Cuba, Island of Dreams

October 28, 1492, Christopher Columbus landed on the largest, yet unknown island in the Caribbean. His firsthand encounter with the gentle, balmy breezes, aromatic flowers, and melodic songs of the many birds in the treetops forced these words from his mouth, "Here, I would like to live forever!" Thus, one has a glimpse into the lushness of this tropical island. Today, that lushness is overshadowed by Communism. Overshadowed, but not eradicated, as the video highlights a country full of vibrant, proud people with a history and culture very much their own in a land full of natural wonders.

Cuba was settled by the Spanish who had hoped to get rich on its gold. The Spanish built fortresses along the six thousand kilometers of Cuba's coastline, hoping to deter plundering pirates. Once it was determined that gold was not abundant on the island, Spanish monarchs lost interest in Cuba. In October, 1868, the Cuban people revolted in an attempt to win independence from Spain. The attempt lost its fervor, but renewed in intensity in 1895. February, 1898, an American naval ship, the USS Maine exploded in Havana Harbor under suspicious circumstances and the United States declared war on Spain. The Spanish American War lasted less than a year, but as part of the Peace Treaty, Spain had to withdraw from Cuba. In 1902, Cuba became a Republic. Absentee government was replaced by corrupt government. In 1933, Batista, a dictator, took control of the country. He was overthrown in 1958, by Castro, a charismatic young man whose dream was to help the plight of the poor people. He once told the people of Cuba, "There is no longer an enemy." However, it wasn't long before his radical reforms led the government into Communism. ...

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...amingos, crocodiles, and iguanas.

This video was very enlightening. It showed a side of Cuba that I did not know existed - the nightclubs, the dancing, the beautiful beaches and outer islands full of exotic creatures. However, I had the feeling, it only showed the parts people wanted to see. It showed the tourist attractions. I would have liked to have seen "where" and "how" the everyday people live, go to school, shop, and play.

Today, more than five hundred years later, much of the island of Cuba remains unchanged. It is like taking a step back into a previous century. Communism has taken its toll. Economic problems abound, shortages are common, technology is almost non-existent. Tractors have been replaced by oxen. Yet hopelessness is not on the faces of the Cuban people. The music is in their hearts. After all, they live in a natural paradise!