Cuba

[brigadista]

im going in October - has anyone been? we are going to santiago- just wondered if anyone had any info to share with me ...

[LeninBalls]

Try this; http://wikitravel.org/en/Cuba

[brigadista]

thanks but i was wondering if anyone had been there..

[LeninBalls]

Well my dads friends goes there like twice a year. If you want I can try and get in contact with him and ask some questions if you like?

[Kamerat]

Watch out for hurricans, october is the end of the hurrican season.

I have been there. But not Santiago de Cuba just Havanna, Viñales and Pinar del Rio. Was there on a solidarty brigade. Here is a little about the solidarty brigades in the Solidarity with Cuba group. http://www.revleft.com/vb/group.php?do=discuss&group=&discussionid=2050

If you get to travel some place else then just Santiago, i would recomend Viñjales and Havana. Viñjales has some very special terrain formation and caves. Havanna have Plaza del la Revolution, the Jose Marti monument and museum of the revolution. Walking along Malecón is recomened too. See the waves make fontains from the holes going under the 75-100 meter wide Malecón makes you think if it safe for the kids diveing in to those waves. While walking along Malecón you pass by the 138 black flags outside the U.S. diplomatic mission in Havana.
http://havanajournal.com/images/uploads/flagpoles_cuba.jpg
This is for the victims of the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion, the 1976 bombing of a Cuban airliner, the string of Havana hotel blasts in the late 1990s and other attacks by the Empire.



http://www.albertodelacruz.com/images/vinales.JPG
Viñales

http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/5549645.jpg
A large cliff painting in Viñjales depicting the evolution.

Not many people speak english just the people working with turists. So it would be great to know some spanish.

[brigadista]

thanks very much kamerat!!

[Magdalen]

im going in October - has anyone been? we are going to santiago- just wondered if anyone had any info to share with me ...

I visited Cuba as a tourist in July 2006, although I didn't make it to the eastern end of the island. If you do make it up to Havana, then make the Museum of the Revolution your first priority. Housed in the former palace of Batista, it gives a fascinating overview of Cuban history right from the first struggles of the island's natives against Spanish colonialism in the 1500s to the present day. In the museum's grounds, you'll also find the Granma on permanent display. If you don't make it up to Havana, I've heard the Museum of the Clandestine Struggle (http://www.planetware.com/santiago-de-cuba/museum-of-the-clandestine-struggle-cub-sc-smcs.htm) in Santiago gives a very interesting look at the urban struggle during the Revolutionary War. It provides a strong rebuke to those who claim that the working class had no involvement in the Revolution.

Like Kamerat, I would also recommend the Jose Martí Monument and the Plaza de la Revolucíon. A trip up to the US Interests Section on the Malecón would be worthwhile too.

To make full use of your visit to Cuba try to converse with the locals as much as possible. For this, even a little Spanish will prove very useful. Unlike many nations, the Cubans have no inhibitions about discussing politics with total strangers. My visit to Cuba was what first led me towards Marxism, and luckily in the RCG I've found an organisation with recognises the significance of the Cuban Revolution. I'm hoping to return to Cuba on an RCG/RATB organised brigade next year. I'm sure your visit will contribute immensely to your political development too.

[brigadista]

I visited Cuba as a tourist in July 2006, although I didn't make it to the eastern end of the island. If you do make it up to Havana, then make the Museum of the Revolution your first priority. Housed in the former palace of Batista, it gives a fascinating overview of Cuban history right from the first struggles of the island's natives against Spanish colonialism in the 1500s to the present day. In the museum's grounds, you'll also find the Granma on permanent display. If you don't make it up to Havana, I've heard the Museum of the Clandestine Struggle (http://www.planetware.com/santiago-de-cuba/museum-of-the-clandestine-struggle-cub-sc-smcs.htm) in Santiago gives a very interesting look at the urban struggle during the Revolutionary War. It provides a strong rebuke to those who claim that the working class had no involvement in the Revolution.

Like Kamerat, I would also recommend the Jose Martí Monument and the Plaza de la Revolucíon. A trip up to the US Interests Section on the Malecón would be worthwhile too.

To make full use of your visit to Cuba try to converse with the locals as much as possible. For this, even a little Spanish will prove very useful. Unlike many nations, the Cubans have no inhibitions about discussing politics with total strangers. My visit to Cuba was what first led me towards Marxism, and luckily in the RCG I've found an organisation with recognises the significance of the Cuban Revolution. I'm hoping to return to Cuba on an RCG/RATB organised brigade next year. I'm sure your visit will contribute immensely to your political development too.


thanks magdalen - i speak spanish and im staying in casa particulars - I was particularly interested to know if anyone had been to the santiago area and had any reccomendations ..

[Pogue]

Are you going with a brigade or on your own as a tourist?

[KurtFF8]

I live in FL and I've wanted to go to Cuba for some time. I was going to think about going this summer but never got around to getting in touch with the venceremos brigade. I think i'll just wait until they go again next year because I'd much rather go as part of an organized group than traveling as a tourist by myself/with friends.