THE RACE FOR THE CUP, PART TWO

My Cup bracket survived the first round fairly intact.  There was some interesting hockey played over the past couple of weeks: in fact, much of it was inspiring. All teams with the possible exception of the troubled Tampa Bay Lightning acquitted themselves well. Kudos to the teams who went the full seven games. In sports, a best of seven series is a severe test of stamina and will, especially in hockey, which is one of the most demanding sports, physically and emotionally.

But as Macbeth said, " we are but young in deed. "  Three rounds to go and some good hockey lies ahead. Since many of you want to know who will win in advance, I humbly reveal my choices for the second round.

Pittsburgh Penguins vs New York Rangers

I didn't think the Rangers would make it past the Flyers, and they nearly didn't. But never underestimate the power of the underdog, home ice, or veteran goaltending. The Rangers have proven to be a gritty and determined team. They deserve respect. As for the Pens, we are waiting for the superstars to show up. Crosby, Malkin et al did their least to survive the first round and it was certainly enough over a hard working Columbus team. I'm guessing that the big guys got their wake up call and will be ready to play now. But the big question, as always, is goaltending. And the Rangers have a decided edge here. Lundqvist outplays Fleury any day of the week. Will it be enough for the Rangers? Not this time. Talent will win out in this round. Penguins will win in 6 or 7 games.

Boston Bruins vs Montreal Canadiens

This should be a beauty. Montreal looked great against Tampa and they have been rolling for a while now. The big question is whether the few days off has hurt their momentum. I'm guessing it hasn't simply because they are playing their true rivals, the Boston Bruins. Sorry, Leafs, but it's true, the Habs against Bruins rivalry is more important for both teams. Montreal features fast forwards who have learned how to put great pressure on opposing defences and get quality shots on goal. And their goalie is red-hot. But the Bruins proved that they are ready to go deep in the playoffs too. When they were interested in dominating a plucky Detroit Red Wing squad, they did. Then, they seemed to go into sleep mode and Detroit were able to make a series of it. I'm guessing that there will be no lapses of concentration in the Bruins in this series. All games should be intense and exciting. The edge goes to the team with better goaltending and more ruggedness for playoff hockey and that means Boston wins in seven gruelling games. Buckle up !!

Chicago Blackhawks vs Minnesota Wild

The 'Hawks got a tougher than expected series from St. Louis, but the fact that they ground the Blues down in the last four games tells me that what I expected was correct: that the Blues were banged up to begin the series, and even though they jumped out front in the first two games, they didn't have it for the last four. The 'Hawks, on the other hand, remained calm and went about their business, as champions do. Their game is solid all the way around, and they look ready. As for Minnesota, I now refuse to write them off as unknowns. But they may have shot their bolt. I don't think they have enough for Chicago, but, as a sign of respect, I will refer to them as the North Stars instead of the Wild because the old Minnesota North Stars were pretty good playoff teams back in the day. Chicago takes this series in 6 games.

Anaheim Ducks vs Los Angeles Kings

There is always something interesting about a "local" series: bragging rights, turf wars, neighbourhood vs neighbourhood, call it what you will. That's why I will be interested in this series. The Ducks are a good team and they showed some good, hard nosed tough playoff hockey. Getzlaff and Perry took some pounding and kept coming for more. There's a lot of talent on the Ducks. But the Kings proved that they are still a solid playoff team. And Jonathan Quick seems ready to play some spectacular goal again. Logic says that the Ducks should win, but there is always an upset in any round of the playoffs ( except for the final round perhaps ) so my heart says the Kings will win in 6 or 7 tough games.

There you have it. Hopefully, we will continue to enjoy top quality hockey for a good long while yet.

WHAT IS A UNIVERSITY?

Trinity Western University is one of Canada's largest private universities and is located in Langley, BC. Normally, I would not even have heard of TWU, much less feel compelled to write a blog about this school. But a recent column in The Globe and Mail prompted some anguished thought.

Briefly, TWU is a rather new institution of higher learning. Its foundation was back in the 1960's and stemmed from a desire on the part of some well-intentioned people to found a university that not only promoted a rigorous and thorough academic programme, but combined those programmes with a devout and complete adherence to Christian ideals. Students who wish to enroll at TWU are required to sign a covenant that makes them promise to maintain high scholastic performance as well as adhere to the school's beliefs: they must forswear alcohol, drugs, premarital sex, and other behaviour the university finds contrary to its Christian ideals. The school also very publicly denounces same-sex marriage, or in fact, any acceptance of gay rights.

Recently, TWU announced its intention to begin a faculty of law. Something of an uproar ensued. Law societies in Ontario and Nova Scotia ruled that those provinces would not recognize degrees in law granted by TWU because of its discriminatory stance on same-sex marriage. The Law Society of British Columbia, however, ruled in favour of recognizing these degrees. Tony Wilson, a columnist in the Globe and Mail and a "bencher" in the LSBC, justified the Society's decision as being that of a belief in "the rule of law", which states that the Canadian Constitution defends and guarantees the expression of religious ideals. Despite his standing as a lawyer and columnist of high reputation, I found his defence disturbing, to say the least.

The criticism of TWU's potential law graduates centers around the possibility that lawyers and judges and any other officer of BC's judicial system will administer a legal system while harbouring prejudicial beliefs against gay people. To me, this criticism makes perfect sense. Why have people, many of whom are paid by society, administer justice when they are publicly and openly biased against a group of people who are supposed to be protected against bias by law?

In 2001, a similar situation involving TWU emerged. In that year, the school opened a faculty of education. A red flag emerged. That faculty would, in theory, be graduating people who espoused a bias against gay people who would quite possibly find employment in the public education system of British Columbia, and would, quite possibly, be prejudiced against students or parents from same-sex relationships, or try to foist their anti-gay views upon their students in a system where that is not supposed to happen. The education system in BC, and elsewhere in Canada, is supposed to be free of such potential bias.

Yet the College of Teachers of British Columbia were thwarted in their attempt to have teaching degrees from TWU not recognized, and to have graduates from TWU not be allowed to teach in the public system. Their case went all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada, which ruled in favour of the university, citing, again, the Constitution which guaranteed religious freedom. Tony Wilson, in his Globe column, stated that, as far as he was aware, no teacher in BC who graduated from TWU had been hauled before a review board for teaching anti-gay or anti-same-sex marriage ideas in a classroom or school. It would seem, therefore, that TWU has won significant victories over their critics.

For me, the criticism and concern of TWU's graduates in law, education or any other faculty where graduates may work in some type of public system is valid. I am a strong believer in the secular nature of our society, and, while I also believe in a person's freedom to hold any religious beliefs they want, I believe more strongly that society has an obligation to recognize bigotry and radical evangelicalism where they exist and treat them with suspicion and, in most cases, prohibit people who have philosophies  that contain bigotry, racism, hatred or narrow beliefs from practicing these philosophies in the performance of their duties as a lawyer or teacher etc. I believe this because I want to live in a modern society where all beliefs and life-styles are accepted. In the broadest context, this would include beliefs contained in TWU's covenant, but not when that covenant seeks to impose itself on the rest of society.

What do I mean by this? I challenge the reader of my blog to go to Trinity Western University's web site and read their mission statement. Also read their core beliefs. This is a "university" which claims a complete and strict adherence to Scripture. This is a "university" that seeks to involve itself in a training of graduates to go forth into society to excel in their chosen fields but with a decidedly Christian and evangelical zeal. This is a "university" which believes in the "Kingdom" of Christ and wants to be at the forefront of spreading this philosophy with the zeal of missionaries. What if, instead of espousing a profound dislike for same-sex marriage and, by extension, of gay rights generally, TWU espoused a belief in the natural inferiority of people of colour, or women, or Aboriginals, or people of other faiths? Would the Law Society of British Columbia or the Supreme Court of Canada rule in favour of such an institution? I would certainly hope not, and I would hope that you, the reader of this blog, would agree.

My greatest dilemma in all of this, however, is that the controversy surrounding TWU really is about the role and purpose of a university. You may have noticed in my preceding paragraph, that I wrote the word "university" in quotation marks when referencing Trinity Western University. To me, a university is supposed to be more than a place people go after high school. It is supposed to be the highest expression of human intellect, where research is performed fully and, to use TWU's word, "rigorously", where discourse and debate flourish and where there is to be no restriction on ideas or beliefs. To me, TWU's slavish devotion to its evangelical approach to everything and its mission of promoting its strong Christian beliefs in the wider context of society is anathema to what a modern university is supposed to be. Doctrine is not a guidepost in intellectual development, it is a barrier. TWU openly puts barriers on thought, and while the "university" certainly has a right to exist and preach these dogmas, it does not have a right to have its apostles preach them to students or clients in public schools or court rooms.

On its web page, TWU puts a series of Frequently Asked Questions about the gay rights issue. It is in the context of the controversy surrounding the proposed law faculty. The FAQ's are actually an imaginary debate between a concerned person and the "university" itself. The "university" claims that gay students are in fact comfortably enrolled at the school and so too are atheists and those from other faiths. They are welcome to study there: as long as they sign the covenant. If they are not comfortable doing so, they are "welcome" to go elsewhere. I find this disingenuous and repugnant. This is not freedom to choose, as TWU claims. It is a polite way of saying "it's our way or the highway." Fair enough, you might say. But it is not fair. It is exclusionary for a university. Yes, it is a private university, but it is sanctioned by the province and is graduating people who adhere to its doctrine who are ready and willing to work in society, possibly waiting for an opportunity to spread their doctrines. Politeness be damned, it is contrary to what a university is supposed to be.

THE RACE FOR THE CUP PART ONE

As of this writing, it has not been announced who the Leafs' first round opponents will be .... oh ... never mind.

A new format has certainly created an interesting grouping of match-ups in this year's playoff structure. Also new is the "bracket" concept, which means that winners of a playoff grouping will automatically meet up with a winner of a divisional and conference grouping. No more re-seeding of match-ups in second, third and final rounds. In this sense, the Stanley Cup playoffs are a true bracket similar to "March Madness" in the NCAA men's and women's basketball. So, in case you need to know who will win the first round of the NHL playoffs, I humbly offer this assessment. Let the debate begin.

Eastern Conference

Boston Bruins vs Detroit Red Wings

Much has been made about the "original six" aspect of this match-up. Indeed, it is always special when a couple of old teams renew acquaintances. And much has been made of the fact that these are two perennial playoff participants. Boston has gone deep in the playoffs in many recent years. They are true playoff warriors. They feature a bruising group of forwards, a corps of defensemen who move the puck well and take care of business in their own zone, and an all-world goalie in Tukka Rask. They miss defenseman Dennis Seidenburg, but have compensated for this loss well. The Red Wings have also suffered from the injury bug, but seem to always find players from their AHL team to fill in. The Wings also have a fine goalie in Jimmy Howard, and probably the best coach in the NHL, if not the world, in Mike Babcock. This figures to be a good series and it will go 6 tough, hard-fought games. But, despite Babcock's genius for tactically managing a game, the winner of this series will be the Boston Bruins.

Tampa Bay Lightning vs Montreal Canadiens

How the Canadiens not only made the playoffs but became an all 'round good hockey team is a mystery to me. Carey Price has emerged as another all-world goalie because of his stellar performance in the Olympics and has not missed a beat since then, except for some nagging injuries. The Habs have quick and talented forwards and a mobile defense corps. For the Lightning, it's been a strange year of adversity. The loss of Vinny Lecavalier last year and Marty St. Louis this year ( surely one of the messiest divorces in history ) seems to have galvanized the team around their one bona fide star, Steven Stamkos, who lost valuale time and an Olympic experience to injury. Stamkos is back, a tribute to his fitness and reputation as one of the best athletes in the NHL. This figures to be an interesting series, but the quirky year for the Lightning and the stellar goaltending of Price will make this a 5 game series, with the winner being the Montreal Canadiens. It kills me to say this, too.

Pittsburgh Penguins vs Columbus Blue Jackets

Pittsburgh has been one of the NHL's more exciting and also one of its most enigmatic teams over the last few years. They are loaded with talent, featuring perhaps two of the most talented players in the game, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.  Malkin may be banged up a bit at this time of writing, but the supporting cast is solid. The one aspect of the game that is the most inconsistent is goaltending, with Marc-Andre Fleury still on the cusp of stardom, but not quite there. Dan Bylsma is one of the game's more underrated coaches too. As for the Columbus Blue Jackets, two things emerge: first, they did well down the stretch to win a playoff spot as a wild card team: second, it is remarkable that the city of Columbus, Ohio has a team. This one figures to be a short series. Columbus did well just to qualify and it will be over mercifully quick for them. The winner in 4 straight will be the Pittsburgh Penguins.

New York Rangers vs Philadelphia Flyers

This figures to be the nastiest series in the first round. Both teams hate each other and play tough hockey, which is needed in the playoffs. The Rangers have made many changes during the last off-season and during the regular season as well. They surprise everyone with any success they have, and it's mostly due to good goaltending from Henrick Lundquist and solid coaching from Alain Vigneult. As for the Flyers, they seem to knock on the door of success every year. Vinny Lecavalier seems to have settled in for solid, but not spectacular play, and Hartnell and Simmons lend tough play along the boards. Claude Giroux, if healthy, is one of the most talented players in the game. The Flyers' Achilles heel, as always, is goaltending. As of this writing, Bob Mason may not be available, or if he is, he may be banged up. Despite the obvious goaltending edge to the Rangers, the outcome will be close and bloody. In seven war-like games, the winner will be the Philadelphia Flyers.

Western Conference

Chicago Blackhawks vs St. Louis Blues

A week or so ago, I would have said that this would be the best first-round series. Both clubs had stellar seasons and seem to have the players and coaches to win it all. But the Blues have gone into an injury-induced death spiral over the last few games. I believe they are on a 6 game losing streak to close out the regular season, and prize acquisition Ryan Miller has been less than spectacular. The 'Hawks have been banged up too, with stars Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane out with nagging injuries, but they figure to be back and contributing to the cup defense. If the Blues get their stars back from sick bay, ( Oshie, Pietrangelo, Shattenkirck ) they will give the 'Hawks all they can handle, but class wins out all the time. Joel Quennville is a much underrated coach, and Kevin Hitchcock, while a competent coach, is, in my view, overrated. So it will go 6 games, with the winner being the Chicago Blackhawks.

Colorado Avalanche vs Minnesota Wild

I don't really know much about these two teams. I do know that the Avalanche were a bunch of also-rans last year, so their turn-around is nothing short of remarkable. The addition of one of the truly psychotic personalities in the game, namely their coach, Patrick Roy, has been instrumental. After that, I don't really know much. As for the Wild, well .... Minnesota likes hockey, so they will be glad to be in the playoffs. How many games? Who will win? Who will care !! But for the record, I'll say 6 games that nobody will watch and Colorado, by virtue of the fact that they had more points, will win.

San Jose Sharks vs Los Angeles Kings

San Jose is a perennially good team that never seems to go anywhere. It won't be much different this year . Los Angeles won the Cup recently but that really doesn't matter. The Kings still have potentially the best goalie in the Western Conference in Jonathan Quick, and Drew Doughty on defense and Anze Kopitar up front are among the better players in the league. History and experience are with the Los Angeles Kings in 6 games. But, truthfully, does anyone care ?

Anaheim Ducks vs Dallas Stars

I know so very little about these teams, it's a bit embarrassing. Maybe one of them will get on an unholy roll and go all the way ? Nah, not going to happen. I know the Ducks have Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry, two pretty good players. And I know that one of the Dallas Stars had a heart attack during the regular season, so the Stars will be motivated to play for him. But this is such an irrelevant series, it really doesn't matter. It will be over in 4 games and the winner will be the Anaheim Ducks in probably the most one-sided series.  Or maybe both teams will just surrender now?

So, there you have it. Enter your NHL brackets now and enjoy the games. It will be a long and eventful ride.                                                                                                                                  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NOTES FROM PARADISE, PART FOUR

A few years ago, I enjoyed reading a novel called "In the Embrace of the Alligator" by Amanda Hale . In it, the main character, a Canadian woman, becomes involved with a Cuban man and tries to become involved in his life and those of his family and friends. What follows is a highly readable and thoughtful story about life in Cuba, the plight of Cuban people, and, perhaps more tellingly, how foreigners ( mostly Canadian ) look at their own lives and values. The Canadian character becomes so involved in Cuba that she begins to feel like a foreigner when she returns to Canada, but slowly realizes that she can never truly become involved in Cuba either. She feels both lost and part of both worlds. It is a wonderful novel and worth the read.

I bring this up to set up my own "embrace of the alligator." The alligator in all cases is Cuba itself. If you look at a map of the country, and use a little imagination, you see that it indeed resembles an alligator, with its head in the east and its large and dangerous tail in the west. Of course, the metaphor goes further: you don't have to be an animal expert to know that to be embraced by an alligator is a highly dangerous thing. Once in the alligator's grip, you are faced with two difficult choices: you can let the alligator have its way with you, which has all kinds of nasty implications, or you can choose to embrace back. The first choice is perhaps the easiest: you become passive, accept your fate and endure the results. Most people in this situation are those who go to Cuba and emerge from the visit disappointed or angry. These people never go back and are able to forget about the experience.

The second choice, however, is the more complicated one. I admit that I have made this choice and always wonder why I did. The choice is to take the alligator close to your heart, wrap yourself around it and hold on for dear life, adjusting to every twist and turn and movement the beast makes. You must hold on forever, never letting go for the obvious reasons. Most people I know who go to Cuba make this choice and, together, we hang on, hoping that the ride never stops, but wondering how much longer we can hold on before we're either exhausted or the alligator overpowers us and turns on us.

Quite a choice !

Cuba gets into a person's heart and soul. Maybe it's the climate, so warm and sunny ( most times!). Or maybe it's the history, full of tumult and triumph, chaos and suffering. Perhaps, it's the time machine aspect, where you can literally step back fifty years and see things and experience life in a different era. It could be the music, so perfect and sensual, sweeping you off your feet as you give yourself up to the rhythm and skill of Cuban musicians (aren't all Cubans musicians?).

For me, it's all these plus one thing more: the Cuban people. We have been fortunate to meet a few of them. With only one or two exceptions, they are among the most remarkable people on earth. They possess a good humour that has to be experienced to be believed. They put up with a lot, yet are happy and resourceful. They are intelligent and highly aware of the outside world, and yearn to achieve the things we take for granted, yet are unbelievably patient and stoic. Any other people would be storming the halls of power to demand more things, but the Cubans are adopting a "wait and see" attitude: perhaps the old revolution still lingers in the consciousness and they have a "one revolution is enough" mindset. They laugh and dance easily, but are also capable of tears and empathy. Family is their strength and pride: the best thing you can ask a Cuban is "how is your family?" If a Cuban calls you "my family" , then you know that they like and trust you.

None of this sounds much like a menacing alligator. So how does the metaphor work? Because you can easily be trapped and forced to think that all is well and beautiful in Cuba. But, as we have learned, it is not all good. So, a visitor has to be on guard always. Love the island, love the culture, love the people .... but be aware that the alligator has a hold on you. If you reach out and grab it to save yourself, you can never let go. And, when that happens, you can never really leave.

NOTES FROM PARADISE, PART THREE

One of the truly wonderful aspects of our visits to Cuba is the friendships we have formed over the years. We have met so many great people, both Canadian and Cuban. The Canadians seem to represent the stereotype our nation has been given: they are unfailingly friendly and completely willing to accept the fact that they are not home anymore, and willing to try to understand the reality of life of the people who actually live here. And the Cubans are happy to meet foreigners and proud to show off their resort and their country. Despite the challenges of living in a land that can best be compared to a political and economic science experiment, they remain unfailingly cheerful, happy and positive. But we have always been curious as to why they are so happy: is it because they are just naturally positive, or is it because they know nothing else than their experience in living in such a closed and insular society?

We have become particularly close to one of the staff at the resort. I will not use his real name because he asked us to keep our visit low key, so I will call him Fred. We've known him for a few years now, and he is easy to like. Fred is a big, athletic, good looking man. He is also good natured, good humoured, and easy going. Over the years, we've been fortunate to benefit from his friendly manner at the resort, and we have done our best to help him out a bit.

This year, we had the opportunity to visit Fred and his family at his home. He lives in Holguin with his wife, Joan, and his daughter Jane (also not their real names). Joan is a dentist, and she also teaches dentistry at a local college. Jane is a ten year old school girl, and is cute and shy: a lovely girl. Together, they make a nice family.

Fred arranged our transportation to Holguin with a taxi driver/ tour guide named Mauro, who I introduced you to in  my first post. The plan was to drive in with Mauro, who would wait for us in Holguin for the day while we did some sightseeing with Fred. Then, we'd go to Fred's house for lunch and  meet the family. After lunch, Fred would go back to the resort with us and Mauro for his afternoon shift.

It was a hot and sunny afternoon when Mauro parked at the Plaza of Flowers in central Holguin. We had been to Holguin about five years ago, and the scene was familiar to us. It was Saturday, so the square was bustling with families enjoying a day off from work or school. We were astounded at the number of vintage cars still working hard: everyone knows about the old cars in Cuba, and you certainly see them at resorts or in the tourist centre of Havana. But here, the cars were plentiful and decidedly less shiny. They belched out black smoke and made strange and loud noises, but they were working. Nothing touristy about them.

Fred joined us shortly afterward and Mauro left us in his care. Fred is proud of his home town and we visited plazas, shops, the local cathedral, and walked the side streets. The stores were interesting to see. When we visited five years ago, the stores seemed to be badly organized and lacking in goods. We remember that, in one particular store, auto parts were stacked beside toiletries, which were beside light bulbs and next to the school supplies. It was basically whatever the store could get its hands on. But in the stores Fred showed us, there was a plentiful supply of goods, all grouped together in some idea of "departments."  Fred wanted us to pay attention to the price of goods. They were not expensive by Canadian standards, but the price was listed in convertible pesos, which meant that they were highly expensive for Cubans. An example would be a washer/dryer set, which cost about 300 pesos. Not bad, but when one considers that a good Cuban working wage is about 20 pesos a month, one begins to see the problem. A washer/dryer is more than a year's wages for an average Cuban.

We visited the basilica and were delighted to see that it was a day for families to bring babies for baptisms. Proud parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and brothers and sisters crowded around the beautifully dressed babies awaiting their turn at the baptismal font. Certainly a proud day for them and further proof as to the importance of family for the Cuban people. Then, to finish off a morning of celebration, we went to a nice covered patio and enjoyed a friendly beer to talk about the greatest of Cuban passions, baseball.

Finally, it was time to find Mauro and drive to Fred's house. Through a rabbit warren of winding, busy streets our '51 Chevy careened and we took in as much as we could. This was the real Holguin, far removed from the downtown areas where the few tourists walked. Now, we were confronted by large crowds of pedestrians and horse and buggies. Fewer cars competed with us for space on the roads, but many large trucks rumbled through the narrow streets. Deeper we went, and, had we been abandoned by our hosts, we would be there still. Finally, we turned off the pavement onto a narrow dirt road and bounced our way past low rise buildings, most of them two and three stories tall. Then, Mauro pulled over and we stepped out to Fred's house.

We climbed a spiral staircase to be greeted by Joan and Jane at the door. A warm welcome brought us out of the hot sun and into the cool shade of their home. As we settled in, Fred told us proudly that he had built the house himself, with some help from family and neighbours. Fred is a carpenter by trade, but he told us he learned plumbing and electricity at school. He began construction in 1995 and it has just recently been completed. He said all these things with a quiet pride that comes from such a solid accomplishment. Fred built the house over top of his father's home, which occupied the main floor. We have seen this many times before in our trips to Latin America. It's a great way to build homes without using up valuable land or paying exorbitant prices for real estate.

We enjoyed a pleasant afternoon of good conversation, despite the fact that many of us didn't know the others' language: my Spanish is non-existent, while Joan and Jane know no English. It was largely Fred and Lou who carried the translation duties. Fred's English is pretty good, while Lou's Spanish is surprisingly good. The lunch was plentiful and delicious: we enjoyed pork medallions cooked in oil and garlic, congris rice, friend plantain, and salad, all prepared by Joan. Cold beer complimented the feast.

The house is small, but comfortable and with many "mod cons". We are led to believe that Fred's salary at the resort is the main source of income when he's working. But he cannot count on full time employment. In fact, he told us that he had been called back to the resort only a day before we arrived, and hadn't worked there since April. When he's not at the resort, he and his dad do carpentry and other construction work. Joan's work is year 'round, and she works at a clinic in Holguin. Thus, they can afford good furniture, appliances and, the pride of the house, a modern and spacious bathroom. Out the back and in the central courtyard of the cluster of buildings sat Fred's workshop. All in all, an impressive house.

We were able to trade ideas and information freely and frankly during lunch. Fred and Joan are honest about their lives: they know they live fairly well, but would like more for themselves and for Jane. When I asked them about the changes in Cuba, they were somewhat stoic about the future. Basically, their attitude was that changes were coming, but slowly, and that they would accept whatever came their way. There was no sense of bitterness or disappointment in their talk. Perhaps that is the Cuban way: they are constantly told about their new freedoms, but are completely realistic and resigned to the slow pace. They are also fully aware of life outside Cuba. Fred discussed a wide range of issues with us that showed that he knew what was happening in the wider world. He also expressed a slight regret that Canada and Cuba were not closer, and by that, he did not mean geographically closer, but rather that relations were not better. I expressed my agreement and, as will be no surprise to readers, blamed Stephen Harper for the colder relations.

We said a fond and reluctant farewell to Joan and Jane, found Mauro and made our way back to the resort. During the ride, we passed through more of the twisting and winding streets of Holguin's suburbs until we found our way to the more familiar highway to the coast. On the way, Mauro and Fred kept up a lively and animated conversation in Spanish. Lou and I sat mostly quiet in the back seat. It had been a rare day, and we needed time to digest all of it. We reached the resort where we deposited Fred outside at the workers' entrance. Mauro drove us to the main entrance and we thanked him for his safe driving and interesting insights.

What did we learn? Are we better off for the visit ? And, are we more "expert" in all things Cuban? Hard to answer. We certainly felt honoured to be part of the lives of these people, even for a short time. We learned a lot, but not enough to claim to be "expert." I doubt if even Cuban people themselves would claim to be "expert" on their own country. Cuba is endlessly fascinating, endlessly complicated, and always will be. Why ? Because it is changing in noticeable and interesting ways. We feel as though we have been invited in to a party that is just starting to get going. It would be rude and impolite not to stay a bit longer. And so, we will return to continue our education in this earthly and imperfect Paradise.

NOTES FROM PARADISE, PART TWO

The bus ride from Frank Pais airport in Holguin to the Playa Costa Verde resort takes about an hour. We've travelled that road several times now and I honestly think that, if I had to drive the route, I could do it and get to the resort with no problem or road map. I remember a small "incident" about four years ago which shouldn't even have registered with us on that road, but, in retrospect, it certainly did have great portent. We saw several fruit stands along the road: small huts in front of farm houses selling everything from pineapples to bananas. What's the big deal with fruit stands? They were the first signs of the changes coming to Cuba. The stands were owned and operated by the farmers themselves and, amazingly, whatever they sold and earned, the could keep for themselves.

Fast forward a couple of years and the changes became even more apparent. One of the resort's most popular bar tenders, a man called Jesus, opened his own restaurant in the nearby town of Melilla.  Jesus is quite a character: articulate, quick witted, funny, friendly and energetic. I always liked Jesus and figured that when you have a bar tender with that name, you're going to be well looked after. Jesus started the enterprise with his brother in law and was openly encouraging resort guests to visit the restaurant with his own business card. Word of mouth spread the name and reputation of the restaurant. It has the catchy name of "La Finquita Alegre", which, loosely translated, means the Happy Farmhouse. We were not able to visit the restaurant that year because of timing, so we made sure to visit this year.

You may be wondering, "why write a blog about fruit stands and a guy's restaurant?" Good question: such things pass unnoticed here in Canada because they are such every-day things. But in Cuba, these are about as significant as you can get. They mark the start of a type of free-market entrepreneurialism that was unthinkable only a few short years ago. They are the leading edge of the new effort to move Cuba away from the rigid state-controlled communism of Fidel and Raul Castro and into a new era where Cubans can at least have a chance at some kind of personal prosperity.

Cuba has stagnated in the two decades since the fall of the USSR in the early 1990's. The Soviet Union was very much Cuba's "sugar daddy" in those days and helped develop a highly organized and controlled society. There were positives and negatives to this relationship. On the plus side, when Cuba overthrew the corrupt dictatorship of Fulgencia Baptista in 1959 and installed Fidel Castro as its leader, Cuba moved into the modern world. Its education system developed a large and well-trained cadre of professionals: engineers, doctors, teachers, nurses, all of whom are among the best in the world. People were able to move out of the peasantry that they had been living in and became modern and largely urban. Cuba became a very ordered and civilized society. The down side, however, was that, with communism, individual liberty and initiative were stifled and eliminated. The Castro regime tolerated no criticism, and jails filled up with political critics, journalists, and anyone who dared to stand up to the regime. Cuba also became a puppet of the USSR and fought several wars, particularly in Africa and South America, at the Soviet Union's command as proxy troops: undoubtedly, many Cuban families lost sons in those wars in the 1970's and 80's, and many Cubans lie buried in unmarked graves in those far-off lands.

When the USSR collapsed in the 1990's, Cuba was particularly hard hit. The trade embargo placed on it by the United States was still in full effect ( as it is today ) and trade with other countries was almost reduced to a stand-still. The dozen years from 1990 to around 2002 are referred to in Cuba as the "Special Period". Not much is known by foreigners of this time period, but it must have been an exceptionally harsh period. Food was rationed: industries shut down: schools and hospitals ran out of supplies. I would not be surprised at all if people starved in Cuba during that time, and I'd be interested to do some research into this "Special Period". Almost desperately, Fidel Castro realized that he had to open up his island to foreign tourism and foreign investment, which began in the early 2000's and continues to this day.

With foreigners coming into the country, the Cuban government and Cuban people were finally awakened to the wider world outside their little version of paradise. Fidel has given way to his younger brother Raul, who has presided over these small changes. The result: old style communism is on the way out, and a more market-oriented way of looking at things is emerging. The changes are small and almost imperceptible. But frequent visitors notice them every time they go back.

"La Finquita Alegre" is a lovely country restaurant, situated in the back part of a small farm house. It is an outdoor dining area, so that, on a lovely warm Cuban evening, you enjoy the beautiful stars over your head. There is a small bar that is well-stocked with beer, wine, spirits and soft drinks. The washroom is fully functional and immaculately clean. And the food .... excellent !! On the night we visited, Jesus arranged for a whole pig to be roasted on a spit because there were several of us. We had three kinds of rice, including congris which is the famous Cuban staple of rice and black beans fried in pork fat. There were fried bananas, salads, breads, soups, and other side dishes, all prepared skillfully by the chef that Jesus had been able to hire. The server was a lovely woman who, we believed, was Jesus' sister-in-law. And, best of all, we observed that some of the diners that night were Cubans. They may have had to save up a long time for the night out, but it was good to see that not all the patrons were tourists. Drinks flowed: conversation mixed with laughter filled the night: food was delicious and plentiful. It was a wonderful night.

Jesus arranged the whole night for us. Our taxi ride to and from the resort ( in a beautiful 1951 Chevrolet convertible ) , plus one complementary drink, and the dinner itself was included in a package that cost us 20 convertible pesos: the equivalent of $20.00 US. Not a bad night !! Finally, we learned that La Finquita Alegre has its own facebook page: I urge readers to find it and like it.

Is this the face of the new Cuba? Will Jesus and his partners emerge as the new Cuban entrepreneurs? And will Cuba itself be able to control the pace of the inevitable changes that are coming? Will the changes be beneficial ? There are no easy answers to these questions. Only two things became clear to us. First, the changes, now underway, cannot be stopped. And second, there will undoubtedly be winners and losers in the "new" Cuba that these changes create.

For those of us foreigners who have come to love Cuba, we are left with a dilemma of our own. Do we celebrate the possibility of a better life to the winners in the "new" Cuba? Or do we mourn the passing of a place that we have grown to love: a place that was, despite the hardships, a quiet, friendly, slow-paced, simple and honest place. Cuba had and still has no pretentions of being something glamourous or glitzy. But the signs of material prosperity are starting to show. One thing I remain confident in is this: the change will largely be controlled by the Cubans themselves.

On our ride back to the resort in a different 1951 Chevy ( this one a sedan because of the coolness of the night ) I looked up to the immense stars in the heavens over the island. I don't believe in omens, but, as I contemplated my wonderful evening and my full stomach, I believe I saw a shooting star overhead.

NOTES FROM PARADISE, PART ONE

We have just returned from our "Cuban cottage" at the Playa Costa Verde resort near Holguin, Cuba. It was our 14th visit to this area, and, as always, we enjoyed it. We reunited with several old friends, Cuban and Canadian, and did all the old and enjoyable things. But we also were able to do a couple of new things which I'd like to share with you.

Lou and I love Cuba, but we're under no illusions as to what it is like off the resort. But our education in this area was enhanced by a wonderful encounter with a cab driver named Mauro. Mauro drove us to the city of Holguin from our resort in a magnificently restored 1951 Chevrolet, a journey of about an hour. During this time, Mauro, a friendly and good humoured man who spoke excellent English, talked freely and candidly about life in Cuba for Cuban people. The following two anecdotes are his and I merely repeat them for your enlightenment.

First, Mauro asked us if we enjoyed cocktails at the resort, to which we enthusiastically responded "yes!" He asked us if we were familiar with the cocktail that featured rum, cola and lime juice. Of course we were, and we answered that it was the famous "Cuba Libre". Mauro asked us if we knew what Cuba Libre meant, and we said "Free Cuba." He then asked if we knew what Cubans called the same cocktail. We were mystified at this question. He said that Cubans, when ordering this drink, asked for the "Lie Cocktail", because the idea of a "Free Cuba", to Cubans, is a lie.

We fell silent and started to ponder this. While we were doing so, Mauro began to tell us another story. Settle back for this one, because it's a bit long, but it describes life in Cuba for the people who live there permanently. His story runs like this:

One day, a man died and went to heaven. He took his place among the clouds, and played his harp and sat peacefully, ready to begin his time in Eternity. Eventually, however, the man became bored and decided that he needed a change. He went to find God to ask for a favour. When he found God, he said, " I want to ask something of you, please, God." God asked what the favour was.

The man said, "I like it here in heaven, but I must admit that I'm a little bored. You know, the same thing every day for eternity. I was wondering if it would be possible to go to Hell, just for a little while, to see what it's like. I must admit, I'm a little curious and need a break."

God thought about it for a while and told the man that he would have to wait until the proper paper work was done before the request could be approved. The man thanked God and resumed his place among the clouds with his harp. Eventually, after some time had passed and the man's boredom approached apocalyptic levels, God came back to him with the good news that the man's request had been approved and he could go to Hell for a short visit.

The man flew down to the gates of Hell. Taking a deep breath, he tried to pry the gates open, but they would not budge. He tried and tried and, eventually, got the gates to open a little. He heard what he thought was music and this encouraged him to try harder. Finally, he pried the gates open wide enough for him to squeeze in. He stepped into Hell and, to his great surprise, found a wild party going on. Music, food, drinks, pretty girls, and wonderful scenery greeted him. He stepped in further and spent a wonderful, carefree and exciting time in Hell, having so much fun and happiness. Eventually, his temporary pass expired and he had to leave. He flew back up to heaven and resumed his seat with his harp among the clouds.

God came by one day and asked the man how he enjoyed his trip to Hell. The man told God how much he enjoyed it and asked if it would be possible for him to go back, but this time to stay. God once again frowned and said he'd have to do the necessary paper work before this new request could be approved. Much more time passed, with the man once again bored with his time in heaven. Finally, God came back with the good news that the man's second request had been approved, and that he could go back to Hell, this time for good.

Overjoyed, the man flew down to the familiar gates of Hell. He tried and tried to pry the gates apart, and they proved just as difficult as the first time, but he was motivated to put all his strength into it, so he could rejoin the party forever. Finally, he succeeded in moving the gates apart a little, but could hear no music. He pried even further, enough to see inside, but saw only darkness. His curiosity got the best of him, and, with a mighty push, opened the gates wide enough to enter. But he saw nothing but blackness, and heard no sound. He took some steps further inside to investigate.

After only a few steps, the man stumbled and fell into an endless pot of boiling water. He suffered greatly and screamed. When he opened his eyes, he saw the Devil himself, horned and cloven hoofed, grinning down at him, stabbing him with his pitchfork. The man struggled, but could not escape the Devil's grasp. Down deeper into the boiling pot he sank, doomed to drown and suffer forever. With his last effort the man looked up to the Devil.

"What happened to the party? Where is the music, the fun, the pretty girls? What has happened to me?"

The Devil grinned and said to him:

"First, you arrived as a tourist. Now, you live here!"

And, with that, the man sank to the bottom of the pot, to suffer and die forever!

We fell silent while Mauro laughed at his story. I looked at the lovely countryside as it sped past. Palm trees swayed, blue sky hung endlessly overhead, and we loved the ride in this vintage car. I said that this must be the most beautiful prison in the world. The salsa music blared louder on the radio and the warmth of the day mounted. Mauro nodded, and we drove on.