Share Your Experiences in Cuba with other Readers

Yes Circles I was and watched it all on TV with a combination of interest and fascination. To his great credit, Barack Obama did not follow the example of the EU whose Foreign Minister rolled over and signed restoring “normal relations’ without any benefits for the people of Cuba, or Pope Francis who unlike the much-beloved John Paul II who supported the oppressed in Poland, has chosen to be seen as if supporting the oppressors – in 2015 going to Siboney to clasp the hands of Fidel Castro Ruz who was ex-communicated in 1962 and then to almost literally ‘drop-in’ to hold a meeting at Jose Marti International Airport with Raul Castro and the fancy hat wearing Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All the Russias Orhodox Church less than a year later in 2016. Obama clarified that reciprocal actions were required especially in the areas of human rights and open communications if ‘change’ is to occur. This obviously is impossible for the Castro regime as any change would reduce their power and control over the people. Hence the venomous letter of six days later supposedly from the pen of Fidel, but much more probably from the Propaganda Department of the PCC. The very next day, Bruno Rodriguez Carrilles said that lifting the embargo had to be a unilateral action without any reciprocation. Clearly both the letter and the speech by Bruno would have required the approval of Raul who wasn’t happy with the press conference being unaccustomed to answering to anyone. On the second day the Obamas went walk about in Old Havana complete with open black umbrellas as it was raining heavily. But a substantial crowd of average Cubans – unlike the attendees at the Alicia Alonso Theatre not possessing suits, but soaking wet in more usual T-shirts, gave them great cheers in the Plaza de Catedral.
There is no doubt in my mind that one of the pre-conditions for the visit was that Obama could give a speech live on TV .
Two of the more emotive events were to hear the Stars and Stripes being played in the Palace of the Revolution and then at the baseball game where the words sung by a choir “and the land of the free and the home of the brave” echoed around the ground before being drowned by applause from the crowd. There are so many Cubans who wish that those same words could apply to their own country.

4 thoughts on “Share Your Experiences in Cuba with other Readers”

Carlyle MacDuff

July 15, 2016 at 6:13 pm

Loved the photograph of the Canchanchara corner in Trinidad. Es Cuba!
Circles Robinson

May 20, 2016 at 6:32 am

Yes your writing and photos are welcome.
Linda Androlia

May 20, 2016 at 1:37 am

Does it count that I was on the Adonia, the first sailing on May 1st to visit Havana. Your welcome was heartwarming, emotional and very much appreciated. We were welcomed everywhere we went during our week visiting your lovely country. We learned so much and experienced so much, yet we leave with so many questions.
Carlyle MacDuff

May 6, 2016 at 5:03 pm

Yes Circles I was and watched it all on TV with a combination of interest and fascination. To his great credit, Barack Obama did not follow the example of the EU whose Foreign Minister rolled over and signed restoring “normal relations’ without any benefits for the people of Cuba, or Pope Francis who unlike the much-beloved John Paul II who supported the oppressed in Poland, has chosen to be seen as if supporting the oppressors – in 2015 going to Siboney to clasp the hands of Fidel Castro Ruz who was ex-communicated in 1962 and then to almost literally ‘drop-in’ to hold a meeting at Jose Marti International Airport with Raul Castro and the fancy hat wearing Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All the Russias Orhodox Church less than a year later in 2016. Obama clarified that reciprocal actions were required especially in the areas of human rights and open communications if ‘change’ is to occur. This obviously is impossible for the Castro regime as any change would reduce their power and control over the people. Hence the venomous letter of six days later supposedly from the pen of Fidel, but much more probably from the Propaganda Department of the PCC. The very next day, Bruno Rodriguez Carrilles said that lifting the embargo had to be a unilateral action without any reciprocation. Clearly both the letter and the speech by Bruno would have required the approval of Raul who wasn’t happy with the press conference being unaccustomed to answering to anyone. On the second day the Obamas went walk about in Old Havana complete with open black umbrellas as it was raining heavily. But a substantial crowd of average Cubans – unlike the attendees at the Alicia Alonso Theatre not possessing suits, but soaking wet in more usual T-shirts, gave them great cheers in the Plaza de Catedral.
There is no doubt in my mind that one of the pre-conditions for the visit was that Obama could give a speech live on TV .
Two of the more emotive events were to hear the Stars and Stripes being played in the Palace of the Revolution and then at the baseball game where the words sung by a choir “and the land of the free and the home of the brave” echoed around the ground before being drowned by applause from the crowd. There are so many Cubans who wish that those same words could apply to their own country.

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