MY PAL CHE'
After another buffet breakfast, we climbed onto the bus and headed out to central Cienfuego for an informal walking tour. Like most in the country, Cienfuegos was laid out around a Central Square, or parque. As we departed our bus a couple of blocks from the square, the first thing we were greeted with was yes, another billboard of that good ole Marxist guerilla, Che’ Guevara. By this point on the trip, I don’t know if I was sicker of seeing food put in front of me, or his self-assured mug staring at me from signs, T-shirts, and from stickers on cars and buses.
No matter, we were let go to our own devices and instructed to rendezvous back with the bus in an hour or so. Randy and I started out sight-seeing and shopping together, but before long, he drifted one way and I went the other.
Cienfuego is called the Pearl of the Caribbean, and with its beautiful architecture, colorful buildings, and wide boulevards, it’s easy to see why. Besides the photos below, you can also take of glimpse of it here.
No matter, we were let go to our own devices and instructed to rendezvous back with the bus in an hour or so. Randy and I started out sight-seeing and shopping together, but before long, he drifted one way and I went the other.
Cienfuego is called the Pearl of the Caribbean, and with its beautiful architecture, colorful buildings, and wide boulevards, it’s easy to see why. Besides the photos below, you can also take of glimpse of it here.
Unlike many of the tourists, I passed on purchasing a Panama Hat in Cienfuego (I can buy one in downtown LA) and, after much internal debate, bought a Comandante hat with a red star, the flag of Cuba and – you guessed it – an image of my buddy Che. My reasoning being that if I was going to come back with a souvenir of Cuba, it better be something I can’t get anywhere else.
I met up with the others at the bus and we departed Cienfuego to travel high up into the mountains to the Hotel Hanabanilla. We weren’t traveling here to check in, but to traverse the highest lake in Cuba and to have lunch.
The lake was also named Hanabanilla, and it sat at 364 meters above sea level, or about 1,200 feet. The lake had been constructed as a joint project with the United States and served as a reservoir for the inhabitants below as well as having some excellent Largemouth Bass fishing.
We took a short boat ride across the lake to have lunch at a restaurant that reminded me very much of the old Tiki Room attraction at Disneyland – minus the singing parrots. After climbing the steps from the lake to the restaurant, we sat under a huge palm frond cover at an enormous table that could seat 30.
The lunch today was pork, along with the standard rice and black beans. The best part of the meal was some fresh tomatoes as well as some great Cuban cheese.
I met up with the others at the bus and we departed Cienfuego to travel high up into the mountains to the Hotel Hanabanilla. We weren’t traveling here to check in, but to traverse the highest lake in Cuba and to have lunch.
The lake was also named Hanabanilla, and it sat at 364 meters above sea level, or about 1,200 feet. The lake had been constructed as a joint project with the United States and served as a reservoir for the inhabitants below as well as having some excellent Largemouth Bass fishing.
We took a short boat ride across the lake to have lunch at a restaurant that reminded me very much of the old Tiki Room attraction at Disneyland – minus the singing parrots. After climbing the steps from the lake to the restaurant, we sat under a huge palm frond cover at an enormous table that could seat 30.
The lunch today was pork, along with the standard rice and black beans. The best part of the meal was some fresh tomatoes as well as some great Cuban cheese.
After lunch, we returned via boat to the hotel and began getting ready for our cycling today. This would be the first and only time during the tour that we would be cycling in the afternoon and it was getting pretty warm, which caused a bit of concern. But the road would be mostly downhill and flat, so we wouldn’t have to exert ourselves too much.
One issue that concerned me more than anything though, was the condition of the road itself. It was windy and downhill, but worse of all; it was the worst road we had been on during our trip. It was so damaged that you had to maintain complete focus to avoid the giant potholes, all the while trying to control your downhill speed. Even the pavement around the potholes was washboard rough and I soon gained an appreciation for the term ascribed to bicycles when they first appeared on the American landscape: Bone-shakers.
Eventually the road leveled out and became more accommodating. We ended our ride 45k (28miles) later and hopped onto the bus for a nice air-conditioned ride back to our hotel.
One issue that concerned me more than anything though, was the condition of the road itself. It was windy and downhill, but worse of all; it was the worst road we had been on during our trip. It was so damaged that you had to maintain complete focus to avoid the giant potholes, all the while trying to control your downhill speed. Even the pavement around the potholes was washboard rough and I soon gained an appreciation for the term ascribed to bicycles when they first appeared on the American landscape: Bone-shakers.
Eventually the road leveled out and became more accommodating. We ended our ride 45k (28miles) later and hopped onto the bus for a nice air-conditioned ride back to our hotel.
Dinner tonight was at a very nice restaurant, which was packed with Americans and Canadians alike. I had my best meal yet in Cuba, fresh fish cooked in oil with roasted tomato. I washed it down with a delicious and picture perfect Pina’ Colada.
Catch up with me tomorrow as we head to the highlight of my trip to Cuba, snorkeling in the beautiful, and infamous, Bay of Pigs.
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