From strict landlords, sugar, and Che

After Santiago, we headed back in the direction we came. Actually, Baracoa, located on the eastern tip of Cuba, is a popular destination among travelers due to its great nature surrounding it. Unfortunately, this part was recently hit by Hurricane Matthew, which flattened large parts of the nature. So we decided against Baracoa and drove to Ciego de Avila. A rather dull place. It was supposed to only serve as a stopover because we wanted to continue to the beach in Cayo Coco. The best thing about this place, however, was Marta, our room landlord. A funny but very determined lady of retirement age, formerly a dentist. Apparently, she felt called to do more than just rent us the room and took care of us like her own children... with everything that goes with it. So we got a goodnight kiss, our hair rubbed dry, cuddled... woken up punctually and loudly for breakfast (thanks to the alarm clock including phone, no oversleeping possible... no, not even on vacation), admonished when we took too much salt, picked at our skin or brushed our teeth wrong... and occasionally scolded and, if necessary, even a little slap 😉 Admittedly, she had gone a bit further into the private area than a landlord would normally do, but we took it with humor and had a great time with her! A lovable and sarcastically funny woman 😊 In the end, she even told the landlord of our next accommodation clearly and bluntly over the phone what he should pay attention to with us.

From Ciego de Avila, we took a day trip to the beach in Cayo Coco with Oman, a friend of Marta's who is a taxi driver. This island is part of the island chain called Jardines del Rey (Gardens of the King), which stretches over 600 km along the north coast of Cuba. A 17 km long causeway was built to connect these islands with the mainland of Cuba. You can find many beautiful white sandy beaches here, but also lots of all-inclusive hotels. Unfortunately, this place is not affordable for the average Cuban and, to our disbelief, not even allowed. You actually have to show your passport. Well... it was a nice day at the beach... but it didn't blow us away. If you are looking for the real life of Cuba, you won't find it here for sure! But the drive there was very beautiful and lined with countless sugar cane fields...

We spontaneously decided to go to Sancti Spiritus. It is often compared to Trinidad but only mentioned briefly in the travel guide. Too untouristy... and therefore just right for us! A relaxed little town with very nice people. One of them, an 84-year-old man. We didn't notice any "old" about him though. An incredibly fit guy! He showed us his city and we were amazed when he casually carried a bike into a house for a young lady. That seemed like a piece of cake for him... no wonder, he was a painter and still active. The next day he wanted to paint 4 more houses... puh... Cubans are really tough... I wonder if the cigar is the miracle cure for that?? Hm...

Then came Santa Clara. During the Cuban Revolution, this city was attacked under the command of Che Guevara. The capture of Santa Clara is considered Che Guevara's greatest military achievement, honored by monuments and the mausoleum with his remains. However, this city doesn't have much else to offer...

But one encounter will also remain in our special memory here. Orlando, a black Cuban, who approached us in a pub speaking really good German. The funniest part... he knew about the Dornburg Castles and Schmalkalden 😊 It was a fun evening!