Matanzas

Matanzas

    The trip to Matanzas was not 100% successful, because we did not find much out about the roots of rumba and major other types of Cuban music that originated in Matanzas.  However, it was a very good trip including super good ice cream, a walk through a valley and into a random cave, and entertaining personalities.  I will focus on the transit though.
    Part of the excitement of going to Matanzas was to get to take the Hershey Train.  The Hershey Train (electric) was set up by none other than the Hershey chocolate company to transport sugar in Cuba.  It is not one of the most reliable trains as the newest components or cars are about 50 years old.  It has multiple stops, but the last stops are in Casablanca (the other side of the bay from Old Havana) and in Matanzas.  To get to Casablanca in time for our train we had to be at the Ferry on the other side of the bay at dawn.  And notably in Casablanca there is a giant statue of Jesus close to where the Train stop is.  
    We set off with 6 in our group and 3 other of our friends that were just going to Varadero beach outside Matanzas for the day.  The train also cost about approx. 15 cents if converted in US dollars.  The train at one point did come unhitched at the main point from the other car.  So they stopped to fix it and an old man on the train pulled out a large knife that ended up saving the day.  Once we got to another large stop we got off and they disappeared for about an hour to get another train to use for the rest of the way.  The first part of the train ride was really cool as we talked to Pesciliano our friend on the Train who wanted to know the meaning of things like 'otherwise' in English.  It was also fun to watch the train become packed.
    The second train ride I got a seat, but couldn't see outside as well and started to read.  Women with small children piled on the train and some of our group started talking to them and all of the sudden a guy walks by me with a white bag that startled me with a crow to alert me of the rooster inside the bag.  One of my friends, who is a nanny in the States, offered to hold a woman's baby and she was in heaven as I started a nice chat with the woman.  And finally on the ride I took a breath and decided this was perfect and I was excited about the end of the ride.  Of course a moment after the breath the man behind us announced we had arrived in Matanzas…
    We only stayed one night and one of my friends and I decided not to go with the other four to the beach the next day.  A. on principle because it is the nicest beach in Cuba, but mainly reserved for tourists and B. because music was our main goal in Matanzas.  The two of us ended up with more time walking around and doing things in the city and then were ready to get back to Havana in time for dinner.  After walking around all day it turned out we missed the bus so we walked even farther to the train station (via a town baseball game, that no one batted an eye lash we were literally walking through their game) and then found out this train (not the Hershey Train, but the Trains used for all of the island) was even less reliable and didn't leave for another 5 hours.  So we made our way back to the other bus station and decided to try to get on the Astro Bus only for Cubans.  By the way I was exhausted at this point and getting home the earliest route became the main objective.  After a few conversations with a man at the station we finally got help in figuring out the Cuban system and convinced them that as students with residency cards we were allowed to use this method of transport.  
    The way waiting for the bus works is, everyone forms a line and waits around until right when the bus comes and then tickets start being sold.  Now you need to understand lines in general in Cuba.  It is not a physical line, someone could be sitting on a park bench and still be in line, because people keep track of who the last person is.  So in a bus terminal everyone just sits around and like all lines in Cuba when you want to enter you shout 'quien es el ultimo' or just 'ultimo' and once you find this person you become ultimo until the next person comes.  It takes a little getting used to and you have to remember who is in front of and behind you in line, but Cubans are very good at this.  Anyway we finally get in the line and get our tickets and got to enjoy the ride home in a nice bus for under a USD.  Actually my entire transport to Matanzas was under two US dollars, until taking the cab for 3 dollars back from the Bus station.  
    On the ride back I was sitting next to a man who literally knew the words to everyone song that played and would quietly sing along.  At about the second hour of the trip Antonio and I started talking, and it may have been the best random conversation I have had with a Cuban yet.  He was explaining to me he was a priest, but even more so a Santero- which means of member of the Santeria religion I am interested in here.  But we talked about everything from climate to race to school to music and mainly about music.  And I knew when he started asking about the man who played the trumpet and was talking about Louis Armstrong he was good people.  And then we were all of the sudden making our way back into Havana at dusk and it just felt like I was coming home as we drove through different barrios…

    These always get longer than I anticipate and I haven't had a chance to talk about the museum for literacy and the school for children with special needs in the Ciudad Libertad that we toured this week.  Real quick, hearing a second grader in a class for children with sight problems start reading to the class in a clear strong voice and than realizing he is the only child that is reading Braille almost brought tears to my eyes.  And when the singing group sang for us, with a little Ray Charles singing the solo, the kids all took care of each other.  I don't know if I have ever been in a choir or school event where a teacher didn't introduce me, but these kids did it all themselves and man are they just brilliant and focused on their school work.  This was followed by learning how to dance in pairs in dance class and then going to a concert in the Anti-Imperialist plaza for one of the biggest bands in Cuba, because it is a huge student week here with the Caribbean games being played at our university between teams form different schools. (I realize that may have been hard to follow)

Happy Easter everyone, I will be thinking about all of you I have Easter traditions with.  Our whole group is going to Trinidad and don't worry we did a secret Easter Bunny exchange so people wouldn't miss home too much and get some kind of Easter Basket.  All the best!

Hannah