Museo de la revolucion, Teatro and more

14.08.2011 - 14.08.2011

The next day I went back to Habana Centro to see the show at the Teatro. I had some time to waste before the show, I checked out the Museo de la revolucion (dedicated to the1959 Cuban revolution in which the US backed dictator Batista was overthrown). Propaganda was one of the main techniques used to communicate with the people during the revolution in order to get them to sympathize and join the cause (based on a book about Fidel’s political strategy during the revolution), and by looking at the many paintings, signs and messages in the museum and all over the country you can easily tell that it is still in practice. I will make a separate post with all the revolution paintings and signs.

I had been reading a book about Fidel's strategy during the revolution so I knew some history before going to the museum. However after the museum my interest eve grew further and until my last day in Cuba I was reading books about the revolution and its main heroes (Che, Camilo Cienfuegos, Fidel, etc......I am still reading one of them)

The museum used to be the presidential palace in the past and was being renovated:

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Presidential office:

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The museum has an open air area, where they have cars/planes/machinery used during the revolutions, the bay of pigs invasion and the Granma landing. Granma is the boat used by Fidel and co. to return to Cuba from exile in Mexico:

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There are so many interesting photos and old articles in the museum, it is a must see to everyone going to Cuba. It was a revolution that was intended to change everything.............farming, education, energy, industry (at least in theory)........it was one big dream. They knew that changing the dictator would not mean that all their problems were solved and that everything had to be radically changed from its roots (kind of like Egypt).

Afterwards I went to a park overlooking the sea just in front of the Museo de la Revolucion and checked the area around it.

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I was sitting on one of the benches in the shade looking at the map with my shoes off (akher ra7a), and then a Cuban dude (he had a girl with him) comes over and asks if he can sit. So I moved to one side of the bench and pulled the bag closer to me. The guy realized that I was moving the bag away from him as a precautionary measure, so he goes “don’t worry there is no crime or gangs in Cuba” (a comment made by all approaching hustlers, and he fit the profile perfectly). He then said that only the girl will sit next to me on the bench……automatically the Capitolio situation of the day before came to my mind.

All the street hustlers try to find a way to start a conversation; there was a building overlooking the park, it had a design with 3 faces, so he asked me if I knew who the people were. Trying to cut the conversation short I said yes “Che, Fidel and Rual”, so the guy goes “you don’t know shit”……..Fidel and Raul were not the other 2 guys and he explains that they are Che, Camilo Cienfuegos (one of the top fighters during the revolution) and a third guy that I can’t remember

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He then starts to explain that Fidel did nothing during the revolution and is just an opportunist (kafaz 3ala dahr el thwara w rekebha), and the girl joined the conversation as well with a few words. So I start thinking to myself, the dude is not that bad and I was over protective for no reason. So I show him a book that I was reading (the political strategy of Fidel Castro) just to make conversation, and he immediately flips and goes furious and says “you can read this book a 100 times, it’s still all bullshit”, he then grabbed the girl sitting next to me by the hand and he stormed off…………in my head I was what is wrong with this fucking guy.

It was time for the show and I headed back to the Teatro and Parque central. Around Parque Central and next to the Teatro is the oldest hotel in Havana (Hotel Inglaterra), next to it is the hotel Telegrafo. There are a lot of nice looking hotels in Havana and they are all owned and run by the state (after being nationalized). Everyone working at these hotels basically works for the government.

All the hotels have the same prices depending on the rating (3,4 or 5 stars) but some are much better than the others (according to one of the tour guides)

Hotel Inglaterra

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Hotel Telegrafo

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Teatro Show: Desde Broadway (from Broadway)

The Teatro was just as beautiful from the inside. The coolest thing about the show was that the main singers were all young (late 20’s to early 30’) which shows how interested Cubans are in culture. The Gran Teatro might be the biggest but I don’t think it is the number one Teatro in Havana, even though the Castro brothers (Fidel and Raul) go there to see some shows. Raul was going to attend a show next week on the occasion of his birthday (I think the Cuban ballet were having a special show for him).

A taxi driver had mentioned that they had 4 teatros in Vedado (compared to the one opera house we have in Cairo for the 15 million people).

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During the show a girl next to me (French) started talking to me…….she was quite annoying actually; I did not really like her (for superficial reasons). She was studying in Bogota and was on a short trip to Havana. After the show laza2itly w masabitnish, I walked around for like 2 hours and she would still not leave. I was walking in the more ghetto/poorer places of the city (knowing that Cuba was safe and crime rates were low) and she was always taking pictures and holding me back.

I usually do not take photos of the poorer areas/people and if I do I take a super quick photo……but she would stop and take her time…..I hated that and did not want to attract the attention of the people as I knew we easily stood out as Gringos (I could blend in but she was obvious and blew my cover). When she would stop to take photos I would not wait for her and keep walking so that I would not be associated to her.......I would then slow down so she would catch up. Here are some of the photos I took during my walk.

The Iglesia del Sagrado Corazon is one of the popular churches in Havana, it is a bit out of the way and I just found it by chance. It is located in the poorer part of town.

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The walk took me all the way down to the Malecon (kornish) just in time for sunset

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I wanted to see other cities in Cuba and all the travel agencies recommended the same trip to everyone...........it was 4 cities in 2 days/1 night. The trips leave on specific days of the week, if they have enough people booking the trip (there is a minimum of 11 I think). The French girl had mentioned her departure date, and this was the date I avoided when booking (I chose the next departure).

All the travel agencies were owned by the country (bardo) and offer the same trips at the same price...........they are 4 or 5 in total. Not sure what is the point in having more than once since they all belong to the state, and offer the same trips for the same price.

I ended my day in China Town where I went there for a meal; nothing special.