April 3, 2012
Yanelys Nuñez Leyva
HAVANA TIMES, April 3 — For Cubans, traveling in our own country to see
its beauty is a veritable utopia. The difficulties lie in the relatively
high costs of transportation, accommodations, food and leisure
activities themselves.
This is why when the slightest chance presents itself to affordably
break one's daily routine to go somewhere, we have to jump at it –
sometimes with our eyes closed.
My chance came recently when my mother's union (made up of tourism
workers) organized a trip to the Bellamar Cave, in Matanzas Province.
The excursion included transportation to and from the destination, lunch
and a snack – all for the per-person price of 52 pesos (about $2 USD).
Unfortunately though, the trip was anything but problem free.
One of the mix-ups occurred even before we went inside the cave. We were
informed by the huge sign at the entrance that in addition to various
prices per person based on their classification (foreigners, Cubans and
children under 5 years of age), people would also be charged 20 pesos
for bringing a camera into the cavern.
This was something that came off as absurd to all the Cubans present,
who acted on their common sense by simply not declaring their cameras
and then surreptitiously snapping their photos once inside.
Once in the cave, the presence of a single guide for the more than 80
people required us to repeatedly stop during the long underground walk,
thereby subjecting us to extended periods of stifling heat. All of this
was endured only so that the guide could point out the abundant
stalagmites and stalactites there in the cave.
At the resort located near the cave, where we should have been able to
enjoy the lunch which had been reserved in our package. As for the
swimming pool — the main interest of everyone who normally comes there —
it was being cleaned, as was the one at Las Lagunas, the second camping
resort (for Cubans) we visited to see if we could take a swim.
In sum, the countless setbacks were due to the lack of any real
organization and management abilities on the part of the related state
entities.
The best part of my trip was discovering the perfect view from the
Bacunayagua Bridge and taking a deep sleep in front of the rough sea,
which didn't prove to be a deterrent for two teenagers — guests at the
Las Lagunas camping resort — who were making love there in the full view
of everyone.
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