Rush hour in sun-soaked Camaguey

Guilarte is our host at La Fondita de Compay Ramon , a private restaurant he runs with his family in Santiago de Cuba , the country ’ s second-largest city after Havana . Privately operated restaurants like his , known as paladares , cater to tourists and locals alike — and they ’ re popping up all over the country .

In a country where virtually every business is state-owned and salaries are low , the opportunity to cash in on the tourism boom is a big deal for many families . The restaurants are also great places for visitors to interact with ordinary Cubans .

Guilarte grew up on a farm in the neighbouring Sierra Maestra Mountains , and artifacts from his youth adorn the walls of his eatery . While he leaves the cooking to his wife Mayra and daughter Viviana , Guilarte serves us a buffet of traditional Cuban fare : pork , chicken , fish , rice , beans and plantain . Everyone ’ s favourite dish is picadillo — ground beef with green peppers , onion and tomato sauce .

After the meal , Viviana describes the satisfaction of preparing food for guests . Her father echoes the sentiment . “ The greatest pleasure for

Kicking back with Ramon Guilarte

me is to see visitors enjoying our food ,” Guilarte says , “ I really want them to feel like they are in my home ; to see them come in as tourists , but leave as members of our family .”

That dinner in Santiago is just one of many highlights of an eight-day road trip that takes us more than 750 kilometres along highways and back roads , through beautiful colonial cities and dusty farm towns . The journey brings us face-to-face with regular Cubans leading ordinary lives , far from the postcard-perfect beaches for which the country is justifiably famous .

Bike : julianpetersphotography ; guilarte : Mark stachiew