Wednesday November 5, 2014

Today we had the worst breakfast we have had in a casa. Awful coffee, very salty omelette and no fruit – we did have a nice fruit juice.

We left the Casa early at 8:15 and very shortly after leaving San Diego we were joined by a Cuban cyclist (Enrique) on a very nice bike, it was given to him by a Canadian who left it in Cuba after their tour of Cuba. Enrique spoke very good English, he asked if we were going to Soroa, we said yes and he joined us and talked to us all the way —- all the way. He learnt English when he was in the army and served in Angola. He is a foot doctor, in the summer and in the winter he helps his family working on the farm producing tomatoes, rice, guava, avocados.

He has a huge issue with the government, they will not give him more land so that he can plant more rice and employ more people. “People need work and I can provide it if they give me the land that I ask for”. The land that he wants is not being farmed at the moment and he could cultivate it again. The people need work and food.

Raul is waiting for Fidel to die and then he will sell of the island bit by bit. It is already happening, he has allowed people to sell their houses and foreign ownership. The Cuban people cannot afford to buy houses so the houses for sale are being bought by foreigners. This is not what the revolution was about, it was to allow for equality.

However, we all know that isn’t true, there are people in the government that have things and the average Cuban does not. His concern was that Cuba was becoming capitalistic. Again it is down to needs versus wants. Cubans should be more concerned about their needs – food, housing, work and not their wants, cell phones, internet, etc.

This is not the first time that we have heard that Raul is ready to sell-off the island to the highest bidder. China, Canada and Germany.

We are staying at his family’s Casa in Soroa – he had told us it would be CUC20, when I asked the owner she said CUC 25 – it is the going rate – so I told her the rate we were quoted by Enrique. She discussed it with her family yes, 20 CUC, but we know we will be charged extra for dinner and breakfast or the beer! Ralf went up to Soroa to buy our water, even that was expensive as there are no shops other than at the hotel.

As Enrique said we are walking dollars. We tried to explain that we don’t have a lot of money, that we are unemployed and homeless. All he sees is that we are cycling around the world we must have money. Yes we have more than he does, but he has enough to buy food everyday and owns a house.

Enrique, was very much for the revolution and what it has bought the average Cuban. However, he complained that the administration is losing touch.

We are seeing the real Cuba warts and all. That means we are seeing the real Cubans who will take you for the last dollar with a smile, of course.