Arrived, dazed and sleepy in bustling Santiago de Cuba. Packed our bikes, which were thankfully undamaged, and cycled uphill into the heart of the city. Three squares form the central axis of the town and are filled with shops selling nothing and cafes/street vendors selling the same old food – bread roll with either, omelette, fatty burger, mayonnaise (only mayo!) or a bread like pizza with little cheese and negligible tomato (if any). Still no fish or use of locally grown produce. Spent an hour or two walking around town trying to find a Casa Particular while avoiding several Casa pimps (their usage usually adds another €5 to the nightly fee). Eventually found a suitable place for the bikes and us. Washed all our clothes, showered and made ready to see the town. Visited the factory where Bacardi first started his business (he was barred from Cuba for supporting the wrong side during the revolution). Tasted a very nice 7.5 year old dark rum now made at the factory. Tried to find a hat in town, but the shops were all too empty – it is said that although there is no food in the shops, everyone eats well, although there are no clothes available, everyone dresses nicely, although there is a shortage of petrol, cars and lorries keep running. Trouble is that you have to be Cuban to know where to find everything J Intended to visit a Cuban renowned music/dance bar, but awoke after siesta to find that the guest house owner had already locked up and gone to bed, so we had no way to get out or back in.
Teresa and TadekInexperienced cycle tourists of Cuba, Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua, Thailand, Laos & Cambodia Categories
|