Santiago de Cuba

Big Boy - my ride for the next 14 hours or so to Santiago de Cuba.

26th of July - Viva La Revolucio!

Inside "Big Boy," our ride to Santiago from Havana.

As much as I'd loved Havana so far, it was time to see more of the country, more than just the capital as some people do. Visiting a capital city is a big yes in my books, and if you get the chance to visit one and nowhere else, it's a good start. Some are wonderful and always worth a visit - Prague, London and Vienna to name just a few - but if you only see these cities, you are missing out on places like Sydney (no, it's not the capital) and Barcelona (again, not the capital, but maybe it should be). Long distance buses are far less organised than South America and way more expensive too. About the organisation, this is Cuba where nobody is in a hurry and apart from that not many people actually travel, as as far as cost goes, everything is more expensive for tourists - a fact of life here. For example, Cuba is supposed to have a great ballet group, so I checked it out and the cost difference was amazing - 20 MN for locals and 20 CUC, basically $1 and $20. It's basically the same for buses and taxis, the big, air-conditioned tourist bus was 50 CUC to Santiago but the local option was 10 CUC. We decided on the local option, but still ended up paying 25, just because we're tourists (even though we had a local help buy us the tickets), and we had our ride for the next 12-14 hours. This was no air-conditioned dream, nor was it a bus. We had bought seats on a converted truck. The front end of the truck was original (but painted bright blue), the cab bright red leather but still looked like something from the 50s and the part we were to sit was what I imagine used to be a cattle car, the seats ripped from a another bus (or bus stop), old plane or anywhere else they could get them, weld them down and bam, you have a bus.

Cycle taxis are popular here in Santiago - even with the locals.

Santiago is Fidel's town.

Santiago - the start of the Revolution.

14 hours later, we arrived Santiago. The ride was less than pleasant. The 'windows' were the open sides of the truck with grills welded on (to stop the cattle from jumping), allowing plenty of fresh country air in as we sped at around 140 kph (I used a GPS to check and then instantly regretted it), we weren't hot until it started to rain, we got a little wet until we could untie the thick plastic tarp that covered the windows, then there was no wind, just the now wet and hot bodies of the passengers. It was still noisy. Earphones and loud music was the only way to sleep and even then it didn't really help that much as there was so much bumping and jolting. I'm not complaining though - it was a once only experience and something I guarantee 99% of tourists never do. Besides, we'd saved ourselves 25 CUC... more money for rum, right?

2 friends chilling in the afternoon.

A 1951 Studebaker Champion - my first and maybe my last!

Common here in Santiago.

So, Santiago is a city not really on the list for travellers to Cuba, party I think because it's not Havana, doesn't have the famous beaches and is also a long way from anywhere. Fidel, Che and their boys landed not far from the city in the Sierra Maestre mountain range and this was the first city liberated - and the posters an signs show this - it is definitely Fidel's city. A quick walk down the main street to the main plaza and you could see Fidel everywhere - from the 15m posters on the sides of buildings to the thanks he gave the city in 2m font at eye level. It is much smaller than Havana with under 500,000 people, but I felt more real - far less tourists, no pimped-out taxis for hire and life just as it would have been two decades ago. I had already fallen in love with this city and the more time I spent here the more that feeling grew - great street food, less pollution, friendly people and a calm, relaxed atmosphere. Santiago de Cuba was the fifth village founded by Spanish conquistador Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar in 1515 and was the starting point of the expeditions led by Juan de Grijalba and Hernán Cortés to the coasts of Mexico in 1518, and in 1538 by Hernando de Soto's expedition to Florida. On New Years day in 1959, Fidel proclaimed the victory of the Revolution from the balcony of the city hall. Not a small and unimportant place at all!

"Thanks Santiago" - Fidel.

A living statue in the main square.

The Cathedral of Santiago.

The private house we stayed at here was a 15-20 minute walk from the centre but well worth it. Owned by Oscar and Nancy, a lovely couple who were extremely friendly and helpful, our room had air-con and a TV as was in a cool area - 2 minutes from the Plaza de Independencia. Like in Havana, the plaza was a big, open space with a larger-than-life monument in the middle to impress. Free to get in a look around, we did that and enjoyed it - although there wasn't much, there were old pictures of Fidel, memorabilia and just a feeling that something great happened there and you could enjoy it without the queues, ticket prices and hordes of people all shuffling around with their phone trying to take pictures. After seeing the Plaza and visiting the memorial, we walked back across the road and were stopped by a guy with a cycle taxi. We saw him coming and knew what he wanted and steeled ourselves to say no - always a hard thing to do here as everyone is so friendly.

Inside the museum at Placa de Revolucio.

Jose Marti's Mausoleum.

A photo with Camillo, our taxi driver.

We agreed to a trip to the Cementerio Santa Ifigenia, as we were going there anyway, and at only 3 CUC return we figured it was a good chance to see the city, not have to walk and also help a local taxi guy out (who looked like he needed the cash for food to be honest, we was so thin!). We got to see his sister along the way, he took us to his house and showed us around. He was very proud of his house although the only furniture he had was a table, chair and bed, all of which were falling apart, which made me feel even worse for haggling him down to $3. He dropped us off the at cemetery and waiting for us to finish our walk - you couldn't ask for better service! It was just before 12 noon when we heard music and rushed over to see what was going on - it was the daily changing of the guards. 3 soldiers goose-stepping in full dress uniform to the Cuban National Anthem is something to see, and one of those a woman too which is slightly unusual. Only Laurel and I were there to witness this, along with 3 other tourists, at the Jose Marti Memorial and I enjoyed it - although I couldn't get too close as I was shooed off the grass and told to get back behind the imaginary line that I wasn't supposed to cross. The guards are there all day, in the baking heat, standing guard over Señor Marti's coffin, which is housed within a mausoleum decorated with pictures of the man and the Cuban flag. Thanks Camillo for the great tour - I hope you find more tourists to show them around your city, you deserve it!

Our local drinking hole - 80c rums and $1 beers and a view of the harbour.

A chemist with not much.

3 choices of running shoes.

After a busy day being cycled around, we thought it was time to head to the port and get some local refreshment. This came in the form of 80c 8 year old, matured rum and a $1 beer, chilling out at the 'Puerto del Rey' bar at the port, watching the waiting staff watch the Americans on their big cruise ship. At first I didn't know what was going on, the workers all at the window with binoculars while we were waiting to get a drink, so I went up to them and asked, "watching the Americanos!" one woman said with a giggle, and so they continued to peep at the Yanks sitting on their sun chairs on the first American cruise ship to come to Cuba in generation or more. Walking up the main street of the city to find some dinner, you see an interesting mix of things - for example, I saw a 1950s car, a bike with a side-car (blowing a lot of smoke) and also sharing the road was a guy and his son on a buggy being pulled by a little horse - this is the flavour of Santiago.

Santiago is the city where the Cuban Revolution started (and still continues).

Sunset in Santiago.

Goat ride anyone?

One thing we got a lot though were "Rastas" coming and talking to us and being all friendly, then asking for something. It seemed like everyone was a Rasta (and I knew they were because they would say "Hola, I'm a Rasta!"), and we managed to escape most of them (and watch blond  German tourists get caught instead!) except one who followed us all the way to dinner. He was lovely, but we couldn't lose him or say no, as he hadn't asked for anything. Yet. I offered him a drink, he refused as he doesn't drink, he just wanted to talk. He didn't want any food either, but instead offered me a cigar - I tried to politely refuse but he wouldn't have it, so I now had my first Cuban cigar, the kind the Government hands out for free. When it did come it was a surprise - he wanted $1 to buy balloons for his daughter's birthday. How can you say no to that? He also met some Venezuelan guy at the restaurant, two sailors, a pilot and a soldier who were in town for a few days on shore leave from their boat in the port - we chatted then they asked for a group selfie which we were happy to do. On the way home there was a festival in the plaza - music, people dancing and goats pulling carts full of kids. Yes, goats. Completely normal here. We watched at enjoyed the 'Cuban life' that is being outdoor in the good weather, enjoying being with your friends and family, and of course having a drink, smoke and a dance. What could be better?

El Morro Castle, protecting the coast from pirates.

Goose-stepping Guards at Jose Marti's Mausoleum.

The interior of Jose's 1954 Willy's Wagon.

The last day in Santiago before heading to Santa Clara, we decided to grab a taxi and head to the fort just outside the city. The Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca, or the Castillo de Morro, was built on an earlier fortification in 1610 to defend against pirate raids on the city. Over the next hundred and fifty years it saw nearly constant upgrading, strengthening, attacks and even earthquake damage until 1775, when it was converted into a prison. It fell into disrepair in the 20th century until Catalan Francisco Prat Puig restored it in the 60s. It was declared UNESCO World Heritage in 1997 and is the best preserved and most complete example of Spanish-American military architecture. The fortress was interesting, with some information about famous pirates and a great view of the bay and the city behind it, but more interesting was the ride there. A friend of Oscar's hooked us up with this guy, Jose, who drives a private taxi when called. The taxi was a 1954 Willys Wagon, a car I'd never seen before in my life, nor ever heard of. It ran well enough, and on the way to the fort I chatted to Jose, asking him about the car and his life in general. The car was his father's before him and had stayed in the family, the engine is now diesel but the rest is original - who knows how many KMs this thing had done in it's lifetime (and I had no way of telling as the dial had stopped). The funny thing was that I found out that the car was the same age as it's driver!

Both made in 1954 - Willy and Jose.