Fidel Castro

Has died.

Bit of a divisive character.

When I was a lot younger and borderline communist in my beliefs, I saw him as a hero, standing up to the Yankees and creating a socialist utopia for his people.

But then many years later, I went to Cuba and saw how things really were for myself.

Even after a thawing of diplomatic relations with the US and a general shift towards modernising the country, people were still very guarded when speaking about him.

In fact, they wouldn't.

At all.

Which tells its own story. There was genuine fear in the eyes of a (state appointed) tour guide I was speaking to when I started asking him about Castro and the revolution.

He kept nervously looking over his shoulder as though he thought we were being observed, which we probably were.

So whilst he built a lot of hospitals and ensured that his people were well educated (in a weird 1984 type way), I doubt he'll be missed too much by the people of Cuba.

i read a very good biography of Che Guevara a few years ago and Castro basically turned on him and just forced him out which is why he ended up in that Bolivian jungle......

Fidel's brother has been running the show for the last 10 or so years so I don't think anything will change. 

The Revolution is a thing of national pride from what I could gather. The Museum of the Revolution is a must see IMO - fascinating (albeit one-sided) account and some amazing artifacts including a tractor with some sheets of steel welded on the sides that was used to (successfully) repel the American tanks. You can buy Revolution comics for the kids in the market.

Sure it's a bit totalitarian lite, but it's hard to get too stressed when there's rum, dancing, amazing architecture and a uniquely fascinating culture.

During the space race part of an American rocket landed in Cuba,killing a cow.

There was an official protest,and the cow was given a state funeral,as a victim of Imperialist aggression.