Cuban Roads

 Cuba is not known for its excellent road system and we were 'treated' to this on our journey to Baracoa.  I mentioned the mountain backdrop of Santiago.  We wound our way into them on our way towards the eastern tip of the island.  The combination of the less than comfortable van and the pot marked roads made the 4 1/2 journey seem much longer.  There simply wasn't another way to get where we were going.

We made a stop with a lookout where we could see the US base in Guantanamo.  It's fairly large and sits on either side of the bay opening protecting it from any sea intrusions.  It's much more than the prison that we hear about in our news.  The Cubans really don't care that it's there and mostly ignore it.  


We also made a stop to watch a demonstration of the wooden carts used by people working in the hills to cart goods up and down the slopes.  A bit like a dogsled, medal wheels and rope steering whisked them down the slopes.  A couple in our group rode down to get an idea of what it was like.


Driving into Baracoa, you get an idea of the poverty the people of Cuba live in.  This area was hit by the hurricane Rafael made landfall in this area which did not help the situation.  Even with far from prime living conditions, the people generally seem happy and find ways of enjoying the life that was dealt to them.


Our group stayed at  what we would call an Airbnb.  We occupied the second floor and roof while the family's living quarters were on the first floor.  Both the mother and father are doctors but this does not bring the same standard of living that it would in most western countries.  While the typical Cuban makes between $20 and $30 a month, a doctor might earn $40.  Hardly a premium for their skills.

Tonight we walked to the restaurant that would host us for our 4 night stay, Ortiz.  The chef has found a way of taking the ingredients available and making them into a gourmet like dinner.  For our first dinner we dined on lobster, pork and fish with a bite of chocolate for dessert.  Definitely a treat for such a poor community.

Tomorrow: Trip to a river

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