Paradise Lost

This article is bullspit. The author can get away with this because not many readers have been to Varadero. I have been going for almost 60 years, most every summer, to this wonder of the world. Under the previous regime, my family owned land abutting about 12 miles of the beach. Today, my brother lives in our old house there, right up against the beach, in a simple neighborhood (although our house is an old grande house and tourist attraction in its own right).

The sand is wonderful, warm, and soft like angel dust, as they say. The sky is clear and blue every summer day and the beach is wide open... not a hotel, not a restaurant, not a bar, not even a grocery for miles. Perfection!

At the far eastern end, the government has allowed Euros to build some seriously ugly hotels. Germans mostly, but even a Canadian businessman or two may be found drinking late at night in one of the tasteless and tacky bars.

Many myths abide about Cuba, especially in this land, my adopted country, where Fox News dominates the public perception of reality. We may say that this is freedom, but it is freedom to listen to crap. In Cuba, our people also have the freedom to listen to crap. Or to turn it off and make love, dance, play music, play baseball, go to the beach... the most beautiful beach in the world.

I know this because I have its ancient sand in my very heart, in the cells of my body. It is sacred and so long as American trash does not litter Cuba, it will be nothing if not lovely. Lovely.

Of course the American capitalists will exploit the island and her people, given the chance. US Sugar is the reason there was a revolution to begin with. The youth of Cuba only think life is better with more 'stuff.' If they get it, they will find out that most 'stuff' is really 'crap.' With a nod to the memory of George Carlin, Viva Fidel!

New songs in a new way.

Delicate thoughts
in the sound
of a new song,
and here
is the sunshine;
I see birds in
the sky while
a little intention
describes in a
moment the
delicious delight,
but this is a
glimmer, it's only
the end of an
intense emotion....

Francesco Sinibaldi

This is exactly what happens when immigrant become nostalgic towards their homeland. They quickly find out how corrupt their homeland still is. Welcome home Mexicans - decide when you are truly American!