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Coming up next on queue goes international. First we visit Cuba as part of the U.S. Cuba sister cities Association. We'll see how this organization is working to improve relations between our countries and you'll see some of the obstacles they have faced. And then after that it is off to Spain as we bring you the sights and the sounds of the Pittsburgh Symphony orchestras. European Tour It's all next. Stay connected. Welcome to you Magazine. I'm Stacey Smith. Very few local journalists have brought Pittsburgh viewers long form reports on Cuba and very few have actually visited that country. But on cue contributor Phil Harris has done both as part of the U.S. Cuba sister cities Association. And Phil recently returned from his second trip to Cuba with this local organization. And as he did on his first journey Phil also took a video camera along so

that on cue viewers could share his experience in tonight's cover story Phil reports on the U.S. Cuba sister cities Association. Its accomplishments and its obstacles. Yes every day it's not just your feet. There's no doubt about that and I don't think this country or what America says that will unite them the government would not buy every single thing in the noon hour round trip and they could say you know what I want you to see a real question why didn't you go to our Lisa volunteer runs the U.S.-Cuba sister cities Association. It's based in Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh has had a sister city relationship with the city of Baton for since 1998.

What that meant to launch a and City Councilman Jim Furlow helped start the relationship. There have been countless historical links between the United States of America and Cuba since the 19th century into the present time. Right right. We went in February of 2002 to witness this historic signing. It was an agreement of cooperation between Pennsylvania and the province of Matanzas State Representative Michael Devlin sponsored the agreement and Cuban President Fidel Castro attended the signing really be sure that we wouldn't see Castro during our Cuban visit in 2003. The mood of the country was different during this visit. Dozens of anti-Castro dissidents had just been arrested and in the week we were there an airplane and a ferry boat were hijacked. Things felt a little tense. Those same tensions were felt recently in Washington

D.C. where factions for and against Castro protested. In fact Castro blames the Bush administration for supporting dissidents and for much of the recent unrest in Cuba. In the mean time the Bush administration has further increased travel restrictions to Cuba and this may have been the last forseeable visit by the U.S. Cuba sister cities Association and similar diplomatic groups say the only people put on this Benghazi the US met with the recent events in Iraq. Many Cubans told us they're worried that their country could be the next U.S. target. This week I meet the still new friends like Armando las hope to keep the diplomatic process alive as part of U.S.-Cuba sister cities. Armando visited Pittsburgh in 2000 and one in was so excited for us to be there say

wind and mind the time. I'm the most exciting moment for I was aware of was when I went for the release of our national however which was made there. Wow that may be impossible for for any people abroad to believe that this came in time when I was you know you were out of business or was the first city to have such a kind of relationship and with a city here in Cuba which is a war zone with us and also Pennsylvania has become the first state to have such a relationship with one of the provinces here in our country. Cuba I mean. But you also probably saw the Times us while Pennsylvania has a relationship with Cuba. The cooperation can only go so far. That's because the US has had a trade embargo against Cuba since 1961.

To be honest this is not only a brocade against Cuba but it is also a brocade against the United States people. All the Congress over the war are having relationships with the ones who are their sons and also their having business here in Cuba which is something I think in their states and businessmen. All right listen this is not possible for us to get medical supplies on to that aroma to us or for medicine because of the pressures and the interest as the government tried to push on there are some humanitarian are going to say shows that try to head boss is failing. As our group prepares to leave we know it could be a while until we see our Cuban counterparts to get the people of much sign just sent this message to Sister City that assault was unlawful and I work hard for the paper. Learn from her but also for dad.

People from North America take taking into account that you were offered the location of bold serious women name or scenes I wanted appeared and of course from the point from the last point of view. We're also neighbors because we love you. I respect the same way you get off your game with us thank you. There is a bipartisan effort underway on Capitol Hill to in the ban on travel to Cuba by U.S. citizens insiders some of them say the legislation is likely to pass where President Bush is likely to veto it. And coming up next Bill has a very different story from Cuba a love story about a man from Pittsburgh who found the bride but faced an obstacle few newlyweds could imagine. On cue continues in just a moment. You're watching these foundations local programs

down the Foundation Foundation the Pittsburgh Foundation Foundation funding is provided by the West Allegheny health system among America's best according to U.S. News and World Report magazine and Allegheny is the provider of choice on the web at ass dot org. And we couldn't do it without you the members. We now continue our coverage on the U.S.-Cuba sister cities Association now in our last segment Phil Harris reported on the accomplishments and setbacks for this local organization. In part two of his report Phil focuses on one of its members and he explores not the economic or nor political connection but a very different bond between Pittsburgh and Cuba. As a member of the U.S. Cuba sister cities Association a Pittsburgh businessman Jovi back

has made numerous trips to Cuba in the hopes of establishing an enduring trade relationships between Pennsylvania companies and the province of Matanzas. But in March of 2002 he got more than he bargained or even hoped for. He fell in love. I am done except Lancaster CA. I am from Q1 not Son son and I am married. You also might be back from the United States but I was here in a sister city trip I actually met her coworker who is also a friend of hers whom I had to come back a week later for some business and had asked the other woman to meet me and

when I got there she wasn't there and the dates I was there. We started the chat and the next day she was going to visit her mother. We went to visit her mother. That was the start of it. I made it back in March and we got married and all the rest and it was wonderful. One bit about day three I was like oh wow this is Rory's incredible woman after learning about her history. Meeting her family understand what they're about and learn very quickly who she was to. After several days I start to say while this is Roy if I meet a woman I think I'd like to continue to see her. When you go away you know when we are together this is the road with the

secretary get your license. What they can't enjoy right now is living together as husband and wife because of politics and red tape. Gel and the need to have a long distance marriage. His homes in Spring Garden on the north side and she still lives in Matanzas Cuba. The need to live with her aunt and her uncle and her cousin and her husband and which is not unusual for a Cuban family it's much like old fashioned U.S. families where a lot of people live together in one house very similar to that. And I think they like me. We spend an awful lot of time together when I'm here. Everything revolves around the family. So I really like. Yes. I don't swallow on my order name just talk about me on my call same names are also a long story.

I like my baby off at the mine and lives a little way he was here with me. If you want I miss him. Was then when God saw my form to be far behind by my week because sometimes if so many of these things one was weak or right him a yardstick but when to believe. But because of the U.S. trade embargo against Cuba and tightened security since September 11th the need to has yet to visit Joe and his family here in Pittsburgh. The Immigration Naturalization Service has just moved that function over into homeland security and they've shut down the immigration process with which I think is very very unfortunate and should not stop because the bureaucracy can and can't move make that

transition fast enough. I am going to live with pain. Respect I think so. And best case scenario maybe she would be here and eight 10 months. I remember about a month ago I was feeling really low and talking to days I'm just like and how can I want to be here with her and she wrote me an email the next day and said The Roman wasn't built in a day and it just made my day and it made me feel really good. Going back to the U.S. tomorrow I was here for one week. I'm not sure when I'll see her again. It's tough. Almost as sad for me to replace a bar go anywhere at all get on with our lives with a very happy child

and Phil tells us that since he did this story in the US sister cities Association Joe and NH got some good news the government has started the processing of immigration paperwork that could allow the needs of the visitor has been in Pittsburgh as early as October. Coming up next stay connected as we continue our international fame by crossing the Atlantic with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on the European tour. There's an easy way to get information on a recent story find out about upcoming guests you can get web addresses or phone numbers you've given and you can send us your comments just go to our website org and click. Thank you. When viewers request we respond is there an on cue story you think bears repeating. When you heard about from friends or maybe you missed the first time around.

Let us know by logging on to our website WQED dot org and then click on Q To submit your request for an on you story. Welcome back. In April a Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra kicked off a two week tour of Europe from Spain to Austria to the Netherlands and England Marcy Onsen and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra made Pittsburgh proud as they wowed international audiences on cue contributor and station manager of WQED FM eighty nine point three. Jim Cunningham took a video camera to Europe and covered the Tour for on cue. His stories are the only ones you'll see on local television. Well tonight we kick off a three part series on the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestras European tour and first stop by Spain bringing music to the twenty second century. I'm Jim coming in with the Pittsburgh Symphony in Valencia Spain. The financial European Tour 2003 began on the Mediterranean in a

month after 20 hours of around the clock traveling the orchestra settle down for their first rehearsal in the amount of the music in Valencia. After rehearsal the musicians went hunting for souvenirs in all fronts here by shaving precious cast a Nets fan suitable for your next boat fight or a shawl for your Senorita Spanish leather makes for great shoes which caught the eye of principal the soon Nancy chorus and principal clarinet Michael Ross Annett. We are in for Landsea the wonderful country of Spain where one must always notice the shoes that the women are wearing. So yesterday I found the perfect pair of Spanish shoes. So here they are pretty hot. Now let me just explain one thing Nancy is like a homing pigeon in Pittsburgh. She can't find boulevard of the Allies Fort Pitt tunnel

has no idea but you drop her anywhere in Spain and she will be able to find a pair of shoes like that instantly. It was really quite remarkable if you look at the background here you can see the concert hall where we're going to play our concert tonight and it's a beautiful hall beautiful facility beautiful day and we're having a good time we're looking forward to the concert tonight. Right. When in Spain lunch includes bone Spanish ham proudly displayed with the hoof still attached. Right violinist Claudia Hov discussed the menu with the manager and learned that the Spanish pig enjoys a special diet of acorns. They're both pigs and this is a taste. This one is not age and they only feed this dried fruit it is here but it is handy and this is the car that you don't like like black pig just riding the wave goodbye and the double bass is Jim Crow and I care began touring with the Pittsburgh

Symphony by Boston 1056 Jim joined a group of musicians who took in the music that US artists in Valencia with sculpture and paintings from Spanish artists. Wonderful wonderful Spanish artists that we've never heard of you know we have and the ones are the ones we know in Madrid. But these writers were very very modest. We hadn't heard of them so it was good to see them. Some of the sculpture is outside the museum just off the plaza of the Virgin with its fountain and pigeons next to the Valencia Cathedral. The mines we straight musicians in my names and they have quite a bit of originality. And this lady we never saw her Blanco eyes in five minutes and she was all dressed in a server make up I really like a statue. And when you toss you a coin she would make a very. That about great Balo The great for Irish and then go back to her solemn stance in the walk in the

principal English horn Herald smokier brought his daughter Laurel on this tour. They visited the just open city of Arts and Sciences designed by Valencia born architect something come up the drive of an opera house under construction and the largest aquarium in Europe gardens in Science Center where Alfred Einstein entertained tourists and students. Harold and Laurel also visited the old city in Valencia where we saw the cathedral its claim to fame is that it has the Holy Grail supposedly supposedly had it as the guidebook says at least it's a very old cab. Whether or not it is going to hold it without it I would go with that to the Pittsburgh symphonies opening concert brought bravos from a full house of Spanish music lovers at the Paolo Donna music and early the next morning Spanair took the orchestra inland to Madrid.

Minutes after arrival horn Robert lever was rehearsing in the Middle East at a hotel. The neighbors were not happy. I request corner rooms playing a loud instrument and sometimes it works out that I get a corner room and I feel a little less self-conscious about disturbing the neighbors when I start to practice. But this time I'm in a corner room and five minutes into my warm up I get a phone call from some nice lady who had just had a red eye flight and needed some sleep so I'm now trying to get away with practicing with a practice medium which considerably softens the sound of the instrument with the. Leung week the two Pittsburgh Symphony Concerts in Madrid included Leonard Bernstein songs which brought together two

Spanish choir singing the songs in Hebrew choir directors already cost us had never prepared the Bernstein before. But he loves the jazzy American Bernstein rhythm. Was it difficult for really good singers to get on to the jazz scene here with it was a barista. Oh no no I were at a local church with the jazz and put out his new difficulties easy. Interesting and these are the spatial. But but not difficult. There's nothing much time in Madrid includes a stop for ice cream rises to get around this busy city. You need a map and some careful study. So excited here for the book.

There are plenty of sunshine in the subset of cars bumper to bumper traffic jams with blaring horns last past 10:00 at night in Madrid. The city never sleeps with concerts starting at 10:30. Backstage the musicians warm up for the concert. Good morning with the last note scheduled for after midnight. Cellist Misha Stillman ordered a triple A spread so you can get the rest of us to get it through was. It's great symphonies find a Madrid concert with Beethoven Bernstein or rather ended at

12:30 in the morning national auditorium with the audience cheering them on clear of my sneeze and see it bringing smiles from Maurice Johnson's and bravos from the Spaniards. I'm Jim coming in for on cue with the Pittsburgh Symphony and Maurice young in Madrid Spain and tomorrow night we continue our three part series as Jim Cunningham accompanies the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra to Vienna Austria. And on Wednesday Jim will complete his series of reports as the last leg of the tour takes the Pittsburg to Amsterdam and London. Some great scenery and music coming up in the next two days. So now let's see what else is happening tomorrow night on cue the Naval ROTC in Pittsburgh. It's turning out some of the finest military officers in the country. Tomorrow on cue find out why local young people are signing up and see what their day. And giving back to our country.

Also tomorrow take a tour of the tour headline and see why this local attraction is more popular than ever. Then on cue visits Vienna and you are invited to hear the music and see the sights with Jim Cunningham and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. P.S. those European tour tomorrow night on cue. Well this is the time we normally say good night and then play the on cue theme music by composers Dave Hanna and Jim DiSpirito. Tonight though a slight change of pace as we leave you with a different composition by Jim DiSpirito a track from his new CD big silence. So we'll say good night and lead Jim along with Dave Brown Curtis Ericson and Jesse predecessor on vocals. Play us out with any angel. Still it's true.

Beats bro you know.