Part 3
(Taken from the facebook of Oriol Marrero, Counsellor of EmbaCuba Greece)
There was a duty to Martí. It had to be fulfilled “simply and naturally”: the Apostle of Cuban independence felt a deep attraction towards Mount Olympus. He called it, "The Olympus." In the perfectible work José Martí and “the Greek” it has been noted that one could talk about the existence of a kind of literary and poetic “olimpitis” in Marti's work.
Dedicated to those interested in knowing more details and continuing to join this simple but heartfelt patriotic tribute to Martí, to his links with "the Greek", especially to his admiration for the spirit of sovereignty and national independence of the Greek people, they are addressed especially three new publications, to add five, of which two have already been made, this being the third. The fourth and fifth will be dedicated to reflecting in images the ascent to Mytikas peak, the highest point in Greece, with 2,918 meters above sea level, which this time took place on the afternoon of July 22. The next day the plaque was placed on the Plató de Oropedio, the fundamental goal of this ascent.
The images that will appear here were basically taken during the ascent to Olimpo on July 22, along the Agapitos-Zonaria-Oropedio route (in fact, it began to climb from the previous day, doing an intermediate night in the Spilios Agapitos mountain refuge). It will also reflect the moments of the spontaneous placement of the Cuban flag on the flagpole of the Christian Kakalos refuge, on the Plateau de Las Musas, on July 23, 2021, by the refuge's cook and its workers (Greek citizens ).
It was exciting to be able to verify - in silence - that the Cuban flag that they were hoisting at that moment on the flagpole of their refuge - and that will appear in the images - was precisely that same Cuban flag that was raised and hoisted imaginary in the top of Olympus in September 2019, and that it would be left there forever, as a witness to the brotherhood between the peoples of Cuba and Greece. Even before, in September 2018, on the occasion of the 165th birthday of Martí, perhaps for the first time in history another Cuban flag had been raised on Olympus - made in Cuba - after having been taken to the top to Mytikas Peak. So that almost three years after that first action in 2018, a Cuban flag floated again on the Plateau of the Muses of the Plató de Oropedio, in front of the Throne of Zeus, in the very heart of the mythical Olympus, yes, this time sheltered by a team of Cuban compatriots.
Thanks to the young friend Thómas !, the cook of the Kakalos refuge, and his colleagues from the refuge, for the solidarity and friendly initiative of raising the flag of the lone star with their hands. His spontaneous and friendly gesture with Cuba was deeply overwhelming and moving on the morning of July 23, 2021. After that unforgettable moment, we loaded the heavy backpacks, said goodbye to the Greek friends of the Kakalos refuge and left together, full of patriotic emotion, to place the plaque in honor of Martí, his love for Greece, "the Greek" and Olympus, with Cuba in his heart. Having fulfilled the duty that took us to Olympus, and with very little visibility on the route due to the dense fog, the team undertook the successful and hard descent of about 12 kilometers to Gortchiá - some friends say 18 kilometers -, with brief stops in the Petrostrougka refuge, and at the Kokka and Barba points.
On behalf of those who made this modest action possible, thanks to the hundreds of people who have reacted, called, written, published, supported and accompanied. His steps were his, those of the people of Cuba who fight, resist and will win, those of those who love Cuba anywhere on the planet, and in any circumstance, and also from Olympus, where since July 23, 2021 the image of Martí dawns every morning "facing the sun."
