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| Playa Giron beach, one of the last battlefields of the Bay of Pigs Invasion taken 54 years later. Photo: Tom Shess |
Editor’s note: On a daily basis
from June 1 thru June 30, 2015 Pillar to Post online magazine is featuring
articles, photos and insights resulting from a recent group tour, an adventure
we dubbed: the April 23 Brigade’s Tour of Cuba 2015.
When I first checked the itinerary
of our nine-day trip to the Republic of Cuba, I noticed our one-bus caravan
would be stopping at the Bay of Pigs, the site of an Anti-Castro armed invasion
that took place in the spring of 1961. The
attempt failed: Cuba 1, US interests 0.
Because,
the tour we were on was sanctioned by Cuba and USA cultural exchange entities,
I wasn’t surprised. Nor, was I looking
forward to what I perceived would be a Bay of Pigs** propaganda lecture.
Monday afternoon was scorching
hot as we neared the Caribbean village of Playa Giron. For miles before through the south Cuba
swamplands we read billboards saluting Castro’s revolution. Reminded me of driving through South Dakota
and seeing billboard after billboard announcing Wall Drugstore and/or the Corn
Palace was ahead.
Playa Giron is a small village
nearby to one of the largest wetlands in the world, the Cienaga de Zapata. It
has a terrific hotel right on a pristine white sand beach, the same spot where
the Anti-Castro militia stormed ashore. Down the street are rows of curio shops
and the Museo Giron, a small museum dedicated to the historical conflict. The beaches here are unpopulated by Caribbean
standards. Diving is a major draw to the
area.
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| Photo: Tom Shess |
Our bus stopped in front of Museo
Giron, where to my surprise, our guide offered us free time to visit the museum
or wander down to the beach adjacent to Hotel Giron. Most of us went inside the
air conditioned museo, instead of walking like mad dogs in the noon day sun to
the hotel half-a-mile away. Most of us
did both, however as our bus parked by the hotel.
Like most things in my life when
I prejudge I am often wrong. Called
kicking and screaming by family, I entered the museo and discovered an
excellent historical presentation. Yes,
there was propaganda. But, the
photographs of the conflict put the 72-hours long invasion in perspective. Grim reminders of why Cuba and USA relations
remain chilly at best. I’m glad we made
the stop.
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| Photo: Tom Shess |
On exiting I found myself
standing next to the security officer about the same age as myself (amazingly
well preserved). We were the only ones
in the small lobby. Our eyes met. What I did next needs an explanation. I do not for one second believe I speak on
behalf of the American people. Nor, is it my place to judge who was right and
who was wrong. My sadness is simply
that so many have suffered for so long.
I am sorry it happened. I don’t feel I’m alone in that sentiment.
But on this particular day at
that particular moment of time and space I was alone with the guard inside the
Museo Giron and I said to him: “Lo siento.” (I’m sorry). He held on to his expressionless glance
toward me. Maybe three long seconds
passed as he stared at me before he nodded and said: “Lo siento.”
Instantly, I went from
figuratively kicking and screaming to experiencing one of the more memorable
moments of our entire people to people tour.
**
Why is it called The Bay of Pigs? It
appears it is a mis-interpretation of the Spanish name for the bay. The bay
appears to have been named for a trigger fish that is common to the bay and the
Spanish word for that fish is similar to the Spanish word for pigs. In English the translation comes out as pigs.
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