Caranba, que cosa, ya los pobres cubanos no puden ni caminar por la calle en paz. Curioso, no? Y eso que esto es "el paraiso de los trabajadores", je, je, je.

Congratulations to you Babalu!! Keep up the good work.

hey my man great sight, i grew up in "little havana" (en la 8 y la 8), la saguesera.....
i went to belen jesuit prep, left to sarasota 4 yrs ago. i'm an in house architect for ramar group here, i hear you do the same. i used to work for mouriz-salazar, well
anyways, my father got firing squad whene i was 1.5yrs old, one of the first to go, i hate that sob fidel , can't wait till he dies!
great , great website, "m! socio"
a new fan
eduardo, thanks
(aka Bote)

Congradulations, on the coverage!

I just came here after reading the Herald story, and I don't like this blog. It needs pictures of midgets.

fabulous writing, loved every item

After having been hired by an international investigation firm to travel to Cuba to verify the death of a tourist at a hotel, I called the Cuban Consul in Santo Domingo to ask if I needed a work visa. I explained I would have to interview hotel employees question local police, medical personnel and other officials to which he said I shouldn't worry that I would receive their cooperation and not to worry about the visa which would take over 3 months to process.

Off I went on a flight on Aero Caribbean, from Santo Domingo to Santiago. My first impression was the stern faces on the Santiago immigration and security officials. Olive green uniforms, a serious demeaner made me feel ill at ease especially when I was popped with the question, "what is the purpose of your visit"?, to which I lied, "tourism". I decided to answer tourism as I had already written down that same answer on the immigration form.

I was relieved to get out of the oppressive atmosphere inside the terminal and glad to meet a lively crowd of local taxi drivers and tourist guides. I asked for a taxi who could take me to Holguin, located on the north coast, and started negotiating with several drivers. The cost I thought was too high, first $125.00 then $100.00 and finally I got one to drive me up for $80.00. I thought the drive would take about 1 hr. but when we were 2.5 hrs. into the journey, I thought he was kidnapping me. We finally reached the coast and the hotel where the tourist had fallen to her death from her balcony on the sixth floor. The hotel was nice, typical two/ three star venue, with pretty lousy food but a fantastic beach.

I immediately got to work by asking for the general manager, but he was not available. I spoke to the públic relations manager, explained what I was doing and asked if she remembered the case. She confirmed she did, but claimed she didn't know the details and referred me to the manager. The manager continued unavailable througout the afternoon and the next day. I drove to the local police station not too far from the hotel to ask for a copy of the police report and was stonewalled. The commander wouldn't receive me and the officers on duty practically ignored me.

Off to the hospital where the tourist had been taken after the fall for treatment. The doctor on duty was very receptive, promised to help, but claimed he wasn't on duty the night of the accident and left it at that. I asked the administrative director of the clinic and she refuesed to help. Everywhere I went I got nowhere.

Frustrated I put on my bathing suit and went for a swim. A delightful swim in crystal clear, warm water. I had the usual buffet dinner served to the hundreds of tourists and couldn't help but notice the poor quality of the food. The service was good and waiters and waitresses were glad to take care of everyone. Working in a hotel is a priviledge, especially in rural areas.

The next day I went for my usual 5 kilometer walk. It was early in the morning and I set off to walk on the narrow beach as far as I could. After a short while I came accross two Cuban families deep frying fish they had just speared on the outside reefs. There were about 8 or ten people in the group who were traveling on two horse drawn carts. Tito and his wife Maya were the most friendly of the group and we got to talking. I had an upset stomach from having eaten something strange and Maya offered to give me "una soba". I had no idea what the hell it was but agreed, if it would fix my upset stomach. She produced some spent cooking oil which she rubbed on the back of by calf for several minutes, working the oil in. Not sure it did the trick, but by the afternoon I was feeling my usual self.

I spent about an hour with the group and they invited me to their home, located about three or four kilometers from the beach. After picking up their minimal gear, including home made spear guns and rudimentary masks and snorkels, they carefully made their way out on to the road. They explained it was prohibited to spear fish and if caught they'd be in trouble. I hopped on the back of the cart and off we went to their house. Home was a small concrete house where they lived with their elderly parents. There Maya and Tito lived with their parents plus their own two little girls, aged about 8 and 10. All of them were unemployed but received their meager government rations consisting of some rice, sugar, daily bread, and other staples. However, they couldn't get by on this.

So Tito supplements his rations by making horseshoe nails. Cleverly he's build a small blower and kiln where he's able to heat reinforcement bars which he hammers into rudimentary nails he uses to fit on horsehoes for the many horses that serve as a means of transportation in the village. He told me he earned approximately US$3.00 a month by fitting horseshoes for local cart owners. He seemed rather proud of his profession and very glad he makes the extra money to provide for his family!

A bottle of rum made its appearance and Tito invited me to his "cuñado's" house not too far down the road. This was a most beautiful thatched roofed house, with only three rooms, maybe 40 sq. meters in all, but clean, cool and "homey". Two huge royal palms adorned the large, well groomed lawn in the front of the house. After the rum they started cooking some rice, plantains and even some chicken and we had quite a feast that lasted till midnight. Of the thirty or so people I met, every single one of them wanted to leave Cuba. One was scheming to marry a German girl he had met at a resort, the other was planning to steal a boat and make it to Florida, etc. Everyone wanted a change and surprising to me spoke out quite openly against the regime, but professed a lot of respect for Fidel.-

They told me the story about their cousin who had just been caught slaughtering a steer he had raised, and who was sent to prison for 8 years!! Note, he didn't steal the steer, he raised it himself, but that is a punishible crime.

The stories I heard that night were unbeleivable. Some women sold coffee beans illegaly. For a small bag of coffee beans she would earn about US$0.10 but ran the risk of being sent to prison. Others made small amounts of candy. One made pizza.
Everyone seemed to have some kind of deal or another. Nobody could get by on rations.

The craziest thing about Cuba is that all commercial endevours are prohibited so I didn't see one single gas station on the highway between Santiago and Holguin. Not one single store where I could buy water. I couldn't help notice my taxi driver, at the wheel of an old Soviet Lada, stopped at a hospital where he asked the ambulance driver for something. He came out with some fuel and a part he needed, they exchanged money and off we went.

In Cuba everything is prohibited. You can't own anything, can't sell anything. But some people are building houses, but have nowhere to purchase building materials, that are stolen from large construction sites. So they obtain small amounts of cement every day until they accumulate enough to make some additions to the house. Rebars are stolen as well and slowly but surely, houses go up.
Very slowly to be sure.

When I got back to the hotel at midnight, the clerk at the front desk told me I was wanted at the police station. I asked when.
"Right away". I went up to my room where I called my wife, told her my predicament informing her if she didn't hear from me to come over and rescue me. At about 1;00 am I walked into the police station and asked to sit in a small room. At about 2:00 am an official asked me into his office where he began questioning me about the reason I was in Cuba. I told him what I was doing and he quickly informed me I was to leave the country on the next available flight. I was glad to do it.

Coming from Santo Domingo and traveling frequently to Haiti as well, it's very strange to see a society where all commercial freedom is banned. Haiti is the poorest nation of Latinamerica, but everyone is hustling, selling one item or another, for pennies, but at least they're free to do that.

In Cuba everyone is hustling to make an extra buck on the side, very careful not to get caught.

When Fidel dies, the system will cave in. Too many Cubans want a change. They can see most of the world is free and are anxious to try it. Raul and his cronies will attempt to keep the system going but won't be able to manage. A change is coming but not until Fidel is gone.

Bill

Congratulations, Val! It's good to see a writer of your caliber get the recognition he deserves. :o)

Val, No one will escape the lost of Cuba's freedom without scars, but the difference is what we choose to do with those scars. You have chosen to continue the struggle for the liberation of Cuba. The Miami Herald piece must have those who have gone before us smiling in heaven.

Janet Ray Weininger

Todo el mundo sabe que en Cuba no hay Libertad. De lo que tienes que escribir es que vamos a hacer cuando se caiga el regimen, me parece que tu eres muy pro-Norte Americano y a favor que Cuba se convierta en una isla Comercialisada a lo Miami. Ojala que eso no suceda y que los Cubanos en la Isla puedan al fin decidir por ellos mismos que quieren ellos. Ese es el tema a discutir.
J Ferrer

I just read about you and your site in the Herald this morning. Wow - I'm so glad I found you! Love this site, your comments and stories. Brings back special memories from when I was growing up and the stories my Dad would tell me about growing up in Cuba (parents left Cuba right before Castro took over - my sister, brother and I were all born in NYC).

Anyway, just wanted to thank you for a great site - I know I'll be visiting often!

Yvette
Naples, FL

Nice blog you have here. Needs more posts about food.

I am a cuban-american born in the united states. My parents both came to this country early in their prospective childhood. I have heard all the wonderful stories about cuba and the possible return to freedom when the tyrant departs from this beuatiful island. However, I am currently a law student at the University of Florida doing research on the topic of reconciliation with the present (or, hopefully future) government of cuba. I have read various books on the subject such as "The Exile" written by David Reiff.

Today, as I sat on my desk looking through the miami herald for research, I read through this article. Even though the books have seemed informative, this website and the individuals that read and create posting on this website can lend much light on my research. If anyone has any information on the topic, as far as books, movies, papers, etc. or can shed two minutes of their time to let me know their personal opinion on the subject, it would be greatly appreciated as I hope that my paper reflect the opinion of the cuban americans that want to see cuba once again free and in the hands of a democractic society.

Thanks

It's always a good thing to get a first-hand account of a place that is so often talked about, but to most (me included) so little known.

I have no doubt that Cuba under Castro is an unfortunate experiment, but I also wondered, as I read the press account of the two men arrested for being in a "tourist zone," how that differed from similar events here in the US. I would be interested to see how an African-American would respond to that story (I am not one, so cannot say). I also wonder how those who have been swept off the streets before public events (such as the Atlanta Olympics or political conventions in New York) would see that they had been victims of a different, freer society.

I also wonder why US policy has made Grenada and Iraq so important as to be worth liberating, but ignored places like Rwanda and walked away from places like Cuba. (Part of the deal keeping Soviet nuclear weapons off the island, perhaps?)

Mostly, however, I am pleased to add your experiences to my world filter, and will link your blog (yes, thanks to the Miami Herald and to Yahoo, for syndicating the Herald story) to my pathetic little cry for attention. I will join your cheer and tell Fidel Castro to kiss my ass, but I suspect you will probably be unhappy when I add that George W. Bush can be second in line (up until Homeland Security comes to get me).

Cordially,
Mike Flynn

Mike,

Thanks you for the kind words and the linkage. Its appreciated.

I happened to post that particular report from Cuba because thats the one I received in my news feed this morning. I get many many reports like those weekly.

Perhaps that point you make may be true. the very same thing might possibly happen to a couple of African American men walking a certain street in those hours. But, what I find very interesting in that report is that one of the men has a record for stealing food. A cow. Which was probably being fed - kept nice and fat - to be then used to feed tourists at some hotel where there's buffets a plenty. meanwhile, this guy has to go and steal a cow if he wants to eat beef.

Reminds me a bit of this post:

http://www.babalublog.com/archives/000162.html

In one of your favorite Cuban sayings, Entre, entre, y tome una silla", is translated as " Between, between and take a chair." The correct translation should be " Come in, come in, and take a chair." In Spanish entre could be 'between' or to to 'enter'.

Wow, those two blithering idiots that emailed you sure are eloquent. What talent, what wonderful use of the English language, what scholars!
They don't deserve the bandwidth you used on them.
The sad part is, they are simply proving you right. The freedoms granted to them, and abused by them, are what allow them to write the gibberish they have!

Congrats socio!!

Val:

We may have our disagreements--but even I think those guys are morons.

Martin

Great story on both you and the site! Keep up the wonderful work!! :)

wow, that guy that goes to cuba often with his wife...where does he get all his info? if he visits cuba as often as he says he does and "lives with the people" then how can he come to beleive that us cuban-americans are the enemy? i would love to know his "truth about cuba". i hope he will share the truth w/ us wihout being so foul mouthed and emotionally upset at us cuban americans.

GREAT STORY'S VAL, MY COMMENT TO THESE "STORIES"
IS FIDEL CAN KISS MY ASS ALSO, MY ONLY WORRY IS THAT HE MAY ENJOY THE ASS KISSING ...
GOOD JOB VAL

I especially like the e-mail questioning your "manhood." Freudian Psychology via weblog. If I had been drinking something, I would have spewed onto my new laptop.

As I learned as a young newsman, enjoy the hate mail, because it means they're reading.

"E Mail me back and I can fill you in on Cuba" {chuckle}

e.amador,

That guy is what I refer to as an Omnipotent Tourist.

val:

If u have any info for this research I have stated above, it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Valentín, congratulations on the Herald story. De nuevo, thank you for keeping the spotlight on the tyrant. As for the comemierdas who wrote you those emails, wow. Si ése es el enemigo, la batalla está ganada.

Congratulations my friend! It is good you are getting the recognition you deserve. Ignore the people behind those missives, as they talk about themselves, not about you.

In response to the previous emails that were so eloquently worded to appeal to the minds of the ignorant, I would remind them that if these a$$holes were Cuban, the sh!t that is spewing out of their mouths is all that their family would have to eat, but because they are ungrateful, narrow minded, tiny little useless sacks of skin, they will never have to know the horror.
And that's coming from an true American Gringa!!

Yes, Angela, I think that pretty much sums it up.

Where's the part in the second letter where Fidelzebub heals the sick and raises the dead? Also, why is that goomer concerned about the size of our host's equipment, anyway? Something about "sour grapes" comes to mind, combined with "though shalt not covet."

Oh, and the bit about everyone being grateful to "el gusano barbudo" - that's precious. I'm sure when Cast(ad)o el Capado straps the car battery to _their_ equipment, in those amusement parks we ignorantly mislabel as torture rooms, the victims - er, I mean "customers" - scream "Gracias, el Comandante!" when the torturers turn on the current.

Como que no, j ferrer, perhaps they won't want democracy. Like George says, these folks love communism. Its the wave of the future, don't you know. And thanks Val, for having the piedras to publish these idiots. Castro can kiss my ass, also. I lived many years in Franco's Spain. He wouldn't kiss my ass either, but now he's dead and Spain is become a socialist, euro-wuss poor excuse for a nation. Would Sr. j ferrer wish this fate on Cuba?

Congratulations, Val!!! You're changing how the world looks at things!

OYE PTG, por lo menos en Espana la atension medica esta mejor que en EU, supuestamente el pais mas poderoso del mundo y los espanoles no les besan las n.... a los norte americanos

Val:

Congrats on making the front page of the Herald. Too bad about the breathers, but fame has its price.

Btw, how was the turducken?

Howdy Val, I came via Michelle Malkin and like what I read. Those who spout hate at you are like those who hate Dubya and show their stupitity and shallowness of their soul.

Via con Dios!

hey, i heard about this all the way up here in the frozen tundra. . . nice job. you deserve it. still, i'm sorta bitter having read your message: the picture didn't appear in the online version. what's say you post it in the blog computer whiz-kid??? loca por verte una vez mas. . .

un beso, ykw

40???? geez, como ha llovido. . . bueno. over and out. work awaits. as ever. . . --yo.

BTW, ain't it your birthday sometime soon? that would make it 41??? ave maria. . . well, this was a great way to salute you. de nuevo, felicidades, hermano. en buena hora a quien bien merece. i hope this brings lots more fans, lots more novices, much more info exchanged. cool. still, you should post the picture from the herald. i think you'd get a lot more hits. (jk, bro)

Great site! I will provide few ignorants here some great info on Today's Cuba. I am going to visit my mom in Cuba after 10 years this coming April. If you wish I'd be more than happy to share some pictures with you. And what's wrong with that guy married to a cuban...I mean what type of cuban would marry a man with those ideals? He speaks that way because he comes and goes, he does not live there or didnt have any relative that died trying to make it through the Florida straights, or try to do that himself. I wonder how low his IQ is.....

Hey man, I told everyone you were really good, now this proves I'm right. Even Michelle Malkin agrees with me. Thanks and congratulations, you deserve it!

Congrats on the publicity, Val! And don't let the ignorant, subliterate mouthbreathers that mailed you such Shakespearean literature get ya down. They're just a few screeching crows among a nation's worth of doves.

BTW--love the artwork on your wall!

--TwoDragons

I got a DD214, I earned it with the barrel of my 30 cal M60 and plenty of good'old .223 Montana lead that I sprayed on deserving Kmer Rouge, Viet-Cong and NVA, my son will earn one DD214 too with his MP4, and 80mm shells that he is laying down on scum that hates America. So what is the big deal with that chomp that proclaims he has a DD214?

Congratulations, Val, I always knew you'd be big.

As for the lovely "fan" mail, well, we can all only aspire to piss of the right people as well as you have.

Congratulations again.

Congratulations, Machete, you're keeping it sharp and true.

JdB

After reading the Herald article, I was curious and came to browse around. Had a great laugh at the expense of the 'know it all' who says he's married to a Cuban woman & visits there quite often... it amazes me how much some people love to expose their own stupidity for the whole world to see.

Way to go Val, well deserved.

Congrats Uncle Val, next time I go to Miami, I have to get your autograph. :) Seriously though I am very proud of you.

Just came across your site today from Michelle Malkins' site. Excellent read! I will keep it in my daily rituals.

In regards to the idiots who e-mailed you the dribble, I don't know if I am more offended by their idiocy or by them referring to the fabulous Icky suffle made famous by Icky Woods! I loved that man! Icky would have kicked their asses!

Stay cool and safe!

Hey Val,

Caught word at Conservative Trailhead before I took my daily visit. Seems I'm already late to the party though!

Oh well. Pass the drinks!

Re your new friend "George" -- so that's why they told people not to take the brown acid.

Hopefully the resent events in Iraq have the dictator picking a color scheme for his "Spider Hole".
Make sure he makes it as homey as possible.

I want to join Val in expressing the sentiments of all Cubans,
Kiss my ass fidel, your day is coming soon.

Seems like you're in the majors now Val. Congrats on a fenomenal effort. Whether you like it or not you are now the at the forefront of this struggle and have become a leader in the "uncensored voice of the Cuban exile".
We are a small, misunderstood, but very vocal minority in this land called America. You truly are making a difference. You know by the amount of vitriole spewed at you, like those two you posted. You have achieved something fantastic - you've got their attention! And that, mi Socio, is an awesome resposibility. Again, my hat's off to you for "algo bien hecho".

Feels good to be an instant personality?

There are a lot of us in your corner, with experiences to share just like yours. Whether the world is ready to listen.....that's another story, another time.

Savor this time. There'll be a lot more work to do in the future.

Origins of San Lazaro, Babalu Aye, o Azowano;
"Una vez Olusi (el Diablo) le dijo a Olofi que ya en la Tierra ne quedaba un hombre por tentar y que no hubiera caído en la tentación. Olofi le contesto que todavía quedaba uno y que ese jamás caería en la tentación de renegar en contra de él que nunca le fallaría. Aquél le preguntó quien era ese hombre y éste le respondío que Asowano. Entonces, el Diablo le dijo que estaba seguro de que podía tentarlo. Olofi le apostó que no. Olusi dijo que lo iba a probar, para tal efecto llenó de lepra el cuerpo de Asowano. Cuando éste se vio todo el cuerpo lleno de lepra, el Diablo le dijo que él podía curarlo pero que tenia que renunciar a Olofi. Asowano le contestó que no, que prefería seguir enfermo, pero nunca renunciaría a su Padre y al mandato de éste. Olusi se dio cuenta de que no podía hacer nada, mas le dijo a Olofi que todavía Asowano podía caer en tentación. Decidío probarlo una vez más y Olofi LLeno de confianza le dijo que estaba bien, pero que esa sería la última vez. En esta ocasión hizo que por donde quiera que pasara Asowano la gente sintiera asco y corriera; cuando pasaba le tiraban cubos con agua. Olosi (volvió a aparecer con Asowano y le dijo que podía curarlo de lepra y hacer que la gente lo volviera a mirar como antes, si renunciaba a Olofi; en caso de que aceptara, le daría un reino donde sería rey absoluto. Asowano le respondió que nunca renunciaría a su Padre y que siempre acataría los mandatos de éste. Olusi quería intentar de nuevo la conquista del alma de Asowano, ya que éste valía por 100; pero Olofi le dijo que ya había tenido otra oportunidad y que había fallado. Como Asowano probó ser de buena ley Olofi le devolvió la salud y le dio un reino donde es señor y dueño. También lo hizo el Dios de las enfermedades y de la sangre; éste es el motivo de que San Lázaro sea el dios al que se le pide cuando hay problemas relacionados con la sangre y/u enfermedades malignas. Desde ese momento, a San Lázaro nunca se le pudo bañar con agua; sino con agua de coco y vino blanco sin sal. La tierra donde él es rey absoluto es Arara, ahí rige gracias a su buena cabeza. Su Ocanini (un mismo corazón) es Jabioso (Changó). Este es el unico Santo que San Lázaro respeta y venera, porque él fue quien le quitó los perros a Oggun, se los dio a San Lázaro y lo llevó a tierra Yefa, donde lo hizo rey."

Bendición a todos.

Obba Ni Ocan Ogundafun

Val, Congrats on the Miami Herald piece. I hope they were true to you, sounds like they were. I don't think I've commented before, though I've been reading your blog for a long time.

Truth to tell, I feel like I know you from Hogonice. Send food!

Hey Val New fan here !!! Tell that jackass who told you to get the ball to e-mail him that if he hates Bush and America and if he believes that Cuba and Fidel are the best thing that there is,He can go and stay there.I rather stay here with Bush and his Nazi Police services than live in Cuba.Maybe Fidel is paying him money to do his
dirty propaganda here.But well enough of this asshole.If Cuba could have an asshole,it probably will have his name.
Well I,m from Oriente too.Guantanamo.Keep the good work y cagate en la noticia.Siempre va a haber hijos de putas utiles como ese.

Hey Val New fan here !!! Tell that jackass who told you to get the ball to e-mail him that if he hates Bush and America and if he believes that Cuba and Fidel are the best thing that there is,He can go and stay there.I rather stay here with Bush and his Nazi Police services than live in Cuba.Maybe Fidel is paying him money to do his
dirty propaganda here.But well enough of this asshole.If Cuba could have an asshole,it probably will have his name.
Well I,m from Oriente too.Guantanamo.Keep the good work y cagate en la noticia.Siempre va a haber hijos de putas utiles como ese.

Val-

Excellent site.
I have been to Cuba 3 times and have been informed by the Cuban government that I am no longer able to visit - regardless of my intentions. A great story for another day.
Anyhow - what is this crap that your emailer wrote about the percentage of people that would vote for Fidel? Given the lack of honest expression in Cuba, I can't imagine where he got his 87% electing Castro. That is as ridiculous as the 100% vote for Saddam just before the war.
- Once again, great site!

Wow Val - you get real fan mail! Over in the Venezuelan blogs, we get such 'fan mail' too from charmers who threaten to turn us in to the authorities, but nothing of the "eloquence" and wasted bandwidth of yours! Yours are really ... uh, special?

Val, you've been "Malkinized". :-)

The Journalist in America cannot be free to write What they want: Bush and his Hitler Group are taking care of that.

Do you think this guy meant "Hitler" in the way Frank J. does? That would be totally Hitler. :o)

Well, at least you're making the right enemies.

That one guy forging horseshoe nails from rebar?!? Damn, makes my arms ache to think of it. Having to do that just to get some nails...

I'm with Steve- more midgets please.

Hey Val,

Congrats from this Arizona desert rat. I've learned so much about Cuba then would have ever thought.

Ray
http://rockpilecowboy.blogspot.com