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Health & Fitness

Part Two: What I Saw -- A Two-Wheeled Trip Through Cuba

In search of our neighbor to the south.

(Part one appeared in Dixon Patch several days ago. Following is the second half of the bicycling-through-Cuba story.)

For the second half of our trip we bicycled between cities east of Havana. Overall we pretty much covered the western half of Cuba.

We were concerned about drinking the local water, so we used small, hand-operated filter pumps to fill our water bottles and brush our teeth with. Also, in small towns along the way, we bought beer, sodas and small snacks. Nonetheless, halfway through the trip, Phil began to have digestive problems and ended up taking an antibiotic to reboot his gut. My son had a bad digestive episode one day but we were able to get him and his bike on a bus to the next town, where we met him at a hotel. The next day he was fine.  

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In the many small towns we passed through, we found many small vendors of everything from food and sodas to plumbing supplies and books. In recent years the Cuban government has begun to permit more private entrepreneurship and also has given the green light for private restaurants to open, perhaps in a small way following the course of communist China (by the way, some of the bicycles used in Cuba come from China). In most of the towns, groups of idle men would sit around talking – whether due to unemployment or something else, I couldn’t say.

Also present everywhere were starved dogs, sadly looking for a handout or thrown-away food. And also ever-present overhead were soaring vultures, looking for the dog that didn’t make it. I was surprised at the number of horse- and oxen-drawn carts out in the countryside. In a way, it was like being back in California in the late 1800s. Also, in most towns and cities, pedaled carriages serve as short-distance taxis.  

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In talking with locals, when my son and I disclosed that we were from the Estados Unidos (U.S.), we detected that they were surprised to see Americans, but I never had the feeling that they took a dislike to us, despite the negative effects of the American embargo.

Phil and I both came to the same conclusion that if the embargo ended, and it was easy for American tourists and businesses to come in, and trade was established between the two, Cuba would change abruptly and become more prosperous. Cuba now has a lot of picturesque beaches that go virtually unused but could become future resorts. The three of us felt that visiting Cuba now was valuable because it gave us a view of an old Cuba that may be about to change forever. Currently one sees no Coca Cola, Starbucks or McDonalds signs in Cuba.

Eating in Cuba was part of the experience. While Mexican foods are often spiced with hot peppers, Cuban cuisine lacks that hotness. Most of our meals consisted of meat, rice and beans, with garnishes of tomatoes, lettuce, cucumber and cabbage. Breakfast would offer eggs and fruit and fruit juice. There was a variety of Cuban beer, and of course Cuban rum is legendary.

I understand that Cuba has to import a lot of its food, which is sad considering the amount of agricultural land available for farming (also, Cuba’s population is actually declining). We did see some large-scale vegetable-growing operations using the raised-bed technique.

The number of people in Cuba wearing military or police uniforms is high, and we were waved away from military installations if it appeared we were taking photos of them. Visitors are not allowed to enter Cuba with GPS or communications devices other than cell phones.

While we were there, an American delegation of senators was visiting, partly to try to obtain the release of a detained American (jailed for bringing communications devices into the country) and partly to talk about U.S.-Cuban relations. At the same time, Iran’s vice-president was visiting ….

Cuban people – ranging from pure white skin to pure black skin and all the tones between – tend to be attractive and vocal, and I noticed that Cubans are more emphatic in their body movements and facial expressions than, say, Americans.

Cuban traffic, with cars, buses, trucks, bicycles and animal-drawn vehicles sharing the roads, can be quite a mix, with horns honking, vehicles swerving to avoid each other, and so on. And yet for the three weeks we were there, we didn’t see one fender-bender or accident.

Cubans use buses quite a lot, ranging from well-appointed Greyhound-like vehicles to plain truck-like buses with little ventilation and people packed in like sardines.

We took in a movie at a Havana theater and paid the equivalent of ten cents admission using local pesos. We could only guess that it was government subsidized.

Out and about, we saw Cubans informally playing baseball and soccer and in one instance, kids boxing. Adults played dominos.

I felt most conspicuous when I was openly carrying my large Canon digital camera. Most Cubans would have to save money for years to afford such an expensive item.

Museums in Havana and elsewhere tended to be disappointing, mostly offering photos with captions.

Several times when I was out and about walking in Cuban cities, I was approached by English-speaking Cubans. They would talk about generalities, but gradually the person would angle the conversation toward how poor he was, with the implication that he wanted money. When a schoolteacher did that to me while I was sketching a church, it was a sad reflection on Cuba. When teachers leave the profession to make more money driving taxis, or doctors drive taxis after hours to make enough money, it’s time for a bit of readjustment in Cuba.

Still, overall, the country is certainly better off that during pre-revolutionary days.

Cuba enjoys its musical traditions. My son and I took in some great musical performances, including a visit to a Havana jazz club and some outdoor concerts we happened upon. The musical instruments used ranged from the latest electronic stuff to ancient-looking trumpets. Conga drums are a staple.

The three of us also lucked out with our bicycling – we didn’t have a single flat, and when it rained for several days, we were enjoying a few rest days in Havana.

I lost 10 pounds over the three weeks and we got good tans. The best thing about returning to California (other than being with my wife again) is being able to buy whatever I need so easily. In Cuba, it seems that everything is down to the basics. Also, it’s good having toilets that flush properly and have toilet seats!

As the Castro brothers cede power in Cuba to the next generation of leaders, look for big changes. And consider visiting there yourself.

(P.S. The cities we biked to and stayed overnight in were Havana, Las Terrazas, San Cristobal, San Diego de los Banos, Vinales, Pinar del Rio, Guane, Santa Clara, Remedios, Sancti Spiritus, Trinidad, and Cienfuegos.)     

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