REMEDIOS, CUBA

                                      A City Well Preserved
          I was lucky enough to get to Cuba in November just before President Bush cut off all US travel to the island. Now that travel has opened up somewhat, I keep lookimg at itinerates and have seen nothing as extensive as I was lucky to have.

       One morning we were off to Remedios, a town of 18,000.  Our first stop was at Inglesia de San Juan Batista Church (1692), the focal point of Plaza Marti, the town square. A cute little elderly docent showed us around. The altar was gilded with 24-carat gold leaf. In 1762 the church was the center of the city when it was designated a bishopery.

        An 1939 earthquake damaged the church bell tower. The church has never been demolished, just added on to. The 81 year-old docent was delighted to show us the only known pregnant Madonna, which stands protected in one of the many wall cabinets.

    The carved cedar altar and carved mahogany ceiling were beautiful. This gorgeous ceiling had been

Remedios Church

plastered over and rediscovered during restoration. There was one interesting cement grave covering in the floor where the builder of the church and his family are buried. Some of the letters in the names were doubled up to conserve space. It was most unique.

The town of Remedios, settled in 1514, is one of the oldest cities in Cuba. This is where I really felt like I was in a time warp and that time had stood still for decades. The city is flat and its narrow streets are paved. The entire city was named a national monument in 1979, and is in relatively good repair.

     Leaving the church we walked across the street where bike-taxis were waiting for us. We took off in a caravan to the tobacco factory.

      The tour of the cigar factory was most interesting. It was fascinating to see the cigars hand rolled. Some used full leaves; others used the tobacco scraps for the filling. The cigars are placed in special holders and then pressed for 16 minutes. Following that, the ends are cut, the final wrap applied and the ends fixed. The bands are applied elsewhere.

Only women remove the main vein of the tobacco leaf splitting it in two. We were told that women are more precise and particular. There is a technique to getting the vein out in one piece. Workers work on a quota of 125-180 cigars a day, depending on what area they are working.  This small factory produced 10,000 cigars a day, about half of which are exported.

      The same factory makes several different brands of cigars. The cigars, even in the same brand, can vary regarding quality and taste. We were told, “Each worker is given two cigars a day plus one box a month.”  Most often the workers sell the cigars for extra money. We were cautioned not to buy cigars on the street, because they might be filled with banana leaves. Our guide had a relative who worked in the cigar factory so he was the cigar source for many of us, and most of us bought the legal limit.

       At the local museum  we learned about the Festival of Parrandas, unique to this area. It was started in 1820 when children were making noise in the streets to wake people to get them to church on Christmas day. Today two neighborhoods compete building floats, torches, and fireworks. The float building is very secretive. The festival starts at 9:00 PM on Christmas Eve with a parade, and goes all night, ending with fireworks. Everyone is a winner as it is all in fun, then everyone returns home to sleep and Christmas mass is given in the evening so everyone can attend.

     The museum had costumes, lanterns, pictures of previous floats, and other festival paraphernalia.  Each year there is a theme to the festival, which is reflected in the floats, lanterns and costumes.  

Trusty bike-taxi

       When I left the museum I was looking over our bike-taxi. The wheels spin backward like on a geared bike, doing nothing. There is a hand brake similar to the old car hand brakes. I motioned to our driver that I would like to pedal the bike. After a couple of tries he understood. He hopped in the back with my friend and I got in the driver’s seat. We took off again caravan-style. There must be a secret telegraph in the town as all the women came out onto the doorstop to watch the spectacle of the only women peddling away among the many men, but it was easy to pedal and a fun thing to do.

SANTA CLARA, CUBA

                               Unexpected Facility

         It was a delightful ride on the way to Santa Clara. The countryside was picturesque as we rode by sugarcane and banana fields and orchards, I think were mango. It did seem strange to see a stand of royal palms swaying in the breeze in the middle of nowhere. We passed a few small villages en route.

        Santa Clara is southeast of Havana about in the middle of the island. The guidebook and literature said the road to Santa Clara was full of revolutionary billboards and painted murals. I have to disagree with that, as I hardly recall a hand full of such as ‘littering the highway’.

Santa Clara was established in 1689 when the people of Remedios grew tired of pirate raids, pulled up stakes and moved inland. Santa Clara is located on the fringe of the fertile plain in the lee of the Escambray, and is gateway to the eastern provinces.

In December 1958 Che Guevera’s rebel army derailed a train carrying reinforcements and US armaments headed for Oriente. Within 24 hours Bastista fled the country.

Prior to 1959 Coca-Cola was the only factory in town. Today Santa Clara is an important industrial city.

            We rode over a 48-kilometer-long causeway to reach our all inclusive hotel. The causeway crossed many mangroves that were in the bay.

Our plush all-inclusive resort (2001) could have been anywhere. The facility is large and sprawling so we were driven to our room in a golf cart. It was going to be a challenge to find our way back to the dining area. We had a lovely little balcony that looked out on nothing but lush vegetation.  The two story buildings were done in attractive quadroplexes. There were huge pools, most pretty shallow, with bridges over them in the center of the complex---typical of all inclusive resorts.  The large property had 4 restaurants, 5 bars, tennis, gym, beauty parlor, massage facilities, live entertainment and a gorgeous long white sand beach. Unfortunately the red swimming flag was up for all of our stay so the best I could do was wade along the shore.

            We used this hotel as a jumping off point to site see and visit the area, not as a relaxed goof-off stay. That was fine with me as this is not my favorite type of place to stay. The food was good, the huge variety was more than plentiful.

            You may want to visit post: Che Chevera 1-22-12

HAVANA, CUBA

                                       Cuba's Capital

     Havana, Cuba’s cosmopolitan capital city is home to over two million people. The largest city in the Caribbean is the political and cultural center of Cuba. Over 40 years of neglect and economic struggle was evident in the decay of the infrastructure and the many once elegant mansions in various states of disrepair, but restoration efforts were also obvious. In contrast, I was amazed to learn Havana has over 40 museums and 14 major art galleries.

Driver resting in passenger seat

       My 17^th floor hotel window afforded me a great view. I gazed down on the Malecon, the six-lane wide seafront boulevard that follows the ocean for miles. The Malecon, designed in 1857, was not built until 1902. Immediately I spotted a line of yellow taxicabs and the cute little cococabs which I was anxious to have a ride in.  Cococabs are small yellow, fiber-glass, open vehicles with a small gas engine. The top curves to cover the driver and two passengers who sit in the back. They are seen all over the city and the average fee for a ride to about anywhere was three dollars. They’re cute as can be and a lot of fun to ride.

        The Hotel Riviera was the Mafia’s last and most ambitious attempt   to eclipse  Las Vegas. Mobster Meyer Lansky owned the hotel but was registered as the kitchen manager to evade taxes. When the hotel opened in 1958 it was considered a marvel of modern design. The egg-shaped gold-leafed casino and nightclub opened with Ginger Rogers as the headliner. The hotel has undergone a recent renovation. The pool in the back of the hotel was filled and looked very inviting. The smaller pool in the front of the hotel was being renovated when we visited.  

        The hotel had all the amenities of any good hotel. It was a surprise to find a hair dryer. Contrary to literature the water ran regularly and was hot. The beds were comfortable.

        We were informed, “Your patience may be tested to the limit here in Cuba. It will be best if you just relax and try to go with the flow."  This really was not a problem as things flowed pretty smoothly. We were cautioned to only drink bottled water which was readily available. We also were advised  to watch where walked.

       We had seven lectures, all given by professors and all of which were extremely interesting and enlightening. Lecture sites varied and were very basic, often with plastic patio chairs. All the lecturers had a good command of English. Several had been in the United States at various times, some teaching in our universities.

      La Llave del Mundo (Key to the World), Havana saw a massive amount of riches, many from Mexico, Peru, and the Philippines, pass through her sheltered harbor to Spain. At one time Havana was one of the most prosperous ports and the third most populous in the Americas. Although there were only 13 in our group, we rode around in a Mercedes bus.

       Before the Revolution the United States and Cuba had a history of friendly relations for over 100 years. We had a walking tour of part of Old Havana, which covers 4.5 square kilometers and is home to 105,000 people. Old Havana is defined as the area that was once inside the walls where 55,000 people lived. The old city wall took 23 years to build (1674-97). The wall was 3 ½ feet thick and 30 feet tall. In 1863, just 123 years later, the wall was torn down by slaves.  Old Havana was designated a national monument in 1977 and a UNESCO site in 1982. 

      Havana has many sites to visit. We were informed that taking a picture came with a $1 fee. We saw many school children wearing uniforms. Without exception they were quiet and polite.

       In 1874 ten percent of the Cuban population lived in the United States, primarily to raise money for Cuban independence. Today 1,200,000 Cubans live in the US, and it still is about 10% of the population.

With the importation of so many blacks the face of religion was also changed. Syncretism means the mixing and combining of different religions. Santeria refers to Afro beliefs and everyday issues. Combining Catholic saints and African religion is called orishas. Catholic influence has been in Cuba for 500 years, the Santeria influence 200 years, and Protestant influence a mere 100 years.

Women have always been active in Cuba, starting in the 1800s when they organized clubs to support the wars. In 1918 the divorce law was passed, but the penal code, where a husband had the right to kill his wife if she was unfaithful, was not repealed until 1930.

In 1902 the literacy rate among blacks was only 8%, but by 1940 it climbed to 80%, and is even higher today due to the literacy campaign of 1961.

It is very common to see extended or multi families living in the same home.  The Cuban family has decreased in size with the average family today having only one or two children. Women are also having their children much later in life. In the urban areas women want careers and put off marriage and children until their late 20s or early 30s. The economic crises of the 1990s had a large effect on family life.

In 1953 only 17% of women were in the work force and 70% of those were domestics. Today 65% of the professional workforce is women, the one exception to this is doctors.

Presently only 20% of Cuba’s forest remain intact. Turtles were hunted to almost extinction and in 1975 the first laws were written to protect the environment. In 1985 one third of the archipelago was protected.

Today Cuba, although desperate for foreign investment, is trying to learn from the mistakes of Jamaica, Haiti, and other areas where the entire skyline and culture has been sacrificed.

With increased tourism come additional noise, garbage, need for light, sewage disposal, toxic gases, vandalism of the environment, and the need for more energy and consumption of it. Since 1997 a license is required before a building goes up or one buys a car. 

Havana has an underground electrical plant, but underground water resources are limited. They are also making use of solar energy. They have a forward outlook and are trying to be proactive to save their island while fully realizing that some compromises are necessary.

From my limited observations it appears they may be successful, as they are intent on saving their culture while overcoming the tremendous problems that have plagued the society the last decade and a half.

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BUCHART GARDENS

                        An Old Quarry Turned Gorgeous

    Butchart Gardens, located pretty much half way between Victoria and Vancouver, BC are simply gorgeous and the grand daddy of gardens in an area full of gardens. One of the most beautiful gardens in North America, it is said to be the most photographed one. A strange thing happened when we visited the gardens my second (of 3) time. Everybody slowed down. People talked softly, waited patiently while people finished taking their photos, and slowed their pace. It was most refreshing.

        Located in an abandoned limestone quarry, the gardens cover 50 acres of the 130-acre estate. Tulips were in bloom everywhere---there were only 60,000 bulbs! Fifty gardeners are kept busy full time year-round in the gardens to ensure continuous color. Each morning before

the public is admitted, gardeners survey the gardens and dead head any plants that are beginning to fade.

       The rose garden has 2500 rose bushes of 250 varieties. It was a bit early for rose blooms, but the plants were all in bud. The gardens are beautiful any time of year as many plants are always in bloom.          Many people have wanted to buy the gardens, but it simply is not for sale and has been in the family for 100 years. Mrs. Butchart appreciated the money earned from the quarry and her husband’s cement business, but thought that the quarry was a blight on the landscape. People told her nothing would grow in the quarry, but did she prove them wrong!

       There are many benches around the gardens for one to sit and contemplate awhile. A restaurant and café are on the premises. A lovely gift shop occupies part of the original home.

      The gardens were left to a grandson who was quite literally married to the gardens. His wife lived in a home in town, but he stayed in a cabin in the gardens. They did put on a good public marriage. When he died, a brother took over the gardens, but he died three years later. However, he was the one who designed the fountain in the large pond. Now a sister runs the enterprise.

       The Butcharts started planting flowers, shrubs, and trees in 1904 from their extensive travels. The couple, always the gracious hosts, named their home Benvenuto, Italian meaning welcome.

       The 50 acres include a Rose Garden, Italian Garden, Japanese Garden, Stage Show Garden, and a Sunken Garden.  In 1953 lights were added to illuminate the gardens at night. At night, lights make the Ross Fountain a spectacular shimmering fantasy as its waters soar 80 feet into the air.  

        In the patio area near the gift shop stands a large 1620 bronze boar, named Tacca. He is a copy of an original that is in the Straw Market in Florence, Italy. The Butcharts purchased him on one of their European trips. The unique posture of Tacca suggests neither attack nor repose, but instead that he was awakened suddenly by the sound of the hunt. Years later a pond was added at the base with bronze plants, frogs, snakes, and turtles. His snout is finely burnished by thousands of visitors who have given him an affectionate rub for good luck. He is dedicated to all the children and animals who visit Butchart Gardens.

       My last visit to the Butchart was an evening one. It was a bit of a disappointment after having seen the gardens twice before in the daytime. The paths were not well lit which made one walk carefully and the gardens lost a lot of their color and beauty. It also was harder to comprehend the whole layout of the area. If it had been my first visit I may have been enthralled, but in my opinion, daytime is a much better time for viewing.