Santiago de Cuba! Is this really still Cuba? A big city which feels like a big city. Buzzing streets. Masses of people wondering around, seemingly not going anywhere. And apparently, this is how it is, every day.
We drove south from Gibara over the wobbly road, though sugar cane p;antations, cactus fences and rows and rows of banana trees. Santiago de Cuba is Cuba's 2nd largest city and the capitol of the province Santiago de Cuba.
Even though Santiago de Cuba has a different and more modern vibe, you only have to walk a few block from the city center into the smaller streets to realize that this certainly is still Cuba. The same narrow streets and brightly colored houses which make Cuba a country that lingers long in ones memory.
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| Streets in the El Tivolí neighborhood. |
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| The century-old Padre Pico steps. |
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| Fidel and Raoul Castro. Rebellion yesterday, hospitality today, heroism always. |
3 street blocks away from our casa is Parque Céspedes. A square surrounded by colonial style buildings. A square where we sat taking in what everyday life here is about. Ladies in lycra staring at the balcony restaurant of Hotel Casa Granda in the hope of drawing the attention of a male tourist. Old ladies dragging their feet while begging for a piece of soap. Musicians with huge instruments on their way to the club or bar where they shall be playing tonight. Being talked to by spannish speaking strangers who so want to be your friend! And then, eventually, want you to buy milk for a baby!
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| Parque Céspedes and the Ayuntamiento (city hall) where Fidel Castro on January 2, 1959 stepped out on to the balcony to give his speach of triumph after the revolution. |
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| Catedral Nuestra Señora de la Asunción |
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| Catedral Nuestra Señora de la Asunción | |
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| The nativity decorations on the front of the lovely Catedral Nuestra Señora de la Asunción. |
On our first morning in this big busy city we got up early and did a walking tour of Santiag's casco histórico (old town). We visited Museo de la Lucha Clandestina and got a detailed description of the underground revolutionary struggle from an english speaking guide.
Outside we met Fernandez an unemployed and seemingly homeless medical doctor who made us sit down to listen to his story and look at photographs of him as a medical student back in Russia years ago. He claims that he was responsible for at least one third of some or other Nobel prize.
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| Museo de la Lucha Clandestina. |
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| The one-third-of-a-nobel-prize winning docter. |
In the afternoon we walked to a museum which used to be the Moncada Baracks where revolutionaries led by Fidel Castro, tried to overthrow the government on July 26, 1953 but failed. Bullet holes of the attack are still visible in the walls outside.
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| Cuartel Moncada. |
Santiago de Cuba street fashion as seen from the balcony of a restaurant on Plaza Dolores.
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| Street art |
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| Wonderful shop selling antique books, photos and sheet music. |
On our way back a barber hanging out the window of his shop convinced Maarten that his 2 week old beard needs a trim. We spent a pleasant hour or so in the barber shop - the beard trim turned out to also include a facial massage, at extra cost! I made sure that the whole event got fixed onto film and chatted to a cuban who could speak a few words of Dutch and told me that his mother lives in Nijmegen!
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| The barber shop |
After a beer break on top of our casa we went back to Parque Céspedes in search of a restaurant. In stead we stopped at the cultural center and sat there listing to music, old men enjoying every note they're playing! We had such joy watching their facial expressions! I even danced a few salsa steps with a friendly guy, his tiny black rusta plaits hitting me in the face with every turn we took!
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| Music at the cultural center. |
At 10 we left to visit Casa de la Trova to enjoy some more music and dance.
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| Upstairs at Casa de la trova |
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| Down stairs in Casa de la Trova |
The next morning we drove out to Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca del Morro. An old fort on top of a hill at the entrance to Santiago harbor. A scorching hot day, but with lovely views of the coastline and blue water of the bay.
From here we drove east to Playa Siboney where we first had a surprisingly tasty lunch. I was then treated on a little jewelry display from a lady whom we thought to have been the cook and therefor waved at very friendly.
The rest of the afternoon we spent on the beach, swimming, snorkeling and reading. The coral reef stretches right up to the waters edge and we had much fun and joy floating on the surface while admiring the many coloured fishes and coral formations. A great way to end our last day in the Santiago de Cuba province.
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| Playa Siboney beach. |
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| View from the restaurant. |
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| Jewelry made out of Cuban plant seeds and pips. |
Organized by Odalis of Casa Los Hermanos in Gibara, we stayed at Casa Isidoro Álvarez Romero. The least favourite of all the casas we stayed at, but in the center of the city and Isidoro and his wife turned out to be really friendly and helpful. The entrance was just another door on the pavement leading up steep steps to a spacious living room and about 4 bedrooms. The one we got was right next to the house with the barking dog - it only started barking very late in the night after it has been chasing around its metal food bowl over the pavement for an hour or so. But barking dogs is just another little thing about Cuba that one eventually become used to.
On the rooftop is a balcony with a lovely view over the city. Ideal for taking a break and enjoying a beer to recover from heat exhaustion after having wondered the city streets all day.
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| View of Iglesia de San Francisco from the rooftop terrace of our casa. |
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