Cuba Cross Over 2014 - Viñales - Cienfuegos | Friday, February 28 - 0km

Today’s tour takes us to Cienfuegos, also known as the Perla del Sur. On the way we will visit Parque Guama, a natural place of singular attraction that is located in the Cienaga de Zapatas. We will take a boat through the Laguna del Tesoro that lies in a picturesque landscape with many water canals, mangrove forests and palms. You may visit a crocodile farm nearby. You will have the opportunity to have lunch in any local restaurant. Then we will go on to Cienfuegos. Located at the central South coast of the island we will explore this charming town by bicycle. You will discover Cienfuegos as a clean and peaceful place with its unique and interesting architecture influenced by the Louisianans. Accommodation at the Hotel Jagua. Daily stage: ca. 10km. (breakfast) - Trip Notes

It rained on and off during the night and started again around 6am. Fortunately, today was a bus transfer day of around 500km from Vinales to Cienfuegos so at least there was no cycling in the rain which persisted all day. After the usual buffet breakfast we checked out and bussed out around 8.20am for the long journey. As we rode through mango plantations, Ricardo took the opportunity to talk about the Cuban economy, employment and wage terms, cost of living etc. and painted a fairly bleak picture. He showed us a “milk card” from his family which allowed the purchase of minimum supplies each month at subsidised prices. Not really enough to get by on…

 

We stopped at the Guama crocodile farm for lunch (which did not include crocodile although I understand it could be purchased a la carte) and I had a salty roast chicken leg with rice and some tomato and cucumber… just for a change.

We then wandered through the crocodile farm and got up close and personal, separated by a fence of course! Very interesting just to watch them for half an hour or so. We were supposed to go on a boat ride through the swamp but, given the inclement weather, we passed and got back on the bus for the final 2 hours drive into Cienfuegos.

 

On the way, we passed through Australia in 2 minutes. It was where Castro based himself during the Bay of Pigs incident. 

Here's a link to an interesting ABC Aus tv story aired recently: Australia Cuba

We finally got to Cienfuegos and to Hotel Jagua but did not stop in the city. Klaus and Matthias have rooms in the main Hotel Jagua.building and the rest of us are across the road in the newer Gran Caribe Hotel.

Ten of the group are having dinner at a paladar private restaurant. I opted for crackers and a lemonade in the room. Of course, although there is internet at Hotel Jagua, my card from Hotel Plaza does not work and there are no more cards for sale today at Jagua! What a country.