Cuba

Yesterday's blog comes home today, as I take a moment off. I am complete with Peter for the day, and I have three hours before going to hear music tonight. And so I am carving out some space for dropping in, playing a little music, blogging, sipping throat coat tea.

Yet I can't quite yet let go of the world. Amy G's too interesting today. After covering the reassertion of the rule of law in the world, she is covering the push to open Cuba up. And it's a big push right now. And the really cool thing?

IT'S BEING LED BY FRIKKIN MUSICIANS!

I can relate. I've wanted to go there for years. (I saw recently there are 128 couches available in Cuba for couch surfing--how cool is that? Getting there's just such a bear...)

Anyway, it would be beautiful to see such an opening of cultural exchange. It could lead to a lot of healing. I don't think people realize how close Cuba and America were, how literally in-love the cultures were for decades, and what close cousins we are to one another. It seems to me travel could really begin opening American culture to the rest of the world. Not to mention the rooftop permaculture...

This is certainly a bit of activism I could get behind. So, call and write Congress! I vow to do the same. You can also sign the letter sent to Obama to restore cultural relations with Cuba here: http://www.cubaresearch.info/cubaletter2009

I am hooting as I look down the list and see how many people I already know who've signed it--lots of Nuevo Mexicanos! And hey, there's me. Wow, this feels a little like...

COMMUNITY!

In the meantime, I will be going to see the Afro-Cuban All Stars tonight at the Lensic. Juan de Marcos leads a group, and apparently unfolding project, involving Cubans, Cuban expats around the world, and Americans. Last week's article on them in the Pasatiempo gives a nice description of the multicultural nature of Cuban music.

Onto my stir-fry dinner...con SALSA!