Foto: The city hall of Cienfuegos (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
Cuba - We continue our route toward the Bay of Pigs (Bahia de Cochinos). In this bay, Cuban exiles, supported by the Americans, attempted an invasion of Cuba in 1961. Under Castro's leadership, this attack was successfully repelled within 48 hours, and over 1,000 exiles were captured. Unfortunately, it is already late in the afternoon for us, and there is not enough time to stop briefly. The bus drives from the bay toward Cienfuegos. Along the way, the driver turns it into a game to avoid the crossing crabs. Especially in July, the road is littered with the crab migration. Around seven o’clock, we arrive in Cienfuegos. First, we drive on to the bay. According to Abel, this is the most beautiful bay in the Caribbean area (we don’t quite agree!). We visit the Palacio Valle house. This house shows the rich lifestyle of wealthy Cubans before the Castro period. From the roof, we have a nice view over the bay and the setting sun. Back on the Prado, the shopping boulevard of Cienfuegos, we get out and take a walk through the city. From the Prado, we walk toward the central square. Cienfuegos houses many colonial buildings. At the central square, the town hall dominates and is beautifully lit in the twilight. Until half past eight, we stroll through the center of Cienfuegos. Then the last leg to Trinidad begins. It has grown dark by now, and there is not much left to see outside. I close my eyes for a bit. Just after ten o’clock, we enter Trinidad. Dinner at the hotel turns out to have already been cleared away.
Cementerio de Colón in Cuba
Cuba - With approximately 800,000 graves, the Cementerio de Colón in Havana is one of the largest cemeteries in Latin America. The cemetery features extensive family tombs that are well worth a visit. Colón is a Catholic cemetery and includes elaborate monuments, ...
Characteristic Trinidad
Cuba - Trinidad is a characteristic old town from the colonial era. The center of Trinidad looks as if time has stood still. It is no coincidence that Trinidad is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. From the heights, the view over the red-colored roofs is ...
Relaxing on the beach of Varadero
Cuba - Slept in nicely first. Because of that, we are late for breakfast. Luckily, after some talking, we are still allowed to quickly go in and eat something. After breakfast, we walk into Varadero with Abel. We visit a small cigar shop. Outside, a man demonstrates ...
The coffee plantations of Vinales
Cuba - We drive along the wide highway toward Pinar del Río. There are hardly any cars on the highway. However, many hitchhikers stand along the roadside, and cyclists, horse-drawn carts, and ox carts use the highway. The wide highway is not completely free ...
Wandering through Havana
Cuba - Through the cozy streets of the city, we arrive at the Plaza de Armas, also known as the Arms Square. In the past, this square was the seat of the Spanish rulers. They replaced the stone pavement with wooden blocks so they would be less bothered by the ...