Letters from Cuba, June 2009 (4) Havana to Cuenfuegos

After we all boarded the Viazul coach that would take us from Havana to Cienfuegos, one of the drivers came round and solemnly us a toffee from a small tray. These long distance coaches are comfortable and air conditioned and are for tourists and others who can pay in CUCs. Astro coaches ply the same routes, plus additional routes, and are for the locals.  Theoretically, each Astro coach has two seats reserved for CUC-paying customers.

The main highway out of Havana was in better condition than we had expected, and traffic was not heavy. Lots of Cubans were standing on the side of the road hitch hiking — the understanding is that cars with spare room will pick them up. 

We were surprised at the lack of land under cultivation near Havana, although we did later pass an orange plantation. There were plenty of thin cows grazing under trees, and we also saw goats. This all changed once we got into Cienfuegos province and onto secondary roads. The route was picturesque with numerous tractors on the roads, plus horses and carts; raised vegetable gardens; flame trees; and rich soil. The town of Rodas caught my fancy — Cuba would be a great country for a cycling holiday so you could get into these smaller towns.

Cienfuegos is more prosperous than most towns in Cuba. It is a beautiful place, known as the Pearl of the South. The city proper was founded in 1819 by Louis d’Clouet, a French émigré from Louisiana, who sponsored a scheme to bring 40 families from Bordeaux, France. In the late 19^th Century, a time of prosperity, local merchants pumped money into an array of dazzling buildings in neo classical style.

We stayed in the Palacio Azul on the narrow Gorda peninsula. Gorda was the aristocratic quarter of the city in the early 1900s and has brightly coloured art nouveau villas. Our blue palace was built in 1921 and reopened as a seven-room hotel in 2004. The whole place oozes character. We were greeted by a small line of smiling staff and immediately — even before we had put down our suitcases — offered a pale green frozen Daiquiri cocktail. 

Bill Barrie enjoying a frozen Daiquiri cocktail at Palacio Azul, Cienfuegos, 2009. 

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Palacio Azul, Cienfuegos. Photo: Ann Barrie, 2009

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Palacio Azul, Cienfuegos. Photo: Ann Barrie, 2009

Our room  had the expected little touches to make life comfortable: bath, hair drier, shampoos, and even a 240-volt power point so I could charge my phone. 

We climbed up to the striking rooftop cupola for maritime views all round. Later, we went next door for a shrimp dinner at the Club Cienfuegos, another magnificent building with fine views. The German couple at the next table noticed Bill’s New Zealand T-shirt and introduced themselves. They holidayed in New Zealand a few years ago, and are now exploring Cuba with a guide. They, like us, are staying at Palacio Azul, and there are also two French couples.

View of Club Cienfuegos and Gorda Peninsula. Photo: Ann Barrie, 2009

In front of the Club Cienfuegos we noticed young people playing tennis, using balls with very little bounce. We had brought with us in our luggage, 45 top-grade tennis balls, kindly donated by my brother-in-law, as we’d heard they were in short supply here. The young people and their coach were delighted to receive some of these balls.

We walked the short distance to the end of the peninsula to the magnificent Palacio de Ville, a Moorish revival-style building. Next door is the vast, more recent Hotel Jagua, formerly a notorious casino owned by the Batista brothers. I was able to use the Internet there — 6 CUC for one hour. As night fell, and after a thunderstorm, we watched navy skies and dark blue palm trees — very dramatic. 

Blog by Ann Barrie