Ankara, 2nd site: Atatürk’s mausoleum

We had just arrived at the airport in Ankara and Murat picked us up and asked if we wanted to go to the hotel, or to go see something. What the heck, let's go see something. So where are we going? Someplace special was the reply. When we arrived and parked the car, it was not at all apparent where we were, or why anyone would go where we were headed. But we followed Murat through the security, that seemed tight at the time, but which we would learn was nothing unusual by Turkish standards. We headed up the hill and slowly it revealed itself.

It has a name (Anitkabir) but what it is, is the final resting place of MK Atatürk. As you know, Atatürk is revered in Turkey in a way that few leaders anywhere are revered. You cannot walk far in a Turkish city without passing a statue in his honor. So, what is his mausoleum like?

I always thought Napoleon’s tomb was a bit on the excessive side, but then my hero is Thomas Jefferson and I always was impressed by the restraint shown in his marker (not even the biggest in his family's cemetery). Restraint was not shown with Anitkabir. The mausoleum itself is just one part of a sprawling complex set on a hill overlooking Ankara. One gets the feeling that Atatürk's place is there, watching over his country and his capital, even in death.

Anitkabir was not Atatürk's first resting Place. The complex was the product of an elaborate process of design and construction and not completed until 15 years after Atatürk’s death. It was not built just for him. It is also a monument to his achievement, the Turkish republic. It is their ceremonial space, featuring dramatic monumental architecture and massive open spaces to be filled on ceremonial and patriotic locations. And Atatürk is at its center. Makes perfect sense to me.

Turkey: History Atatürk by Andrew Mango

Is democracy possible in a Muslim society? It is a burning question in this time of the ‘Arab 1848’. The reference to 1848 is a reference to the year that revolution swept across Europe. There does seem to be a demonstration effect to revolution. It happens in one place (Tunisia) and people elsewhere ask, why not here? And so in the last days we have watched Muslim societies tear down their existing regimes. It begs the question: what will they build in their place? If you asked people in the squares, they would likely tell you they want a democracy.  And we are back to the original question: is democracy possible in a Muslim country?

That may sound like a silly or bigoted question. Silly, because there are some notable examples of Muslim democracy - Turkey and Indonesia, for example.  And bigoted because the revolutions we are witnessing testify to Muslims desire for democracy. But wanting something and keeping it are not the same thing. Desire alone is not enough. Democracy is not a natural state of human affairs. Creating it, sustaining it, takes work.

As soon as I had decided that I would be visiting Turkey, I knew that I wanted to read a biography of Atatürk.  Atatürk created Turkey.  What is today a relatively stable and prosperous state goes in no small measure to the will of a single man, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

Turks seem to understand this. I think it is what explains Atatürk’s ubiquitous presence 70 years after his death. It's not just the statues, though there are lots of them. His picture is everywhere - stores, restaurants, government buildings, homes, car windows, flags almost anywhere you can imagine an image, someone has an image of Atatürk there. I wonder if Stalin, even at the height of his cult of personality was as omnipresent. When Stalin died, he disappeared. Atatürk remains. His story and Turkeys must be remarkable.

So I looked for a book that would tell those stories. Ideally it would have been written by a Turk, someone with the perspective that can only be gained by living it. Alas that was not to be. Turks do write books about Atatürk - lots of them. They don't translate them, it seems. Outside of Turkey the interest in Atatürk is not so great. Mango’s book was a good compromise. Mango was born and raised (to age 21) in Turkey. He experienced Atatürk’s Turkey firsthand. It is still a western outsider’s perspective, but it is one who fully understands the society he is observing. As such he does a good job of helping the reader understand Atatürk managed what was nothing short of a cultural Revolution. There are those (ok, me) who would argue that that was his greatest accomplishment.

Turkey under Atatürk was never a democracy. What Atatürk did was set Turkey on a path towards the creation of a society that could eventually become and sustain democracy. Many of the Turks I met are very worried about the future and the political dominance of Islamists. These are legitimate fears and to the extent that Islamism grows it grows at the expense of Atatürk's legacy. It would be a counter-revolution and a threat to the democracy Turkey has become.

That's why all those images of Atatürk make me optimistic. It is not so much a glorification of him, but of his ideals. Those ideals are modern, progressive, secular and democratic. A country with those ideals will tend to be democratic. Turkey is still populated by Muslims but it is not an Islamic democracy - just a democracy where most citizens practice Islam. There's a difference and they have Atatürk to thank for it.

Turkey: Tour guide, Frommer’s

Having now read a whole bunch of tour guides, I am beginning to look at them collectively in a different light. For me, their main purpose is to provide background, detail and then guidance as I plan my trip. And they do that, but they are also like the menu at a restaurant. They list all the possibilities and then you choose what you will have. But have you ever thought about the menu in reverse? Mostly it is a list of things you could have, but won’t. Guide books are beginning to depress me. They are lists of places I could visit, but won't.

For Turkey, I used Frommer’s, probably the most mainstream of all the many possibilities. Of the countries I have visited so far Turkey is the one about which I knew the least, going in. Some guidebooks target a niche.  Being quirky is their sales point. That works if the guide is adding to what you already know about a place. For me, knowing so little, I needed thorough and comprehensive. Frommer’s delivers.

The guide book describes six different regions, any of which would merit extended exploration. Given the nature of my project. It was kind of like Frommer was teasing me. Ankara, the capital, was a given and for the second city, Istanbul was the obvious choice. So that's it? No, that was impossible. We’d be missing so much. Turkey is such a large, diverse and beautiful country, two cities would not be enough. But then the question is: of the other four, which three do you leave out? We settled on Izmir and the opportunity to see the Aegean Coast and Ephesus, the ancient Greek ruins. I think it was a good choice but I can't help wondering about Bursa and Cappadocia and all the other things we missed.

Turkey: Youth, education.

In many respects, education was the raison d'être of Atatürk’s revolution. Establishing Turkey’s independence and securing Turkish territorial integrity were clearly vital impulses motivating the Turkish nationalists after World War I, but accomplishing those goals did not require a revolution. The revolution was not just political, motivated by Atatürk’s desire to be in charge. No, Atatürk wanted to be in charge in order to accomplish a revolution - a cultural Revolution. Atatürk believed the long-term success of Turkey depended on a cultural transformation from Eastern (Ottoman) tradition to Western “civilized” modernity. Turkey’s competition was Europe and they were outperforming them. Atatürk believed Turkey’s old ways were holding the country back and he was determined to shed them.

Bilkent's Gate

Education was the means for social transformation and had the notable side benefit of creating a constituency supportive of the policies going forward. As a result education and Turkey’s youth had a special place in the heart of Turkey’s unquestioned leader. They figure prominently in his rhetoric and mythology. Given the extraordinary devotion of Turks to Atatürk, even to this day, his commitment to education remains a core value of Turkish society. Turks take education seriously and have created a system that compares favorably with its European neighbors.

K-12 education is compulsory and admission to the university is competitive. There is a single nationwide, three-hour exam which creates a hierarchy among students and allocates the most desired placements based on performance. On the surface this is an egalitarian merit-based system. The reality is that like in the United States, exam prep is vital and exam prep courses cost money. Do the wealthy have an advantage? Of course they do, but in Turkey that advantage ends at the university's gates.

Once you get in, the Turkish university student has a pretty sweet deal. Their education will cost them virtually nothing. Tuition is non-existent, housing and board are provided. At Bilkent University (Turkey’s #1 and that's not just according to Murat, a proud alumnus, Wikipedia agrees) students had at their disposal anything they could need. The campus is immense (5000 acres, Harvard in comparison is 210 acres) and is more like a city unto itself with stores, a hospital, its own mosque (and religious space for minorities) and associated business enterprises. It is the realization of Atatürk’s vision for his country. It turns out graduates who in global competition take a backseat to no one.

Turkey: Medical

Istanbul

Some federal judges in the United States believe that America's new health insurance regime is unconstitutional. In Turkey things are a little different. Turkey’s constitution guarantees its citizens ‘Social Security’ and explicitly charges the state with the responsibility to make it happen.

That power in the hands of the state does not set Turks off as it does so many Americans. They are used to an activist state that makes policy in many very important aspects of their life. There does not seem to be a Turkish Glenn Beck, with his hair on fire about how this is the first step down the path to dictatorship.

Upscale, Private

Turkey is going the other direction on that path. Today the Turkish state has a smaller footprint in Turks' lives than has been true at many points in its history, including especially the ‘glory days’ of the Atatürk era. So Turks are used to the government taking responsibility for healthcare, they expect it - I think they even like it.

So everything is just fine, then? Well, as always, the devil is in the details. As always with health care, the question is about quality and accessibility. Americans want top-quality and they want it on demand. They probably would not be happy with the Turkish public system. But then, significant numbers of Turks feel the same way it seems.

Bilkent University 'Clinic'

Reform of the system has been an important part of the ruling AKP's governing program. Consistent with their general approach, they are adding market elements to the system, reducing relatively the state's role.  According to the PM’s pre-election rhetoric, they aren't done yet. Has it improved healthcare for Turks? The people I asked seem to be okay with what they had, but there do seem to be growing differences between classes. Wealthier Turks and can afford extra payments and supplemental insurance and have access to better care. Is that good or bad? I don't know, but it is not unlike a lot of other countries.

Turkey Academic: Kesselman

In the CHP Cabinet Room

Finding a comparative politics text book that has a chapter on Turkey is more difficult than one might think. The book I currently use, Hauss’ Comparative Politics does not have a chapter, even in the online supplemental materials. The publisher of that text (Cengage) does have other comparative politics texts and one of them, Kesselman did have a chapter on Turkey among its online resources, written by a Turkish scholar Ersin Kalaycioglu. So that's what I read to provide the academic foundation for understanding Turkish politics.

The High Court Statues: Justice & Atatürk

I found one, so what's the big deal? Well, first, there are several approaches to the study of comparative politics; institutional & cultural, just to name the two most common. No matter which approach one takes, the SOP (standard operating procedure) is to take that approach and apply it to several countries. After doing that the patterns (similarities and differences) begin to appear and make sense.

Turkey is not one of the countries included by most authors in their set. To me this is a surprise considering the dearth of democracies where the dominant religion is Muslim and the importance of understanding the intersection of Islam and democracy to the United States, a country with its army in two such countries, trying to build a democracy and get out.

Local Political Party HQ

What this means to me is that the type of chapter I would want for my students - one with a focus on history and culture - does not appear to be available for Turkey. The Kesselman chapter I read does a good job setting out for students the context of Turkish politics (history and demographics) and provides an overview of key players (institutions) but does not explore what I think is the most interesting question: why Turkey is the way it is. Another issue with the chapter is that it appears to have been completed in 2004 - more than six years ago. A lot has happened in Turkey in the last six years. It is past time for an update.

This presents a dilemma. I would like to include Turkey as a formal part of my course, but how do you do it without appropriate reading material?

Back to Turkey

I wish...  But no we are not headed back to Turkey.  By now you all know how it works.  Long after I leave a place, I am still reading and writing and knocking off some of those '25 things' that don't need to be done 'in country'.  I have another bunch of those done for Turkey and over the next couple days will post them before returning to post the last few entries for Cuba.  Very soon, MC and I will be leaving for about a month in China.  Those post should start in a couple weeks.

Turkey, Novel. The New Life by Orhan Pamuk

I don't know if I had ever read a book by an author who has won the Nobel prize for literature until now. Orhan Pamuk won the prize in 2006 and the Wikipedia snippet from his Nobel announcement made him a perfect fit for the Turkish lit portion of this project: “Orhan Pamuk who in his quest for the melancholic soul of his native city has discovered new symbols for the clash and interlacing of cultures.” 

The ‘clash and interlacing of cultures’.  That really sums up the Turkey I experienced during my visit there. Many times, it seemed to me that the place I was visiting with more European than many places I had visited in Europe. But if you know anything about Turkey you also know there is a lot about the place that is simply not European and there are a lot of people that like it that way and to want to preserve and enhance those differences. There is both on interlacing and a clash.

I was interested to see how this would play out in literature. In that respect, ‘A New Life’ does not disappoint. The book is the story of a young man whose life is transformed by a book. He is a normal, everyday college student until one day he happens upon an intriguing woman who just happens to have a copy of ‘the book’. On his way home after their encounter, he happens on another copy of ‘the book’ and on an impulse, he buys it.  After reading it, the book and the vision it presents become an obsession. He dropped everything to pursue it - abandoning the old life and all that went with it.

Is it too much to say ‘the New Life’ is a metaphor for Modernity and the west? The old life being Turkey’s religious and traditional path? You’d have to read it your self to decide, but it did not seem like such a stretch to me. And in Pamuk’s clash of civilizations, who is the victor?  I couldn't say. The end is a little obscure.  Probably a Nobel Prize requirement.

Turkey, Cinema: Eyvah, Eyvah and Magnificent Century

Turks are a proud people - and it is not like they do not have a lot to be proud of. Still, it has struck me that there is a measure of insecurity in expressions of that pride. It has been a crime in Turkey to disparage Atatürk. Why? Are the manifestations of his greatness not enough to win the day against his detractors. He needs the police to silence them. Turks see his greatness, but seem sure others will not. And so he needs protection.

I felt the same thing experiencing Magnificent Century. I say experiencing, because, well - what we did was so much more than simply watching the presentation. Magnificent Century chronicles the reign of Suleiman (a.k.a. Suleiman the Magnificent) ruler of the Ottoman Empire for much of the 16th century. It is a season-long television series running in 24 parts.  We were not able (yet) to see it in its entirety. The opening episode (90 min.) is available with subtitles on YouTube.  The second episode we watched with Murat and his family at their home. They kindly provided simultaneous translation. The remaining episodes have been appearing online, but without subtitles - so really we only know how the saga begins…

And we know how it was received in Turkey when it was broadcast. The closest thing I can compare it to was ‘Roots’. Magnificent Century created a huge stir.  There were daily stories in the press. It got to the point where even the Prime Minister (Erdogan) felt compelled to condemn it.

What was wrong? I think it became a surrogate for the ongoing struggle between conservative and secular elements in Turkish society. Another front in the fight about ‘how good was the past’ and how much of that past should we include in national life. Magnificent Century was criticized for showing one of Turkey’s greats in a not entirely flattering light.  In Turkey that sparks a fight.

‘Eyvah, Eyvah’ was in contrast just a piece of fluff.   I chose it because while we were in Turkey it's sequel 

‘Eyvah, Eyvah 2’ seem to be the number one comedy playing in almost every Cineplex we passed. The original is always better and since ‘Eyvah, Eyvah 2’  is still not available with subtitles, the choice was easy.

The film is the story of a country boy who goes to the big city (Istanbul) in search of his long-lost biological father. Hilarity ensues. He gets mixed up with a lounge singer (way out of his league) and then sucked into some underworld intrigue. The happy ending has him headed home to his village, his family and his true love. Can't wait for them to translate the sequel. It was a very enjoyable film. Like a brief trip back to one of our favorite places.  The people and ambience were very familiar and pleasant. Two hours well spent.

Cuba, Youth.

Life is tough in Cuba. Nobody has it easy.  But if anybody gets a bit of preference, it seems to be the kids. Rationing is one example. In Cuba, most of the family’s foodstuffs are acquired through the ration book system as un-rationed food is generally available only for CUC’s and hence is very expensive. How much milk does a person get? None. It's just for the kids (U7).


There are a lot of other little luxuries (sadly milk is a luxury) that are extended just to the kids. In my travels around Havana I came upon lots of opportunities for recreation intended for the younger children.  Pony rides, amusement park, playgrounds – not elaborate but available for pesos.  In the Cuban Art Museum, downstairs in the foyer they set up chairs, a stage and a sound system for a children’s show targeted at preschool and elementary school children. The show was pretty good. The performer was clearly a professional, her props were stage quality. It was the kind of thing you would expect to see on a local TV show, given for kids and their parents without cost.

Several times during the week I saw small groups of school age kids, in their uniforms, walking in groups clearly out on field trips. Some of these activities were doubtless part of the Pioneer program (based on the day and time I saw them - Saturday p.m. It wasn't likely a school outing)  Nearly all Cuban youth participate in the Pioneers, a trademark part of life in a Leninist country. Who better to raise your kids than the party?

A uniform at every grade

Though in their programs for youth the party's motives may be clear, it does not change the fact that youth and education are a priority. Compared to the United States, as a percentage of GDP, Cuba spends roughly 5 times what we spend.  In real terms, that may be less than we spend but it speaks to the value Cubans place on educating their youth.  

And they get results.  As I said before, Cuba’s medical program has become one of Cuba's few export products. It is a product of the education system.  Illiteracy, once a fact of life for many Cubans is now almost unheard of. There is great potential in Cuba's youth. It is ironic that the regime feeds that potential only to stifle it later, after they graduate. (see Cuba Commerce – coming soon)

Cuba, Religion.

Looks a lot like Belgium...  

If you ask the Catholic church, 70% of Cubans are Catholic. If you ask the Communist Party, the appropriate policy of the government is the promotion of atheism, which is exactly what they have been doing since the revolution in 1959. So you have two important societal forces working at cross-purposes. Who's winning?

If the Communist Party is trying to eradicate religion in Cuba, by relative standards - compared to other Marxist-Leninist regimes - they are not trying very hard, and they are not succeeding all that much. It is true that the government of Cuba has an officially adopted policy of atheism. In the immediate wake of the Revolution they took steps to discourage religiosity.

And communist regimes have a lot of tools to discourage religiosity. In the Soviet Union you saw the closing and demolition of churches. In East Germany, the war took care of the demolition and churches simply were not rebuilt. That did not happen in Cuba. The old churches are still there, their interiors are still intact and the buildings continue to function as churches. That does not mean the party did not try to suppress them. Until 1991 you could not be a member of both the Communist Party and the Catholic church. That is an important choice. In a Leninist society the leading role (best opportunities) are reserved for party members. To choose the church was to forgo those opportunities.

So what changed in 1991? Well actually it was a bit before that. The collapse of the Soviet Union led to the loss of billions of dollars in economic support for Cuba. Hard times were on their way. From an economic standpoint Cubans would have to live with less. One of the government’s responses was to relax the constraints on religion -improving at least one aspect of life. In 1998, Pope John Paul II visited the island. For the first time, Christmas became an official holiday. The Castro's discovered ‘Liberation Theology’ was not that far removed from their own ideology. Cuba began to adopt a much more tolerant position.

In my neighborhood

I don't think you can say it has translated into a resurgence of Catholicism. The church I visited was in my neighborhood, which after five days of exploring I knew to be well integrated by both age and race. The church was notably not. It was considerably older and whiter than its surroundings. On this Sunday it was somewhat lightly attended (about half full). Not unusual for the churches I have seen elsewhere on my travels but not a sign of great health.

The other church buildings I visited were all more of the ‘tourist-visit’ variety.  They appeared well-maintained but reliant upon tourist CUC's (which they pursued relatively aggressively - verbal request for donation on exiting). Everyday churches I passed seem to be active, but closed except for services. This makes sense. Funding for the churches is restricted to the acceptance of donations from ‘approved sources’. No doubt this gives the regime the ability to control the church and its footprint in the community. No money - no staff, no staff - no services, small footprint - less competition with the party and its message.

I did see one interesting manifestation of this. As I entered the church on Sunday morning there was a line to stop at a table. I skipped it and sat down. As I sat, I watched. Not everyone stopped at the table. Those who did either put their name on a list (no idea what for) or made a donation to get a bulletin. No one got a bulletin without a donation, though it may just have been a token payment. Since I wanted a bulletin, I went back and got one. It was an interesting document. It had the order of service, of course, and some announcements - but what was interesting was that it was a national publication printed on the cheapest possible paper given only by extraordinary donation on request. Testament to a church with very limited resources.

Who is That? #17

This is the last one for a while.  I need to get to China and find some new material.  Rather than dig deep into the files, until then Wit? will take a break.  Next picture 3/30.  For this one  Send your guesses here.

St. Paul & his Basilica

Last week's answer: St. Paul.

First correct answer - this time, MZ.

Scoring:  First Day - 10 pts.  First Correct - Bonus 5.  After Clues: 5 pts.  No Guess: 0 pts...
The standings after 9 rounds:


SP: 80
AM:65
MZ: 50
CM: 35
NH:10
KM:10
You: 0

Havana, Second Site: ‘Old Havana’

Let's be frank, in comparison to the other cities included in this project (Moscow, Berlin, Istanbul) Havana is just not in the same league. Cuba is a small country and Havana has not been at the center of world history. A Top 10 list of things to do in Havana consists mostly of smoking, drinking and cruising. There are not a lot of must see sights. Unless you count an entire neighborhood as a site.

Then, Old Havana makes everyone's list and even if there is no one particular spot, or one particular event that stands out, as a whole that part of town represents the best of Cuba. At least the best of what it was and perhaps the best of what it could be. I am not so sure about the present.

Havana does have a past. Already at beginning of the 17th century Havana was an important part of Spain's American empire. Counting on the strength in numbers as a way to protect their ships from piracy, Spain would bring its ships to Havana from throughout the New World and then from there they would sail together for Spain. A lot of wealth was passing through town and a lot of people hanging out. Havana prospered.

Prosperity left its mark. Old Havana boasts grand old public buildings as well as the homes and haunts of the wealthy. The oldest part of the city (between the cathedral and Plaza San Francisco) has the feel of colonial Spain and presents one architectural gem after another as you stroll along the quiet streets that though not a pedestrian zone, see so little traffic that they might as well be.

Moving inland from the colonial quarter, you see the product of the 19th and 20th centuries.  Still a time of relative prosperity - at least for those at the top of the economic pyramid. They build their baubles to show off and to play in.  The Capitolio and the Gran Teatro are excellent examples of a society and a class confident in its wealth, power and future.

Three Buildings: Decaying, Restored, In Process

Only things did not work out the way they expected. With the revolution, most of Cuba's wealth and wealthy citizens fled the country. The opulent buildings and the activities they housed were no longer needed and fell into disuse. Many have not aged gracefully. Today, as tourists begin to make Havana a regular part of the Caribbean vacation scene, some of these places are recapturing their grandeur. You can wonder if it is a good thing. They are being fixed up - but not for Cubans. That part felt wrong and bothered me. Is the day coming when they can enjoy it, too?

Cuba: Government Center

Have you ever been on a snipe hunt? If you were a Boy Scout you may have experienced that adventure. It is a favorite activity for a young scout’s first camp-out. If not, you may have missed the fun. Let me describe it. 

A snipe hunt is, of course, the hunt for a snipe. A snipe, if you didn't know, is always described as a small, nocturnal, flightless bird. They are said to favor meadows and are kind of skittish. To find one you have to flush them out. The best way to do this is to line up at the edge of the meadow, shoulder to shoulder and proceed across, gesticulating and making loud whooping noises until you flush a snipe out of its lair. It doesn't always work the first time. Sometimes you have to come back the next night and try again. And again.

Finding the Cuban parliament felt to me a little like going on a snipe hunt.*  You try and try. You look and look, and at the end of the day you may not find anything. Finding a building that looks like a parliament in Havana is a piece of cake, especially for Americans. Right downtown, dominating the main square, you will find El Capitolio, a building that bears a striking resemblance to the US Capitol Building in Washington, DC. Built in the 1920s, El Capitolio housed the Cuban legislature (such as it was) until the revolution in 1959.

And after the revolution? They still have a legislature, don't they? Sure they do. It is called the National Assembly of People's Power. Well, the Assembly needs a building, don't they? Not so much. Cuba's constitution designates the Communist Party as “the leading force of society and state.” The Assembly only meets twice a year and when not in session, it delegates its legislative powers to the Council of Ministers (Assembly members must trust them a lot!) Two meetings a year. Seems like a waste of a big building. So after the revolution El Capitolio is repurposed to house the Academy of Sciences.

The Central Committee

And where does the legislature meet? I have no idea. Not only did I never find it (while in Havana my resources were limited to a guidebook and information offices - as you know, I had no chance to Google it.) I still can't find any mention of it's meeting place, even with the Internet.

I did find the locus of power in Cuban politics, however.  The real decision-making takes place at the Central Committee of the Communist Party. Their building is located in the military zone, behind the Marti Memorial near the Plaza de la Revolucion. From the memorial  you can see it, but you can't get anywhere near it. There is a checkpoint on all roads leading in to it and a cordon of sentries spaced 50 feet apart between the roads. I could see it, but I could not get near it.

Cienfeugos

I had a similar experience with the provincial capital building in Cienfuegos. It was there on the Central Square, a beautiful old building with its doors wide open. I thought I had a chance. Nope. Just inside the doors was a minder. As I walked past her (my usual MO -don't ask, just give it a shot.) she sprang into action. “You can't go in there!”  I don't know who can - my Spanish is not good enough for that. I just know I cannot.

*Okay, for those of you who don't know the inside joke - there is no such thing as a snipe.

Wit? Clue: The book and the sword are apparently a giveaway.  Though JP II could see St. Peter's Square, I don't think there is a statue of Peter there.  This one is not that close to the Vatican, but still not that far...

Cuba, Cultural: Buena Vista Social Club

Me and maybe 99% of Cubans have something in common. We've never seen the Buena Vista Social Club perform live. The reason we have all missed out is probably the same. They are just too darn popular. For me that meant tickets sold out.  For Cubans, that means the tickets cost way too much.

First, the pesky little details. There is no actual Buena Vista Social Club. The name refers to an institution from Havana's Glory (?) Days (the late 1940s) when a group of musicians got together and did play at that venue. Then came the Revolution and things changed. Revival came in the 1990s when Ry Cooder sponsored an album and a film featuring the alumni of the Social Club. It took off like wild fire and sparked a renaissance for the musicians and the music.

Do you want to see (what's left of) the originals? (Do the math - 1950 was 61 years ago) There is a Taberna in old Havana. Make reservations early.  Even at 30 CUC cover it was sold out an hour before the show started. Tipping the doorman would get us nowhere this night. We were shut out.

It’s not like we would have to live without Cuban music, however. That is ubiquitous.  Finding an alternative was just a matter of walking down the street. Every restaurant and bar we passed had a band playing. We picked one and popped in for a beer. Beer was cheap (2 CUC) and the music was good. After about an hour a member of the band would circulate with the basket.  If you like it, you toss in a tip. It being a tourist (CUC) bar, pretty much everyone kicks in.  The band splits 40 to 50 CUC for an hour set. After a break they will be back and do it again. With six in the band and 100 CUC in tips, they could make a weeks wages in one evening. At 10 PM. They knocked off and went home. But my buddies (two software engineers from Vancouver) and I weren’t done. So we followed some locals’ recommendations to go see ‘the best show in town’ at La Casa de la Musica.

It was kind of a surreal experience that sort of encapsulates much of Cuba in a nutshell. As we approach the club, we were met by a guy who pointed out the long line to get in. We might not get a ticket or if we did, we probably would not get a good seat. But he could help us. For 10 CUC apiece plus the 15 CUC cover he could get us straight in. We thought about it - but elected to take our chances with the line. Slowly, it moved. One group at a time, we were allowed through the door. Next stop was the ticket window, no line there. It seemed like the only purpose of the metering was to maintain a line out front because once we got our tickets and went in we found the club only one third full. Lots of open tables, but they were all ‘reserved’. You could get one if you bought a bottle of rum for 40 CUC (eight times the store price) None of us wanted Rum and cola (not CokeTM) so we were given a table at the back. We ordered beer and waited for the show to start. An hour later a crooner came out and did two songs, followed by recorded disco music. Was that it? We wondered, but waited. In the meantime, we did our best to discourage the numerous prostitutes who kept approaching our table of three unaccompanied men. They became more and more assertive - at one point kicking the back of my chair repeatedly so she could ‘apologize’.

Waiting for the next bus load

Finally two and a half hours after we sat down the real show started. More than a dozen musicians and two vocalists, it was good. Maybe even worth the wait.  But on the whole, the experience was pretty sad and tawdry. I was there to experience Cuba and this seemed completely alien to the average Cuban's life.

The music was their music, but it's packaged for tourists only. The cover charge is a couple week’s salary. Getting to the music, you have to wade through layer after layer of Cubans struggling to earn a few CUCs, anyway they can.   The music may be joyous and carefree but the setting is anything but.

Havana, 1st Site: Plaza de la Revolucion

Red Square in Moscow. Alexanderplatz in the GDR. It should come as no surprise that I would find one in Cuba. Every Soviet style regime had one. They were a vital part of the propaganda playbook. On May 1, international Worker’s Day, there was going to be a big parade to celebrate the revolution and the worker’s regime it had produced. The masses would turn out, not just as spectators but also as participants. The size of the throng was testimony to the support of the people. The ability of the regime to defend itself against both imperialist aggressors abroad and their lackeys at home would be displayed. It was all about messaging. “Don't mess with us. We are powerful.”

Staging that message effectively requires an appropriate space. The Plaza de la Revolucion fills the bill, perfectly. The centerpiece of the Plaza is the memorial to José Marti. Visible for miles, it is easily Havana's tallest structure, which I presume makes it Cuba's tallest. Like the Washington Monument, there is no particular purpose for the height of the structure, except as a metaphor for the stature of the man. Marti towers over Cuba's history and his monument towers over Cuba itself.

At the top of the monument is an observation deck. You can, of course, pay to go up and have a look. I didn't. The base of the monument is already elevated and Havana is pretty flat. It was a pretty cloudy day and I did not think there would be much to see.  So, I just paid to visit the museum and skipped the lookout.

Ticket in hand, I entered the memorial. The guard took a quick look at my receipt and pointed me towards the elevator. I got in and next thing I knew I was at the top. I asked the guard up there about the museum  - its downstairs. So, back down I go (I did sneak a peek while waiting for the next elevator. I was right. Nothing to see on a cloudy day). Why the mix-up?  Auto pilot. Tourists don't visit the museum.  Actually it seems almost no one does. In the hour I was there, I was alone. Dozens of people rode up to have a look but none stopped to see the Marti exhibits. That's not what tourists come to Havana for.

Fidel's Chair

The Plaza de la Revolucion lays at the foot of the Marti Memorial, the base of which doubles as a speakers rostrum and reviewing stand. It was not hard to imagine May Day. Fidel in his place, presiding over the spectacle. Looking out he would see the visages of his ‘sainted’ revolutionary comrades, the world famous Ché and the lesser-known Camilo Cienfuegos, both martyrs to the revolution and role

John Paul's Visit

models for the Cuban people. A massive and impressive stage. The day I visited, like most days I expect, it was largely empty. I found it somewhat ironic that I only saw two pictures of the plaza in use. One was in the Museum of the Revolution, a May Day a military parade. The other showed the square viewed from the lookout above, filled to capacity. The speaker that day? Pope John Paul II.

WiT? Clue:  Speaking of JP II, he'd have guessed this one straight away.  As a matter of fact, he might have been able to see it from his house.