lower value.
Stereotypical hard-faced, freez-
ing-cold Communism didn’t fit here
in hot and steamy Cuba where every-
one was dancing. But under Fidel
Castro’s brother Raul, things have
been changing since 2008. Com-
munism is softening. My host had
already noticed differences during
his eighteen months here; foreign
cars are allowed to be imported,
even if at an exorbitant price; private
enterprises are springing up. Rules
are relaxing. A favourite restaurant
is popular from being on a consumer
website thus ruining its aura of quiet
decorum for ex-pats! People are
flooding in. Strict rules imposed by
President Kennedy at the height of
the Cuban crisis are becoming less
rigidly observed and Americans are
visiting but it is still almost impossi-
ble for Cubans to leave Cuba. A sharp
eye is kept on any floating vessel leav-
ing as Key West is only about 145kms
away. So for the immediate future
Cubans are restricted as to what boats
they may use. The balcony of the
once tranquil restaurant overhangs
an inlet where fishermen with a boat
made from a large pre-formed block
of polystyrene from a large item of
white-ware, were casting nets.
Everyone in the ex-pat communi-
ty was abuzz with Obama’s speech.
Fidel was almost ninety, his brother
Raul eighty-four. Who would take
over? What would happen? Would
there be McDonald's, Coke and KFC
all over Cuba after Obama’s visit? He
had been friendly and polite, attrib-
utes acknowledged by Fidel but after
a few days, he responded with a curt
‘thanks but no thanks’ to Obama’s
suggestions that Cuba would benefit
from accepting the help and olive
branch he had offered.
Obama had advised that the in-
ternet ought not to be restricted;
that there should be one currency,
not two; that American help should
be accepted; that the past should be
forgotten and that people should be
allowed to criticise their government
and speak their mind. Despite Raul
and Obama looking chummy for the
photos, Fidel’s attitude showed no
sign of softening as he accused the
USA of imperialism.
"We don’t need the empire to give
us any presents," Castro would have
none of it!
It was a relief when Chris decided
to come on the trip with me. I’d been
daunted at the prospect of learning
the idiosyncrasies of someone else’s
pride and joy. Humming birds flitted
around the bougainvillea in his lush
garden as we planned a route using
his downloaded maps. Usually very
TRAVERSE 62
much a budget traveller, making my
own decisions based on whim and
circumstance, this was a new expe-
rience for me. I was in a very privi-
leged position.
When the gear-box had been
replaced by Felix, a most able me-
chanic, we set off to a place Chris had
wanted to see since his initial ‘round
Cuba three-week tour’.
It was the Isla de la Juventud
(Island of Youth) 100kms from main-
land Cuba and the island thought to
be the ‘Treasure Island’ Robert Louis
Stevenson wrote about. There was
much plundering of Spanish ships
here by the likes of Francis Drake so