While Havana is located on the north coast of Cuba's Western Province, an excursion to central Cuba is popular for visitors. The three cities of Cienfuegos, Trinidad and Santa Clara each have either architectural charm or historical significance. In fact, many international flights operate in and out of Santa Clara. This region is also famous for the Bahia de Cochinos or Bay of Pigs, the site of the US CIA invasion in April, 1961. I had learned that the Playa Giron, which is how the Cubans refer to the area, was a great place for snorkeling and SCUBA diving.
We planned this excursion well in advance of our arrival in Cuba and were met at the marina by our guide, Tony who was driving an air conditioned Chinese knock-off of a small Landrover that almost required a step ladder to get into it.
During our two and one-half hour to the Bay of Pigs we were entertained by Tony who told us a lot about life in Cuba, the rise of tourism and the peoples' hopes for vast improvements if and when the US embargo is lifted. The Cubans loved Obama's visit and were struck by how personable he was as he mixed with everyone visiting homes and small restaurants.
The drive was comfortable on Cuba's Autopista Nacional, the central highway that runs through much of the country. Not far out of Havana we reached rich farmlands where they raise large crops of corn, potatoes, onions and garlic. There are also large tree farms of mangos and bananas. Off the highway and even further into farming country we encountered what we thought was a work crew on the side of the road. They were farmers drying their corn on the roadbed and just past them where the bags containing the dried corn.
The world has come to know the Bay of Pigs as a disastrous attempt by the Kennedy administration to invade Cuba and overthrow Fidel Castro. The plan was conceived in 1959 by the CIA and given official sanction by the Eisnehower administration with one provision, no US troops were to be used in combat. JFK, the new president, implemented the plan. Fourteen hundred Cuban exiles were trained by the CIA and on April 15, 1961 landed at Playa Giron. Castro, who had been forewarned of the plan, scrambled his Air Force. They were waiting and sunk the two US supply ships leaving all the invaders stranded on the beach. One hundred fourteen were killed in combat and the rest were captured, not to be returned to the US until a year later in exchange for $53 million worth of food and medicine.
Along the road leading to the beach are memorials of the fallen. There is a small museum that no longer seems to attract much attention. Now the beach is a favorite recreational stop.
"At this point arrived the mercenaries." (The US referred to the invaders as commandos and the Cubans called them mercenaries).
On the road to Cienfuegos, we enjoyed more beautiful farmland, horse-drawn buggies, more old-timers, a horse bath and a quick stop at a roadside restaurant for a soft drink and a Cuban sandwich.
The first occupants of Cienfuegos region located on the third largest bay in Cuba, were from the Taino era, dating around 1050 to the early 1500s. They were considered pease-loving, skillful farmers, weavers, ceramists and boatbuilders. Within 30 years of the arrival of the Europeans, which included the landing of Columbus in 1494, other explorers of the early 1500s and the Pirates of the 16th and 17th centuries, 90% of the population had been wiped out due to conflict and diseases.
In 1819, a French emigre from Louisiana founded the town of Cienfuegos with a scheme to increase the population of whites in Cuba. He invited 40 families from New Orleans, Philadelphia and the town of Bordeaux in France to establish the fledgling settlement. They came, bringing with them ideas of the European Enlightenment. Today the town is described as a treasure box of 19th century architectural glitz. It continued to flourish with the arrival of the railroad in the 1850s. Sugar cane was the economic base of the area and as the sugar growers' fortunes grew they pumped their wealth into a dazzling array of eclectic architecture.
Today the city has maintained much of its beauty, more than that of other areas we visited. For this reason it earned a UNESCO World Heritage Site listing in 2005.
In the main square. Note the cars in the second picture--all newer. And, in the third picture, Jerry is posing so I can get a shot of those in the background. Everyone is on a cell phone.
Cienfuegos is a charming city. We walked several streets and down to the port on the beautiful Bay. We were only there for about an hour since we needed to keep moving in order to get to our last destination of the day, Trinidad.
Trinidad is only a short distance and on the way we stopped at the resting place of the old steam locomotive that was used to carry the sugarcane from Cienfuegos, Trinidad and through the Valle de los Ingenios to waiting ships on the north coast headed to Europe. The locomotive was brought from Philadephia in 1914.
From the train terminal we drove the final leg of our trip and arrived in Trinidad around 5pm. Just outside of town we passed a deplorable building built by the Russians that was currently being used as a school. What a contrast.
Trinidad was a great surprise. It was like a town preserved in time except for the people. It was colorful and lively with lots of non-American tourists. We dropped our bags off at our accommodations and walked around the town before heading to the well-known Canchanchara Bar named for the famous rum drink of dark rum, honey and lemon juice. But first, we had a mission--finding the freshest Cohiba cigars in all of Cuba. Interesting negotiations!
Mission accomplished.
Live music on the steps of the main square.
Cheers. Here's to a great day!
