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cuba_2018_3

Day 2 - Working in Santiago de Cuba

Day 2 (Sunday) - Rick and Josh were the first to arrive for breakfast at 7:30AM. The hotel offers a nice breakfast buffet in the dining hall -- cheeses, fruits, pastries, Cuban coffee, and omelettes. As the group arrived, some sat inside and some sat outside. There was time to share a few stories and to continue building friendships. After breakfast, we gathered in the lobby at 9AM. We boarded the bus and went to church service at Santa Maria in the upper part of Santiago de Cuba. The community was waiting for us and we even recognized some people from the day before. The church was full for Sunday service which, thankfully, was translated into English and Spanish so everyone could follow along. Sarah showed a video that documents the WWII bombing of the church in Coventry, England and how the Community of the Cross of Nails (CCN) was formed. Mark gave a sermon and everyone sang. Exchanging the peace was much longer than we are accustomed to and everyone kisses on the cheek. Very nice. We felt like family.

After the service, we had lunch in the Parish Hall. While food was being prepared, Rick played outside with a few of the younger boys. He brought a ball/kite combination toy that they had fun tossing until it landed on the roof of the church. Playtime ended and it was time to eat the traditional meal of beans, pork, and plantains. With our stomachs full, it was time to take a look at the water system.

Water Filter Maintenance Rick examined the water system. It was a 2 filter system with a UV lamp. He changed the 5micron cotton filter and the carbon filter replacing the cartridges. He explained the process to several of the teenagers who had taken an interest in watching him. He captured their attention, spoke to them in Spanish and they were very interested in learning about the water filters and UV light system. Afterwards, one of the teenagers explained to one of the adults how everything worked. You could see a young scientist starting to emerge almost instantly. Rick explained how carbon filters out impurities from the water. After the system was back online he tested the unfiltered water from the city. It was very low in minerals so he suggested vitamin supplements or eating food rich in iron, which is already quite common. He did a bilogical test but it would take 48 hours to incubate before he knew the results. The biological later indicated a low level presence of fecal coliform. The locals do not drink the water without first boiling it or filtering it.

After the water was back online, we said goodbyes and the group returned to the hotel – looking forward to an hour of downtime. Some relaxed in their rooms, some connected to WiFi in the lobby, and a few took a dip in the hotel pool. By 2PM it was time to head out again. We went up into the hills to visit a Catholic church famous for miracles, Virgin De Cobre. It's the shrine where Ernest Hemingway placed his 1954 Pulitzer Prize for writing The Old Man and the Sea. Long ago the Sierra Maestra mountain range was rich with copper (cobre) mines. As the sun started setting behind the mountains we returned to the bus for the ride back to the hotel.

We were in Cuba, but it was still Super Bowl Sunday. Several people in the group quickly grabbed a beer from the lobby and ran to their rooms to catch a few minutes of Super Bowl LII. Right after getting off the bus, Rick stepped away to talk with a man who is friends with the bus driver. This man has one of those amazingly restored, classic American cars that Cuba is well known for – a 1951 Chevy BelAir. Rick and Erin went to take a look, and in about 2 minutes they were in the car heading down the street for a ride! The driver was immensely proud of his BelAir and, needless to say, it was so cool to have the opportunity to experience the sights of Cuba in one of these famous, restored classic cars. Their new acquaintance drove them up to San Juan Hill monument, then took them to the house where Fidel was born, and then down by the bayfront where he pointed out the Bacardi house. They even went to a house to buy some cigars. It was an unforgettable hour-long joy ride and evening tour of Santiago de Cuba. Erin paid for the cigars and Rick tipped the driver. They thanked him for his kindness and generosity…and for that amazing ride! They knew they had a cool story to tell at breakfast the next day. When they got back they met back up with the group and managed to watch a few minutes of the game just up to half-time

The group gathered in the lobby at 7PM. We walked about 3 blocks to a house that had been converted into a pizza restaurant. One of the recent changes in Cuba is a new fredom that allows people to open small restaurants in their homes. The backyard was a pizza garden. However, being that it was Super Bowl Sunday, several members of the group were going stir crazy not knowing the score of the big game. We managed to get a few text message updates and pretty much figured the Philadelphia Eagles had it in the bag -- much to the disappointment of a few. We walked back to the hotel and some sat in the lobby trying to connect to WiFi.

Josh came down and invited Rick to join him at a jazz club downtown. They each took a motorcycle taxi which cost $2.00 (USD) for a 10-minute ride. It was exciting and yes, they wore helmets. The club was a traditional salsa dance club with an old-time Cuban band complete with stand-up bass, drums, trumpet, and guitars. They felt like extras in a black and white movie. The club hires paid dancers who invite the shy guests to get up and dance. Josh took a couple of lessons but Rick was too shy. They stayed until closing and even sat and talked with the manager for a while before leaving. We never miss an opportunity to talk with the locals to learn about life in Cuba, culture, family and how things work. The people are so nice and anxious to make friends. It was a fun way to end a long day.

DAY 2 PHOTOS



UPDATED: 2018-02-24 20:54:35