country. People living in shacks, with their kids. No running water, or intermittant, because they don't always have money to pay the bill. No heat - heater got red-tagged and can't be used. No hot water for showers - the kids use the showers at school. Our Rotary club collects the sample-sized soaps and shampoos to give to the kids. The superintendent of our school district figures that about 1/3 of the high school students could be considered homeless.

I feel for the folks in Cuba because they can't protest. But what good is protesting for the poor in America?

[Laughing Mirror]

100. You must be joking

Living conditions like that simply are not tolerated in this country.

Why protest for the poor in America when there are no poor in America, of course.

[killbotfactory]

102. You must be joking

"when there are no poor in America"?

Do you live in a suburban bubble?

[Laughing Mirror]

104. You need to read the previous posts up the thread

in order to get the "joke."

There does seem to a be an impermeable suburban bubble, yes. But no I do not live in it, quite the contrary.

[lpbk2713]

41. Thanks for sharing your pics RIM.

I'd like to travel the whole country one of these days. I noticed the flamencas. Is there a Spanish part of la Habana or was that more of a tourist thing?


Question: Did you have any problems from the local authorities with a turista such as yourself taking a lot of pictures?

[RagingInMiami]

43. There were a few instances where the cops didn't like me taking photos

But in all honesty, I get that attitude from the cops down here in Miami sometimes.

The flamenco dance is in Old Havana, the tourist section. It's in a Spanish restaurant that was surprisingly inexpensive, considering the quality of the food, service and entertainment.

For example, beers were a dollar and a tapas plate of shrimp in garlic sauce was five dollars. That is the one place in the tourist that I will most definitely return to on my next trip to Cuba.

[ProudDad]

111. What's the name of the place

I was in Spain for nearly two months a few years ago and had a HELL of a time finding a good Flamenco show.

The best one I ever saw was a group from Spain who were playing in a "cheap" lobster resteraunt in Cancun (of all places). I talked to the guitar player afterwards in 'Spanish' spanish and he seemed quite relieved to hear a lisp again.

I've GOT to get back to La Havana again before it's gone...

[RagingInMiami]

112. You would ask me the name

I have no idea, but I can probably find out by asking some of the people I was with. But the tourist section of Old Havana is not that large, so it shouldn't be that hard to find.

However, I talked to some of the dancers after the show (I was smitten by the girl in blue)and they told me they perform at another place on Wednesday nights. And I had them write it down for me because I had planned to go. Of course, I never made it because I got caught up drinking rum on the malecon.

But here is the address. I'm not sure how good their food is or how expensive it is.

Habana Flamenca
Centro Andaluz de La Habana
Prado # 604
In between Genios and Refugios streets

[ceile]

44. Excellent!

Thanks for sharing.

[PittLib]

48. Loved the slideshow ...

what amazing photos. Ironic, really considering I just this morning came across a couple of photos you took and e-mailed to me back in September. The photos were of Chuck Pennacchio and me at the DU meet-up in DC. Let me express my gratitude again for those as well as for this informative and entertaining tour of Havana.

[RagingInMiami]

88. I thought Chuck was very cool

And I usually don't like politicians when I meet them in person. But Chuck seemed very genuine. A true people person. I still have his business card. I hope he wins in 2006.

[PittLib]

107. Sadly ...

not to be. He did not win the primary, but has begun a great grassroots network that will have an impact on PA politics in the future. We haven't seen the last of him.

[lildreamer316]

49. Thank you...

My heart aches now...from both the beauty and the pain.
Before I die; I will go.

[Nickster]

50. Those were some great photos. Thanks for sharing. Looks like such a

beautiful place.

[Seabiscuit]

52. Loved your story and your photos. K&R! BTW, did you see any

cars there that weren't American models from the 1940's and 1950's?

[ronnykmarshall]

54. Thatnk you for posting this.

I really enjoyed your thoughts and your pictures.

Cubans are beautiful people.

[MuseRider]

55. My son was there

a couple of summers ago for an intensive Latin percussion study. He loved it there, fell totally in love with the people. He would just go out at night, meet people who were out playing music and they would go and jam in some neighborhood or on the beach. Your story sounded so familiar and I am very jealous.

Looking at the pictures I was struck by the kids holding music for the players. As a musician I can't imagine. Not to sound too stupid here but how easy would it be to send things like music stands to the schools? I would love to send a ton of stands over to the schools, it seems they could be used and they don't have to cost much and can fold into rather small packages. My guess is that we can't do it easily but perhaps the next time your friend is headed that way he could take some?

Thank you for this lovely post.

[RagingInMiami]

61. I don't see why Ben wouldn't try to take some music stands to Cuba

Here is his website. I will e-mail him and ask about it. I will let you know what he says.

www.sendapiana.com

[MuseRider]

66. Cool!

I was thinking I could ask all my friends, especially the ones I play with to put out a few bucks and I could ask the music store owners in my area to cut a bit off the price and we could send a load of them. I know it is a small thing but sometimes small things matter and frankly I would hate to have to practice only if I could find a friend to hold my music. It just caught my eye and I thought, "why not?"

[RagingInMiami]

68. And the kids holding up the sheets look so bored

[MuseRider]

93. Ha Ha

I can imagine!

[Gloria]

56. Wonderful photos and story! I love listening to Radio Habana

on shortwave--the music is great, they talk about US plans to privatize the whole place and read from the big policy book issued by Bushco. Arnie Coro, the ham/shortwave radio guy, runs a fun show, too.

[Judi Lynn]

58. Wonderful photos. Just wonderful. I have often wondered if that water

by the Malecon ever comes up over the wall. Now I know!

Although the buildings were breathtaking, the chance to see the faces, the attitudes, the behavior of the people was a direct insight.

I wanted to mention the cops may be a little wary of strangers due to the fact they have the ongoing threat of repeated acts of terrorism from people sent by the radical Cuban "exile" groups in Miami, who've sent people from Florida, as well as people they've hired in Central America to create mayhem there over the years, and they can just walk in like visitors from anywhere. That threat will continue until that old generation has died out.

Hope you'll take more photos and show them here NEXT TIME you go, as well.

As for knowing Benny Truehaft, that's worth a story in itself! Many of us have seen his documentary, "Tuning with the Enemy" on Ovation, on cable tv. What a great guy! His website is www.sendapiana.com


All this, flamenco, and bagpipes, too! What an adventure.

[RagingInMiami]

65. Yes, the water was really strong one day that week

But on most days, it doesn't come over the wall, just crashes against the rocks below. But when it comes over, it really comes over, as I learned after getting soaked while trying to take photos of someone else getting soaked.

The key, I learned, is to situate yourself where it doesn't come over because it seems to come over at certains spots each time.

That one cop who stopped us when I was on the tricycle taxi was surprised when I told him I was American because I was speaking to him in Spanish. I kept telling him I was a "gringo" and he understood "Griego", as in Greek. They don't get many American tourists over there.

In fact, as I walked throughout Habana Central, sections that most tourists stay away from, all the Cubans would see me with my camera and try to guess where I was from.

"Tu eres Italiano" was usually their first guess.

I would shake my head no, encouraging them to keep guessing.

"Tu eres Espanol" figuring Spain would be the next logical choice for a brown-eyed, black-haired tourist.

Sometimes they would rattle off other Latin American countries, Mexico, Costa Rica, Argentina, Colombia. Nobody ever guessed the USA.

When I would finally tell them I was "Americano", they would get all excited and insist I come over and talk to them. They all hate Bush, but they really like Americans. When I would tell them I was from Miami, they would get even more excited because most of them have family here. Then they would ask if I was Cuban American because I tend to speak Spanish like a Cuban, having grown up down here.

So when the cop finally understood that I was American, he asked if I was Cuban American. I knew what he was getting at, so I told him no, Colombian American, trying my best to not sound Cuban. Then he hit me up for the bribe, I told him that's exactly what the cops in Colombia do. He seemed to take that as a compliment. He pushed the bribe issue a couple more times and I just flatly refused, prepared to pay the consequences of not paying his "multa".

I later found out that the Cubans don't use the word "gringo" to describe Americans, as Mexicans, Colombians and Miami Cubans do, but use "yankee" instead, which is why the cop thought I was Greek.

I haven't seen Tuning with the Enemy yet, but they were all talking about it.

That Ben is a character though; a very funny guy.

[Poll_Blind]

59. Amazing pictures which tell a very interesting story. K&R! n/t

PB

[ralps]

62. Great Photos RagingInMiami!!!

[Liberalboy]

63. Thank you

Thank you so much for the story and for the pictures. I have always had a close affinity for Cuba and want to visit one day. I'm hoping once I immigrate to Canada and call that home it will be easier for me to do that. I hope you don't mind if I share your links for the pciture and the story with some friends - both are really well done

Niko

[Judi Lynn]

101. There was a tremendous Canadian poster at D.U. who had been to Cuba

many, many times. She was absolutely furious with the U.S. for its grotesque treatment of Cuba over the years, and never missed a chance to speak out against it here. She was very blunt, and impatient with some of the transient freeps who pass through, from time to time, and zapped them but good. They apparently bitched about it to the point she was thrown outta here.

Damned ridiculous knowing they won, and a fine traveller/Canadian/poster like Freecancat took it in the shorts! She had a lot of very interesting things she shared before she was dispatched, and all of them contradicted right-wing propaganda claims and charges about Cuba.

From the way she talked, TONS of Canadians go to Cuba yearly. There are also some Cuban restaurants, etc. where she lives, in Ottawa, and you can also buy Cuban cigars there!

[immoderate]

64. Thanks Raging, great presentation!

The pictures are great. I love flamenco dancing (it's tapdancing without the shuffle.) And I am always taken with the relationship of Cubans and the arts. Glad that you showed some of the art in the streets.

I particularly like the writing, which just carried me along. Great job there. Maybe I'll get to hear more soon, I still owe you a beer.

--IMM

[RagingInMiami]

67. I've seen you dance

Even if it was just a drunken demonstration in a bar.

So I know you would have really appreciated these dancers because they were striking their feet loud on the stage. Tap dancing, Flamenco, Irish step dancing. It's all related. The world is one.

[Disturbed]

69. The Embargo and travel restrictions are

pure stupidity of succesive US Govt.s.

[immoderate]

73. I wasn't drunk, that's my style.

We'll have to have a meetup soon. Before you go globetrotting again.

--IMM

[RagingInMiami]

74. I was the one that was drunk

You're were dancing good.

But I'm the kind of guy who dances better drunk.

[trumad]

82. Can I ask you what the approximate cost of the entire trip was?

Did you stay in a hotel?

[RagingInMiami]

86. I paid $515 for the flight

And that included a flight from Miami to Nassau on BahamasAir, and a flight from Nassau to Havana on La Cubana, the Cuban airline.

I had already made reservations at a Casa Particular, which is like a Cuban bed and breakfast where a family rents out a room in their house. This, of course, needs to be government approved. The cost was $20-a-night for seven nights.

And one of the Americans in our group ended up staying in my room, so the owner of the house threw in another bed and charged us $25-a-night ($12.50 each).

Hotels goes for much more than that. In fact, hotels in Havana charge as much as hotels in the U.S.

A Casa Particular is definitely the way to go if you go to Cuba. We shared a kitchen with a couple staying in another room, so we had a refrigerator and a stove.

In the first few days, I spent more money on food than I wanted to because I was in the tourist area. It's not uncommon to pay $20 or more for a meal. But once I caught on to the system, I was able to save money by eating in the Cuban sector.

One of the best things about Cuba is that alcohol is cheap. Their local beer, Bucanero, sells between a $1 and $1.50 if you know where to go (you can also pay more than $3 for beer in a bar where Hemingway supposedly drank). Even Heineken, which is the beer I normally drink, sells for about $1.50/$2.00 in most bars.

But Bucanero was very good beer so I drank that when I wasn't drinking Cuban rum, which is so good you can drink it neat.

[trumad]

125. I love Cuban cigars...I mean love them.

Did you tour in cigar factories?

Plus...the night life... how was it.

Plus... when I go which I hope is in the next couple of years, do you mind if I seek advice form you...

BTW: I grew up in Hialeah Miami Lakes so it would be a dream to visti Cuba.

[RagingInMiami]

130. I'm not a cigar guy at all, so I did not smoke any

Everybody offers you Cohibas on the street, but they are most likely fake. The real Cohibas are available everywhere, but they're not cheap (or maybe they are, I just find them expensive).

Now that you mention the cigar factories, I would have liked to have gone to photograph them. I will do that next time.

The nightlife is amazing. Simply amazing. And Cuban rum is so good you can drink it straight.

And of course you can seek advice from me if you go to Cuba. I plan on going again in the near future. It is truly a fascinating country. Especially if you are already familiar with Cuban culture.

And everybody seems to have a cousin in Hialeah.

[SharonRB]

70. Really great photos, Carlos

I especially loved the ones taken at sunset near the water -- the fishermen, the bagpipe player. I didn't click on everything to see them large, but what I could see was wonderful. Of course, I wouldn't expect less from you.

[proud patriot]

71. Incredible Pictures

Thanks

[jonnyblitz]

72. thanks for sharing your experience and the pictures!

Cuba is the one place about which I never know what to believe, especially in regards to Castro. I appreciate your perspective. I am also very very familiar with Jessica Mitford, her life and writings as well as the story of her interesting and notorius family. How cool you know her son!

once again, thanks for sharing this.

[RagingInMiami]

79. Jessica Mitford lived quite a life

I had no idea who she was until I met Ben. Then I looked her up online and learned a lot.

[Bemis]

76. Incredible post

Just an incredible post!

The pictures were fantastic while you post was written in a very down to earth
way. Had to look at all the pictures and read the post even though I had just
planned to take a short glimpse.

Thanks for sharing your courage.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

77. That was a great piece of journalism

probably one of the best things I've ever read on DU

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

80. What's the English fluency of the population like?

just wondering

[RagingInMiami]

84. Some Cubans speak perfect English

But most barely speak it.

I guess it boils down to what they want to learn when they're in school because that bagpiper I met studied languages and now knows six languages. He calls himself a linguist. It was what he was always interested in.

The ones who know English liked to practice on me, and then ask me how they're doing because they want to perfect it.

But most Cubans I talked to were thrilled that I knew Spanish because it enabled us to communicate.

The old man in that picture of the old man and his grandson told me that there was another tourist with a camera who had taken his picture about a week earlier, but the photographer couldn't speak a word of Spanish and this guy didn't speak a word of English, so they couldn't communicate. He kept repeating how great it was that I knew Spanish.

[2bfree]

83. Great pictures.

I love the old cars.

[spindrifter]

85. Thank you so much for sharing the photos and your account

of your fabulous trip. Yes, the more one travels, the more one sees the oneness of it all.

[psychopomp]

87. I live in Japan and am almost sure you saw Japanese there

did you not? Of course, the Japanese government does not forbid travel to Cuba and there are a number of people that I know who have been, some for extended stays to study music or dance. I can only listen jealously as they talk of their time there.

I only wish I had the money and the nerve to do likewise; it looks like a wonderful place to visit.

Thanks for the great photos.

[RagingInMiami]

89. I saw a few Asians

But I'm not sure if they were Japanese. Most of the tourists seem to be European and Latin American.

[psychopomp]

91. The only Cubans I have met have been over here

ironic that our countries are so near but when we have met it has been on the opposite side of the planet.

Thanks for sharing!

Oh, and I have sent the link to the slideshow to some friends, I am sure they will enjoy the photos.

[Generic Other]

90. Wonderful photographs

Thanks so much for sharing with us all!

[file83]

92. What a great story!

Very informative and educational.

On a lighter note, you look a little tipsy in that photo with the lady. LOL!! Viva CUBA!!

[Avalon Sparks]

94. WOW - that was awesome!

The photo's and the writing were like something I'd see in National Geographic. You are very talented!!!!

I enjoyed your commentary so much on the photo's. You know some people's traveling pictures are so boring - so when I saw this thread I almost didn't even click on it, but I did and I read your post. After that I was excited to check out the pictures - and OMG they were amazing. It brought to life everything you said in your post. I lauged pretty hard at the picture of the 'scammers'. When I got to the one about the bagpiper it touched me so much... and your last comment made me tear up.

Thank you so much for posting - you come across as a wonderful and intelligent person. I will definitely bookmark this thread. It's up there in my top ten favorites -

Oh yea, I'm married and all, but I gotta say you are a real HOTTIE!!

[RagingInMiami]

97. Thank you the extremely flattering comments

A post like that can really boost a man's ego.

[On the Road]

95. Thank You for Taking the Time to Write About Your Experiences

I've been wanting to go to Cuba for years. A good friend of mine was born there. Read a lot of travel writing, but nothing on Cuba. Your pics look similar to some places I saw in Venezuela.

[Swamp Rat]

96. ¡Bravo amigo mio!

Me encantaron muy mucho, y también Cuba me recuerda de Nueva Orleans. Un día, yo quisiera tomar una cerveza contigo.

[RagingInMiami]

98. Un dia vamos a tomar esa cerveza

[mdmc]

99. kick for later view

peace!

[killbotfactory]

103. Nice photos, thanks for sharing

So many time it's just assumed that the place is a hellhole, because "How good can it be if people risk their lives to swim the the US?", but of course, it's not that simple.

[RagingInMiami]

106. While there are hundreds who have risked shark-infested waters

to come to Florida, there are hundreds who are content living in Cuba.

If anything, they told me, they would like to visit the U.S. but not live here.

[sandnsea]

105. Outstanding!!

Thanks so much for sharing, those are terrific. I always wanted to know whether the people in Cuba who own those old cars have any idea how much they'd be worth in the US. My dad was a huge car buff and practically drooled any time he saw pictures of Cuba. It looks like a fascinating place, but the irony is, if they hadn't been blocked off from US culture for the last 50 years, it probably wouldn't be "Cuba" anymore at all.

[RagingInMiami]

114. There is a gold mine in Cuba for antiques

I met this one guy who is married and lives with his in-laws. He wanted money to be able to get a place of his own where he could live with his wife and kid.

He told me he had a 1906 RCA phonograph that he would like to sell. If I knew anybody who would be interested. I took his information and told him I would do what I can, but no guarantee.

But I know there are people in this country who would pay big money for something like that.

[ProudDad]

108. Beautiful pictures

The tears grow in my eyes. I visited most of those places when I was there in '93. It was wonderful seeing it again. Thanks!

The tourist economy is another result of the fucking embargo.

When I was there, we were afraid that the Cuban Govt's decision to grow the tourist economy in order to get enough resources to aid the people would backfire.

It looks like we were right.

When I was there, the only cop we saw in 8 days of UNATTENDED travel around La Havana was the one unarmed cop who took care of a minor traffic accident. A girl was mildly hit by a guy driving his car in the little square downtown near the Malcon (where the stand serving VERY BAD chinese food was located). This cop made sure that the guy drove the girl and her bicycle to the (VERY NEARBY) clinic. That was it.

We also saw two unarmed soldiers during our 8 days there; walking near the army school.

The insidious nature of the two economies; one subsistence and the other mildly better off seems to have resulted in more cops "needed" to enforce the separation of the people into one group allowed to work the tourist trade and the other not -- thus the need to show "papers" -- their permission to feed off the tourists and make a little more than their neighbors.

I admire your cajones in facing up to la migra. They ARE REAL bastards!!

I remember traveling through 11 countries in Europe and Morroco and the only hassle at all was at U.S. Customs on the way back -- what pricks!!!

I want to go back before Castro dies just in case the Miami Cubans get their hooks into the country and fuck it all up -- again! Those Miami Cubans were the same fucks (or their parents and grand parents were) who sold that beautiful country to the Mafia and the U.S. Military. May they rot in hell forever...

[peacebuzzard]

113. Your photojournalism is top notch.

Your work far far exceeded anything I thought you would post. Genius, that is what you are.

Fantastic and unbelievable. I feel like I have been to Cuba.....

wonderful wonderful.

[Sydnie]

116. wonderful pictures

and a great commentary too. Thanks for sharing it with us.

[U4ikLefty]

119. How did you arrive in Cuba???

My cousin was there for 2 years studying medicine & had a quite different view than you.

...but she didn't come into the trip with any pre-concieved notions, like....well, you know!!!

[RagingInMiami]

120. Flew from Miami to the Bahamas, then to Havana

I don't know what pre-conceived notions you're talking about. I'm just reporting what I saw with my own eyes.

I would love to hear what your cousin has to say about Cuba.

[RagingInMiami]

144. Figures I didn't hear back from you

After all, everybody has anecdotal experience with Cuba. I don't.

[Maddogkiller]

121. Do the Cuban police turn a blind eye to

prostitution?

[RagingInMiami]

122. Prostitution was not as rampant as I had been lead to believe

It didn't seem any different than any other large city or tourist destination

The prostitutes are not exactly flaunting themselves on every corner. And the cops don't appear to be searching every shadow to arrest them. No different than in any other city.

[Mika]

124. There are MANY things about Cuba that are not as bad as Americans think.

Good work Raging.

Pics bring back so many warm feeling I have about Havana. Lovely people.


I've been all over Cuba over the last several decades and have never ever been hassled by police for taking pictures. I guess that now 'everything is different' (read: 911 911 911 terra terra terra). I have been questioned in New York when taking pics there, plus you aren't allowed to take pics in the NY subways and train stations.


I very glad that you went and saw a small portion of Cuba for yourself. Kudos to you.
You'll have to get back and see some more of the place.

[Cha]

126. Awesome Pics, Carlos!

Thanks for getting those muy interestante black market pics for us..you are quite the provocateur!

I was lookin' for beach scenes..did you go by the ocean?

Edit~ I just saw a beach scene up post..so I didn't look at all the pics yet.

[catzies]

128. Like you I grew up in Miami hearing Cubans talk about Cuba

And like you it makes me want to see it too. You're lucky.

I want to see the rainforests there. I read that Cuba has the last unspoiled Caribbean rainforests.

[ngant17]

129. nice post, here's my old (2003) travel report

Enjoyed the read. For my report, try this link here, will update later, as I'm moving some other files here soon:

http://idahosmith.com/cuba_trip_2003.htm

[RagingInMiami]

132. Very cool

Do you speak Spanish at all? Are you planning on going back?

[ngant17]

134. re: very cool

Raging,

glad you like the old (2003) Cuba travel report. I also traveled in 2004 but for a shorter time.

I am not fluent in Spanish, but I'm always willing to practice when opportunity presents itself.

I am not planning to go back this year, Havana is so expensive. I spent almost 3 weeks in East Europe and was able to live on approx. $200 dollars by planning ahead. In Cuba, I had almost 5x that amount and blew it all in Havana in less than half that time. A lot of it went for rent and travel in and around Havana and adjacent cities. IMHO food wasn't very expensive in Cuba. But you really can't live cheaply in Havana unless you have relatives there.

I have some more photos of Cuba and Cubans and can post here if you want. I also have some links to interviews in RealAudio format if you want.

Also, I'm from Florida, my basic bio is here:

http://www.geocities.com/ngant17/bio1.htm

[RagingInMiami]

136. Another Miami native

You don't meet to many of those. I remember seeing Claude Pepper as a kid dining out in the restaurant at the Holiday Inn in Coral Gables on LeJeune Road. The only reason I knew was because my dad pointed him out to me. It was during the 1970s and Pepper was an old man by then.

I agree with you that Havana was very expensive. I was in Eastern Europe in 1994 and my dollar went much further than it did in Havana.

You might be interested in reading the History of Miami article I wrote for my site. It's very long, so if you ever get bored maybe you can read it. Please ignore the question marks that are supposed to be other punctuation signs. I'm in the processing of redesigning my site, so I haven't really maintained the current site.

http://www.magiccitymedia.com/HistoryofMiami.html

[Mika]

138. Carlos, did you know that Claude Pepper supported Ileana Ros' election?

Yep. He campaigned for her first run, and smeared her Dem opponent as a "Castro supporter".

[RagingInMiami]

139. I had no idea

But I wonder if he would be regretting it now if he were alive. I can't stand that bitch. And I live in her district. I guess you do too.

I've met the guy who is running against her, but I'm not sure if he is going to be able to win.

http://www.calderin2006.com/

[ngant17]

151. didn't know that Claude Pepper allied himself with the "she-wolf".

I find that hard to believe, but in some ways probably not surprising because of so much right-wing influences from the emigre community.

I only knew Claude Pepper from the history books, and he was maligned as the "Red Pepper" for his support of Social Security and FDR. I thought he would have been more supportive of the Cuban Revolution but I suppose it affected everyone differently.

I don't think my father would have gone that far to the right.

[ngant17]

152. excellent history of Miami

I was very impressed by this article! I have it bookmarked to read again later.

I don't consider myself a Miami native per se, I was born in Hollywood and my father lived there as a school teacher in Miami or North Miami. I am basically a Central Florida person now. Like the surf but I don't travel a lot these days.

I especially appreciated your mention of the Miami Circle - don't forget that originally the developer wanted to dig it up and haul it all away on a trash-dumpster and put it somewhere else!! How sick can you get? Thank God Bush &Co. weren't in power then, or we would have lost this important part of Florida's history.

I am glad there are Florida natives like you who are out there and in some ways making me proud to live here again. It's been so depressing with all the money and environmental destruction running over the state.

[RagingInMiami]

154. Thanks for the compliment

I spent months working on that article. I had planned to write only 3,500 words, but then as I got into it, doing research and discovering all these new facts, it ended up being 10,000 words.

Things will get better in Florida. I have a feeling we will one day become one of the most progressive states in the country. One day. Hopefully soon.

[MikeNY]

131. Thanks for the photos

This was very enlightening. Its not every day you get to see something like this.

[LibertyorDeath]

133. Thanks for the trip to Cuba I really enjoyed it!

They look like warm hearted people.

Cheers...

[Raine]

135. Cool

THANKS for sharing!

[bridgit]

142. good stuff, holmes...

thanks for posting

[shance]

145. Rage, thank you for taking us on that amazing Cuban adventure.

You sold me amigo.

Thanks for a fantastic post.

[redwitch]

153. thank you for a great photo essay

your photos are beautiful and the commentary fascinating.