Village Squire, 1975-03, Page 15Travel
More and more Canadians
are discovering
winter in Cuba
They just aren't discovering many new
islands in the Caribbean anymore, but this
winter a growing group of Canadians has
been rediscovering an old island.
Cuba, once a tourist mecca before the
breakdown of relations between Fidele Castro
and the U.S.-orientated countries, has been
gradually re -opening its doors to tourists.
Most of the tourists, are Canadians,
including a surprisingly large number from
this area.
Cuba, the largest island in the Caribbean,
offers a winter beach break that differs from
that offered by the other islands in this
region.
It has beautiful white sand beaches,' crystal
clear blue sea water, reliable sunshine
tempered by balmy sea breezes, palm trees,
fields of sugar cane and potable water. But, in
addition, it happens to be the only country in
this hemisphere which seems to be making a
successful attempt at creating a totally
controlled socialist economy and this fact has
an impact on tourism and the sort of vacation
offered Canadian tourists.
Canadians from Montreal and Toronto
make up most of the winter tourist trade for
Cuba. There are now regular weekly charter
flights from both Canadian cities, offering a
week's vacation at an all-inclusive rate. There
are plans for two-week winter vacations too.
On the surface there is no evidence of great
wealth and none of desperate poverty in
Cuba, unlike most other countries in the
Caribbean and Latin America.
Food is rationed, but the average daily
calorie consumption in Cuba is reported to be
higher than anywhere else in the hemisphere
with the exception of Canada and the United
States.
People are obviously adequately fed, and
the children, in . particular, seem bursting
with health and high spirits.
Clothing and yard goods are rationed.
Stores are few and stocks scanty, and ration
coupons rather than prices are posted in store
windows.
A dry goods store with four bolts of cloth in
the window had one marked for ninos
(children), but instead of the price per metre
there were the six coupon numbers needed to
purchase the material, Other bolts were
labelled for women or men and also had
coupon numbers, not prices.
Stores called supermercados had little or no
food on the shelves, although some had
blackboards listing what was available, the
prices and the coupons required. Their
merchandise was obviously kept in the back.
Electric Motor
Sales & Service
• Rewind facilities for fractional
to 200 HP motors.
• 30 years experience in the
business.
• Telephone collect for fast,
efficient service.
• Pick-up service, if required, at
additional cost.
• Discount prices on new motors.
Henning Electric
Motor Sales &
Service
473 Douro Street
STRATFORD Ont.
A Div. of R.T. McBride Ltd.
Not so much as an orange or a banana was
visible for sale.
One store in Havana had bunches of what
looked like watercress for unrationed sale.
Bread was also available and so were huge
tins of salt.
A bakery offered cookies for free sale at
about 25 cents each. Sugar was 13 cents a
pound, but when a Canadian expressed a
desire to buy some she was told it was
iiu,pussioie unless she had coupons.
Liquor and soft drinks were plentiful in all
food stores, but they were expensive.
Cuban -made rum in Canadian money cost 820
for 26 ounces.
Unripe coconuts for free sale, full of
coconut milk, were obviously a cheap
substitute for soft drinks. Ice cream was
plentiful, popular and unrationed.
In an appliance store tourists saw a small
black and white TV, priced at 650 pesos -
about $850 in Canadian dollars since our
dollar is worth only 83 Cuban centavos. A
very small and cheap looking refrigerator was
the same price.
Rations allow for two pounds of rice per
person a month and meat can be eaten twice a
week, we were told. Often Canadians saw
women carrying home unplucked chickens,
but saw none for sale.
SANDERSON SASH
MANUFACTURERS OF ODD SIZE REPLACEMENT
WOOD WINDOWS
GORRIE, ONT. (519) 335-3963
We will custom make to your measurements any window or
window units. From the largest to the smallest. Available in
thermal pane or standard glass. Also available: aluminum storm
windows and doors.
Located 1/4 mile east of Gorrie on Hwy. 87
Open Monday - Friday 8-5, Saturday 8-12
YOUR AGENT IN BLYTH IS LARRY'S RADIO & TV.
MAIN STREET 523-9690
[NO VI?RRAL ORDERS ACCFPTFf)j
Sales opening available
VILLAGE SQUIRE/MARCH 1975, 13