Bear with me, I’m having trouble uploading pictures with the wifi here at the hotel. We will see how it goes as we move through the country. Still in Santiago de Cuba and will be for a couple of more days. Today we went to the cemetery where Fidal Castro’s ashes are interned. He doesn’t have an extravagant tombstone or monument. A large stone from the local mountains with just “Fidal” on it. There was a line to walk by it with many people carrying a rose to place near it. Also a changing of the guard with “goosestepping” soldiers occurring every 1/2 hour. I have a video, but will post it when I find better internet service, if there is any to be found. We learned about their burial practices. Interestingly, after 2 years following burial, they exhume the body and wash the bones, hired done, or done by family members. Then the bones are placed in a smaller box and placed in a numbered wall. This is mainly due to the lack of space for future burials. Hope I made sense there. Our guide said she needs to have her Mother exhumed, but isn’t emotionally ready to wash her bones and have her moved. But it has to be done.  She also said they are so happy to have Americans coming to the country, which we hear from people everywhere. 

There are monuments all over the city, honoring many revolutionary heros from 1959. 

The people are so resourceful. There are buses they have made out of trucks by welding on to them. Horse carts that hold about 10 people, that have been made with odds and ends. Nothing goes to waste. Our water bottles are washed out and sent to school with children for their water. We were told not to drink the water, but of course, they do. 

Some people ask for pens, seriously, pens and pencils. Mark gave a father and son a pen he had with him from a hotel. And their eyes lit up. They don’t beg for money. They politely ask for pens, pencils, soap, shampoo. Luckily we found out before hand and brought some with up. But it isn’t a sad place. It is full of art and music! Everywhere we go there is music and street sculptures besides the monuments. And people want to talk, even if we can’t understand each other. Damn my Spanish!! 

I won’t be posting tomorrow. But Tuesday for sure. We will be out all day tomorrow into the night. The  heat is wonderful, but  wears me out. 

The food has been excellent by the way. Although it is uncomfortable knowing that most people, although they get plenty of food, don’t have access to the quality we are having. They are able to dine out, but with an income of $30.00 monthly, it doesn’t happen often for them. 

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I’ll leave you with a quick video of our lunch entertainment. I need to check on the Super Bowl, although it isn’t televised here. Will check online.  Until Tuesday!