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When Havana Was Behind Walls
One can close one's eyes and be transported back to 1674,
with a new bustle in an ancient village. The first stones
are being placed in what will be a great wall around the
city, making it invulnerable to pirate attacks from the
sea or land.
Within the stone belt Spanish soldiers strut through the
narrow streets in their crisp uniforms. The sun is high,
bouncing light off the earthen roofs and town criers can
be heard, along with squeaking carts full of supplies.
Senoras sit fanning their faces, dabbing flowered lotion
on their necks, the most daring folding up their dresses
and showing calves.
In the neighborhoods of Jesus Maria, La Catedral, El Santo
Angel and San Juan de Dios there is a constant shuffle of
domestic slaves, artesans, musicians and port workers.
By 1740 the wall was finished, extending from Desamparado
street until La Punta Fortress. There were nine huge doors,
the most well-known being La Punta, the one on calle Reina,
and another called La Muralla.
The onset of evening brought the nine o'clock cannon shot
and the doors were closed. The growing suburbs left outside
were el Horcon, San Lazaro, Carraguao, Guadalupe and the
feared Manglar, a multicultural working class neighborhood.
The city's rapid growth rendered the wall anachronistic,
and it was demolished 123 years after its completion.
The portals were opened, uniting inner and outer Havana
forever. The resulting ample city had important constructions
like the Aldama theater, Paseo del Prado and Tacon theater.
Streets with wonderful names still exist today, like
Amistad (Friendship), Concordia (Harmony), Lealtad (Loyalty),
and more.
Scattered fragments of the wall stand to this day, one
of the best near the railroad station in Old Havana.
Savory Coffee
Ay, Ay mama Ines, ay mama Ines, todos los negros tomamos
cafe... , sang Bola de Nieve, one of Cuba's greatest
vocalists last century. He was referring to the island's
African-Cuban population being particularly fond of coffee,
but everybody loves the stuff.
The irrestible grain first arrived in the 18th century
with Spaniard Jose Gelabert, who grew it outside Havana.
The subsequent entry of French colonists ignited a fiery
trade of this product with Europe in the 19th century.
Cuban coffee is 100% Arabic, has a natural taste, excellent
aroma and rubs shoulders with the best in Brazil and
Colombia. It is grown in the highlands of the Sierra del
Rosario mountains in Pinar del Rio, the Escambrays in
central Cuba, and the Gran Piedra zone in Santiago.
The latter area in eastern Cuba is where you can find
the strongest coffee - it will knock your socks off!
They drink more than anywhere else, in tiny cups the
moment they wake and after every meal, if not more.
They don't adulterate it with milk, but add plenty of
sugar, and it's perfect company for a good cigar and
shot of rum.
In any town in Cuba you can smell coffee brewing inside
peoples' homes, and whether it be in an espresso maker
or strained through a cloth, you'll probably be invited
in for a cup.
Day in the Life
Mornings are usually sunny in the capital. The light of day
brings oceans of tiny faces into the streets, uniformed
schoolchildren rushing to school or day care, some holding
hands with their parents. Lines at bus stops fill, with an
incredibly accurate system of keeping order that consists in
asking who is last as one arrives. A slightly more expensive
option for natives or residents is to take the pre-revolutionary
Chevy fixed route "taxis" for 10 pesos (sometimes negotiable
for visitors). The so-called bici-taxis (3-seated tricycles)
are a little slower but a great way to take in the world on
a more intimate level.
The chanting of street vendors is everywhere, "Mani,"
(Peanuts) they shout, or "Granma" (the island's number one
newspaper), and the city sluffs off its slumber. In schools
and workplaces, Cubans are exceling in tourism, agriculture,
health, education and research. Growth here is not obsessive
or avaricious, rather relaxed and tranquil, unlike the
aggressive world surrounding us.
When everyone comes home it's time to go to the bodega
(state-subsidized local markets with products sold in rationed
form). This provides fair distribution of basic foodstuffs
like bread, eggs, rice, beans, and occasional vegetable
oil and meats.
The young folks look for fun in the streets, and go often
to the movies followed by sitting on the Malecon seaside
wall for a Cristal or Bucanero beer. There may be a trova
(Cuban folk) or rock concert, perhaps a play or classical
music performance.
The setting sun begins to light up the city for the magic
of another Havana night. Some folks go up to the Christ
statue on the other side of the bay to watch the capital's
twinkling lights and others walk in the historic Old City.
Many stay home so they don't miss the novela (evening soap
operas). After 11:00 p.m. the discos are open for anyone
who still has energy. The intense dancing and throbbing
emotions fade away with the rising sun's curing powers,
which herald in a new day.
Latim Film Fest Coming Soon
The 23rd Festival of New Latin American Cinema is in Havana
from December 3 - 13, providing an enormous selection of
contemporary international film. During this festival, the
streets fill with people, many with a program in their hands
running to catch the next movie!
The films from Latin America are complemented with special
series from Europe and the United States, and in addition to
movies, contest categories include video, scripts and posters.
An international jury awards "Coral" prizes to productions
that best affirm Latin American and Caribbean identity.
U.S. cinema has always been given great importance in Cuba
since the shooting here of Burial of the Maine Victims, a
piece that includes images of the funerals for those who
perished in that polemical event. Years later United
Artists, Paramount, First National and Metro film industries
opened branches in Havana, making it an attraction for the
likes of Marlon Brando, Errol Flynn Ava Gardner and many
more U.S. movie stars.
Later artists to pass through Havana have been Jack Lemmon,
Harry Belafonte, Robert Redford, Francis Ford Coppola,
Arnold Schwarzernegger, Leonardo di Caprio, Kevin Costner
and more.
Let's Call It Cuba
The island Columbus saw in 1492 had high mountains
from which beautiful waterfalls fell, lush evergreen
forests and a healthy population of Guanahacabibes,
Taínos and Siboney natives.
They called it Cuba, but the great Admiral had such
respect for the throne he dubbed it Juana at first,
after Prince Don Juan. He thought he'd discovered
the westernmost shores of Asia so he called the
island's inhabitants Indians.
Later it was changed to Fernandina by the King of
the same name, although 50 years after his arrival
Columbus called the island "Cape Cuba" in a letter.
In 1556 it appeared for the first time officially
by name it still carries today, and from that
moment on, we've all called it Cuba.
Winter on the Way
From now until January the temperature here will
gradually drop from about 20 to 18°C (normally it
oscillates around 28-30°C). Other seasons of the
year aren't very different and the change is
imperceptible. Now that the hurricane season is
coming to an end, the strong tropical sun is out
almost every day.
It's a great time to stretch out on the magnificent
beaches and get a tan while sipping chilled tropical
juices and cocktails.
Many Cubans prefer winter, but plenty long for the
hot summer days, and get all bundled up at the
slightest chilly breeze. Foreigners, on the other
hand, are often seen in shorts this time of the year.
It's cool mostly at night and the early morning,
and lighter clothing is a must-pack item.
One never knows whether New Year's Eve will be
frigid or balmy, but one thing for sure is that
Cubans will celebrate it somewhere special,
usually with family.
When Havana Was English
Cuba was not only conquered by the Spanish; in
1762 Havana was reigned by England for 11 months.
At that time the island was actually divided into
two colonies: a small British portion in the West
and the Spanish side to the East.
On June 6th English troops disembarked on the eastern
and western flanks of Havana by surprise. The Spanish
governor in Cuba, Prado Portocarrero, decided to
occupy the La Cabaña fort, send troops to Cojímar,
and raise up the people in war.
While he was doing this, Sir Jorge Pockoc, Commodore
Keppel and the young Count Albemarle led the British
attack with 150 boats and thousands of men. Their
strategy was to deploy troops and take Cojímar, La
Cabaña, the Torreón de la Chorrera, Guanabacoa and
finally blow up Morro castle's bulwark. The latter
resisted heroically for a whole month, led by Spanish
officer Luis de Velasco.
The British astutely dug a tunnel, destroyed a
piece of a wall with a mine, finally penetrated the
fort and won the battle. The defense of uanabacoa was
admirably carried out till the end by Cuban José
Antonio Gómez (Pepe Antonio), and a Havana street
was named after him.
By August Havana fell to its knees and surrendered on
the 12th of that month. Contrary to what many thought,
the English invasion was more of a blessing than
misfortune.
The island, whose trade was rigidly monopolized
by the Spanish Real Compañía de Comercio, prospered
when opened to the British system of commercial
liberties. Tobacco, sugar and livestock farmers
went on a boom and the prices of foreign goods
dropped dramatically.
Slaves, utensils and cloth flourished, civil and
legal administration remained pretty much the
same, and Catholicism was untouched.
The British's largest contribution was free
importing, and that policy endured even when the
Spaniards swapped Havana for Florida.
That was important for Cuba's subsequent opening
to the world.
Jose Marti, National Hero of Cuba
As George Washington is for the United States,
San Martin for Argentina, Hidalgo for Mexico and
Bolivar for all of South America, Jose Marti is
for Cuba the most worshiped and dearest of her sons.
He was born of Spanish parents in a humble house
on Paula Street in Havana, on January 28, 1853.
Since his first studies in the neighborhood, and
later on during elementary school and high school,
his teachers and fellow-students considered him
an outstanding student due to his incredible
intelligence. Throughout his life he showed that
in spite of being a Cuban national by birth he was
truly a citizen of the whole of Latin American and
an outstanding strategist for the entire area.
During the great struggles of 1869, when he was
only sixteen years old, he was picked up for having
published some writings that were considered
revolutionary, and at the end of the same year he
was accused, along with some comrades, of mocking
a group of Spanish ¨voluntarios¨. For this, he
was condemned to six years in prison, serving part
of his term in Havana before being exiled to the
Isle of Pines and finally to Spain. When he was
in prison he wrote a moving endictment of Cuba's
prisons: El Presidio Modelo en Cuba.
In Zaragoza he got a doctorate of law and a
doctorate of philosophy, wrote for several newspapers,
translated some of the classics, wrote poetry and did
public speaking. He then visited Mexico and Guatemala
and returned to Havana, from where he was again
deported back to Spain, charged with conspiracy
and participation in the revolution of 1879 which
became know as the "little war".
In 1881 he established himself in the United States,
where he continued his revolutionary activity with
intense perseverance. Consequently, on January 6,
1892, together with Cuban immigrants living in
Key West and Tampa, he founded the Cuban
Revolutionary Party. The program's main objectives
were to gain independence for Cuba, promote Puerto
Rico's independence, and prevent the expansion of
the United States in Latin America. This organization
was unique in the history of Latin America.
The War of 1895 brought Spanish governing of the
Island to an end. The fact that thirty thousand men
fought for freedom against two hundred thousand men,
was due to Marti; it was an achievement brought about
by the only intellectual who knew how to unite Cubans
in a real organization. Due to his intense activity,
he was recognized as the Supreme Leader of the Revolution,
as a representative of the Cuban Revolutionary Party.
A few months later, on May 19, 1895, he lost his life
in the Dos Rios combat in Granma province. Although
the Cubans tried to rescue his remains, the Spanish
soldiers took them to Santiago de Cuba, burying them
in the city's great cemetery, where they still rest.
Marti was a great gifted thinker but is also admired
for his literary skills and for being a highly
learned man. He mastered the Spanish language and
its syntax and wrote inumerable items, mainly
chronicles, essays and poems, all of them with
exquisite creativity. He was the editor of one
newspaper (Patria), a correspondent for several
other papers in Latin America, editor of several
magazines such as America, El Economista Americano
and La Edad de Oro, a children's magazine. His
Versos Libres, Versos Sencillos, and his Ismaelillo
all have the lyricism and tenderness of his soul.
In commemoration of Marti´s birthday and the founding
of his party, Cubans honor their national hero, who
was also a major 19th century figure for the whole
continent.
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