A Visit to Grandpa and El Mariel
It's always nice to visit him, he always welcomes me with a big hug and reminds me a few times during conversation that I'm his first grandson. I really don't know the feeling when I don't even have a child myself, but since he says it so many times, I'm sure there more to it that I could ever understand.
I owe my nickname to him. He was the first person that ever called me Yoyo, before I was even born. I don't know where he got it from, maybe it's a good question for the next visit.
He's now living in a new city called El Mariel.
I've heard so much about this town since I was a kid, because in the 80's there was a big boatlift from Cuba to United States, beside it's a place where economy is growing nowadays.
Since I was in the area, it was only natural for me to explore around and take pictures.
I found this piece of information on DeepSeek:
Mariel is a municipality and important port located in the province of Artemisa, in northwestern Cuba. It is known for its seaport, the Port of Mariel, which has had a significant impact on Cuba's economy and history. Here are more details about this place:
History and relevance:
- Mariel Boatlift (1980):
- One of the most well-known events associated with Mariel is the Mariel Boatlift, which occurred in 1980. During this event, more than 125,000 Cubans emigrated to the United States from the Port of Mariel, with the permission of the Cuban government. This exodus included both people seeking better opportunities and prisoners or individuals deemed "undesirable" by the Cuban government.
- This event had a major impact on relations between Cuba and the United States, as well as on the Cuban-American community in Florida.
- Port of Mariel:
- Today, the Port of Mariel is one of Cuba's most important economic projects. It was modernized and expanded with the help of foreign investments, particularly from Brazil, to become a key logistics and commercial hub in the Caribbean.
- The port features a Mariel Special Development Zone (ZEDM), which offers fiscal and customs incentives to attract foreign investment and promote economic development.
Economy and development:
- The Port of Mariel is strategically important due to its geographic location, near the Panama Canal and major Caribbean shipping routes.
- The Mariel Special Development Zone (ZEDM) aims to attract international companies to establish operations in Cuba, especially in sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, and renewable energy.
Culture and tourism:
- Although Mariel is not a primary tourist destination in Cuba, its history and port make it a point of interest for those seeking to understand Cuba's economy and politics.
- The surrounding areas of Mariel feature beaches and natural landscapes that can be explored by visitors.
I stayed with my grandfather like 3 hours. He was telling me this new place and how he was feeling there. He talked, we laughed and I called his daughters and sons through WhatsApp so he could also talk to them. He has a great serious sense of humor that for some reason I understand very well. We're are both Aquarius ♒, that's maybe one of the many reasons.
The time we spent together was very nice, especially cause I can see he feels happy.
The time i spent in El Mariel and the pictures taken was also very nice too.
I would love to come back to explore more. We'll, in fact I have to come again to visit my grandpa, next time I'll do more around the city.
Maybe I could even take him with me so he also explores a little.
Until then...
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