Cuba Days 4 and 6
Part 2
Keys, Tourist Hotels, and much more...
Continuing on my trek in Cuba, I went to the famous Keys on the Island which are a tourist bastien of luxury, hotels that most have never seen, and food that would put any western restaurant to shame, most cooked right on the spot in front of you..
As we pulled up in our Chinese made brand new air conditioned bus we passed herds of people who were waiting for what I thought was the bus all along the road that takes you into the famous keys. This however was not the case, as these people were simply waiting for anyone heading that way to offer them a ride, as there are no buses heading into the tourist centers unless you rent one and the cost is out of reach for most Cubans on the Island.. Once an exclusive area for the rich or high ranking military offecers like the president and his brother themselves.. Its indeed a paradise, pristine waters, vegitation and untouched by high degrees of development like most places around the world.. There are actually still many places completely secluded and open for private parties or just sun bathing.. and of course once inside, the cost is free..
There we passed the airport where tourists are taken so they do not see the true cuba.. The airport is already within the walled compound that is called the keys who has only a single entrance where you are checked and passports taken to make sure you can afford and are allowed in.. In the end its a very restricted area but a beautiful paradise inside..
Once we got there our iPhones which are normally not of any use, lit up as the hotel´s WiFi signal was active.. Internet access rooms readily available at a cost of 6.00 for 30 minutes but availoable and many checked their facebook, Twitter, home pages and communicated from home in a way that is alien to most on the island, as Internet access is severly restricted and censored where available.. We ran into American tourists from North Dakota, Chicago as well as a slew of foreghners from Canada, Mexico, and most European countries, all clueless as to the true living conditions on the outside..
For Lucnch, the Buffet was amazing, every food imaginable to life was readily available.. and the meat alone was more then most had seen living on the island in years.. Its amazing how much food, drinks, soda of every kind, Spanish Wines, alcohol, juices, and everything in between was available at this hotel. Take a world famous beach, rides, luxury rooms, and a blue pristine beach, and hell I even though I was in paradise until the reality of the 10,000,000 people outside hit.. NO FOOD; WATER; ELECTRICITY; BOOKS; TEACHERS; OR ANYTHING AT ALL HIT HOME.. WHAT A SHAME.. This place really could be paradise on earth.. and to some extent it is.. As the Cuban government tries and gets things doen with what it can.. as there is not much because of the US embargo on this island that realñly should be removed...
We trade with China and so we should trade with Cuba.. The Cuban people really need the money, investment, and economic assistance.. In closing, what tourists see is a very possible future for this island, one full of prosperity and one that xcan make the Cuban people proud to be called Cuban, for they are very hardworking as they have to work everyday just to survive.. Life is not easy here, as a matter of fact its very hard but every family at least most manage to make it in conditions we as americans would find hard to believe... Even the streets are a mission as they were once paved but that is long gone.. not the main ones they are in good shape, but the side streets.. they even have horse drawn buses and taxis, unseen anywhere else in the world.. and buses well they had once 16 routes for the huge city of Santa Clara, and now only 16 buses service all routes in the city and service comes and goes as long as the buses do not break down..
Tonight we are treating my family to a place called los canelles, and then we will remain to go to the Disco.. lets see what awaits me there tonight..
