GUARDALAVACA AND HOLGUÍN

From Santiago our first hop back westwards took us to the resort of Guardalavaca on the north coast. A beautiful sand beach attracted the eye of the authorities looking to develop a resort. So the inhabitants of the little fishing village were re-housed half a mile inland in rather dull little flats, trading their traditional beachside huts with gardens for the benefits of plumbing and other mod. cons. – whether they liked it or not! Our casa particular was on the 4th floor of the block behind the car!! The beach strip was then used to build three large “all-inclusive” hotels for (mainly Canadian) tourists. The beach was crowded outside the hotels, but it was possible to find quieter spots at either end, especially to the east where the fishermen’s huts still hang on, although they are threatened by the construction of another hotel. We went for lunch there in a Paladar which had its licence withdrawn because it competed with a state-run restaurant. The restaurant has since closed but they have not renewed the licence of the paladar! We were briefed to tell any passing inspectors that we were friends of the owners and had brought our own beer! We also visited a major archaeological site – a pre-Hispanic Taino indian burial site with over 50 burials, excavated and preserved about 30 years ago. The period of the burials actually included the Spanish settlement of the island with a small number of European, African and mixed race individuals. Nearby was a mock-up of a Taino village populated with life-sized papier-maché inhabitants! Magda was delighted to find one group doing a circle dance!! From the tourism mecca we travelled to the distinctly un-touristy city of Holguín. We were surprised to find beggars, as mentioned previously, and the whole city was slightly sleazy and unhelpful. Service in the restaurants was distinctly soviet, in marked contrast to the rest of the island. We even had trouble leaving as the bus broke down on the way and we waited an hour and a half for it to arrive. The problem was a loose drain screw on the sump. They managed to find some oil, but no container to put it in to take out to the bus! When that was solved the bus had to go to the workshop for a check-up. I must say that the lady in the bus station kept us well-informed, but with the uncomfortable proviso that we were waiting out on the street in the sun. They had to close the bus station for its programmed monthly fumigation – at 11.00 on a Saturday morning!!! The only plus point in Holguín was that Magda took a salsa class there.

SANTIAGO DE CUBA

Santiago de Cuba is proudly known as the Rebel City. It was a focus of sedition from before the first Independence War (1868-78) through the subsequent wars until independence was achieved (and at once scuppered by the USA) in 1898. It again became a focus of revolution against Batista: the first blow struck by Fidel in 1953 was a failed attack on the Moncada Barracks in Santiago. His ultimately successful campaign from 1957 to 1959 was run from the Sierra Maestra 100 km west of the city. I went on a visit to his command post in the jungle, La Comandancia de la Plata. It is now quite accessible by vehicle to the area and then a 4 km walk along a good path, but at that time it was 40 km from the nearest road. Batista never found it although he tried hard. From there the revolutionaries ventured out to attack the army, carry out sabotage, and win hearts and minds – and more men! After being ambushed when they landed from the Granma, Fidel’s force of 82 was reduced to a bare dozen, to take on Batista’s entire armed forces. The centre is a classic grid of narrow streets, but higher up is the splendid Plaza with the cathedral, the house of the principal settler of Cuba, Diego de Velasco, and the iconic Hotel Casagranda – frequented by Graham Greene among others. Round the corner is the Casa de la Trova

where we went to listen to music – and dance salsa! We made many instant friends and learnt a bit of the famous Cuban rhythm. We went to the bus station to book our next journey and hired a bici-taxi

to take us home. The driver took us on a scenic tour (avoiding the hills) to see the cemetery, with the graves of José Martí – where the guard is changed every hour – and Compay Segundo!

We had seen the memorial to Martí in Havana, and I have since been reading his biography.

I won’t repeat it here, look him up in Wikipedia – it is worth reading! He was the philosopher of independence and died in battle in 1895 – a man of words but also of action who would later be an inspiration to Fidel.

HOW THE COUNTRY WORKS!!!

We arrived at Santiago at 2 o’clock in the morning thanks to the vagaries of Viazul. Our patient hosts in our Casa Particular sent a taxi to meet us and let us into our room… Breakfast time seemed to come very soon! This house has been in the family for over 100 years, despite the Revolution. Our hostess runs it with the help of her husband, and their daughter and son in law who are both biologists at the university. They only let one room but it makes a huge difference to their standard of living. They have a tame Cuban parrot!

Casas Particulares were first authorised about 15 years ago, but really opened up after Raul Castro took over from 2006. Along with other tourism services – principally private restaurants (Paladares = “Palates”!) and private taxis – they are authorised to service the tourism industry, paying a licence and taxes for the privilege. There are also private “buses” for Cubans…

Our hosts explained to us the food ticket system: every family has what they call a “chequera” (cheque-book) entitling them to a miniscule quantity of basic food and household supplies – rice, chicken, milk powder, soap – from the state shops at subsidised prices. Everything else has to be bought at realistic prices at semi-private shops (where the state is a partner in the business) or (illegally) directly from producers – often by barter. In their case for example they could get 200 grams of chicken per month for a two adults! It was not the last time we heard such complaints. Everything seems to be in short supply except for eggs: we had 2 for breakfast every day and frequently saw people carrying trays in the streets! It must be said that Cuba is not particularly cheap for tourists. There is an extraordinary double currency system. When it was introduced the idea was that tourists would buy everything at 25 times the price paid by Cubans – what cost them one Peso would cost the tourist one Convertible Unit of Currency worth 1 dollar or 25 pesos. Tourists are not allowed to hold Cuban pesos, nor Cubans to use CUC’s, which they must exchange if they receive them in their businesses. Inevitably the system could not be strictly maintained and will shortly be abandoned through unification of the currencies. That will probably drive up the cost of living further. It must be said that although a lot of people live on very little, we saw few signs of abject misery. In the only place with a profusion of beggars, Holguín, the beggars were clearly professional, being chivvied by a very seedy looking Mafioso type!

Taxis!

CUBA JAN 2015

Havana is a magnificent city, one of the greatest architectural gems of Spanish colonization. It has further had the benefit of being virtually untouched over the last 55 years, when so much fine old architecture has been torn down all around the world. The downside is that this abandonment has caused much of the city to look rather tatty;

however the opening up of the island to tourism has generated a huge inflow of funds, a large portion of which is earmarked for the restoration of the city. Work has already been going on for some years and large parts of Old Havana are now restored to their former splendour.

In what remains unrestored, work is proceeding apace – the Capitol is sheathed in scaffolding.

The plan is then to work outwards into Havana Centro. The famous Malecón (seafront) is a particularly high profile area which is receiving attention. We were warmly welcomed to our “casa particular” (private sector hostel) on arrival, then set out to explore the city. We took in the Museum of the Revolution – ex-presidential palace – which contains the Granma, in which Fidel sailed from Mexico to start the revolution. It is an interesting historical record, although a grain or two of salt is needed occasionally. It also records with glee the failed Bay of Pigs invasion of 1961! – of which more later. We visited the cathedral

and went for the first of several mojitos in the Hotel Inglaterra. In the morning we went to look for the bus station to buy tickets for our trip to Santiago the next day. In most of Cuba this is not even possible, but here in the capital there is a system… We finally found the station (a long way from where our hostess said it would be!) of Viazul buses – the only line which tourists are allowed to use. There was a long queue for the only desk selling tickets to individuals; here at least commercial customers are served at a different desk, which is not the case elsewhere. We reserved our passage to Santiago de Cuba – but were issued with a voucher instead of tickets and advised to arrive one hour before departure next day so that they could print the tickets! The classic car taxis continue to be a feature of the city - most of them have had the engine changed in the interests of fuel economy!

Magda found dozens of little old ladies, dogs and cats to photograph, and I bagged her dancing with one of them!

SIERRA NORTE

We have spent two days walking in the mountains of the Sierra Norte north-east of Oaxaca – very beautiful mountainous forest with a lot of pine (at least 2 species – including radiata?) and supposedly up to 30 species of oak. I managed to identify a number of birds without much help from our guides(!). The area is in the hands of a group of villages who work on a cooperative basis for tourism, forest management, a sawmill and a few other things. The journey to get there was an adventure in itself… The bus left from the 2nd class terminal (at the other end of the city) at 0700, so we bought our tickets the day before – we had some difficulty finding the terminal, hidden behind a market and street stalls. We set the alarm for 0600. Having packed and left our cases in the hostel, taking only light rucksacks, we caught a taxi to the terminal. The driver went round the north side of the city to avoid the centre… apart from having to reverse back up a one-way street because the exit was blocked by a parked truck, we arrived without incident and 20 minutes early as recommended. Shortly after we arrived, someone thumped on the bus door to wake the driver who rolled up and stowed his bedding roll. The bus bore the name of the company which might have been appropriate when the bus was new but now seemed a trifle optimistic – La Flecha de Zempoaltepetl (the Zempoaltepetl arrow). We had been told to take the bus for Yalalag, so the fact that this one said Cajonos the front did not inspire confidence. At 0700 on the button the driver started the engine, but this proved to be merely in order to warm it up! At 0710 we were allowed to board and at 0719 we started to move. We got as far as the exit gate from the terminal, where all buses have to pay their tax for using the terminal. Our driver had no change (or no money?) and started reversing back to get the necessary, but one of our fellow passengers lent him the cash and we set off into the maelstrom of Oaxaca’s rush-hour, going round the south side of the city! At 0750 we passed within three blocks of our hostel, having completed our circumnavigation, and started to make progress at last. From there on it was plain sailing. After another 20 minutes we turned north into the mountains and started to climb. Our start point was the village of Coajimoloyas – at 3,200 masl – where we were served an excellent breakfast with hot chocolate Mexican style. Then we set off through the pines, mainly downhill, on the six-hour hike to Latuvi. Half-way we were handed over to a new guide from Latuvi, while our first guide returned to Coajimoloyas… We had a picnic lucnh here, with a view of our destination... On arrival we were booked into a very nice cabaña and went to have a Temascal (a Mexican sauna). Thereafter it was spicy supper and early bed. The second day was five hours walking – again with a change of guide half way. We walked down a long river valley and then up to our destination village of Amatlan. There were fewer pines, and some bare trees that appeared to be a species of alder. We had a good lunch, but slightly rushed as they were holding the truck for us, and then the long journey home, including a 2-hour wait for a bus that never arrived…

OAXACA

After 3 days in Oaxaca we are starting to know the city and its surroundings. The city is full of churches, mainly from the renaissance to baroque period. Some are in the ultra-baroque style known as churrigueresque with amazingly ornate, painted 3-D stucco walls and ceilings. An example is the huge Santo Domingo church – which also boasts two magnificent gilt altarpieces. However on closer investigation these prove to have been created in the mid C20th! The building was taken over by the military during the war of independence and later the civil wars associated with reform and the imposition/defeat of Maximilian, and at some point the originals disappeared… Money was raised to replace them after the church eventually recovered ownership. It was quite a relief to enter the very sober classical church of the Company of Jesus… Oaxaca State is home to the greatest of Mexico’s public figures, Benito Juarez. He was born in 1806 to a poor Indian family 60 km north of the city and orphaned at the age of 3. At 12 he walked to Oaxaca to look for work and someone saw his potential and gave him an education. He eventually qualified as a lawyer and later entered politics. He was a great reformer, in particular his reform laws relieved the catholic church of ALL its property, except the actual churches. The threat of these reform laws was a principal cause of the civil war and the recruitment of Maximilian as emperor. After Maximilian’s death they were passed, and Oaxaca (like other cities) is full of hotels and other institutions in ex-monasteries (Cf. Mexico 1). There are two principal archaeological sites, both of the Zapotec culture. Monte Albán is by far the more important and claims to be the earliest planned city in the Americas and the earliest ruled by an organized state – the earlier Mayas were ruled by a hereditary nobility. It was inhabited from around 500 BC to 800 AD; virtually abandoned by the Zapotecs, it was later used for a short time by the Mixtecs who came from further west. Mitla is a later Zapotec site, ca. 1300-1400. The architecture does not present very great development, although there is more decoration as time passes. This seems to be true of all Mesoamerican building: the Mayas were building pyramidal temples from 1000 BC and the Aztecs were still using basically the same form when Cortes arrived in 1521. (This is of course a simplification.)At Mitla Magda saw a pair of shoes which took her fancy. I was more enthusiastic about the legs!! Monte Albán was only “discovered” in 1806, so was not damaged by the conquistadors. At Mitla by contrast they built a large church on top of the principal temple… We went to the village of Tlacolula outside Oaxaca and visited the market where women in brightly coloured local dress sell peppers, fruits and a range of other products. It was fascinating to hear them talking in Zapotec. We went into the church, also in churrigueresque style (with original altarpieces!). We were shown the beautiful little organ, made by Mexican craftsmen. The case is C18th century but the tubes and works are C17th. It has just been restored and they are very proud of it! however we didn’t hear it being played – there had been an inaugural concert the day before... As we were leaving a couple arrived (preceded by the town band) to celebrate their 75th (!!!) wedding anniversary. I don’t even know what that qualifies as – I only know as far as diamond!

MAZUNTE

Mazunte is a different kettle of fish altogether, a small village on the beach with atap roofed-houses, devoted almost entirely to tourism.

It is full of back-packers, mainly young (apart from us!!) and has a “turtle museum”, as local beaches are used for nesting by green and leatherback turtles. We travelled by public transport, which in the last stage meant a pick-up with canvas roof… We only spent one night here and in the morning I managed to organise a dive with an Italian who has been in Mexico for 20 years.

Visibility was not great but we saw quite a lot of fish, including a few little rays, a small green shark and another type of sea snake, pale with brown spots. When we got back, Magda found them preparing for a wedding on the beach!

Then we set off on the 7 hour journey to Oaxaca, 250 km inland. The road wound up into the mountains for 3 hours and we climbed into pine forests to reach San Jose del Pacifico at over 2,300 masl.

Then we dropped down the other side to a plain, hedged by mountains to east and west, which we crossed to reach Oaxaca at a mere 1,550 masl. More about the city and surroundings when we have had a day or 2 to explore…