A Trip Through the Real Cuba the story continues, is written by Mary and Jack, our wonderful guests who stayed with us in our network of casa particulares throughout Cuba in February 2017.
A TRIP THROUGH THE REAL CUBA 2
by Mary & Jack
CIENFUEGOS
After a delicious breakfast at 6am, our Casa host
Dayne arranged a taxi to the Viazul bus terminal…it would be a six hour trip from
Viñales to
Cienfuegos, with a rest stop half way.
Our hosts in Cienfuegos were at the
Viazul bus terminal to meet us and drive us to their home in Punta Gorda, a
modern suburb south of the city. Our casa was a small attachment through
the garden to a kitchen and bedroom, bathroom and well-stocked fridge.
The hosts, Arelys and Norge also prepared supper for 7pm: fresh
shrimp, salad, rice, ice cream and coffee.
The following morning, we walked along the Malecón
toured the Naval Museum, the Provincial Museum and had a good look at a square-rigged
sailing ship at a nearby dock.
After a rest in the afternoon we caught a ride
with Norge into town, first stopping at the Viazul bus station to arrange
transport for the next day, Then ambled around the town market, tried fresh
coconut milk and enjoyed a beer by the Malecón. The Spanish influence and
architecture was the main feature of this quiet town…next time we will take a
guided tour to learn more about Cienfuegos than we were able to on this short
visit.
After a full breakfast at 7am at the Casa, Norge
drove us to the Viazul bus station. We bought our tickets to Trinidad and
joined the confusion in the waiting area. After several false starts we got
seated in the right bus, and were off!
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| Cienfeugos Cuba |
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| Malecón Cienfuegos Cuba |
TRINIDAD
Again, we were met at the Viazul bus station in
Trinidad, this time by a young fellow (Jamie!) driving a tricycle-taxi. He took
us on a ten minute drive to our next casa,
mostly downhill. His contraption had a sturdy frame and balloon
tires - quite robust, and one hardly felt the original cobblestones of this
16th century city.
Casa Misleydis & Gustavo in Trinidad was a
warm and friendly B&B close to the centre and our hosts could not have been
more welcoming.
Our first challenge was to get bus tickets to
our next port-of-call, Camaguay. Waiting in line to put your name on a list
seems to be the norm….we were certain to get a seat as we booked three days in
advance, but we had to show up an hour before the trip to pay and get the
tickets.
Touring central Trinidad was delightful, with
many Spanish colonial houses and buildings to see, bands on each corner and
watching the world go by….we dined early, and well, in a nearby restaurant
recommended by Misleydis….in fact we went back to Restaurant San Jose for
dinner each night we were in Trinidad!
Our patio breakfasts at the casa were
generous and hearty, enough to make a snack for lunch, with some fruit and
water. Then more exploring, reading in the cool upstairs or lounging in the
hammock on the patio, siesta, and out again. Our last day involved a taxi to
the beach for a few hours…beautiful sand, warm water and hot sun. Our driver, Mario, kindly returned to the
beach later to take us back to town.
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| Trinidad Bici-taxis Cuba |
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| Playa Ancon Trinidad Cuba |
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| Plaza Mayor Trinidad Cuba |
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| Cuban Musicians Trinidad Cuba |
Experience the Real Cuba would like to thank Mary and Jack for booking their Cuba trip with us and for sharing their Cuban adventures on the Experience the Real Cuba blog.
Contact us at Experience the Real Cuba to book your personalized trip to Cuba.
EXPERIENCE THE REAL CUBA – SUPPORTING CUBAN BUSINESSES
Experience the Real Cuba offers Casas Particulares in Cuba as well as cultural activities and programs in Cuba supporting local Cuban private businesses.
To find out more about Casas in Cuba and our courses and programs (Spanish lessons, Dance lessons, Music lessons, Photography Experiences, Art & Pottery workshops) check out our website:
