US Lagos-Besteiro Family Visit to Cuba, January 2010

1: Background and Start

Emilito

2: January 4 - January 6
3: January 7 - January 8
4: January 9 - January 12

December 20, 1909.  Almost exactly 100 years ago, Antonio LAGOS TOLEDO and Josefa BESTEIRO GRACIANI, Emilito’s grandparents, were married at the Church of Monserrate in Havana, Cuba.

1909 Lagos Besteiro visit
December 20, 1909. Havana: Pepita BESTEIRO GRACIANI and Antonio LAGOS TOLEDO

1909-2009.  Six surviving children – Carmen, Manuel, Victorina, Dolores, Carlos and Josephine – would be born of this marriage between 1910 and 1920, in Havana, Madrid, and New York City.  All of the grandchildren – Emilito is one – were born in the US between 1937 and 1961, the fourth generation was completed in 2000, and the fifth generation, begun more than 20 years ago, continues.



1965 Maina and 6 children
Seated, Pepita BESTEIRO GRACIANI ("Maina")
Standing, L to R: Dolores, Carlos, Victorina, Carmen, Josephine and Manuel LAGOS BESTEIRO
 Approximately 1965

Summer 2009.   Descendants of 4 of the 6 Lagos children – along with family matriarch Josephine – gathered in Tybee Island, GA as part of the fifth grand family reunion.  Elsewhere, at about the same time, a gathering of the descendants of Dolores Lagos took place.

When Emilito lamented the split gatherings, cousin Chippie suggested that there could be a secondary gathering to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the wedding of their grandparents.  Yes, Emilito agreed, and they decided that the location of that wedding – Havana – would be a good place.

Given all the difficulties and expenses associated with Cuba travels, this was never going to be a well-attended trip, but in the end descendants of three of the Lagos children decided to make the trip.

It was amazing.

Being his first person, I write on behalf of Emilito.

Cuba-US relations.
  Ever since the Cuban revolution succeeded on 1/1/1959 the US and Cuba have gone their own separate ways. In 1960 the US imposed an embargo on trade and severe restrictions on travel to Cuba.  In 1996 the Helms-Burton Act imposed even more Draconian measures on international trade with Cuba. Just one provision of this act is that sanctions may be applied to non-US companies that trade with Cuba; that company's leadership can be barred from entry into the United States.  The intent is to force internationally operating companies to choose between trading with Cuba and trading with the US.  In 1999, Bill Clinton expanded the trade embargo even further banning foreign subsidiaries of U.S. companies from trade with Cuba.

The effectiveness of these acts may be implied by the fact that Cuba has the longest one-man (well, one man and his bro) rule of any country on earth.

Fidel and Raul in 1950sCastro Brothers contemporary
Fidel Castro and his younger brother Raul (left in both pictures) in the 1950s and recently.
Between them they have ruled Cuba for more than 51 years, from 1/1/1959.

These turns of events have also caused Emilito's family members in the US and Cuba, who once were as close as if they lived next-door, drift apart over the last 50+ years, not by desire but by their governments' actions that have caused harm not just to "the enemy" but also to their own citizens.

Travel by Americans to Cuba: Status, 2010.
  In March of 2009, the Obama administration loosened travel restrictions to Cuba by family members.  Specifically, people with 2nd cousins or closer are now allowed to travel to Cuba with no frequency, duration, or spending restrictions.  This was a blessing for us, as we have several second cousins in Havana.

Tour Dates & Tour Party.  During the planning phase, more than 10 people threw their names into the hat as potential tourists.  In addition, the dates that suited most people did not exactly coincide with the 12/20 date, and early January was chosen.  In the end, seven family members made the week-long trip beginning on January 4: Carmen’s children Emil & Richard and wives Heide and Taylor; Manny’s son Buzz and granddaughter Toni, and Dolores’ daughter Chippie.

I have tried to get everyone's perspective on this trip; I have either paraphrased their thoughts or, in the case of Richard, added a few comments verbatim from his write-up. Photographs from all cameras are to be found here.

Sunday, January 3. 

Everyone but Toni got into Florida on the 3rd.  Chippie came from her home in the Keys to join Heide and me for the evening, and Richard and Taylor flew in from Boston.  Buzz had been in Orlando and finished the trip early AM of the 4th.

continued: Monday, January 4.

Contents:

Background

December 20, 1909
    Antonio Lagos marries Pepita Besteiro

1909-2009
    The Lagos-Besteiro descendants

Cuba-US Relations
    Nations
    Family

January 4 to January 6

Monday, January 4
    We fly to Cuba
    We spend some time in customs
    At the Hotel Sevilla and checking email
    Dinner in the Barrio Chino (Chinatown)

Tuesday, January 5
    Research at the Iglesia de Monserrate
    Wandering about Centro Habana
    Dinner with Diana, Simón, Fernando

Wednesday, January 6
    Baseball - the Metropolitanos
    Visiting Isabelita and Dinner at Los Curros

January 7 and January 8

Thursday, January 7
    Monserrate again; the short life of Paquito Lagos
    Dinner with Alicia and Roxana

Friday, January 8
    Wandering family members
    Iglesia de la Caridad
        Carmen's baptismal certificate
    Iglesia del Carmen
        Victorina's death certificate
    Callejón de Hamel
    Chukin: hotel and field
    Hostal Valencia
    La Mina

January 9 to January 12

Saturday, January 9
    Capitolio
    Mercy and family come to hotel
    El Gato Tuerto

Sunday, January 10
    Micky visits
    Diana, Simón, Arturo visit
    Richard's travels
   
Monday, January 11
    We leave
    Visit Raquelita, Rodolfito, Vivian

Tuesday, January 12
    Home at Last

Cubans on Cuba and the USA