New Photo

I took this photo while traveling along the old Route 66. This neon sign was in a dusty junk/antique shop. The shop was closed but the sign was on so i snapped the photo but it was grainy so I tweaked it in PhotoShop. It also was with a film camera, not digital.

Bahia de Cochinos (Bay of Pigs)

Even though this event happened long before most of my readers were born, I think most have heard of The Bay of Pigs as a significant event if you have read much of anything about Cuba/US relations. It happened in 1961. Kennedy had just been inaugurated president a mere 3 months prior to the invasion which had been planned by Eisenhower but very little information had been passed on to Kennedy. Preparation was underway. The U.S. was training mercenaries in Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and in Florida. Meanwhile Cuba had launched an intensive literacy campaign to teach the largely illiterate population to read.

The U.S. launched the invasion on April 15 but in an attempt to portray it as a Cuban invasion against the new Castro government, there were no Americans among the invaders and the planes sent to bomb airports and the Cuban Air Force were painted with Cuban Air Force insignias. That way the U.S. could say, 'we didn't do it.' The idea was that the local Cubans would welcome the invasion and rise up against the new government but so far they had been taught to read, had medical attention and everyone had a place to live.  So the Cuban people did rise up against THE INVADERS who came to 'liberate' them.

So The Bay of Pigs started the Kennedy presidency with a complete failure which the U.S. wasn't used to however it was going to get used to tragic loss over the years with Vietnam still on the horizon. It also instilled a vendetta between the Kennedy brothers and the Castro brothers leaving many to believe that Castro was responsible for the assassination of JFK who had through the CIA made several attempts to assassinate Castro.

Castro has been in control of Cuba for over 50 years. Some call it Communism, Fidel calls it Socialism but I see it more as Castroism. He has done many good things for the citizens but I think they are more than ready to run their own country with a free election and a democratic system.  If he let that happen I think he would still be seen as a hero to his people but there is a point in time when he loses that possibility. Only time will tell how the future of Cuba plays out.

New Chapter

I honestly thought I had exhausted all the stories about Cuba I could tell. But I forgot about The Bay Of Pigs!! How could that happen? Not ready to tell it yet but it is interesting. I hadn't thought about it before but that incident pitted two sets of brothers: the Kennedys and the Castros, each set had a charismatic brother and a dark vindictive brother; each had a tall, virile brother and a small brooding brother but both sets were devoted to each other. Testosterone clash in the Bay of Pigs!

It will be a couple of days before I post that story but wouldn't this make a great Ken Burns documentary? 

Attached photos of people in Peru

Here are a few photos of the people in Peru.

Not much left to say

     Going to a place like Cuba is not like tourist travel anywhere else in the world. I have to take cash but not much but since credit cards are not accepted, whatever I spend will be cash. Sometimes Cuban cash and sometimes U.S. There is some sort of subtle sorting it out to be learned while there. To spend money in Cuba as an American is considered 'trading with the enemy.'  I've read everything from the hard facts to the beauty of the landscape to the music and personality of the people. Guantanamo got the most 'hits' on this blog. Lots of interest in that subject. Friends told me it's hard to post comments so I have no idea what people think of my notes.
     There is an underbelly to Cuba that Cubans  seem to deal with in one way or the other. They are survivors. I don't understand why they fought a revolution, several revolutions over the years  because of the condescending hold the U.S. had over their country and still does in the case of Guantanamo but now their own country treats them in a condescending way. An example of that is when I had a telephone conversation with a person who had traveled in Cuba. He  asked me whether I was fair complected or dark like a Latin. Puzzled I asked him why that would matter. He said if I looked Cuban, it would be difficult to go to some up scale restaurants or enter up scale hotels.  
      I leave in about a month and a half and I am saturated with information. Now it's time to buy the humanitarian supplies and figure out what to take to keep my carry on and checked bag under 44 pounds together. Time to take out the camera and spend a day or two out shooting photos of buildings in downtown San Diego to be sure of settings for those marvelous old colonial buildings in Havana, and the cars, the old cars, the cars of my youth, the big old gas guzzling machines. People will also be photo subjects, if they agree. In Peru the agreement to be photographed cost a 'propina,' ie tip, not much, pocket change and in a country where pocket change could mean a better meal for their family, I have no problem with a 'propina.' 


Well that's it for now. A bit disjointed notes and I apologize for that but it's just random thoughts as I prepare for an unusual trip.
 

How does a man like Castro maintain control for so long

I can't answer that question. As I dig into the past 50 years of events in Cuba, I cannot explain how a seemingly intelligent population allows such total control to be held by one man. The citizens are better off in many ways such as free education and free health care and no one dies homeless, hungry and sick on the streets which is a very big dependency to keep tight control.   Many events came together to create the revolution in the first place. The revolutionary leader was no George Washington, Thomas Jefferson or Abraham Lincoln which was unfortunate for the citizens of Cuba. The whole story is way too tangled to go into here and I am not qualified to render an opinion and I am not sure I will be after visiting for a mere 8 days. What I hope to do is make a connection with the people, shake a hand see if I feel a sisterhood as I did with some ladies in Peru who were busy with handcrafts and needlework. I am a knitter and that plus a reasonable command of the Spanish language established a rapport I will always be grateful for. I hope to find the same ambiance in Cuba. It is all up to me.

Wonder why Cuba resents our Gito presence?

Aside from the obvious that it is their country, this is what good old Ronnie Reagan said regarding the Guantanamo issue "The purpose of the base is political: to impose the U.S. presence even if the Cubans don't want it."

Ronnie, Ronnie, Ronnie, you didn't help U.S. citizens much either when you deinstitutionalized the mental institutions without money going into local clinics and mental health care. That's why we have so many homeless mentally ill. Kinda ironic that Ronnie got shot by a mentally ill person who was off medication.

Ya think Ronnie was a bit elitist? Watching the current political process gives me shivers. Here in California many people are putting 'none of the above' in the governors race. Arrogance is losing us a lot of foreign friends and harming some of us here in America who are slipping into poverty level while the very rich get even richer with big bonus and tax cuts without stipulations to create jobs and not outsourcing jobs as a criteria.

Sorry, didn't mean to get political but it's what happens while blogging and watching Meet the Press at the same time.  Those of us on Social Security are experiencing the second year without a cost of living increase while health care costs as well as health care  needs are increasing. We are slipping into the ever growing poverty level in this country.  Does congress think we don't notice they voted themselves raises during this economic crisis? I wish we had a true statesman who was willing to run for president. The only one in my view is Colin Powell and his wife won't let him run. Smart woman.

On this rainy day in So Cal I continue to read about Cuba. I am now reading about Fidel. What a contradiction he is. Power hungry, manipulative, brutal, intelligent, womanizer, but unlike most Cubans, can't dance, can't sing, can play dominoes and is a huge baseball fan.  He has been from the beginning very anti American. He is only surpassed as a long time leader of his country by Queen Elizabeth.

Happy Sunday. JK

Landing at dawn in Mexico City

Passing Volcanos on approach to Mexico City Airport

Here's mo on Gitmo

I decided to do some more research on the situation of civilian employees in Guantanamo, that is local Cuban employees. Up until the early '60s when the door slammed shut on our relations with Cuba, thousands of Cubans worked inside Guantanamo. They came from near by towns every morning by bus and ferry. When the door slammed shut, no more workers were hired but those who already had jobs, continued to work at the base. By the early 1990s, the number of Cubans working inside Guantanamo had shrunk to 27, their numbers dropping due to old age or illness.  Over the years many workers didn't bother to go back and were assisted by the navy who hustled them off to Florida where they could be treated as if they had been picked up by the Coast Guard or floated ashore. If they had been identified as 'fence jumpers' it would have been a completely different story. Sentries were ordered shoot to kill if the fence jumper was Cuban and shoot to wound if it was an American going the other direction. However those few who would not give up their citizenship and loyalty to Cuba, also gave up their earned pension as an employee of the U.S. Navy.

There is no current information about Cuban employees at Guantanamo since there aren't any anymore. I found the above information in a book titled "Trading With the Enemy" which was published in 1992. It was written by Tom Miller who spent time in Cuba with the approval of both the U.S. and Cuba. His purpose was to tell about everyday life in Cuba and not to pass judgment on the political situation.  A lot has happened since then but I think it gives a realistic view of life on the island today.

 

Stand by for mo on Gitmo as well as a few notes on family

I really appreciate my followers and I would trade my exciting trip for their life with growing children any day. I have sweet memories of those days. 

This weekend I am compiling more up to date information about Gitmo which is the only place we hear much about in Cuba these days since it is used as a slammer for the bad guys who would do us harm. 

In addition I'll post some photos of my 'babies' one who will be 47 on November 1. Charlie was born in Puerto Rico in 1963. Here's a bit a trivia about those days; on November 22 I was in my bedroom feeding Charlie and watching Spanish language TV to improve my language skill when the priest (Episcopal) came by to set a date for Charlie's baptism. We were busy in the living room admiring my first born when TV chatter went wild. The priest and I along with baby Charlie rushed into the bedroom to see what was happening. When we realized the president had been shot, we both knelt beside the bed to say a prayer. Neither of us were able to say anything. I often wonder how the priest describes the day Kennedy was shot when that subject comes up. "oh, I was in a lady's bedroom."

My son John is in St. Louis waiting to hear about a job application. He was laid off about 3 weeks ago and at his age, 44, he is in the most risky age to find another job in this atmosphere. Keep good thoughts for him and I'll post the results after I gain control after screaming 'hooray!!' since I know he'll get the job.

Okay, my weekend has been mapped out and my books on Cuba are piled up beside me. My iPhoto archive is ready to be searched for photos of my sons. It's misty gray day.  A good day for spending in front of my computer. 

Later JudyK

GITMO (GUANTANAMO)

In 1902 after the Spanish American War the U.S., by way of the Platt Amendment, entered into a lease agreement with Cuba for the Naval base at Guantanamo. It can only be broken if both parties agree. The U.S. pays Cuba $4,085 annually for the lease. Fidel keeps the un-cashed checks in a drawer and is willing to show them off for a photo op with the press.  Over the years Cuban citizens have commuted into the base to work. When they retired they were due government pensions for their service however the Trading with the Enemy Act forbids paying them their due unless they leave home and renounce their Cuban citizenship. We buy oil from Iran and borrow money from China but paying a guajiro (country person)  his earned retirement benefits is trading with the enemy.

The Story

The history of Cuba would make a fabulous Ken Burns documentary. There are so many stories within the history of the island. If you agree when you read these short stories written in this blog, make a comment. When I return from my 'bookend' trip in December, I'll make notes here about what I see. Why do I call it a 'bookend?' I was there for a short trip in 1958. I walked the Prado and the Malecon. I saw a rum factory, met people in Sloppy Joe's, advertised as a Hemingway hangout. The current travel books say the Floridita is now the Hemingway hangout. My view at 73 will be different than it was when I was 21 but I think the ambiance of the people will be the same. My question is why are we blocked, in general, from sharing it. I have approval to travel to Cuba since I am on a humanitarian trip but as a tourist, I could not go there. My job now is to collect school and medical supplies to take along. A challenge since I am limited to 44 pounds carry on and checked bags. Lucky fashion is not high on my list.

Let me know what you think. Thanks, Judy

Trivia

This bit of trivia may leave many people scratching their heads wondering who I am talking about but here goes; in earlier posts I spoke of a folk hero in Cuba as well as all of Latin America by the name of Jose Marti.  There are lots of statues of him in many countries. He died in 1895, shot in the first attempt to win independence for Cuba from Spain. He was the grandfather of Cesar Romero a Hollywood heartthrob, handsome actor who played the Cisco Kid but more recent years (1966) he played in Batman. 

Cuban Missile Crisis

In 1962, Cuba pointed Russian missiles at the US and caused a stand off that led to the embargo. We, meaning the US, stared the Russians down, they blinked and took out the missiles. JFK was the hero Castro was the bad guy and Cuba lost lots of tourism.  Way over simplified but too boring to go into detail. The subject here is what it did to over 50 years to tourism in Cuba.  Simply put, it killed it much like you see happening in Mexico today. If you like danger free resort travel, Mexico is not for you. There is always a new place, like the Dominican Republic. Funny how these things happen, does anyone go to Aruba anymore? Islands and resorts are a dime a dozen and look pretty much the same but tourism is big business for trouble free zones. After 50 years in the cooler, very few young adventure prone travelers put Cuba on their list of 'must have an umbrella drink there' destinations.

Many geezers are still angry at Castro for pointing those missiles at us. If you didn't live through that danger period, it's just a hazy history lesson and some pretty good movies about the incident. As a full fledged geezer I was there  and I remember the crazy things we did to combat fear.  During the crises in October 1962, while others dug shelters in their back yards and  enterprising salesmen sold those shelters, I flew to Mexico City in order to be in a place I really loved in case it was the end, you know, a toast with a well made Daiquiri and good bye world. Sounds a bit melodramatic but we were that close to being blown away and we knew it.  I met the man I eventually married on that trip. Thanks Fidel, you are a real pain in the ass and so was my husband but I am thankful for the 3 sons I had by that man. 

So what now? Like some hippy sentimentalist said, 'let's give peace a chance,' and have a Cuba Libre on the Malacon in Havana, dance a couple of salsas and enjoy what's left of this life. 

Due to lack of interest I am closing this blog.

I will continue researching various elements of Cuban society but not only lack of interest but one long time friend actually turned his back on me because of my enthusiasm for a society that celebrates music, baseball, dance and friendliness without arrogance. 

If you are logging on, my past posts are on the right side of this page. 

I am currently comparing drug traffic in US, Mexico and Cuba. So far I am seeing that lots of traffic passes by Cuba on the way to the US but there is no market on for drugs on the island. Does anyone doubt the traffic is all headed to the US no matter where it originates. I think we are observing the final stage of The Closing of The American Mind. (a book title from the '70s, I think--I'll look it up) Our schools are deplorable but politicians still vote themselves raises and spend huge amounts to get re elected. Why not? It's a cash cow for life. Why is it our esteemed leaders don't want you to know Cuba way out ranks the US in college graduates and literacy. 


One more comment before I sign off: regarding legalizing pot and eventually drugs: ARE YOU KIDDING? Here's my solution, Mandatory Rehab Insurance to sell or buy drugs of any kind. Of course drugs for health reasons would be excluded and please don't try to pass off the 'pot for medical reason' on a mother who saw a son die in a jail cell full of drugs which all started with, big surprise, POT. Anyway this move would save the tax payer the cost of rehab for the brain dead user and put an end to the cartels. Tax dollars would roll in but in my 73 year old, drug free, brain tells me those tax dollars would end up somewhere other than schools.

I'll wait one week. No comments, this blog is closed.

DOES CUBA TAKE AMERICAN EXPRESS OR VISA?

HA HA, THE EASY ANSWER IS NEITHER. IT'S CASH ONLY.  SOMETIMES DOLLARS AND SOMETIMES CUBAN DOLLARS. AN AMERICAN IS LIMITED HOW THEIR DOLLARS CAN BE SPENT. THE RESTRICTIONS ARE PUT IN PLACE BY THE AMERICANS, NOT THE CUBANS. I WILL BE ABLE TO BUY CUBAN MUSIC, PRINTED MATTER AND ART. I CANNOT BUY CIGARS OR RUM. GUESS I'LL HAVE TO SMOKE AND DRINK MYSELF SILLY WHILE THERE. I WANT TO VISIT THE CIGAR FACTORY TO SEE HOW THESE THINGS ARE MADE.

THE LACK OF CREDIT IS AN INTERESTING COMPARISON WHEN APPLIED TO STUDENT LOANS HERE IN AMERICA. FOR EXAMPLE OUR STUDENT LOAN DEBT NOW SURPASSES OUR CREDIT CARD DEBT TO THE TUNE OF OVER 800 BILLION DOLLARS. IS IT ANY WONDER WHY HEALTH CARE COSTS, LAWYER FEES, PROFESSIONAL FEES OF ALL SORTS ARE INCREASING BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS. THOSE PROFESSIONALS HAVE A BOAT LOAD OF DEBT THEY ARE PAYING OFF AND THEY ARE PASSING THE COSTS ON TO YOU THE CONSUMER. STUDENT LOANS COULD BE APPLIED TO LIVING COSTS SO STUDENTS WERE USING THE MONEY FOR EXPENSES OTHER THAN SCHOOL. MANY WILL GO TO THEIR GRAVES OWING STUDENT LOANS. HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN? BECAUSE OF EASY CREDIT, BECAUSE HIGHER LEARNING LEARNED IT COULD CHARGE MORE AND MORE BECAUSE OF EASY CREDIT. NOW WE HAVE A HOLE THAT WILL NEVER GO AWAY. 

WHEN THE EMBARGO IS LIFTED IN CUBA WE WILL FIND OUR CONDESCENDING ATTITUDE MAY BE A LITTLE EMBARRASSING. WE HEAR VERY LITTLE ABOUT THE FREE  HEALTH CARE IN CUBA AND WHEN WE DO, IT'S ALWAYS DEROGATORY.  THAT FREE HEALTH CARE IS AVAILABLE BECAUSE OF FREE EDUCATION THROUGH HIGHER LEARNING. THE EMBARGO HAS ALLOWED CUBA TO RUN IT'S OWN SHOW WITHOUT AMERICAN 'HELP,' WHICH HAS CREATED LOTS OF DOCTORS,  LOTS OF NEIGHBORHOOD CLINICS, NO ONE DYING ON THE STREETS BECAUSE OF CHRONIC HEALTH CARE NEEDS AND NO INSURANCE. IT HELPS THAT CUBA HAS HAD AIDS UNDER CONTROL SINCE 1985.

EVAN THOUGH I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DAY WE ARE FREE TO TRAVEL TO CUBA, 'FREELY,'  I DREAD SEEING THE MANGROVES IN THE ZAPATA SWAMP PAVED OVER TO CREATE RESORTS THAT LOOK JUST LIKE ANY OTHER IN CANCUN OR CABO. I SHUDDER WHEN I THINK OF A STARBUCK'S ON EVERY CORNER IN HAVANA AND THE SPANISH COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE PAINTED TO LOOK LIKE DISNEY WORLD. AND THE CARS, OH THE OLD CARS WHICH WE ARE ALREADY LOSING SINCE IT IS ILLEGAL TO BRING THEM INTO THE US WHEN THEY ARE AVAILABLE FOR SALE.

THANKS FOR READING MY COMMENTS, YOUR COMMENTS ARE ALWAYS APPRECIATED. JUDYK

PHOTOS FROM OAXACA MEXICO

THESE  PHOTOS WERE TAKEN IN OAXACA MEXICO. THERE ARE TWO ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES NEAR THERE; ONE IS MITLA AND THE OTHER MONTE ALBAN. THE OTHER PHOTO IS OF A CHURCH IN THE CENTER OF TOWN.

Benefits of the lack of capitalism in Cuba

I am not that familiar with Florida but I have seen enough of the failed condo developments and retirement and low cost housing developments that never got any farther than roads with no houses and condos with no people and swimming pools turning green to know that lack of that kind of development hasn't hurt Cuba. Being stuck in time sometimes is a good thing. Ecologically it's been an environmental bonanza. When the embargo is finally lifted we can only hope the Cuban crocodile looks like a wonder to be saved and not a pair of shoes or a handbag.        

Since I spent most of the '60s in Puerto Rico, the comparison between the islands will be interesting when I visit Cuba in December. My former husband was the manager of housing developments back then which were jokingly called 'instant slums' by the guys with the $$ from Texas. When they would fly down for business meetings, they would send word ahead if they were bringing wives or girl friends which gave the local guys a 'heads up.' In those early post revolutionary days, Puerto Rico was turned into the playground that formerly belonged to Cuba.(notice husband is now former husband and has been for many years. ) I will say one advantage that Puerto Rico enjoys due to being a commonwealth of the US is that there is a strong middle class on the island.  It was developed by 'operation bootstrap' which gave big tax advantages to companies establishing employment on the island. It may have been the beginning of out sourcing however in Puerto Rico it was  employment for US citizens.