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1950s: Step back in time to a pivotal point in Cuba’s history- the late 1950s
My Lost Cuba
What you need to know before your trail
It is 1958, the last year of Fulgencio Batista’s dictatorship. Mike, the son of Don Miguel, a wealthy land owner and rancher, is summoned home from his MBA studies in the United States because of his father’s failing health. Still recovering from the loss of his wife, Mike’s return is an immediate tonic for Don Miguel.
Caught between his family obligations and his desire to pursue his own dreams, Mike quickly finds himself succumbing to his father’s desire for him to take over the responsibilities of running the family ranch. But it’s not just the family dynamics which are changing – the country as a whole is too.
Locations
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Havana
Changes are happening everywhere. The government is encroaching on civil liberties and social and political upheaval is in the air. There are rumblings about Castro’s guerillas organizing in the mountains. On the ranch, long-time employees of Don Miguel resent the changes that Mike is making, setting the stage for a confrontation that change the lives of everyone involved.
Cienfuegos
Mike was born in this southern city
“A southern city with a French park with elaborate lampposts and rococo cast-iron benches.” Paulino’s father had immigrated here from Asturias in Spain
There is dancing and music here in the Casino Espanol where Dolores would lie to go dancing but as she is half black and half Chinese she’s not welcome.
Booktrail Boarding Pass: My Lost Cuba
Destination: Cuba, Havana, Cienfuegos Author/Guide: Celso Gonzalez-Falla Departure Time: 1950s
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