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Show H7 es The Salt Lake Tribune TRAVEL Sunday, January 31, 1999 Cuba: IF You Go In Search of cities. Roads are excellent, and trafficis light. The Bicycle Club Stories, Heart Due to the trade 5 you cannotfly directly from the U.S. to Cuba. Cancun — about @ Continued from H-1 $190 return,including visa —is the cheapest departure point; that link majorcities, rural buses are scarce, and private car rental, though inexpensive by privileged- world standards, didn’tfit the phi- losophyof this low-budgettrip. I've always found economy to be the motherof adventure, anyway. For two weeks I pedaled 20-50 miles a day with Pablo, an artist from the Havana Bicycle Club. Our frequent stops for drinks and meals gave me ample opportunity to question Cubans about their lives. We also took a few ferries and sometimes flagged down trucks to cover more ground. Because of limited transport, trucks are required by law to take passengers. these rides were there are also flights from Canada and other Mexican cities. Legally, Americans can visit Cuba but they cannot spend moneythere. Practically, thou- sands visit every year with no has somebikes,butit’s best to bring your own, with panniers Westayed in private homes, or “casas” (some officially licensed families, and talked about Cubans’ lives and hopes for the future. Though wevisited cities, the frankspeaking country people offered the best insights. I discovered that of necessity Cubans are skilled in Guides speak English and have maps. Spanish is necessary if you are on your own.If you use a guide, the total cost will be around $20-25 per day, including food and accommodations. On your own youwill “More orless, things are better for us now than two, five, 10 years available for Cuban pesos. Unofficial and official exchange rates are the same, about20 pe- sional rain. Carry a lightweight ago,”said the most coherent, offer- sos per dollar. Though Cuba is plastic poncho or two. The Havana Bicycle Club can be reached via e-mail at: Karel- ing mea pull on his rum.“Buttoday we’re working hard!” Later, overice cream,sociology professor Other businesspeople are impatient, even pessimistic. When we stopped for pizza at her roadside stand, Maria said, “Business is bad; things are getting worse here.” Momentslater and out of mom's earshot, her early-20s son confessed. “She is never happy. Business is improving little bylittle. We pendency. Whenwebiked along the south- partly built, buildings glowered down over the first — abandoned along with the loan by an attendant. As tipped her, I smiled at the opportunism of the transaction. The museum is tastefully stuffed erything?” In the western province of Pinar del Rio, source of 80 per- as Cubanliberator; uniforms, jour- was 12. Heis allowed to makecigars for his own use andto sell to a village school, we piled into a passing truck — the day's school bus — with 20 boisterous schoolkids heading for the community farm to workin the fields. “There's work to do and we need to help,” 12-year-old Lucia explained, “It’s fun!” Their happy, selfless, Nintendo-free energy was refreshing. We stopped to share a juicy organic pineapple at a roadside stand. Organic farms dotthe countryside, more in response to shortages of chemical fertilizers and pesticides than to health concerns. The proprietor at this one said his work there was “much better than the job I had before, in the cane fields.” Clara’s ornate Che Guevara muse- accepted a Che T-shirt offered on with memorabilia from Che's days nals, his old thermos. Later I discovered Che shirts for $3 — half the museum's price — on Santa Clara’s central square. We saw surprisingly few uniformed police, all unarmed. Mysecond “problem” arose during an outdoorlunchstop in a western town, whena police officer told meto “be decent” and put on my shirt. He was also the town’s priest; his authority was clear, but its source was not, Though adapted to life without Soviet subsidies, Cuba still exhibits stark evidence of its previous de- haphazardly duct-taped to an ail ing, barely functi r national bird. Arriving at a farm- a Butit's working; officials often ignore the unapproved busi- ness ventures of citizens (payoffs and corruption are minimal), an¢ life is slowly improving for most, if not all. A rift may exist between were from thepolice, comingto arrest them, but soon they broke out cookies and pineapple juice, served in cups resourcefully fashioned from emptybeer cans. Nearby, the managerofa rather dismal campground was quick to offer us his homefor the night, un- those with well-paying tourism or black-market jobs, and those those without, but I heard no Cuban speak with jealousy or indignation manity, not their incomes or work, makes them comrades. officially, of course. He and his wife gaveus, the dollar-paying visitors, the main bedroom of their run-down dwelling, gladly crowd- Cubans clearly survivein spite of the trade embargo, while Castro survives because of it, using this ing their family of six into a bed and a couch. I pondered Cuba's 1959 revolu- convenient scapegoat to explain away any problems. It made me tion andits goal of creating equali- wonder whose side the ty for the poor. Were we the new embargosupporters are really on. imperialists, bearing a history-repeats-itself message, born of wealth and privilege, or just good Herriman, Utah Thomas Handy Loon lives in Fatcon’s LEDGE es Snowflake Special power facility — it was to be Cuba’s cy? Do you have democracy in the we did on the governmentfarm.” I improvement mayonly be theresult of people adapting to the hardships. Still, we wantto believe in a better future, all of us.” Relying grounds of an unfinished nuclear um — no tank tops allowed — I work hard, but we earn more than Uvaldo told me, “Whatfeels like economy, with a lucrative (and heavily taxed) tourist sector ern edge of Cienfuegos Bay, we explored the town of Juragua. Its “With the [U.S.-led] blockade, Fidelis a good president.” Later,after stopping for water at The next day we encountered humid. The fairest months, No- sometimes we don’t have any food to sell,” the female proprietor told me. “In 1993 we didn’t even have cigarettes. Things are good now. Teal passion.” vemberto May, still bring occa- beforeI finally asked Pablo about them. “Well,” he replied with a trace of sarcasm, “if you repeat a lie enough times, people will be- of chocolate pudding in addition to basic foods and cigarettes. course,”he said, “but music is our on logistics. Weather is warm — daytime highs in the 80s — and often generation gap, one pitting tired resignation against youthful and entrepreneurial hope. I encountered only two problems, both petty, both arising from myattire. Denied entry to Santa central Trinidad, we stopped one dayat a village cafe offering dishes jar. “We all have official jobs, of U.S. dollars are widely used. Film and other privileged- sensed in his optimism an emerging In the scenic hills near south- them beers and fattened their tip three rural men using oxen and burning wood to make low-grade coal. Drinking at midday, they too were optimistic abouttheir future. @comuh.uh.cu. Out of desperation, Castro evolved an ideological half-breed Farther east, in La Guira Na- house locals said was a cafe, we were metwith hesitation and denial. The women were worried we pay more and spend more time safe, there is petty crimein the travelers paying well for our indulgences? FS) phonist, and soon his band was playing for us. Feeling responsible, we bought problems. world items can be found for dollars in cities and tourist hotels; some food and drinks are ary, he still lived with his parents. That evening at Dago’s, a funky Vinales bar, we met Pedro, a saxo- pairs. only on his meager governmentsal“I cannotafford to get married yet.” he said, smiling. tional Park, we were greeted by dense forests and manybirds, including a colorful tocororo, Cuba’s shops to fix flats and minorre- half-completed Juragua itself in 1992 after thelast of the Soviet aid dried up and blew away in the crosswinds of global change. resourceful austerity. I met nobody desperate to “escape.” the countryside; people are building new homes despite chronic meee of construction materials. festive; I jammed on my harmonica for foreigners, some not), ate with ter.” Construction is booming in and tools. All towns have bike i with guitarists on a couple and was offered rum onothers. better now than a few years ago, and the future will be much bet- Dinner, Lodging, & Breakfast for two only $195.00piustax Wehad passed several “Cuba Free and Democratic” billboards (435)454-3737 Utah's uniqueresort near Altamont * www.falconsledge.com Offeris limited. Orvis Endorsed® lieve it. Besides, what is democraUSA,with rich people running ev- cent of Cuba’s tobacco, we met Pepe, 75, who claimed to have smoked three cigars daily since he visitors at 40 cents each. 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