Hello from Cienfuegos, the French colonial city known as La Perla del Sur, or “Pearl of the South”. I arrived here this morning after a short two-hour bus ride from Trinidad. The two cities aren’t far from one another, but they’re a world apart in feel, look and atmosphere. While Trinidad’s narrow cobblestoned streets and Spanish colonial architecture are teeming with life, Cienfuegos has wide boulevards, French buildings, and is quiet and sleepy and somewhat off the beaten tourist trail.
Boat tour on the bay
I arrived here late morning, and left my bag at the casa, which is a lovely place with a backyard garden, just about a ten minute walk from the main square.
It was too early to check in, so I set out to look for something to do. Lily, the owner of the casa, suggested getting a ticket to a boat tour of Cienfuegos bay. She called her driver, who drove me to the port and showed me where to buy the ticket. I boarded a small boat with about twenty other tourists, and we were off.
The boat tour was rather boring, to tell the truth. I could see some nice buildings on the shore, and there was a small bar on the boat to get drinks. But there wasn’t much to see or do. We puttered around the harbour for an hour or so before docking. I’d heard that there was supposed to be a stop at an island somewhere, but no sign of anything like that. Oh well.
Sleepy day in Cienfuegos
The driver took me back to town and dropped me off at the main square. I walked up and down the main pedestrian strip, seeing the French-style architecture and the Art Nouveau and Art Deco buildings.
I also stopped into a couple of shops, including an old 70s-style one where people could purchase items in national CUP currency, as opposed to the convertible CUCs that I’d been spending all week. The CUPs are about 25 to 1 against the CUC. Government salaries are paid in CUPs, and the average government worker makes something around 500 pesos (~$20) per month. This amount covers nothing but the very basics, supplemented by ration books that the government provides to every citizen. The ration books provide a set quantity of basics for the month to each family, such as rice, beans, sugar and oil. After the economic collapse in Cuba following the fall of the Soviet Union in the 1990s, everything became more expensive, and the rations were cut again and again. Anything considered a luxury needs to be purchased in CUCs, so many Cubans get very creative about finding ways to earn them — doctors driving taxicabs at night, for instance. The increase in tourism has provided additional earning opportunities for Cubans, but it’s also brought negative effects like begging, income disparity, and so on and so forth.
The offerings at the CUP shops are rather grim; no choice in anything, only one brand of basic household items like toothpaste or shampoo, cloth to make clothing and such. It gives a real appreciation for just how spoiled we are here, with our ability to walk into a shop and buy whatever we want or need.
(Side note: Cuba’s biggest trade partners these days are Spain, Venezuela, Brazil, and mostly China. Cuba produces half its own oil, and has to import the rest. Cienfuegos has one of Cuba’s most important oil refineries, which can be seen from the harbour. It refines mostly Venezuelan oil, so the current economic crisis in Venezuela is also hurting Cuba.)
I walked from the main square through a row of market stalls up to the malecon, or quayside. From there, I could see a big cruise ship docked in Cienfuegos’s harbour. It’s one of the first American cruise ships to visit Cuba since the relations were somewhat opened up this year. Cienfuegos gets large cruise tour groups during the day, but seems to be very quiet at night since everyone goes back to the ship. Total opposite of Trinidad in that sense.
Back at the main square, I walked past the state government building, a big church that appeared to be closed, and the Thomas Terry Theatre. As I exited the square, I stopped in at the tourist office and booked a cigar factory tour for tomorrow morning.
And a sleepy evening
I got lost a couple of times while walking back to my casa particular. Luckily the streets are numbered, grid-style, so I was able to find my way back. I checked into my casa properly and . had a rest. I met two Irish ladies who are staying in the same casa, and we hung out in the garden for a bit and had some drinks.
Early evening, I was bored again, so I walked back up to the main square, for lack of anywhere better to go. Everything seems to close early in Cienfuegos; most of the shops were shuttered even though it was just past six. I did find an open souvenir shop in the square and made my most exciting purchases to date: a souvenir shot glass for my collection, and the first chocolate I’ve found so far this trip! It was just a basic Spanish milk chocolate crisp bar, sure, but it’s chocolate! In Cuba! How I’ve missed it this week.
I found a local paladar for dinner, which was mediocre again. Then I went back to the casa for another early night. I think I’m coming down with a cold, which is about typical for me when I’m travelling.
There doesn’t seem to be a whole lot to do here, and I find myself wishing I’d booked more time in Trinidad or Havana instead. Oh well, I guess I came here for a vacation, so I may as well relax and enjoy.