Che's Capital

Trip Start Mar 06, 2009
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Trip End Mar 06, 2010


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Flag of Cuba  , Villa Clara,
Friday, May 8, 2009

Santa Clara is the city in which the world's Revolutionary celebrity, Che Guevara won a key battle in the fight for Cuba's freedom. The ultimate setting for the movie Che 1, which we watched in the Santa Clara Libre Hotel, the setting for the final battle on the film and in reality. With the bullet holes still exposed on the hotel facade made for an authentic experience.

The whole city is adorned with Che memories from a mural at the local bus station wall to his final resting place. A grand mausoleum with an eternal flame burning in his honour together with a muesum dedicated to his personal life, there is also still the train wreck where he and his troops intercepted which was full of weapons bound for Santiago using malltoff and a tractor.

Che is so prominent in Santa Clara our very own Casa Particular have there own family memories of him. He used to stay in the room next door to ours with his wife Alieda who at the time was his lover and therefore unable to stay at her family home when visiting. So not only we were regaled with Che stories in the evenings we were spoilt with the most amazing dinners (and breakfasts - best in Cuba). Craig also learnt a lesson in playing with parrots. Don't. The resident bird was not the friendliest but it didn't stop him trying, unfortunately an offering of a green bean was not enough to melt this parrot's cold heart and he got lock beak on Craig's hand, the scar still remains.
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