Love and Peace Without Borders: Day 3

Sunday morning I woke up and already was covered in sweat, and it was still early on in the day. It was the day of the big concert, and I could feel the excitement in the air and hear the chatter of people in the street talking about Juanes and white clothing as they got ready to go or headed up to the plaza. It was an exciting day and more than half the city was planning on taking part in the historical event that was about to take place.
As anxious as we were, I don’t think that either of us felt like standing in the blazing sun for 10 hours, so we took our time. We strolled along the Malecon, stopping to photograph some boys jumping into the clear blue water, stopped for some yummy pizza in the heavenly air-conditioned Olokku, and then made our way slowly to the Plaza. I felt the tension building as we started up the hill of Paseo, every way I turned I saw groups of people in white clothing, carrying umbrellas, flags, and liters of Ciego Montero water. Everyone was ready.
When the famous monument and statue of Jose Marti was finally in view, so were the thousands and thousands of people who had come out from all over Havana, Cuba, and the world to experience this musical festival.
The concert and Juanes got so much flack for it as it was in the planning process, and I got aggravated every time I heard the news that Juanes was supporting the government or the the concert shouldn’t happen. To me, and to a lot of the Cubans, this was a chance for them to see a wonderful concert, with musicians from all over the world and from Cuba. Why should they be deprived of that just because people are against the government? Of course anything in Cuba is political, but I think it was less of a political statement and more of an opportunity for the Cuban people.
Even though it was hotter than a sauna on fire, the six-hour concert was amazing and it was incredible to be surrounded by Cubans and other people from all over the world, all dressed in white, supporting the concert theme. Olga Tanon, Miguel Bose, Victor Manuelle, Las Orishas, X Alfonso, Sylvio Rodriguez, Juanes, and Los Van Van were just some of the famous artists who participated. The crowd went crazy for every single one, throwing their arms up and dancing, taking it all in with such a joy that was contagious. There was an energy in the air that I can’t fully describe, but it was full of life, pride, and unity. The whole afternoon and evening was full of laughter, crazy people, smiling faces, amazing music, and dancing without reservation. All, of course, in true Cuban fashion.