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Kanu Links
My Cuban Experiment,
2008
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| I've been in Cuba two years earlier, doing the tourist
thing: beach, food, and organized tours. But that way of travel does not expose the heart
of a country and its people. A typical tourist restricts himself to the golden cage of
three-star luxury, where most of the day is spent in the artificial world of the hotel.
The excursion's observations are made from behind the window panes of the tour bus and
interpretations of meanings are sanitized by a skilled tour guide. There is a better way
to do things, and for me, it is via travel with the bicycle.
Cuba is a strange place, as it has been much excluded from the rapid changes that have
shaped the West during the last 50 years. It has developed its own ways and rules that one
needs to understand to function in the country. For instance, some topics are carefully
avoided as one chats with local folks. Other things might even be illegal by Cuban
law. This is a communist country that is probably at the verge of a major upheaval,
and as a short-term visitor, one does not mess with things......
Let me show some pictures of the trip. I will not get too much
into details as to what went on in encounters with people. In such situations, the camera
stayed in the pack. I was keen to follow the human interaction, where snapping a picture
for a souvenir would be an inappropriate gesture, if not worse. I'll add a few more
observation points at the bottom of this page.... |
My trip was one week only (Nov 27 to Dec 4), with a booking in a
tourist hotel to give me a base from which to explore. I had taken by bicycle with me on
the flight, safely packed in a box and then reassembled once I arrived at the hotel.
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I started with a few short trips in the area along the coast near the
hotel to get a feel for the roads - how good the pavement was, what it looked like, how I
would cope with the heat, to see drivers what consideration drivers of cars and trucks
would would afford me, and how the locals would react when I showed up. Click the on picture for the details. |
| I then cycled for about 70 kms across the country, getting a chance to
see what the areas inland is like. There challenge would be mostly in the navigation as
the signage is inadequate for anyone but a local. Also, getting things like food and water
turned out to present a problem. Take a look at some other the snap shots. Click the photo. |
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The final long road trip took me to the city of Nuevitas, an
industrial city that sees few tourists. Even the Lonely Planet Guide to Cuba recommends
not to bother visiting. Of course, there are things to discover, especially if one is
curious about everyday life of Cuba. Click
the image |
The week went quickly and I headed back on the air plane for an early
morning flight to Toronto. Here's the wet runway in Camaguey - it does look quite
romantic! Not a bad way to say good bye. And I hope to be back in the years to come ....
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Click here for more
information: thoughts about cycle touring, and maps showing where this trip was, in Cuba
(Google satellite images and links)
Home Back to
Erhard's Home Page
Click here to get to the description of a previous trip to Cuba
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