Oh, Yeah! Cuba. (Again)

 

The photographic tour of Cuba continues, heading south, to Playa Girón. To Americans, this is the infamous site where hundreds of Cubans were slaughtered after Castro’s forces met a weak militia that anticipated American support. I can’t say what the average Cuban thinks about the failed invasion, but their fates were sealed — Cuba was Castro’s.

The beauty of this region makes it no wonder that he would build a compound there, just between the bay and the country’s “Perla del Sur,” Cienfuegos. This area is another favorite of Europeans and other tourists who can enjoy an excess of resorts, restaurants, nifty art galleries, and shops, along with spectacular beaches. Without the propaganda billboards, one might confuse this area with paradise.

The Bay of Pigs/Battle of Girón Museum.

“Here a decisive fight was fought for victory.”

Very little of the construction I saw around the countryside left the impression that the projects would become anything. The site to the right was one of the rare exceptions.

Another bus stop – again, in the middle of nowhere. The graffiti translates to “Your mother, if she’s dead, better…”

Next stop, Cienfuegos! If you missed the last posts, please check them out. First, Havana. Followed by Vinales.

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  1. Front Seat Cat Member
    Front Seat Cat
    @FrontSeatCat

    How long were you there – are these pictures from this year?  Who really pulls the strings in Cuba?

    • #1
  2. Samuel Block Support
    Samuel Block
    @SamuelBlock

    Front Seat Cat (View Comment):

    How long were you there – are these pictures from this year? Who really pulls the strings in Cuba?

    I was only there for a week, during the summer of 2017. This was an interesting time because the election just occurred.

    Raul was apparently more conciliatory in allowing freedoms to the citizens, and at the time, I was told this led to an overall sense of hope for the future. The result has been that Cubans under 30 are enamored with America and Western culture, while older Cubans are concerned with preserving their own.

    I got the sense that the regime has become largely drained of its true believers – it’s probably in something like a Brezhnev phase. Our main guide, and many of the other people we met, were descendants of revolutionaries – all of them expressed their issues with the country openly.

    Each town has individuals who are designated as party-reps. Their homes are marked with a sign that I’ll show in a future post. These guys report up the chain, so you could probably say they have the most actual power.

    • #2
  3. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Thanks for the pictures and information.

    • #3
  4. The Reticulator Member
    The Reticulator
    @TheReticulator

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Thanks for the pictures and information.

    Ditto.

    • #4
  5. Samuel Block Support
    Samuel Block
    @SamuelBlock

    Hey! Who got rid of the “another time” part of my title. I mean, I know it probably isn’t grammatically correct (it’s just not my forte, unfortunately), but it was my favorite part of the title.

    I suppose I’ll let this one slide….

    • #5
  6. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Samuel Block (View Comment):
    Hey! Who got rid of the “another time” part of my title. I mean, it probably isn’t grammatically correct (it’s just not my forte, unfortunately). 

    When that happens, it’s usually an editor preparing the conversation for demotion to the Main Feed.

    • #6
  7. Samuel Block Support
    Samuel Block
    @SamuelBlock

    Hmmm. You don’t say!

    Well, Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my closeup. 

     

    • #7
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