The lovely city of Santiago de Cuba

looking up the coast from Morro Castle

We visited Morro Castle in the late afternoon with huge thunderheads and a massive rainstorm trailing us.  The castle sits on a rocky promontory above Santiago, with spectacular views up the coast and across the valley to the highest mountains in Cuba—the mountains where the young lawyer, Fidel Castro, started his revolution.

Morro Castle

water spout in ocean off Morro Castle

Formally known as the Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca del Morro, the castle was started in 1633 and finally finished in the early 1700’s.  It was designed to stop the predations of pirates and other enemies of the town.  We learned that pirates were the real outlaws, preying on towns and ships for their own benefit.  Corsairs, like Sir Francis Drake, received approval from a monarch to attack ships and towns on behalf of that monarch, so were “legal” in the terms of war.  Buccaneers were the people on shore who helped supply the pirates and corsairs with food, water and other necessities.

As we left the castle, the storm hit us with soaking rain, a blast of wind and a gorgeous water spout (cyclone over water) shining in the late afternoon sun and rain.

balcony where Fidel Castro announced the revolution

Santiago has a throbbing Afro-Cuban culture with music and dancing (rumba and more) in all corners of the city.  It was Fidel Castro’s launchpad for his revolution, the site of Bacardi’s first rum factory and Spanish conqueror Diego Velasquez’ second capital.  Rich families built beautiful villas on the city’s hills that they left behind when they fled Castro’s revolution.  Today, some of those homes are private restaurants, businesses or, in a few cases, restored homes again.  Most are crumbling relics of more vibrant days, owned by a government that does not have the money to renovate them.

girl delighted with rumba show

rumba dancers at Carnival Museum

Moncada Barracks with bullet holes in walls

The Moncada Barracks, now a school, was an army stronghold under dictator Juan Fulgencia Batista.  Fidel Castro decided to make a big splash by attacking the barracks on July 26, 1953 with a small band of guerrillas, only to have the attack squashed in minutes with most of the guerrillas killed or captured.  Fidel Castro was captured a few days later and was scheduled to be executed, but the guard in charge of shooting him refused, sparing Castro for his future glory.

rumba musicians

view of Santiago Bay

Santiago has a pretty central square with an oddly renovated cathedral, nothing like the way the building was originally decorated, and handsome colonial buildings surrounding it.  The old buildings in the extended area have deteriorated badly and desperately need renovation to save them.  The square is on a hill above Santiago’s back bay harbor, with gorgeous views across the city to the mountains beyond.

Santiago cathedral