Day 8. 10.4.16. Havana to Cienfuegos via Bay of Pigs. LSCT day # 4.

Breaky was set for 8.00; however we have learnt that Cuban time is pretty flexible. Breaky consists of fruit – banana, pineapple, guava and papaya, then eggs – omelette, boiled or scrambled with white roll and butter/honey. Coffee/tea and pineapple juice.

Due to depart at 9.00, it was closer to 10.00 by the time cases were taken to our taxi van etc. Driver today is Jordana, we are off to Cienfuegos via Bay of Pigs or Playa Giron. 

Jeannie and Dennis.

We stopped for fuel and Banos at Australia – a small town built upon the sugar industry. Many towns are named after countries eg. Brazil, Uruguay, Australia. We then drove through the small village of Australia.

Australia in Cuba.

From there on to the Bay of Pigs or Playa Giron, where we stopped for an optional snorkel/swim, we chose to paddle, not realising it wasn’t really an option. The shoreline is all very haggard, gnarly, rough limestone, with a short drop into the water which was about 50cm deep, so I managed to step onto a rock and stand with one foot in the Caribbean Sea, Suzie and Glenda, dangled their legs in. The bay and water itself is a beautiful clear blue and the sand looked white. Lots and lots of snorkelling and dive groups out from here.

There I am standing in the Caribbean.

Suzie dangling in the Caribbean.

Glenda lolling back with feet in Caribbean.

Across the road we had a look at the salt water cenote, Cenote Piscina, it had plenty of tropical type fish in the clear water, again limestone surrounds, looked great.

Cenote Piscina.

Piscina Cenote.

The water was crystal clear.

School bus used as tour bus. Pulled up at the dive shop. 

Our taxi van to the left of the bus.

Old but functional.

We stopped for lunch at Playa Giron, looked at the Museum which is closed for renos. A ham and cheese sandwich at the government run bar there. It did delicious looking pizzas, but there was over an hour wait.

One of  the tanks at Museo Giron.

The guys having lunch under the shade of the fighter plane.

A wall of the Martyrs at the battle of Giron.

Yaniel is skeptical about getting this finished in time for opening day. At this rate I can see why.

Lunch stop. Margot, Glenda and Yaniel. 

My first Cuban Coke - tuKola.

An ad for the brand all all water and soft drink in Cuba - Ciego Montero.

Then on another hour to two to Cienfuegos. We are in two casa’s here – ours is Yellow House at 1204. Met by our host Lianne. Suzie and I are here based on first two cases out of the car. The other 3 are up the road. We have 90 minutes to chill before heading for a drink and some dinner.

Cienfuegos looks less grey and dishevelled than Havana. 

The great nation that grows. Sooo many of these propaganda signs.

Che again.

Service Station.

very frilly this room.

the spare bed. 

Bathroom at Yellow House Casa.

Yellow House Casa, Cienfuegos.

Our casas are on Punta Gordo, a strip of land that juts out into the bay at end of Cienfuegos. It looks like it should be ‘resort’ area, but hasn’t yet been developed as such – I think this will change in very near future. There are hotels, but they are quite expensive, similar to our prices, the casas are cheaper and the locals rely on this for their survival. I hope the impending change does not negatively impact the owners.

Punta Gorda has some amazing mansions built back in the colonial days. There is a French influence as the city was settled by folk from New Orleans with French heritage.

The huge Villa.

We walked to the end past the Yacht club and the Blue house to the Palacio de Valle built in 1917 by Acisclo del Valle Blanco, it resembles something middle eastern, with an eclectic mix of over the top finished right throughout – tiles, painting, relief work etc. We had a drink on the rooftop terrace with great views over the Bay of Pigs. A very relaxing place to plop for a while with Yaniel and the crew. We sat and watched as tour bus groups grabbed a quick cocktail (in a plastic cup) and left, while we sat and chilled with our cocktails in real glass. Ahhh the joy of a small custom made tour – good work again Suzie.

Views to the mountains behind Trinidad and a domed building across the Bay – which is a nuclear plant built by Castro Fidel but never commissioned evidently.

The Palacio.

The Tower.

View of the roundabout at end of Punta Gorda.

The views.

Our spot for a drink.

Cheers.

Bici-taxied tour our dinner spot, the ‘cheapest’ meal in Cuba, according to Yaniel. He kept stressing, don’t let the prices here be a guide, it really was super cheap. (Something like $7.00 bucks with cocktails) So far it is my best meal yet. Paella Special for $5 cuc, plus ensalada and Pina Colada for $7 cuc. There was a Cuban ‘pop star’ eating there – Chacal (Jackal) with lots of young, and not so young, girls and boys clustered around to get a look, it made for some fabulous people watching. 

Our same guys were there to pick us up with their ‘bici –taxis’, home to Casa’s. 8.30 start tomorrow to beat the heat for Cienfuegos walking tour and off to Trinidad.