Hello everyone!!! A few days ago I published a post about my daughter's 15th birthday celebration, Fifteen reasons for climbing.
In that post I ended up telling you, that I would tell you about the part of the activity that they had for us as a surprise to close the day.
Next to the Morro de La Habana is the military fortress San Carlos de la Cabaña. It was built in the 18th century using the most advanced military engineering available at the time. With the purpose of defending the city from possible enemy attacks, it became at the time the largest fortress built by Spain in America.
One of the most modern military strategic concepts applied in La Cabaña was the construction of two mining galleries. We would make the final visit of our day of celebration to one of them.
Really, anyone would think it was a strange, or at least unusual, way to celebrate a 15th birthday party. But the surprise factor had everyone intrigued.😉
We have visited La Cabaña many times, there are several interesting museums. Important events are held there.
The Havana International Book Fair takes place there every year. Some art biennials, concerts and other cultural events have been held there.
The Cañonazo ceremony takes place there every night at 9:00 PM. This tradition, inherited from colonial Havana, is maintained to this day as a beautiful historical spectacle.
All this and much more can be found in this great fortress. But a visit to the gallery of mines?...we had never done that one.
The guide of the place welcomed us and started explaining the main purpose of such construction: to neutralize any enemy attempt to advance underground.
With a total length of 120 meters, the gallery extends in two branches of 60 meters each, on both sides of the great corridor that leads to it.
We walked through its interior. A narrow and dark corridor. Approximately every 5 meters there was a space where the explosive was placed. At each end of the corridor we observed a small hole that was used for surveillance.
I imagined a young soldier in the darkness of that tunnel. Attentive to any situation. Ready to run away lighting the fuses of the explosives he was leaving behind. The same maneuver would do the young sentry of the other position. I saw both of them get out unharmed before the explosive charge detonated and the whole wall of more than 30 meters high collapsed on itself and crushed everything in its path. In a few seconds it all went through my mind, like a movie, I imagine that others were also thinking about it while the guide continued to explain.
We had entered the gallery with our cell phones because the tunnel was completely dark. At one point in the tour we were told to turn off our flashlights. We were left in absolute darkness. On the count of 3, we were asked to shout out in chorus, "Let there be light! At that moment everything was illuminated.
No one had noticed that the place was electrified. The joke was part of the tour. Some people got a good scare and others got a few laughs out of it.🤣
We ended the day happily. We had all enjoyed it to the fullest, my daughter was pleased.
In a few days she will turn 16 and another celebration is coming... this time something more usual.🤭
Thanks for reading.
See you soon.
The images are from my personal gallery. The text is mine, I used DeepL for its translation because Spanish is my native language.<\sub>
Hola a todos!! Hace unos días publiqué un post sobre la celebración de los 15 años de mi hija, Quince razones para escalar. Las imágenes son de mi galería personal. El texto es mio, usé DeepL para su traducción porque el español es mi idioma nativo.
ESPAÑOL
En aquel post terminé diciéndoles, que les contaría la parte de la actividad que nos tenían como sorpresa para cerrar la jornada.
Junto al Morro de La Habana se encuentra la fortaleza militar San Carlos de la Cabaña. Fue construída en el siglo XVIII aplicando lo más avanzado de la ingeniería militar existente en esa época. Con el propósito de defender la ciudad de los posibles ataques enemigos, se convirtió en su momento en la más grande fortaleza construída por España en América.
Uno de los conceptos estratégicos militares más modernos que se aplicaron en La Cabaña, fue la construcción de dos galerías de minas. A una de ella haríamos la visita final de nuestro día de celebración.
Realmente cualquiera pensaría que es una manera extraña, o al menos poco usual, de celebrar una fiesta de 15 años. Pero el factor sorpresa tenía a todos intrigados.😉
Muchas veces hemos visitado La Cabaña, hay varios museos interesantes. Se celebran importantes eventos.
La Feria Internacional del Libro de la Habana tiene lugar allí cada año. Algunas bienales de artes, conciertos y otros eventos culturales han tenido su sede en ese espacio.
En el lugar acontece cada noche a las 9:00 PM la ceremonia del Cañonazo. Esa tradición, heredada de la Habana colonial, se mantiene hasta nuestros días como un bello espectáculo histórico.
Todo eso y mucho más podemos encontrar en esta gran fortaleza. Pero una visita a la galería de minas?...esa nunca la habíamos hecho.
La guía del lugar nos recibió y comenzó explicándonos el objetivo principal de tal construcción: neutralizar cualquier intento enemigo de avanzar bajo tierra.
Con un largo total de 120 metros, la galería se extiende en dos ramas de 60 metros cada una, hacia ambos lados del gran corredor que conduce a ella.
Recorrimos su interior. Un pasillo angosto y oscuro. Cada 5 metros aproximadamente había un espacio donde se colocaba el explosivo. En cada punta del pasillo observamos una orificio pequeño que servía para la vigilancia.
Imaginé un joven soldado en la oscuridad de aquel túnel. Atento ante cualquier situación. Presto a salir corriendo encendiendo las mechas de los explosivos que iba dejando detrás. Igual maniobra haría el joven centinela de la otra posición.
Vi a ambos salir ilesos antes que detonara la carga explosiva y todo el muro de más de 30 metros de altura se desplomara sobre sí mismo y aplastara todo a su paso. En unos segundos todo pasó por mi mente, como película, imagino que otros también lo estaban pensando mientras la guía nos seguía explicando.
Habíamos entrado a la galería con nuestros teléfonos celulares porque el túnel estaba completamente oscuro.
En un punto del recorrido nos dijeron que apagáramos nuestras linternas. Quedamos en absoluta oscuridad. Se nos pidió que a la cuenta de 3 gritáramos a coro ¡Hágase la luz! En ese momento todo se iluminó.
Nadie se había dado cuenta que el lugar estaba electrificado. La broma formaba parte del recorrido. Hubo quien se llevó un buen susto y a otros nos saco unas carcajadas.🤣
Terminamos felices el día. Todos lo habíamos disfrutado al máximo, mi hija estaba complacida.
Dentro de pocos días cumplirá sus 16 y se avecina otra celebración... esta vez algo más usual.🤭
Gracias por leer.
Nos vemos pronto.
Hahaha, the joke with the darkness and shouting Let there be light is a cool fun element that they added to the tour. I love the underground tunnels of the fortresses, didn't know Havana had a fortress. :))
In a few days, happy 16th birthday to your daughter :)
Hi Mipiano, certainly the joke was great, a few of them let out a scream of fright linked with surprise that was even more hilarious, I remember and I can't stop laughing. That is a beautiful fortress and has been very well preserved despite the years and its use as a venue for numerous events. There are other fortifications just as interesting although not as majestic as this one.
Thanks ;D
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Thank you!
What a great post. We have so many beautiful things to show the world. Thanks, you made me laugh with this "hágase la luz". What a great way to keep the mystery going.
You reminded me of my investigative journalism professor who used to ask us to close our eyes when he told us about important events. It was like being inside a movie.
A hug! Pronto llegará un nuevo cumpleaños para Oli... nuevas aventuras vendrán. For sure 😊✨.
We have been so many times in La Cabaña and we have never noticed it. It's just that sometimes we don't see beyond it. It is a simple place, but it was so pleasant and friendly that the minutes we spent there will forever remain engraved in our memories as a happy moment. That day was very happy indeed.
Se acercan los 16!! Veremos que trae la marea 🤣. Otro abrazo para ti. 🌞
Un paseo que me debo. Siempre he sentido admiración por esa fortaleza pero no he podido visitarla aún.Gracias por este viaje.
En cuanto puedas hazlo. Es muy linda y la vista de la ciudad desde allá arriba no tiene palabras para describirla. Es algo que tienes que vivir. Gracias por pasar y dejar tu comentario. Feliz día.
Qué original celebración por los 15 años!! Me encantó tu historia y todo lo que aconteció en el paseo. Un abrazo y espero la celebración del próximo cumpleaños 🎉
Gracias Katia. En estos días hemos estado rememorando y mi hija lo disfrutó muchísimo. Ese era el objetivo. Veremos la celebración de los 16. 🤭. Saludos y feliz tarde.
Underground fort tunnel was best adventurous idea. Happy 16th birthday to your daughter.
Yes, it was. We had a great time, it was a memorable day.
Thanks 🥰. Have a nice day.