(Also known as Dia de la Rebel dia Nacional, 26 july Havana, 26 july cuba, festivals cuba, festival havana, festival santiago de cuba, 26 july Santiago de cuba, 26 july movement, 26 july brigade, cuba independance day, national holiday cuba, carnival havana, carnival santiago de cuba, revolucion festival, dia nacional festival, cuba festival)
26 July Dia Nacional in Cuba is one of the only opportunity’s left to travel back in time. A land that time forgot presents a carnival you will never forget. Go to the sexy town of Havana or the culture capital Santiago De Cuba. Suspend your judgment on Castro until you see everyone celebrating has failed attack on Batista’s regime. Given the recent decline in Castro’s health there aren’t many opportunity’s left to sample such a sincere celebration of music, dance, life & communism.
When Dia de la Rebel dia Nacional Festival occurs every 26 July 2007.
Where Be in either Santiago De Cuba or Havana, Cuba. Preferably Santiago because this is where Fidel's first attempt on Batista's regime was staged. This is the reason for Dia Nacional.
Dancing Salsa in Santiago De Cuba
Why Cuba’s history is one of the most interesting in the modern world. A very young nation but cars and customs that seem ancient to today’s generation. The Original Cuban Revolutionary Jose Marti’s laid the foundations for the likes of Castro and Guevara. Marti strongly opposed the Spainish rule in Cuba.
He was also the genius behind the song Guantanamara. The song referring to lovely lass from Guantanamo Bay.
In 1953 Fidel Castro, his brother Raul and their followers sowed the seeds of the Cuban Revolution. They attacked The Moncada Barracks in Santiago De Cuba on July 26 1953. Castro knew Batista's regime would be celebrating the 100 year anniversary of marti's Birth (not his actual birthday)This attack failed. Castro was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Batista released him after 2 years, I think he regrets this.
When he was released Castro fled to Mexico to gather support to stage a great revolution. In Mexico he met an Argentinean doctor by the name of Ernesto Che Guevara. Hence the July 26th Movement/Brigade was created which overthrew the Batista regime in 1959.
Who In my experience Cuba is divided in opinion about Castro, the ultimate sinner or saint. However on the Dia de la Rebel dia Nacional everybody comes together and celebrates this Communist Paradise.
On the other hand maybe they’re just pretending to enjoy it to keep what they call the secret police happy ! either way it’s the greatest carnival on earth, which won’t be around forever.
Women Travellers Are very safe in Cuba. Especially for Dia de la Rebel. There is a strong police presence and if you feel in any danger just ask someone where the nearest policia estacion is. This will be enough to scare away Jinteros and jinteras.
What to wear runners, t-shirt, shorts. Drape a Cuban Flag over you. Dia de la Rebel dia Nacional will be messy as the whole country is on the streets.
Where to drink Anywhere during Dia de la Rebel but if you’re in Havana it has to be the Bodeguite Del Medio. In Santiago there are lots of nice old school bars. During Carnival however the beer companies will have carts or carrozas on the streets so use these.
Near Havana there is an excellent cocktail bar called El Floridita, loved by Hemmingway and tourists of today. It's located on the corner of Obispo and Montserrate. Some argue it's real allure has become lost as it is expensive and therefore a tourist trap. Seafood is excellent here.
What to drink Cuba Libres - 7 year old Rum and coke. Mojitos - spearmint, rum, sugar (traditionally sugar cane juice), lime, and carbonated water. Cuba is host to an array of cocktails.
Try the Floridita bar on Obispo street, Havana for cocktails.
Where to Eat Cuban food has a bad name. It is hard to find a good meal. Try the pension you are staying at.
Where to stay Accomodation is great in Cuba : simple casa particulares of excellent quality are located all over Cuba. The listed Casa particulares below are ideal location for July 26th celebrations i Habana. Ask fellow tourists and your Casa particular owners to recommend you a Casa. Try to call ahead from your casa particular if you are travelling to a different city.
In Habana I always stay at 1 of these 3 Casa Particulars. Expect to pay $20-$25 (U.S.) per night. These Casa particulares are located a fifteen minute walk from the city but are right beside Plaza de la Revolucion. There couldn't be a better location for Carnival in Cuba.
The people are very friendly and if you know your dates in advance email ahead or dial 53-7 then local number for an international phone call.
If you do book with them mention that you saw their casa particular details on festivalpig.com or mention Sonia from Italy it might work in your favour !
SRA. Mirtha Diaz Dominguez
Luaces no. 16
e/Salvador Ailende y Lugareno
Plaza De La Revolucion
Habana
email well in advance to mirthadia2002@yahoo.es or call 053 878-2837. Good food, excellent hosts and ask about cigars/rum.
Here is another casa particulare in Habana I have also stayed at. They are lovely hosts.
Fefa y Julio
Lugareno no. 109, bajos
e/ Luaces y Montoro
Plaza de la Revolucion
Ciudad Habana
C.P. 10600
email jhernandez4261@yahoo.com.mx or call (053) 879-1368.
From staying at this Casa Particulare I can also recommend
Mirabel Valdes Diaz
e/Montoro y Pozos Dulces
Cuidad de la Habana
C.P. 10600
Plaza de la Revolucion
Habana
email maribel2k2006@yahoo.com.mx or call 053 870-1772. Good food and internet access.
All 3 of these Casa Particulares are right where the action is at for Dia de la Rebel, right beside Plaza de la Revolucion.
In Santiago De Cuba I stayed at
Reina Doris Martinez Garcia
Sanchez Hechavaria(San Geronimo)
no 504 Mayia Rodriguez y Porfirio Valiente
Santiago De Cuba
However I was totally partying there so all I needed was a place to rest. Seemed good. casaalquiler2004@yahoo.es or phone 53-22-654732.
What to Sing Guantanamara of course. The song is about a beautiful peasant girl from Guantanamo. I’m sure it is a little deeper then that but this is what I got from it. Maybe it’s about Guantanamo Bay itself.
Yo soy un hombre sincero
De donde crecen las palmas
Yo soy un hombre sincero
De donde crecen las palmas
Y antes de morirme quiero
Echar mis versos del alma
I am a truthful man from this land of palm trees
Before dying I want to share these poems of my soul
My verses are light green
But they are also flaming red
Beautiful Guantanamo girl
Beautiful peasant girl from Guantanamo
Beautiful Guantanamo girl
Beautiful peasant girl from Guantanamo
The Carnival This lasts for 3 days. However the build up lasts for weeks. Banners, posters, & placards line the streets. Graffiti is not condoned, it’s encouraged ! well anything promoting the Communist kitsch / The 26 Brigade is encouraged.
After the patriotic parades and political speeches, a multitude of endless concerts and street parties ensue. In Santiago De Cuba go to Avenida Victoriano Garzón, this is where it goes off. Forget the other Caribbean countries or Americas, nobody does music like the Cubans.
In a country where people have all their requirements but not what they want, it is inevitable that music becomes their voice. Anyone I asked in Cuba could play at least 4/5 songs on any one instrument.
Hence when it is their carnival expect a spectacular show, for weeks before and weeks after Dia de la Rebel dia Nacional.
Above stilt dancers outside the Ambos Mundos Hotelduring Dia de la Rebel, Habana, just off Calle Obispo On the fifth floor of the Ambos Mundos Hotel is the room in which Hemingway reputedly began work on For Whom the Bell Tolls in 1939.
Good news for Dia de la Rebel dia Nacional enthuasists, Castro's longest ever speech was to the United Nations in 1960 and lasted 4 hours 29 minutes.
Castro's Speech He holds the world record for the longest speech. This speech was not delivered on Dia de la Rebel but rather to the U.N. These speeches are almost extinct. Catch it on TV if you are in Santiago De Cuba or live in Havana (expect crowds!). You won’t miss anything, all the bars close until it’s finished.
DONT MISS THIS After the speeches, the dancing, drinking & singing of Dia de la Rebel dia Nacional, here are 2 other tips.
In Santiago De Cuba the coastal San Pedro De La Roca Castle. Pirate ships would enter through a hole below the castle. Sharks would follow them in feeding off their rubbish and litter. There is a hole dropping from the prison to the entrance so prisoners may be fed to the sharks.
If you are in Havana, look for the market on a Saturday morning with beautiful paintings and paraphernalia. Calle Obispo plays host to many tourist places and is a good part of town.
If you want to get out of Habana city for the day go to Playa Del Este. They are 20 Kms away use a coco taxi - they will wait for you. But if you are going to the beach in Cuba always bring your own food and drink. Shops & bars on beaches are difficult to find once you leave a resort.
Dangers & Annoyances Being harassed by Jinteros. These are the local street hustlers. They come out in force for the 26 July Dia de la Rebel dia Nacional Festival. Beware of people who keep ensuring you that they can be trusted. That they can get original cigars and rum at a great price and other deals. I was fooled into believing I was going to a cockfight…
Three times ! however I only paid on one of the occasions as there was a lot of Jinteros surrounding us. The rest of the times I laughed & walked away. A cockfight in Cuba is pronounced a Guy – u. I’m not sure how to spell it but watch how you say it as it is easily misinterpreted.
Be very careful when looking for a house or bar in Cuba as streets are badly signposted and a lot of the guides to Cuba have inaccurate maps or information. If you don’t speak Spanish try to communicate to people to write down the directions.
The same goes for getting somewhere by car. A serious lack of road signs can be confusing.
Jinteros / Jinteras are only familiar with the countries of travellers because they have spoken with foreigners before. Therefore don't take anyone on face value who tells you he was living in Paris for a few years. A lot of these hustlers have a few different stories that they create from different sources over years or that have been passed onto them.
The Jintero featured right took me to a beautiful bar during Dia de la Rebel where Buena Vista Social Club have played. He told me he just wanted to show me his favourite places. However I soon discovered he wanted me to pay for all his drinks.
He also wanted me to give him money to buy milk for his baby. I asked to see his baby as he lived nearby. He then said it was not possible and produced a picture/card of a baby. It was a baby on one side and a calendar with an American company logo on the other side !
This Jintero wanted me to pay 12 Cuban Peso Convertible for his Mojitos and top him up with a few pesos for baby milk for quite literally a calendar baby !! I asked him where the nearest Policia was and he ran – not before I took a photo though (see above) ladies be warned.
During Dia de la Rebel dia Nacional however, you will find genuine people who will sell you cigars or rum, ask to get certs. If you visit a cigar/rum factory and have a digital camera take a picture of the certs and compare them with what you may find on the black market. It’s best to buy at the end of your holiday so you don’t need to drag them around.
Airports There is a domestic airport in Santiago De Cuba and an international airport in Holguin which is a few hours bus ride away. Also Havana has an international airport.
Getting Around I had my heart set on an old car to drive in but found no luck until my last day in Habana ! I got around the island with Vilazul bus tours. Couldn’t find a website but they’re located in bus stations.
If you are looking for an old 1950's car to drive go to the Hotel National in Habana, they can recommend a company.
Any cars to rent were very costly. If you arrive before the Dia de la Rebel dia Nacional Celebrations, book your itinerary asap as buses etc. are limited.
Internet You will only find access in expensive Western Hotels. These are mostly located in Varadero and other resort areas. However this is a tradeoff of technology and culture as these tourist traps offer a false Cuba. You will only find fake festivals in these places.
Bank/ATM Also available in Western Hotels. If you see one use it and try not to use a visa card as they charge large rates. Also beware if your card – bank card or visa is in date. My card was confiscated because signature strip on the back of the bank card said void. However this doesn’t affect it’s ability to be used ! gutted
Americans be warned - if you use a bank card in Cuba, your bank is obliged to notify the CIA in America and they will probably question you.
Weather It is during the hurricane season (mid June - November) however Santiago De Cuba usually has a chance of better weather then Havana. But during this period you might get a lot of rain during Dia de la Rebel - but it's worth it!
Online Tours There are quite a few of tour groups that operate in Cuba for Dia de la Rebel. These groups can accomodate for any age of tourist. These are available from London Captivatingcuba.com & Cuba by train with Transnico.com
Festival Pig Fact A waiter can make ten times what a doctor makes in a day in Cuba. Causing a decline in doctors and a rise in waiters. Therefore tip carefully at Dia de la Rebel !
When he was released Castro fled to Mexico to gather support to stage a great revolution. In Mexico he met an Argentinean doctor by the name of Ernesto Che Guevara. Hence the July 26th Movement/Brigade was created which overthrew the Batista regime in 1959.
Where to drink Anywhere during Dia de la Rebel but if you’re in Havana it has to be the Bodeguite Del Medio. In Santiago there are lots of nice old school bars. During Carnival however the beer companies will have carts or carrozas on the streets so use these.
From staying at this Casa Particulare I can also recommend
Jinteros / Jinteras are only familiar with the countries of travellers because they have spoken with foreigners before. Therefore don't take anyone on face value who tells you he was living in Paris for a few years. A lot of these hustlers have a few different stories that they create from different sources over years or that have been passed onto them.
Airports There is a domestic airport in Santiago De Cuba and an international airport in Holguin which is a few hours bus ride away. Also Havana has an international airport.
