US: ‘See U in C-U-B-A!’

On Friday, the United States raised the flag at its embassy in Havana.

“The US has reopened its embassy in Cuba more than 54 years after it was closed, in a symbolic step signalling the warming of ties between both countries.

John Kerry, the first US Secretary of State to visit Cuba in 70 years, presided over the ceremony in Havana.

The US flag was presented by the same US marines who brought it down in 1961.”

— “Cuba US: John Kerry reopens Havana embassy on historic trip,” BBC News [links added]

“Cuba, there’s where I’m going
Cuba, there’s where I’ll stay
Cuba, where wine is flowing
And where dark-eyed Stellas
Light their fellers’ Panatellas

Cuba, where all is happy
Cuba, where all is gay

Why don’t you plan a
Wonderful trip
To Havana?
Hop on a ship
And I’ll see you in C.U.B.A.”

— “See You in C-U-B-A,” written by Irving Berlin (Israel Isidore Baline) in 1920, performed above by Desi Arnaz (Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y de Acha III) and his orchestra (Marco Rizo Ayala, arranger) on I Love Lucy in 1954 (compare with the 1920 version by Jack Kaufman).

More:

“American flag raised in Havana for first time in 54 years,” Alan Gomez, USA Today

“Kerry calls for ‘genuine democracy’ as Stars and Stripes rises over new embassy in Cuba,” US News & World Report

“John Kerry: Cubans must shape their own future,” Nahal Toosi and Nick Gass, Politico

Related:

“America’s embassy in Cuba never really closed,” Peter Weber, The Week

“Flag flies over U.S. Embassy in Cuba – now what?” Larisa Epatko, PBS NewsHour

“Cubans sound unusually open to Kerry call for democracy,” Anne-Marie Garcia and Michael Weissenstein, Associated Press

“After ceremonial flag raising, real talk of diplomacy begins in Cuba,” Bradley Klapper and Michael Weissenstein, AP via PBS NewsHour

“5 signs that Cuba is already very open to Americans,” Simeon Tegel, GlobalPost

“Cuba: We Never Left,” Esther Allen, NYR Daily

“The U.S. And Cuba: A Brief History Of A Complicated Relationship,” Greg Myre, NPR

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Tags: Cuba, embassy, flag, foreign relations, John Kerry, reconition, US Embassy, US flag