Día Siete - Route to Santiago through Bayamo

Bus ride to Santiago de Cuba from Camagüey through Bayamo. A slightly longer ride today than the past traveling by bus. We started off watching the music video of Bailando by Enrique Iglesias, Pitbull & Gente de Zona. It was the first time we watched the Spanglish version. Previously we watched the full Spanish version and our Cuban tour guide performs for us! Here's an action shot. 

We also learned some interesting info. 

First, when you stand in line in Cuba, if there is a person behind and in front of you, you can step out of line and use some sort of place holder and come back an still have your spot. 

Secondly, a little more about the origins of Santería. Originally it was practiced by African slaves and they had to hide the practice of their religion and therefor practiced Catolicism together with it. The patron saint of Cuba is the Virgin of Charity. She happens to be Mulato, representing a mix of the religions. More information on the church she is in later. 

Third, Cuba was born as a republic May 20, 1902 but it was dominated by the U.S. and therefor this date of independence is not celebrated. The day the revolution ended January 1, 1959 that Fidel took over and it is a day that is celebrated.

We also spoke about the start of the revolution before Fidel's involvement and the Spanish-American War (and a memorial in Cuba for the Marines that were killed). There were 7 Naval bases in Cuba when relations were "normal." If the last standing, Guantanamo Bay, were ever controlled again by the Cubans, Fidel had previously stated it would become a medical school. 

I also asked about the Festival de Fuego or Fire Festival. I had read about it before coming to Cuba and that it would be happening in Santiago when we were in Santiago! It is a celebration of all Carribean countries. We may see some parades and celebrations, stay tuned!

We made a bathroom stop in the providence of Las Tunas (tunas are a type of cactus, the word for tuna the fish in Spanish is atún) where I bought some delicious chocolate and saw this gigantic moth. The picture doesn't even show its actual wingspan. It was similar to the width of my open hand. 

Most of the view along the route was more sugar cane, some banana trees and cattle. Bayamo is an important city because the Revolution was started here. A free mason, landowner, set his slaves free and encouraged them to fight for an independent Cuba and this is how it began. 

In Bayamo we were able to visit the professional choir. They sing nationally and internationally. The choir was founded in 1962 and has about 30 members. One must audition to be a part of the choir. 

We then went to the Plaza de la Revolución in Bayamo, the plaza that is in every major Cuban city. It is special in Bayamo because that is where the revolution is considered to have started and where Fidel landed from abroad. Around the square is the cultural house, a government building, a building where Carlos Manuel Cespedes was born that is now converted to a museum and an important pharmacy. Bayamo also had been burned to the ground previously to prevent it from being taken over by Spanish rule and the fire had been started in that pharmacy. 

Fun fact: The Cuban flag was brought back from the United States and stayed as the National Flag. 

Also in the square was a memorial to the writer of the Cuban national anthem. 

After lunch we continued on to Santiago de Cuba. We stopped in Jiguani, a small town where a tour member's family is from. We also drove through Contramaestre where our bus drive grew up. 

We arrived at the most famous church in Cuba, Caridad de Cobre. Cobre is copper and you can see the mines that have since closed in the distance. Got your rocks here Ma! And they're speckled with copper. 

We finally arrived in Santiago. Our tour guide refers to this city as the inferno because it is so hot here. It is surrounded by the Sierra Maestra mountain range and is on the southern coast near a harbor. This city represents the Carribean the most and is Cuba's most populated city. We'll be exploring more tomorrow! 

¡Hasta mañana!