From the night of last November 25, I dare to say that Santiago de Cuba is another; The santiagueros were like stopped in the time when they knew about the death of Fidel Castro.
This is a joyful, hospitable and boisterous land that rises between sea and mountains. Cradle of the Revolution, inspiration and presence, a city that anywhere lets listen to music, laughter and the proclamation, but these days that is not so.
Since then the streets remain almost empty, people walk slowly and painfully, silence is sepulchral, interrupted only by the noise of vehicles. The exchange of words seems to be limited ... there is a subject that is recurrent, the death of the Leader of the Revolution.
Yolanda, a pure-bred Santiago, told me that last Saturday she boarded a bus early in the morning, the silence was total; A colleague told me that she passed through the Patrimonial Corridor of the Enramadas, an artery of the most crowded in the city and incredibly few people, equally head down and quiet.
We Cubans know that at stops and embarkation points passengers talk about anything: transportation, cuisine, fashion, anyway, the topics are varied; However, these days the silence also reached those places.
Even the nature is observed different, at times the sky is cloudy, the temperature in the hot earth is cool, it rains at intervals; The children during their games let out a shy smile.
This is how the days pass in the Hero City of the Republic of Cuba, which is preparing to receive in the streets this Saturday the ashes of Fidel and accompany him to the Santa Ifigenia cemetery, where he will rest forever.