Despite its ingenuity
Cuba was still in a downward spiral.
Castro had no choice
but to open the country up to tourism
though we was deeply concerned
that foreign ideas would infect the local population.
Nevertheless
the government started building fancy hotels.
It also renovated old Havana,
restoring monasteries,
theaters,
and other tourist attractions.
Now you can take a walking tour
through cobblestone streets,
rent a 1950s Oldsmobile,
or enjoy Cuban music with your beer.
You can even spend the night in a hotel
that looks remarkably like the kind of society
Castro tried to overthrow.
And if you still get bored
a government travel agent
will be glad to book you a visit
to one of Cuba's beach resorts.
He'll probably send you there by tourist bus.
It's in a completely different part of town
from the one that Cubans use.
There's no line to buy a ticket
but it's 25 times the local price.
On the other hand
the waiting room is clean and spacious,
the toilets have attendants
who hand out toilet paper
and there are doilies on every chair.
The furniture is overstuffed.
A television keeps you entertained.
And there's even the baggage handler
to help you with your gear.
And if everyone looks cool and comfortable
it's because the entire place is air- conditioned.
But it gets even better.
The bus seats all have clean white covers.
and it's only half full.
The driver is told to make frequent stops
so that everyone can refresh themselves
with cappuccinos
or a bottle of water
that costs more than the bartender earns all day.
And then it's back on board
so you can get a glimpse of the Cuban countryside
before you arrive at your resort.
Where you will enter a completely different world.
There's no traffic
the cars are modern
and the sidewalks are extraordinarily clean.
The police are everywhere
not to harass you
but to make sure everything's okay.
You can shop for Western brands
and then dine on beef or lobster
which only foreigners are allowed to eat.
You can also rent your own scooter
unless you happen to look Cuban.
Locals are not welcome at resorts like Varadero.
If you want a guided tour of the whole resort
several double-deckers do the circuit every half-hour.
The only thing you probably won't see on board
are Cubans.
they're forbidden to use tourist forms of transportation
so they catch whatever ride they can.
Truth be told, there's not all that much to do in Varadero
except get sunburned
and shop for trinkets at the many tourists stores.
Cuba's resorts are the quintessential tropical paradise
deliberately designed to keep tourists in
and Cubans out.
Until recently Cubans were forbidden
to stay at any of these places.
Although the government badly needed those tourist dollars
it didn't want foreign ideas
contaminating the local population.
Cubans are now allowed to rent a room
though few can afford the $300 nightly fee.
In fact the only locals who get a glimpse of in Varadero
are the bartenders
and other service personnel.
They have the best jobs on the island -
a week's worth of tourist tips can earn them
more than a doctor makes in an entire year.
But they're also carefully vetted by the government
for loyalty to the system
so you'll only ever hear the party line.
But there's another way to see Cuba
though the Cuban government won't approve.
You can hitchhike,
and take local buses.
Stay in private homes,
and eat at local stalls.
It''s not nearly as comfortable or relaxing
but you'll get to meet a lot of Cubans
and that's worth almost anything.