DATELINE: CUBA : THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND, THEN AND NOW

Santiago, 1953:

In the first shots of the revolution on July 26, Fidel Castro and 125 followers used a carnival in Santiago de Cuba as a cover to attack the Moncada Garrison, the country’s second-largest. The attack failed. Batista ordered that 10 rebels be killed for every soldier who had died. But Castro’s life was spared because a sympathetic lieutenant arrested him as a civilian instead of a rebel.

Havana, 1991:

There are three reasons most Cubans have never driven from Havana, in the northwest of Cuba, to Santiago de Cuba, near the island’s southeast tip.

One is that most cars here would never survive the 14-hour trip over bone-jarring roads.

Another: Why drive 600 miles when you can fly for under $100?

The third reason is gasoline. There already was a shortage when the government announced even more restrictions last month, when gas was diverted for Pan American Games transportation.

Driving is dangerous, especially at night. There are some street lights, but many are not working. The surface of the national highway is inconsistent and clogged with farmers riding horses, heavily laden ox carts, people on bicycles and American automobiles from the ‘50s.

Safety standards apparently are nonexistent. Many cars have no doors or windshields. One truck carrying potatoes late one night on the N1 highway had no headlights and no tail lights. In lieu of a tail light, a tin can was wired to the tailgate. The tin can was on fire.

Speeding, however, is not a problem. For drivers of the sluggish Soviet-made Ladas, it is more of a dream.

Small wonder that when Cubans heard of four journalists who made the trip from Havana to Santiago by car, they dubbed their car el coche loco.