This is the first of a three part series from our American correspondent, Dave Ford, about the beautiful island nation of Cuba. It is a place that I will always remember fondly and a place that, thanks to the world's media, most of us will never understand. Dave didn't go to Cuba of course because Americans aren't allowed. This was all part of a vivid dream...
I had a dream I was in Havana Cuba.
It was remarkably vivid. It was almost as if I was actually there. So, I decided to write about it. Everything that you read in these next three posts were all a part of a crazy dream. I met so many people, smelled the air, walked through the streets, smoked the cigars, drank the Mojitos, went to a museum, and got a tan.
This amazingly vivid dream lasted for 7 days. The first few days were much different then the last three. Mostly, because during the last three days of this dream I did not have "ANY" money.
Honestly, I had a lot of trouble writing these posts. Most of my extreme hardships came while trying to figure out how to divide my experiences with the history of Cuba. In the end, I decided to split it up into three posts.
Post 1: This one... My Rough interpretation of the recent and not so recent History of Cuba
Post 2: The first four days of my dream in Havana
Post 3: The last three days of my dream in Havana "broke as a joke" in my hotel room.
As normal, as I sit here and write, I am listening to Kid A, my favorite Radiohead album. Currently, I am sitting in a house in "Cuba" on the patio surrounded by furniture, pictures, and statuettes that could fill up an Antique shop. Literally, in the United States this stuff would sell for a great deal of money. For the last 6 days of my dream I stayed here. It is called a Casa Particular and is run by a very nice family. Esteban, Barbara and there staff have been great to the American with crazy hair.
Sidenote: Radiohead is a great band to listen to while writing because its impossible to understand any of Tom Yorks lyrics.
Its a good thing that this all was a dream because the US government has had travel restrictions in place since the early 1960's to prevent US citizens from spending money in the Cuban Economy.
Little does anyone know that (in my dream) its easier to get in and out of Cuba for an American then it is to get on a plane and travel from Washington DC to LA.
So, as I earlier stated, I had a lot of trouble writing these posts. However, I do not think that you can talk about Cuba without talking about the complex and important history surrounding the island.
This being said, I realize that 98% of the general public of the world would rather clean the bathroom at McDonalds than read about history. So, I have decided to attempt to make this as painless and short as possible. Nonetheless, el historio de Cuba es mas imporante and thats why I am here. I mean dreaming about this.I have been reading about this shit all week. Some of it I knew, some I did not! I have also talked to quite a few people to help formulate my thoughts.
So here goes: "DaveFordDoesEarths'" "Brief History of a Little Tropical Isle called CUBA
"Hmmm....Lets start with Cuba's historical chief export.....Back in the day (and still today), there was/is lots of sugar in Cuba and henceforth it became a very important place for Spain to colonize a very, very, very long time ago. In addition, it also became a very important place for the United States because everyone knows that everyone in the US likes sugar a whole, whole lot.
Late 1890's:
Actually the US tried to buy Cuba from Spain twice but the Spanish were not in the selling mood. This was unlike the stupid French who sold the US everything west of the Mississippi and the stupid Russians who sold the US Alaska respectively for the price of a house in modern day New York City (I am not sure if thats correct but it was really cheap). I think Alaska was sold for a million bucks.
So, the Spanish would not sell, Cuba eventually wanted independence, the Spanish blew up an American boat docked in Havana harbor (The Cubans today say that the US blew up the boat to start the war), and all parties involved eventually participated in something we like to call "the Spanish American war".
The US and Cuba won and drove out the Spanish.Cuba retained autonomy but the US remained involved for around 60 years in the day to day affairs of Cuba. Sidenote: Right after the Spanish American war in the early 1900's is when the US set up its base in Guantanamo Bay.
1920's
The United States of America got some religious folks in political office and they passed a law referred to as "Prohibition" where booze becomes totally illegal overnight.
Now, everyone knows that Americans like their booze. So, lots of people were very pissed off about this law.
At the same time there were two intelligent yet dangerous opportunists that would thrive financially b
ecause of Prohibition. These two people were in the bootlegging industry and there names were Al Capone and Lucky Luciano.
They though if booze was illegal in the US they might as well set up shop in a poor yet beautiful country just 90 miles off of the coast of Florida. So, overnight Cuba became a vacation destination for a whole lot of Americans who had money and wanted to get hammered, gamble, and dabble in prostitution a bit (think Las Vegas, without the desert). This was usual mob stuff ( The scenes in the Godfather 2 in Cuba are all based on real events). Basically, the mob was doing the same thing in Cuba that they eventually did in Las Vegas.
Sidenote: Personally, I find mob history fascinating.
So, Now we have a corrupt little third world country with ALOT of money flowing into the pockets of its leaders. This goes on for years but conditions are not good for the everyday person. The money does not trickle down to the common folk.
I think I am going to jump around a bit now, bear with me...
1940s-1960ish
Then WW2 happens and ends, the Soviets put up the Berlin wall, and Co
mmunism begins to flourish around the world. All kinds of bad shit is happening with the governments in South American and this smart, revolutionary dude named Fidel Castro decided there needs to be a change in his native country of Cuba which at the time is hopelessly corrupt and influenced by the mob.He actually runs for President but the regime in power cancels the elections. So, he and a small group of guys (one of them is Che Guevera, an Argentine doctor who is on plenty of T-shirts now a days) make it happen by the means of a full on revolution. (this is simplified vastly, there were years of fighting, struggle, executions,etc).
In the end, the rebels led by Fidel get the common people behind them and overthrow the corrupt mafia infiltrated regime of President/Dictator Batista. Anyhoo, So Fidel and his band of merry Marxists take Cuba. Corrupt President Batista (who personally dealt with all the mobsters) is exiled and takes about 40 million in US bills on his way out of town to Mexico. This all went down in the late 1950's.
Late 1950's early 1960's:
Now here is where the real problems start with the US of A.
Mr. Castro is a pure Marxist and sympathizes with everything and anything communist and socialist. Henceforth, he starts nationalizing (making private industry and property, public industry and property) things in typical socialist fashion. First the phone companies go, then the electric companies, followed by a large number of the lucrative sugar mills. Even
tually all land and private property all fall under the ownership of the state as well. The government now owns everything and Cuba is a true Socialist state. Fidel, Che, and the boys literally nationalized every single business in the country.
Now, 80 percent of the property and business' they nationalized were owned by private and public interests in take a guess what country... You got it right !!!! " the United States of America"!!!!DING DING DING!!!!!!!BANG!
A full on Trade Embargo is put into place. The US will not do any business with Cuba. Period. End of Story. Furthermore, in 1961 the US government put travel restrictions in place that are still in effect today to prevent US citizens from traveling to Cuba (again, thank God this was only a dream).
Sidenote: According to the Lonely Planet, in 2001 Maine was the first US state that passed an official referendum to lift all travel restrictions to Cuba. YOU GO MAINE!!!!
Where were we... Oh yes, now Cubas biggest trading partner (the US) for the past God knows how many years (who is also in the thralls of the cold war against the Soviets) has completely cut them off.
So, Castro is pissed, his economy is in the shitter, and out of urgent need and political strategy starts trading heavily with the Russians. In fact, I think 85 percent of all the trade is with the Russians at one point.
Also, at the same time the US has nuclear missiles aimed at Russia throughout Europe. The Russians being crafty bastards, strike a deal with Fidel in 1962 and start setting up missiles in "CUBA" 90 miles away from the US coast. They are in striking distance of an important little American city called " Washington DC".
Oops... Forgot something Mas Importante..Before the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1961 President Kennedy sponsored a major league "F" up called the "Bay of Pigs" invasion where 1400 Cubano dissidents were mounted together to try and overthrow Castros' regime. Castro and his crew slaughtered these poor bastards who were trained by the CIA.Politically, this was NO BUENO for now beloved President Kennedy. I wonder if he was banging Marilyn Monroe around the same time?
So, back to the Cuban Missal Crisis: It was hands down the closest the world has ever come to nuclear holocaust. It happened in the early 60's. Eventually Kennedy and Russian President Khrushchev strike up a deal to avoid the possible end of the world. The Ruskies agree to pull their missiles out of Cuba and in turn the US agrees to never, ever, ever, ever invade Cuba. Castro is not consulted at all about any of this and is PISSED. History regards this as one of Kennedy's finest moments.
From what I know the "US NO ATTACK CUBA" agreement still stands today.
Late 1980's to Present DayThe Cold War ends in 1989 when I was 11 years old. Between 1962 and 1989 the Russians and US fund and participate in a whole bunch of wars that are more or less Communism vs Capitalism, or Socialism vs Democracy, or good vs evil (probably what President Bush would call it). You can call it whatever you want.
Some examples are the Viet Nam War, The Iran Iraq War in the early 80's, the Russians Invasion of Afghanistan, and lots, and lots, and lots, lots, of skirmishes in Africa, South America, and Central America. By and large the US funded groups trying to overthrow Leftist Marxist and the Russians funded groups that tried to fight or overthrow rightist capitalists.Bored Yet??? I hope not... Because there is more to come and believe me I have left quite a bit out to prevent extreme historically induced boredom.
In addition to the Soviet/ US involvement, Fidel sent hundreds of thousands of Cubans all over the world to help and aid regimes and rebels trying to promote communism. Che Guevara was killed while fighting with leftist Bolivian rebels trying to overthrow their democratic government in the late 60's.Sidenote: This made Che a Martyr. I have an incredibly difficult time spelling the word Martyr.
Off Topic Sidenote: I had a dream that I was playing lead guitar for Pink Floyd the other night. A "dream" within a dream. VERY WEIRD! Ironically, we were playing "the Wall" and I do not know how to play guitar. It was stressful but somehow I nailed it! Then I woke up and I was in Cuba. I remember that our backup singers were hot. I do not know if they were Cuban though. They probably were.
OK... So, I am jumping around a little here but you will get the point. I need to get back on track...So, history pretty much proves over time that Capitalism and Democracy work better than Communism and Socialism and we are at the crucial point in history where the Berlin Wall comes toppling down in 1989.
Now, there is this little country 90 miles south from the worlds only remaining superpower that still is not budging even after the Soviet Union (its biggest ally) falls and the Eastern Block splits apart. As a result Cuba has serious, serious economic issuesToday Cuba is one of two remaining "truly" communist countries in the world (I am not counting China as I regard them as pseudo-Communist). North Korea is of course communist. However, there is "0" travel to North Korea which is an important distinction with Cuba. Cuba is flooded with upscale snotty Europeans. It is certainly not the friendly backpacker scene I am used to.
Nonetheless, Cuba is one of two places in the entire world still working under this antiquated system of government that simply does not work (although there are some advantages as I ll report in the next post). It also has been a centerpiece of world history for the last 49 years. That my friends is why having this dream was so important to me.Also, no one knows exactly how much longer this is all going last as Fidel is "apparently" on his deathbed at the ripe old age of 81.
So, this whole dream was a now or never sort of deal for me. I decided on "Now".
End of History Lesson:
At this point you might be saying if I wanted to know all of this I would have read an Encyclopedia not some Jackass' blog.
Notes:
> So, I know a lot of people think that history is boring. Nonetheless, thats what this dream is all about. Its a living, breathing, thinking, walking, talking, expensive history lesson. The crazy thing is what the next chapter of Cuban history is going to be all about. We are on the last pages of this chapter. That much is for sure in my mind.
> I like history and feel like I know a fair bit. However, I would like to put out a call to any history buffs or people that are much smarter than me: There has to be at least a slim possibility that some of what I have reported is off a bit or maybe even completely wrong (highly doubtful though). Please let me know by commenting. Click the tab below and comment away.
> I want everyone to know that I love my country (I do not love my current President). In fact, most people are surprised when I tell them that I spent 6 years in the Air Force Reserves (I do not remember if I have written about this before). While doing so, I had the glamorous, prestigious, and very important job job of driving extremely large forklifts. Do not be fooled. These were LARGE, IMPORTANT forklifts. My driving skills were nothing short of fantastic. My Dad also spent 3 years in the Army in the mid 1960's and one year in Viet Nam.
> All of this is especially interesting to me after spending so much time in Bolivia. Bolivian President Evo Morales and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez are taking many of the same nationalization steps that Fidel took 45+ years ago.
Sidenote: Personally, I feel like both Presidents are idiots for nationalizing everything. But, wow did I love my travels in Bolivia. I really miss it.
> The next two posts are about the vastly different first four days and last three days that I had in Cuba. I will no doubt have to come back to the history in the above post, hence why I felt the urge to write it. Its also cool how when given the need to write about history how entrenched it becomes in your brain. So, at the least, I learned a lot researching all of this.
... We will have the next installment of Dave's vivid dream tomorrow.
