Houses in Regla as in Cuba lacked cosmetic maintenance A student peeked at the performance from above   Elian's classmates enjoying the show

Dec. 15, 1999 8:00 am- Ferry to Regla     This morning we went to Regla, across the bay from Old Havana.  Regla is the center of the Afro Cuban religions such as Santeria and Abakua, an all-male secret society.  Afro Cuban religions originated from Africa during the slaves drive that brought them to Cuba between 16th and 19th century.     African slaves practiced the cult under a Catholic veneer.  While appearing as worshipping their Catholic saints, they associated the Western icons to their African gods.  In the Iglesia de Nuestra Senora de Regla, the black Madonna sat high up on the altar is a version of Yemaya, the orisha or spirit of the ocean and patroness of sailors.  The ritual and rites in the Santeria religion conducted by male priests who are called babalawo or babalao.  Their functions are to consulted, give advice, perform magic and cure sickness, sometimes offer spiritual protection.     We visited the Mental Health Clinic of Regla.  There wasn’t one medical equipment, not even a couch.  Basically, it was a building with different rooms, some chairs and table.  We followed an almost spiral stair and entered a midsize chamber situated near the roof.  Seven rows of wooden theater chairs faced a dais.  One of the seats was screwed on to its backing backward.  On the walls hung large photographs of Fidel and Raul Castro.  There an official spoke to us about their local community helthcare system.   Regla is a stern support of Fidel and his regime.  It was said that one in every ten babalaos in Cuba is a devout defender of the revolution.  Yet, like the Bronx, Regla is the laborer's town that located across the bay from the glamorous Old Havana.  Two tall smokestacks from an oil refinery spitted thick black smoke into the air causing nauseas among Los Norte Americanos! Dec. 17, 1999 9:00am- Going to Matanzas   A few days ago Patch Adams gathered a small group of people and visited the area of Matanzas.  While there the officials invited him and the “Colmenita” clown troupe to Marcelo Salado, the school that Elian Gonzalez attended in Cardenas.  They performed for the kids and the reception was overwhelmed with reception, they invited him to come again.  Today we went to Cardenas again to meet with the children from Marcelo Salado.  Especially when Juan Miguel Gonzalez, Elian’s father would be presenting evidence of his relationship with the boy to the Cuban Officials.    At the press conference, the town museum was filled with the press corp., people, banners and slogans and of course enlarged photos of Elian.  After the photo ops ran dried, I approached Javier Martinez, an agent from ICAP for an interview with Juan Gonzalez.  He agreeably responded by flagging down the father.  I asked Juan Gonzalez how he feels about this whole situation? He said fine with a shaky nod.    Marianne Malloy, from Minnesota and a delegate in our group, asked if he has knowledge of his son’s trip?  He said no.  “Do you know the people he’s staying with in Miami?” Malloy asked.  Gonzalez answered “Yes!”  “Have you talked to Elian?”  Yes he answered, “He said he missed his friends, his school.”  Malloy urged on “Do you have a legal representative?”  Gonzalez puzzled.  Martinez immediately stepped in.  He spoke the native tongue to Gonzalez trying to explain in their own term.  Then he opted to answer the question himself.  Martinez said, “He is the father, he doesn’t need any legal representative.  The child belongs to him.”  Malloy then tried to explain the US justice system to the Cuban official.  The interview by this time has withered quickly.   People began to disperse as some officials ushered Juan Gonzalez away.    We now make our short trek to the school to attend the gala that the children lined up for.  As we entered through the school gate, the place erupted.  Music blasted through a PA system and the school children were hopping, clapping and screaming.  Then the party began.  Patch Adams quickly switched into his character and plowed into the crowd of people much smaller comparing to his 6'4 frame.  Amazingly, he avoided crushing little children with his oversized clown shoes.   The tall man, wearing a red rubber nose, hunched below a sea of heads.  He then suddenly stood up and looked around like a lost cow in a field of flowers.     The kids were too stimulated to notice Adams.  They were busy twisting and moving to the beat of music.  Many other little clowns now emerged into the crowd.  Even at the young age, these children were conditioned to dance well.  They moved and turned their bodies in such a proficient way, one from other cultures must admire.  Cuban flag safeguarding the upper level of the school flapped to the breeze.  The tropic sun spread its warmth on the courtyard while excited children danced in circles.  The festivity lasted for more than two hours.   The guides managed to detach us from the children and we were ushered to Elian's classroom.  It was a narrow room with high ceiling.  At the desk that the six-year-old sat, a stack of books and a paper nameplate with his picture on it resided.  Next to them was a guest book.  A line of people, including many from our group, stood for their turns to scribe.    The place was practically turned to a museum.  The walls appeared as they have just received a new coat of paint.  On them, all kinds of poster and banners were tacked.  In every corner, another poster of Elian appeared.  A huge banner stretched across up high said: "Happy Birthday to Elian."  On the previous week, Castro visited the same place.  They cut a big birthday cake for the boy but he wasn't there.    Cardenas is a small colonial town of approximately 75,000.  In its heydays, many Americans had great stakes in this area.  Described in a 19th century diary, it’s a place that makes a Yankee feels at home.  Rich Americans owned sugar cane plantations in the region even during the Spanish conquest.  Since the revolution, Cardenas retreated into the shadow and slowly disappeared from international recognition.  However, within the months of the new millennium, its name appeared in international headlines due to one of its lost citizen.