The dolphins and Fidel Castro.
"The dolphins are very intelligent animals," Castro said.
Fidel explained, at length, that the Havana Aquarium's dolphin show was the best dolphin show in the world, "completely unique," in fact, because it is an underwater show. Three human divers enter the water, without breathing equipment, and perform intricate acrobatics with the dolphins. "Do you like dolphins?" Fidel asked me.
I like dolphins a lot," I said.
Fidel called over Guillermo Garcia, the director of the aquarium (every employee of the aquarium, of course, showed up for work -- "voluntarily," I was told) and told him to sit with us.
"Goldberg," Fidel said, "ask him questions about dolphins."
"What kind of questions?" I asked.
"You're a journalist, ask good questions," he said.
"Why are you running the aquarium?" I asked.
"We put him here to keep him from building nuclear bombs!" Fidel said, and then cracked-up laughing.
"In Cuba, we would only use nuclear power for peaceful means," Garcia said, earnestly.
"I didn't think I was in Iran," I answered.
Then he said, "Goldberg, ask your questions about dolphins."
"How much do the dolphins weigh?"
They weigh between 100 and 150 kilograms, he said.
"How do you train the dolphins to do what they do?" I asked.
"That's a good question," Fidel said.
It was time for the show to start. The lights dimmed, and the divers entered the water.
Without describing it overly much, I will say that once again, and to my surprise,
I found myself agreeing with Fidel: The aquarium in Havana puts on a fantastic dolphin show,
the best I've ever seen, and as the father of three children, I've seen a lot of dolphin shows.
I will also say this: I've never seen someone enjoy a dolphin show as much as Fidel Castro enjoyed the dolphin show.
Jeffrey Goldberg, September 8, 2010
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(с той березы)