In Bayamo, where the horse-drawn carriage is a tradition, there is a paradox: the population is attracted to this means of transportation, which boomed in the late 1980s and early 1990s, but now prefers to travel by tricycle vehicle because it is cheaper.
A trip with a horse-drawn carriage can cost 25 pesos, while a tricycle vehicle costs 10 pesos for the same distance. In addition, after 3:00 p.m., the drivers charge more for the service, which puts pressure on those who use this means of transportation, encouraging them to leave the city center before the end of the working day.
Of course, this evening price would make it unlikely that the wish expressed in the famous song by Adalberto Alvarez would be fulfilled: I want to return one of these nights / to ride around Bayamo and its parks in a carriage. Perhaps tourists or a quinceañera who have the means to afford this luxury will be able to do so.
Some unscrupulous drivers look at the wardrobe of prospective passengers to infer their purchasing power and charge them a high price.
It is true that this animal-drawn vehicle needs repairs and maintenance from time to time, and the horses need to be fed and cared for, but this does not justify the high prices.
For those who practice the profession of carriage driver, who are self-employed workers grouped in an association, this work should not be seen as a means of enrichment, but as a dignified occupation. They have to take into account the respect for the worker or the student who has to get to his place of work or school on time.
It is important that those concerned ensure that access to a carriage becomes more affordable so that the value of this socio-cultural symbol is not lost and continues to be seen in the cityscape of Bayamo, as the song says: «carriages here, carriages there» and those who ride them are so happy with the ride that happens to them, as the melody says: «now that I went up I do not want to go down» of course without this decision being a burden on their pockets.
