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Jay Chou personally selected the MV filming location, what is the magic of Havana?

author:Read about the planet
Jay Chou personally selected the MV filming location, what is the magic of Havana?

Compared to many national metropolises, Hava, the capital of Cuba, is a grizzled child, like a very heavy topic, always reminiscent of the dark ages of colonization, plunder and the slave trade, and the ruthless lockdown that still has no end in sight.

Jay Chou personally selected the MV filming location, what is the magic of Havana?

▲ Havana's cityscape, due to economic difficulties and mismanagement, many buildings in the city have fallen into disrepair.

But in 2020, with the release of Jay Chou's "Mojito", this stereotype seems to be starting to waver.

As the location of the song MV, Havana, the beauty of the "war damage" of the Cuban capital, the warm romance of the "Pearl of the Caribbean", and the colorful scenery, architecture and classic cars between the cities are all unreservedly included in the small modern equipment, and shown to all fans in the right time and place.

Jay Chou personally selected the MV filming location, what is the magic of Havana?

▲ Jay Chou's "Mojito", the overall color of the MV is very bright and highly saturated, but it will not appear to be exaggerated, but gives people a warm, bright and cheerful feeling.

As a result, many people are surprised to find that despite the ups and downs of history and the cruel and cold reality, the sky in Havana is still bright and free, and the state of mind in adversity can be as light as the rhythm of the song.

This is Havana, this is Havana.

First, trouble to bring my lover a cup of Mojito

If you accidentally sing it, notice how you pronounce "Mojito."

——Mojito, congratulations, you should have learned pinyin and English grammar well in elementary school, and you may even have mastered some Japanese romaji skills. Or maybe you prefer Western restaurants and cocktail bars in terms of food, so you have a few encounters with this cocktail - its name on the Chinese menu is Mojito.

- Moheto, then congratulations, you either know cocktails very well, or you know English or Spanish very well.

That's right, Mojito, a cocktail born in Cuba, a word that originated in Spanish. Therefore, only by pronunciating it according to Spanish grammar will it be closer to its original flavor - "j" is pronounced like "h" in Spanish, and Mojito becomes Mojito. The later English system did not change its original spelling and pronunciation when absorbing the word, so Mojito, as an English word, is also Moheto.

Jay Chou personally selected the MV filming location, what is the magic of Havana?

▲ Spanish alphabet pronunciation list, you can find that there are indeed big differences between the pronunciation habits of Spanish and English.

Both pronunciations make sense, the difference is only whether you see "mojito" or "mojito".

A similar situation happened with Habana and Havana. They are pronounced and meaning Havana, except that the former is in Spanish, usually in the overall form of LaHabana, and the latter is its English name.

As for why Spain has such a high appearance rate and a strong presence in the story of Havana-

Some 500 years ago, in 1511, it was Diego Velasquez de Cuar, a conquistad from Spain, who set foot on this otherwise peaceful land and forcibly built so-called new settlements in the homes of the Guanajatabé, Taíno and Siponet peoples, bringing with them all the heinous colonial wastes.

Jay Chou personally selected the MV filming location, what is the magic of Havana?

▲ Spanish conquistador Diego Velásquez de Cuar, who first landed in Cuba in 1511 and began to try to conquer it, and in 1515 (1519), he officially founded Havana.

But the Spaniards' luck and vision are really good. There are almost no poisonous insects and beasts in Havana, and the indigenous people are also not warlike and bully, so life safety can be effectively guaranteed. At the same time, Havana's location near the Gulf of Mexico, the direction and direction of the wind allowed ships to take advantage of it, and coupled with its excellent location and sheltered port, it can only be said that it is indeed a treasure land, suitable for a colonial and trade outpost.

According to a royal decree issued in 1561, all ships bound for Spain must assemble in Havana, which undoubtedly created a solid foundation for Havana's future development into a trading center. And because ships must replenish a lot of supplies, especially food and water, before sailing, it also indirectly promotes the development of local agriculture.

One such success story is sugar cane and sugar made from sugar from sugar cane. As a new crop brought from the Old World, sugar cane quickly adapted to Havana's soil and water and thrived here. The reason for the widespread cultivation of sugar cane is mainly because the sugar it makes is very economical, and the Spanish royal family is even willing to relax the loan conditions to finance the construction of sugar mills, so gradually the sugar industry has become an important source of local income.

Jay Chou personally selected the MV filming location, what is the magic of Havana?
Jay Chou personally selected the MV filming location, what is the magic of Havana?

The Hershey Sugar Mill on the outskirts of Havana and the town that developed around it, founded and brilliant in the first half of the 20th century, have now failed. Interestingly, this Hershey is the Hershey that we are very familiar with.

Of course, the beauty of these grown canes is that they provide fresh raw materials for Mojito - rum produced from cane molasses, as well as sugar and sugarcane juice.

There seems to be no fixed theory about the origin of Mojito, but many believe that it probably evolved from a Cuban drink called guarapo, presumably similar to a simple version of sugar cane juice. Around the 16th century, sailor Francis Drake went on an expedition to Cuba and accidentally tasted the drink and on a whim mixed guarapo with lime, mint and low-quality brandy.

And so the first version of Mojito was born. It was the age of pirates, people would use it to treat stomach problems, prevent cholera, relieve the heat, and its refreshing sweet and sour taste could give some comfort and energy to slaves who endured suffering and oppression, and Mojito's reputation slowly spread among all classes of society.

It is said that the last famous "drunkard" who was fascinated by Mojito was the great writer Hemingway. When he lived in Havana, he would report almost every day to a tavern called La Bodeguitadel Medio and say, "Please bring me a glass of Mojito."

Jay Chou personally selected the MV filming location, what is the magic of Havana?
Jay Chou personally selected the MV filming location, what is the magic of Havana?

▲ Havana's famous bar, La Bodeguitadel Medio, is said to be Hemingway's favorite.

Second, a cigar as rich as her smile

Unfortunately, the prosperity of commerce is not the merit of the colonists, and being dragged forward is essentially different from actively conforming. From beginning to end, the Spaniards' purpose was cruel and clear: to prey on the people, plunder resources, and then develop the slave trade, they only need to accumulate wealth through the land of Havana, regardless of the lives of others.

So in fact, in the dark colonial history, Havana was also part of the cry.

The Spaniards brought slavery and infectious diseases. The first royal license for black slaves was issued in 1513, and slavery began to take root until the 19th century. The epidemic killed more than half of Havana's indigenous population, and the remaining survivors were not fortunate, mostly enslaved by the Spaniards.

From 1762 to 1763, Havana was briefly conquered and ruled by the British. This was another group of experienced colonists, and trade between Havana and the North American and Caribbean colonies was opened, and the slave trade almost reached a new peak, with nearly 10,000 African slaves brought to Cuba for hard labor. Soon, however, in 1763, Spain and Britain reached an agreement to trade Florida for Havana.

Jay Chou personally selected the MV filming location, what is the magic of Havana?

▲ In the scene of the British landing and occupation of Havana in 1762, the entire siege process seemed to be very smooth due to many mistakes in the defense of Spain at that time.

But no matter how the ownership changes and changes, Havana is only a commodity, unable to control its own destiny.

As for the slaves and indigenous people who had been brought in from Africa, they were all assigned to work on understaffed plantations, growing and producing tobacco in addition to sugar cane.

Whether it is sugar cane or tobacco, it is a good business. Tobacco is small, valuable, profitable, and in the European market, especially the French market, so in the 17th and 18th centuries, tobacco became a popular export commodity on a par with sugar cane.

But it also meant that the plantation slaves had to work around the clock to satisfy the wishes of European smokers and greedy merchants with the fruits of their hard work. Endless work, a glimpse of life and an ethereal future may be difficult to see on the faces of these tobacco producers.

Jay Chou personally selected the MV filming location, what is the magic of Havana?

▲ Slaves working in Cuba

And the tobacco merchants did not laugh for long, because the cake of profit was so tempting that the tobacco trade was monopolized by the royal family.

The royal family would pay tobacco growers in advance, semi-coercion to contract all output at a fixed price, and use violent means to suppress all merchants who were dissatisfied with the policy and tried to revolt.

It was not until the 18th century that the tobacco merchants of Havana finally obtained permission to set up real trading companies by befriending the Spanish elite and currying favor with the royal family. It is only a slight pity that at that time, the more profitable sugar industry had already attacked the market heights, crowding out the space for tobacco, forcing the latter to begin to decline.

However, the cigar has not declined. Due to the highly addictive nature of cigars as tobacco, generations of cigar consumers have continued to do so.

Jay Chou personally selected the MV filming location, what is the magic of Havana?

▲Handmade cigars

Today's cigars, like Mojito, are the symbol and symbol of Cuba, and an important source of economic resources for Cuba's survival. And people from all over the world recognize the value of Cuban handmade cigars, which must be a delight for Cuban producers and rollers.

(This issue supports the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, opposes all forms of tobacco marketing, and reminds readers that tobacco products, including cigars, cause death)

Cigars, a local specialty that causes health hazards to users, have become Cuba's pillar industry, which also shows that the Cuban economy is still very rudimentary and a little backward.

Jay Chou personally selected the MV filming location, what is the magic of Havana?

▲ Cigars sold in the UK are printed with significant health tips

Third, colorful classic cars sway with palms

In 1898, an American warship named USS Maine sank in the harbor of Havana for unknown reasons. At a time when relations between the United States and Spain were deteriorating, the Cuban people had awakened their national consciousness and began to rebel against Spanish rule. The United States, already worried about its economic interests in Cuba and the strategic deployment of the Panama Canal, is just playing on this topic.

So in April of the same year, the Spanish-American War broke out. The United States soon took over Cuba as a victor from Spain, which had been in power for centuries, and thus began the prelude to the love and killing of the United States and Cuba.

Jay Chou personally selected the MV filming location, what is the magic of Havana?

▲During the Spanish-American War, the territorial scope of both sides and the main offensive road map

The first thing that naturally arrives is the "honeymoon period" between new partners. Although the United States also has its own calculations to turn Cuba into part of the back garden, and indeed continues to control Cuba's finances and military, thanks to the unremitting efforts of the Cuban people, the United States "conditionally" and "forced" agreed to Cuba's independence in 1902, at least superficially, making the relationship between the two sides delicate and close.

Under the influence of the United States, many cities in Cuba have developed rapidly. Havana, in particular, has become a very popular destination, with American companies coming to invest, American tourists coming here to visit, Havana generating a lot of income, luxury hotels, casinos and nightclubs. By the early 19th century, Havana was one of the most prosperous and wealthy cities in all of Latin America.

Most of the colorful classic cars swaying with palms on the streets of Havana appeared during this period.

Jay Chou personally selected the MV filming location, what is the magic of Havana?

▲ Classic cars waiting in line on the streets of Havana to do business

At that time, the United States was the main supplier of Cuban cars, and Cuba was the largest importer of American cars in Latin America, and the two complemented each other to produce the colorful classic cars that can be found everywhere in Havana and Cuba. In 1956, there were said to have been 143,000 cars on Cuban roads, and nearly 95,000 in Havana alone.

Even the famous "drunkard" Hemingway was a big lover and enthusiast of cars. He has lived in Havana for more than 20 years and owns 7 beautiful harem cars, each of which is different, and the colors alone include gray, black, blue, yellow, red and white, etc., which are fashionable and interesting.

But that happened in 1959, when a revolution led by Fidel Castro, Cuba's founding father, overthrew the U.S.-backed dictator Batista and began communism in Cuba, nationalizing all private property and businesses. Because national interests are involved, the originally close partners instantly turn against each other.

Jay Chou personally selected the MV filming location, what is the magic of Havana?

▲ Fidel Castro

Beginning in 1960, the United States imposed a severe trade embargo on Cuba and severed diplomatic relations with Cuba the following year. The poor cars had to say goodbye to the manufacturer. The United States did not export a single part or a single screw to Cuba, so car owners had to knock and knock on their cars until they turned into classic cars.

An even worse economic crisis occurred after the collapse of the Soviet Union, when Cuba lost most of its subsidies, energy, supplies and foreign trade opportunities from its generous friends. In those tough times, it's not so much that Havana left these colorful classic cars because they liked them, but that there was no other choice – they really needed these last remaining classic cars as a means of transportation and to support their families.

So the classic cars we see now in Havana may be those classic cars that happened to pass in front of palm trees when Hemingway wrote "The Old Man and the Sea" - it should still be "young master cars" back then. They have been swaying since 1960 and may continue to sway in the future. This in itself is more like helplessness and darkness, but Cubans are too good at bitter pleasure to make them beautiful and unique landscapes.

Jay Chou personally selected the MV filming location, what is the magic of Havana?

The Hemingway house in Havana, La Villa Vigía, is now a museum.

Speaking of which, by the way, I will mention the story of ice cream that is not mentioned in Zhou Dong's lyrics.

After the blockade by the United States and the Western world, Cuba's milk supply became so scarce that people had to choose between butter and ice cream, producing one and giving up the other. Cubans didn't hesitate to opt for ice cream, and although it could neither fill their stomachs nor be used for cooking, it was a necessity – life was already bitter and Cubans needed some sweetness to sustain them through those difficult days.

This is how Havana's state-run ice cream parlor, ParqueCoppelia, occupies an entire park space, is a Cuban landmark and the largest ice cream parlor in the world.

Jay Chou personally selected the MV filming location, what is the magic of Havana?
Jay Chou personally selected the MV filming location, what is the magic of Havana?

Parque Coppelia ice cream shop

Due to the lack of supplies, the store could only offer two flavors of ice cream, but the simple, rich chocolate and strawberry flavors captured the hearts of all tourists who tasted this ice cream. ParqueCoppelia also fulfills its founder's wish and promise to make the best ice cream in the world, no matter how difficult the conditions.

If you go to Cuba one day, don't forget to try the ice cream that represents all the romance of Cuba.

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