S: Kuba II

After Viñales, we went to the Schweinebucht (Bay of Pigs) in the village of Playa Giron by collectivo (shared taxi). The village is small and quite sleepy now in the low season. Every now and then you hear a whistle and someone shouting something, like vendors on their bikes selling onions and garlic, bread, or fruit. There doesn't seem to be a proper shop, just a few stalls with about 5 - 10 items. Despite an extensive search, we couldn't find any sunscreen in the whole village. Our main activity in Giron was mostly snorkeling. Caleta Buena, a natural bay where thousands of fish sought shelter from the waves, remains in our fondest memory.

From Playa Giron, we continued to Cienfuegos by Viazul bus, a town that I think is underrated. In addition to a few beautiful colonial buildings, the city gave us a good insight into typical Cuban city life. Pizzas for about 40 cents, mango juice for about 15 cents, around 6 different pastries for about CHF 2, etc. Prices are incredibly cheap away from Cuba's tourist attractions. It rained quite heavily a few times here, but it's not really a problem; you just get wet and it doesn't get cold.

After Cienfuegos, we spent four days in the small and beautifully located city of Trinidad, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The city became rich in the 18th and 19th centuries through sugar cultivation on the backs of numerous slaves. At the turn of the century, when sugar exports declined and the city lost economic significance, the development of the city came to a halt. The result is wonderful colonial buildings surrounded by cobblestone streets.

Not far from Trinidad, we spent our last days in Cuba in the fishing village of La Boca, where we found a beautiful paradise at the B&B "El Capitan". The bedroom and terrace have a direct view of the sea, with snorkeling grounds right on the beach.

Our journey continues, but not as planned. Since we can hardly wait to go to the Andes and the optimal travel time for Colombia is over or will only come later, we have decided to fly directly to Lima, Peru. We have read that the food there is a highlight, which suits us after Cuba ;-)

As soon as we are blessed with better internet again in Peru, we will embellish all our Cuba blog posts with photos...