4-day journey across Cuba

Havana, Dec 1 : Cuban leader Fidel Castro s ashes began a four-day journey that will take them from the emblematic Revolution Square here to city of Santiago de Cuba via caravan, where the revolutionary leader s funeral service will take place on Sunday.Draped in a Cuban flag, a cedar chest containing the ashes was taken from the Armed Forces Ministry building in Havana at 7.15 a.m. on Wednesday by a pair of soldiers and placed in a trailer decorated with bouquets of white flowers, Efe news agency reported.Castro s younger brother and Cuban President, Raul Castro presided over the brief military ceremony, which was also attended by other top government officials as well as Castro s widow, Dalia del Soto and two of their children.Lines of people gathered for the send-off in Revolution Square, where a mass outdoor farewell ceremony was held on Tuesday night. Many of those in attendance also took part in an all-night vigil.The convoy will trace the route of the triumphant "Freedom Caravan" in reverse that Castro led from east-to-west across Cuba from January 1-8, 1959, after his rebels had defeated Gen. Fulgencio Batista s forces.Castro died on November 26 at the age of 90.