The Hindu report

photo courtesy: mangalorean.com

BANGALORE: Cuba may be far away but the Cuban spirit pervaded here much to the joy of a large gathering at the Senate Hall of the Central College on Sunday.

The packed hall resonated with songs, music and poems during a festival organised by the Cuba Solidarity Committee, Bangalore, to mark the 50th anniversary of the Cuban revolution. Spanish songs and Kannada poems interspersed with inspirational talks on the courage, heroism and distinct attributes of Cubans kept the gathering glued to their seats for over two hours.

Three books on the Cuban revolution translated into Kannada were released on the occasion.

The books included the “Socialism and Man in Cuba” which was authored by Che Guevara. A weblog on Cuba, which can be accessed at http://cubaa.wordpress.com, was also launched.

The corridors of the Senate Hall bore Cuban paintings, posters and photos. Literature and books on Cuba’s history and the central characters of the revolution, Che Guevara and Fidel Castro, were available at the venue. The programmes essentially depicted Cuba, its people, its difficulties and its achievements. “Cuban people braving economic sanctions have shown to the world at large that they have the right to choose a system which they want and not a system dictated by a foreign country,” said convenor of the committee T. Surendra Rao.

Cuban Minister of Council and Deputy Chief of Mission Eduardo Iglesias Quintana and Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Prakash Karat joined writer G. Ramakrishna, Kannada director B. Suresh and Kannada poet Mamatha Sagar in paying tributes to the Cuban people.

Times of India report

CPM General Secretary Prakash Karat today said left parties smarting from electoral reverses must look to Cuba for inspiration, saying

that the Caribbean country has overcome adversities, most difficult times and “impossible odds”.

“We had serious setbacks in these (recent Lok Sabha) elections. But we must learn from Cuba”, Karat said in his address to ‘Cuba Festival,’ organised by the Cuba Solidarity Committee to mark the 50th anniversary of Cuban Revolution.

Cuba has gone through adversity, most difficult times and what may people say “impossible odds” but overcome every time, he said and added, “So, we in India also…Left and progressive forces…must take heart and must learn from Cuba and not surrender.”
He said after the Lok Sabha elections, many of the left parties’ “friends and critics” tell them to give up fight against imperialism because it has become “irrelevant in the 21st century” and give up fight against neo-liberal policies, and “accommodate itself”.

“If you do that (give up fight against imperialism and neo-liberal policies, we (Left parties) cease to be what we are; we cease to be a force for progressive change and that lesson (never to surrender and continue fight against imperialism) we must imbibe”, Karat said.

Karat praised the “indomitable courage” and “heroic endeavours” of the Cuban people.

“Cuba is not only a symbol of resistance to imperialism but also a source of inspiration for all countries who were under colonialism and imperialistic exploitation,” he said.

Cuba, a country of just 1.1 crore population, had a remarkable recovery, he said, noting that the country wiped out illiteracy in just one year. In terms of development in health and education, Cuba is far superior to many of the developed countries, he said.

“In Cuba, the number of physicians to 100,000 people is more than that in the US,” Karat said. “It has got an education system which we in India cannot even dream of”.

Cuba spends 6.5 per cent of its GDP on health, whereas India spends just one per cent in this sector, he said.

Cuban Minister of Council Eduardo Iglesias Quintana suggested that the Left parties, who suffered electoral reverses, should look to Cuba on how to “turn setbacks into victories” by regaining the “will of the people”.

The Mojito (pronounced: moe-hee-toe) is a classic Cuban cocktail most closely tied to Cuba’s famous La Bodeguita del Medio bar.

This drink is extremely refreshing and is a great cocktail to order on a hot summer day or when hitting the dance floor. The basic drink is remotely similar to limeade, but that’s where the comparisons stop.

The first noticeable addition is mint. This provides a refreshing spark to the drink. The use of mint provides a cooling sensation on the tongue and lips when drinking, this is part of what makes it an exceptionally refreshing drink. Secondly, the rum gives the drink a little kick and balances out the drink. The limes provide the thirst quenching sourness that so many people crave in the heat.

If possible, use key limes (Mexican limes) for this drink as they provide a crisp flavour. Also a good white rum, like Havana Club  will give the drink a more authentic flavour, but any white rum will do. Using simple syrup is will help make your mojito’s better, since granular sugar doesn’t dissolve to well in cold liquids. Gritty mojito’s aren’t very appetizing.

Here is a step by step direction on how to make it

Step 1: Place the mint leaves into a tall cocktail glass.

Step 2: Squeeze about 2 ounces of juice from a cut lime into the glass.

Step 3: Add the powdered sugar.

Step 4: Then, gently mash the ingredients together with the back of a spoon.

Step 5: Add crushed ice and 2 ounces white rum then stir.

Step 6: Top off with 2 ounces club soda and voila! you have an authentic Cuban mojito.

When preparing your Mojito, gently muddle the mint leaves with the simple syrup and lime juice.  Some recipes call for bitters, but a genuine Cuban mojito does not contain bitters.

Since the Mojito has gained more popularity, people have been creating unique and tasty variations. To keep this drink fresh try adding Perrier, lime flavoured Perrier or champagne in place of the club soda. You can also add berry puree, such as raspberry or mango. Or check out the Centaur which is a cognac and ginger ale cocktail based on the Mojito.

Wax statues of Castro and Che

HAVANA — Cuba and Qatar signed an agreement Wednesday to build a $75 million, 450-room resort on a cay south of the island.

The two parties will spend 14 months hammering out financing details for the five-star Gran Paraiso, or “Great Paradise,” said Ghanim Bin Saad al-Saad, president of state-owned Qatar Diar Real Estate Investment Co. Construction would take another year and a half.

The joint project with the communist government’s tourism concern, Gran Caribe, sends “a clear message to the world that Qatar is on Cuba’s side and supports its politics with respect to the rest of the world,” he told reporters.

The resort is planned for Cayo Largo Sur, a strip of white sand, coral reefs and warm, calm waters 105 miles (170 kilometers) south of Havana that is already home to a cluster of high-rise hotels.

The Gran Paraiso will also include 60 retreat villas, and Gran Caribe president Luis Miguel Diaz said it could be expanded in the future.

Tourism is Cuba’s second-largest moneymaker behind nickel exports.

A record 2.35 million foreigners visited last year, mostly from Canada and Europe. That was a 9.3 percent increase over 2007.

Foreign arrivals are up another 2 percent so far this year despite the global economic slowdown.