Cienfuegos, Cuba

Saturday, March 24th

Cienfuegos, Cuba

ms Veendam

Cuban Explorer

Day 7

Partly Cloudy - 84 Degrees

José Cienfuegos Jovellanos was a commanding general of artillery in the Spanish War of Independence, and then Captain General of  Cuba, serving as the Spanish Empire's man in Havana.  Cienfuegos literally means "100 fires."  It is the industrial capitol of the South, but it's more romantically known as Perla del Sur, Pearl of the South.  With a Spanish colonial namesake, and thought to have a French influence, it was actually the Catalans and Asturians who settled here.  It looks nd feels different from  Havana in the North, still Latin, but with a certain je ne sais quoi.

Our tour took us along the Malecon to Punta Gorda and past such varied sights as the Estadio 5 de Septiembre, home of the Elefantes de Cienfuegos of the Cuban National Baseball Series, the provincial hospital, a cement plant, and the Tomas Acia Cemetery.  An eclectic collection of destinations not found in any guidebook.

As in Havana yesterday, the people to people cultural exchange portion of the tour was first up with a visit to a local social center for a concert.  This was a much more pleasant stop.  The music was lovely and the back porch of the social center opened onto the water with a pleasant breeze drifting through the open doors.

Continuing inland and to the East, the highlight of the day was the Jardín Botánico de Cienfuegos, "200 sprawling acres with 2,000 species of plants, including outstanding landmark fichus and palm collections, surrounding the old Soledad Sugar Mill."   A naturalist joined us for a walking tour and immediately endeared himself to us with a familiar local reference.  "If you've been to Butchart Gardens in Victoria, Canada, this is not like that."  We have, and no, it's not.  More rustic than majestic, but still a nice walk.  First, a few rules.

On the way back into town for lunch, we continued our education in Cuban culture with a Q&A on a few random topics:

• Military or Social Service is Compulsory for Men with Waivers for College Students
• Guns are Limited to Police and Military with Few Exceptions for Licenses
• Internet is 30 CUCs to Start and 15 CUCs per Month
• Many have Families in the US who Pay for Internet so They Can Stay in Touch

The Hotel Jagua hosted our lunch al fresco, just around a bend in the bay from the social center we vested this morning.  It was such a beautiful day.  The buffet was nice, but the cool blue of the pool was almost impossible to resist.  It's a straight shot to the ship at anchor in the bay beyond.

Hotel Jagua Buffet:

• Roast Pork & Chicken with Mojo Sauce
• Steamed Prawns
• Fried White Fish with White Sauce
• Rice & Beans
• Potatoes with Onions & Peppers
• Fruit and Salad Bar
• Flan
• Rice Pudding
• Petit Fours

Hotel Jagua sits near the tip of Punta Gorda where Paseo El Prado meets the sea.  The fin del camino is marked with the sculpture Escultura la india de Guanaroca set in a pool of water.  The hotel's more famous and elaborate neighbor is a villa that Lonely Planet describes as the "impossible-to-classify Palcio de Valle.  Built in 1917 by Acisclo del Valle Blanco, a wealthy Spaniard from Asturias, the structure resembles an outrageously ornate Moroccan Kasbah, but draws on a mad mix of Gothic, Byzantine, Mudéjar and Baroque influences."

In this city of art as architecture, many simpler buildings are adorned with murals, this one at the Restaurant Covadonga.

The heart of Cienfuegos is Parque José Mart.  It is a lovely and leafy wide open space, the town square, surrounded by classic late-nineteenth century architecture.  There is a bandstand, and overlooking the park to the North, Teatro Tomás Terry.  We stopped and strolled, shopped and people-watched in the afternoon sun.

Finally, we took a walk down the pedestrian markets on San Fernando and Santa Isabel boulevards, and then out to the end of the pier, with one last note of unity from the pediment of an old building in the port.

Back aboard the ship, we joined our Holland America friends, Steve and Karen Hunt, for dinner at Canaletto.  We have all been enchanted by Cuba.  It has been a joy and a revelation.

Next Stop:  Montego Bay, Jamaica