Friday, April 29, 2011

La Joven Cuba & El Yuma

Roberto Peralo, Harold Cárdenas y Ted Henken respectivamente. 
Disfrutando un rico almuerzo en la paladar El Horno 
de La Calle del Medio matancera.

The following post appeared today at the collective blogging site at the University of Matanzas, "La Joven Cuba."

It accurately captures the warm and civil spirit of our more than 4-hour exchange of ideas last Saturday, April 23. I want to thank Roberto and Harold for their hospitality during my visit, for their frankness at that time, and for posting this kind reflection now.

May the dialogue continue and may it grow among Cuban bloggers themselves.

Here at the start, I will translate the final paragraph of their post as it captures the spirit of honest dialogue, tolerance of differing opinions, and respect for those who hold them that characterized our meeting.

"There were differences of opinion, ideological differences, and differences in perspective, but always in a spirit of respect and where it was more important to listen to than try to convince the other. This meeting is an example for all those who do not tolerate a diversity of opinion that coming together and sharing ideas in search of mutual points of contact instead of accentuating our differences should be the premise we follow. Only this way will so many diverse voices and ways of imagining the future of la Patria be able to contribute to a better future."

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

La puerta de la casa de la flaca y el umbral de su edificio


The Cuban flag sticker on Yoani and Reinaldo's door features an "@" symbol where the star is normally found and reads, "Internet para todos" (Internet for all), below.

The bulletin board of the building's CDR located in the first floor stairwell features three items.  First is a slogan that reads, "La Vigilancia Revolucionaria es Tarea de Todos" (Revolutionary Vigilance is Everyone's Job), second is a logo demanding the return of the Cuban Five, and third is the most recent edition of Granma which declares the 6th Party Congress a success and calls on all Cubans to now "get to work" implementing its resolutions.      

(Click on each photo to see it in higher resolution.)

La blogosfera cubana: Ivan Garcia, El Yuma, & Laritza Diversent

Laritza's backyard in the Calvario neighborhood of San Miguel de Padrón
(outskirts of Havana)

La blogosfera cubana: El Yuma con ZorphDark


Computer programmer, blogger, and member of the collective BloggersCuba Alejandro "ZorphDark" with me at Cafe Cantante.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Quieres que te acompañe (a tu casa)?

I'm here blogging away via WiFi in the lobby cafe of the luxury Melia Cohiba hotel ($12 for two hours) and just got propositioned (very discreetly but very clearly) by a prostitute!

I said no just as discreetly and clearly but I do wonder how her rates compare to those of the hotel's WiFi connection.

OLPL, blogotropa de reserva especial

Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo, reporting for duty, sir!

La blogosfera cubana: Un regalo

Roberto and Harold of La Joven Cuba took me to lunch and gave me this gift after our marathon 3-hour mutual interview. Stay tuned to this blog and their blog to see what we talked about.

La blogosfera cubana: Roberto and Harold of La Joven Cuba blog

Roberto Gonzalez Peralo and Harold Cardenas Lema co-founders and administrators of the blog portal La Joven Cuba based at the University of Matanzas.

La blogosfera cubana: Erasmo & Alfredo - Two voices worth listening to at Havana Times

Erasmo Calzadilla and Alfredo Fernandez of Havana Times. Two young Cubans who think for themselves and write what they think.

New Rules! Would you like some classical Spanish guitar with your mojito?

Lobster, beef, real employees, 20 chairs (at least) and live music in Cuba's paladares.

Young entrepreneurs in Havana

I don't know about you, but I'd buy just about anything this little angel is selling. Even pirated American B-movies.

Term limits and affirmative action a la cubana

Granma today: Top priorities for the future as resolved in the 6th Party Congress: