3.13 - LA REVOLUCIÓN, EL PULGUERO Y LA TORRE

The Ballet is Jesse’s Ambition

So they sought La Habana's Edition

But The Master was engaged

So just small tour was staged

 “Come Tomorrow”, for a bettet Rendition

We’re all but confident that he'll be able to avoid anything to do with Nantucket at this point, but there’s always Brutha Earl working diligently in Seattle…time will tell as we are certain Earl will sooner or later.

Some “Expedition Montalvo” Detailsà Jesse, “CUZ’s” oldest son, is a very talented, multi-disciplined dance artist. Just out of High School he had an invitation to study at Alvin Ailey in NYC but instead choose to spend a season in the Nashville Ballet Company.  Currently teaching at a Dance Studio in Brandon Fla,  he had heard prior to our trip that a renowned Ballet master would be at Escuela National de Ballet while we were in La Habana.  Prima, being involved in the Education system in La Habana, was to arrange a meeting with him.  That was the Houston contingent’s plan for the morning. 

Thus...an early rise so Jesse and “CUZ” could pick up Prima and head over to the Ballet School.  Unfortunately, some signals got crossed and the Master was otherwise engaged at the time they were supposed to arrive, but was gracious enough to chat with Jesse for a few moments, give them a brief tour of the Escuela and ask him to return tomorrow for more face time.  Not gonna happen, one shot for Jesse, and he’s done so lets move on.

Meanwhile, Doug has headed to the bank with a better idea of his cash needs and when Chucky rolled out he met him there.  No sense both standing in a longer line than the last time so Doug offered to handle the "cambiando de dinero" while Chucky headed to the Hotel Nacional to post a NOWAT and clean up the e-mail address issues, only to get frustrated enough to decide that this would be a “Post it When We Get Home” NOWAT, and returned to 55 Linea to meet Doug & Jake for a much anticipated trip to the
Museo de la  Revolucion
[Ranked #38 of 87 attractions in Havana by Trip Advisor - Reviewers rating = 3.5 stars]

Getting there was half the fun… Chuck had discovered how to download an offline Google map of Havana on his Samsung Galaxy S II just before the trip and even without a data connection it was working great, and  he was able to pick out the location of the Museo and the route.  However... as they are cruising along the Malecon, and not paying attention, instead of keeping left and going over the bridge at the Paseo, [like the girls did on the first attempt to find La Playa Santa Maria] they swung right and found themselves looping around and heading into the tunnel under the harbor… Wrong Direction!.  Nothing to do but ride it out… there had to be a turn around on the other side… Exiting the tunnel, they spotted the toll booth [not knowing what the girls  found out… "There Ain't No Toll"]  Uh Oh - No Problemo...Chucky, adept at all sorts of counter maneuvers - executes a perfect girare-U in a clear spot between a CoCo and a Gello Chebby full of tourists and back into the tunnel they go, which now drops them off on the Malecon heading back the way they came... in the Wrong Direction.  No Problemo… another girare-U [He is the KING of girare-U} at the Paseo del Prado traffic light [fortunately, no cops on the corner clocking license plates like in Naples in 2001 when he girare-U’d at the tunnel out of Naples to get back to the Palermo Ferry] staying left to get back over the bridge this time and a sharp right into the tourist car park area [where they picked the crowd up on Sunday night].  A spot is open, the “Parking Attendant” approves, and they proceeded to hot foot it to the Museo, just up the road a piece. Noooo Problemo!

The Museo de la Revolucion is housed in the former Presidential Palace and contains a mixed bag of elements relating to the Cuban Revolution of 1959.   Amongst the displays is a life size depiction of Che Guevara and Camillo Cienfuegos, two prominent “Hero’s” of the revolution leaping a hedge in attack mode.  Other memorabilia includes blood stained clothing of heroes and villains alike, Batista’s Gold plated Telephone, weapons, news articles, etc - along with a plethora of Propaganda and Revisionist Historical comment.

Of interest to Doug & Jake [Houston] is the Tank out front that Fidel was purported to have fired at the troop transport "Houston" during the Bay of Pigs fiasco. [In fact, the Houston was actually damaged by rockets from Cuban Air Force Fighters and beached by the captain]

TRIVIA NOTE à The Cuban Revolution of 1959 actually took root in and adopted as its name the
26 of July Movement, a failed attack on the Moncada Army Garrison in Santiago de Cuba in 1953  and later reorganized in 1955 in Mexico.  In 1956 the Castro Brothers, Che Guevra, Camillo Cienfuegos and 78 others re-invaded the island on the Yacht Granma before being decimated by the Cuban Air Force and scattered.  [The Granma is housed in a Glass display behind the Museo next to the engine of the USA  U-2 spy plane shot down over Cuba] The 12 survivors including the Castros, Cienfuegos and a wounded Che regrouped in the Sierra Maestra Mountains to ultimately launch a successful overthrow of Fulgencio Battista on New Years Day 1959.
 – The day Time Stopped in Cuba.-  ß{Editorial comment}

Meanwhile back a Casa Maria La China… after the aborted Ballet thing, “CUZ” has dropped Prima at 109 Trocadero and met up with the other girls who had found their own dance museo down the street. They decide to try and find a particularly interesting flea market that Prima declared as “Excelente”, located... "somewhere in Miramar", she wasn’t exactly sure where. [Hmmmm maybe she shoulda been along, but had other errands to attend to] Feeling adventurous, the female contingent of “Expedition Montalvo”  plus Jesse, set out along the Malecon in search of the “Excelente” tchotchke market to no avail.  Circling street after street with no real directions at hand, they wanted to stop several times to ask "WherzItAt?", but couldn't figure out how to say Flea Market in proper Cubano.
I Mean REALLY... if you were in  Hialeah - ask anyone where el Pulguero is [literal translation “The Flea”]   

and you would get a myriad of directions to the closet Tchotchke Swap Shop.  However the Cuban Lady is not comfortable asking a Local in La Habana “donde Esta el Pulguero” knowing deep in her cute little heart that  it just doesn't translate the same. So in circles they go eventually getting lost somewhere in Miramar.  But the Beach looked nice so they just had to stop for pics at La Playa... They finally found the way back to 55 Linea.
Cuban Lady note à MANY girare-U’s were involved.
. 

We'll catch up with these directionally challenged Americanos when they once again regroup back at Casa Maria La China for the evening's,  "What to Do About Dinner" session .

Just know that it will involve large quantities of adult beverages, canapés and a stunning view from the Roof of La Habana.

Ooooohhhhhh cant wait!!!!

HASTA LUEGO,

Uncle Chuck & The still trying to Say El Pulgero “Properly”

Cuban Lady

Sippin’ Aged Rum 'n' nibblin' olives on The Roof of La Habana