Santiago

The final stop on our Cuban tour was to be Santiago, the second largest city on the island. Located on the south eastern end of Cuba, Santiago is 542 miles east of Havana and has over 500000 residents. We entered the channel toward the harbor early on Friday morning and was immediately aware of the mountainous terrain surrounding the harbor. In the distance were beautiful rugged mountains covered with tropical forests, and the same cloudless blue sky. Guarding the channel on the steep mountain side was the 16th century Spanish fort, and on the opposite side a stione lighthouse. The ship continued toward the harbor in a tight zig zag course that gradually widened into Santiago Harbor. Again the shore ,like Havana was a scene of power plants and some type of refinery. The burning odors were here as well, and the vintage cars were waiting on shore for photo opportunities. After finally getting docked and secure , the disembarkation process began again . More customs and money changing, and more new Chinese buses awaiting the wide eyed Gringoes.We started out on a walking tour and were shown where Fidel had started his Revolution. The revolution started during Carnival in July,which our guide Jorge told us was the oldest and biggest Carnival in the Americas. He didn't seem, to respect Rio's carnival.Jorge seemed to think there was no finer drinking and time of debauchery than Santiago's Carnival. We were taken on a tour of a drug store and what is a government owned department store, where you can buy anything a household needs, as long as you don't care that there is a waiting time and little options for colors or styles. I think it would be similar to Russian held countries during the height of the Soviet empire.Again the streets were clogged with people standing and talking with little obvious purpose like work. The neighborhoods were primitive in areas away from the port, with mules and horses pulling shaky looking carts. Some of the streets were mainly dust and gravel.  Beautiful old 3 and 4 story colonial masonary buildings are all in a state of decay or dilapidation. All have ornate wrought iron grills and gates to keep people out and protect belongings. The upper stories are festooned with flapping clothes hung out like banners to dry. Many of the buildings have tropical colors painted on details to give an intense mixture of blues and pinks and yellows. It is Shabby Chics poster city.We ate lunch in a wonderful private little pizza parlor owned by an Italian who had married a Cuban woman, one of the only ways to gain Cuban citizenship. For our lunch they served Cuban cuisine, again chicken, pork, and beans and rice. Like Havana the waiters and waitresses wore black presses slacks and snow white starched shirts. They also had a lady troubadour singing during our meal. She was a Cuban version of Tracy Chapman and had cds for sale. After the meal the staff opened up an impromptu bar on the terrace and gave out generous shots of rum. Most of our group wanted to stay with the rum and congenial staff, but Jorge had a schedule and the tour went on. We visited San Juan Hill where Teddy Roosevelt, Leonard Wood , and the Buffalo soldiers kicked some Spanish Ass. Jorge called it the Cuban Spanish War, and gave us a little credit for whipping the Spaniards, but in reality it was Major Parker and 4 Gatling guns that decimated the Spanish army . We whipped the Spanish in Cuba and the Philippines and gave them their freedom. Along the way the USS Maine mysteriously sank in Havana Harbor in July 1898, losing over 260- American soldiers. The Yellow press took up the cause and Admiral Dewey did the rest, with Spain never again regaining its world leadership.San Juan Hill is somewhat under whelming with a bunch of Cuban monuments that are confusing.We then went up to the Spanish fort guarding the harbor entrance and it was perhaps the most amazing piece of architecture and construction on the whole island.The Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca was designed to defend against the original Pirates of the Caribbean , but took two centuries to construct . It is probably the most beautiful Spanish fort ever constructed, partly due to its architecture, and partly due to its location overlooking the approach to Santiago Bay.The final stop on the Santiago tour was a stop at a dance club-bar with a very professional Cuban band. They called themselves the Retirees since the leader was 82 years old. There was dancing , Mojita drinking, and a great time. Jorge danced with the ladies in the tour group

and we headed back to the boat. Santiago became our favorite site on the tour. Like San Francisco, we left our hearts in Santiago.Jorge told us on the end that we should all vote for Hillary Clinton so as to continue the progress between the US and Cuba.That was the only sour note of the whole trip to Cuba.