European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 19, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Up Tarai Home to Havana a return to Cuba Ana Maria Redel to Fri on a coca cola purchased in a Dollar store for about 70 cents. Newty Nti Ond Colon often Hornet and shop tint cobol Vituong to to in old City of it vent. Continued ram Pago 13 once did Only by his Shock to learn i was in Havana. To wan cd to bring he family la the cily but t Lold him in would easier or me visit him a trip that would take a Low Days to Quango those Days were used to to acquaint Mysell with Tho nation my Homeland had become a country of Centra and contradictions paradoxes and perplexities. The Beauty of Stati Ira quo Palms framed by the Azul sky and Havana by contrasts starkly with Delap Idamai buildings Somo of which have nol been painted or repaired in three Donados instead of commercial . Billboards carry revolutionary slogans and me353306 from president Castro urging Citi ens to save Money conserve water and respect Tho nation s natural Beauty. Every cuban has a Liviola or ration Book which Limi the Purchase of Lood clothing and household items in Librera  a cuban is permitted a monthly Ralio of two chickens Throe pounds of meal iwo quarts of cooking Oil three pounds of Rice a bar of Bath soap of a bar of laundry and dish washing soap. The five ounces of coiled allowed per month shews the irony of the Stato controlled government. Although Cuba grows tons of Beans the bulk of is crop is sold on the world Market to obtain dollars. Much of the Island s domestically consumed codes Cornea from Nicaragua largely in the form of tins of instant. Cubans salaries average the peso equivalent of on. 1250 a month but fixed costs rent utilities and transportation Are Low averaging less than 30 percent of income. Medical care and education Are its there Are no taxes. Cubans spend discretionary income in governer. Venta Fibre free Sale stores. There  Iho rest of the food they need at As much As four limes the subsidized prices in the ration stores but the Venla Libra stores Are afflicted with shortages and often Here Are Long lines for coveted items like chocolate also grown in abundance on the Island. Electric appliances such As soviet television sets radios washing machines and other goods from the East bloc Are Lound in other stores. A Al Inch Black an White to Sells for $600, an East German air Condit Lone for $1,050, ii a worker is honoured As being exceptional fee is applauded in the work place and his picture appears the streets. But even More important he is allowed to buy appliances cheaply or even an East bloc car on i instalment plan. The Only product always found in abundance was very Good ice Cream available in a great variety of flavors including guava and Mango. Telecasts of cuban baseball the National sport arc popular viewing and it seemed that when they weren watching ii they were playing it even in Defiance of signs hat prohibited play in the streets on walking Tours through the narrow streets i Couk see How cubans lived. Most houses have huge Wando whose shutters Are kept open during the Day As Are the doors. Crime is not a big problem in Cuba. Many Homes appeared badly in need of plastering and painting bul while most were of Only modest size they had at the vary least a Black and White to and refrigerator. Ollen the latin beat of cuban music Cou be heard coming modern stereo cassette players ant couples could be seen dancing in living rooms frequently under the share of Castro s portrait. Cleanliness is virtually a National relish. Homes Are immaculate and even the streets Are scrubbed nightly. Alter a couple of Days in Havana i was Able to Book cab to Villa Clara. Frequently during the three hour drive. I could see Bolques Post revolution prefabricated pastel housing developments that ing Havana and most towns away from the Bolques however was some of the mesh Beautiful Countryside have Ever seen Lush and dense and of every conceivable Hue of Green As we drove ail or trom Havana Inera were Lush Havana plantations to Cuning Orange Groves seeming endless raids of sugar Cane and Many Rickely tunics Wood houses with thatched roofs where Farmers traditionally live most of the round Zohios have no Loois no electricity and no toilets Tho government has been Page 14 the stars and stripes sunday /