It was with a least a little bit of apprehension that we made plans to take this trip to Cuba. We were both kids in Florida during the Cuban Revolution when a flood of refugees took up residence with us in Florida. So we’ve grown up knowing people that were glad to have left Cuba. So why are we visiting? Will we be welcome? Did we fill out our Visa forms correctly? How will the money exchange work? Despite that, we ventured as a group afoot into Cienfuegos today. It was fascinating making note of the traffic, or distinct lack of it. Bicycles and horse/donkey/mule carts far outnumbered motor vehicles and for the most part we could have walked down the middle of the street unchallenged. It was interesting noting the architecture and the state of disrepair that was all too common although some of the state treasures were finely kept or undergoing restoration. Despite some difficulty, we did find a courtyard area where we could order some drinks ranging from Cuban coffee to cervesa, and though none of us did, probably mojitos. We shopped at an art gallery and in the tourist market at the center of town. On a quest to find Cuban cigars and/or rum we did get the distinct impression that we weren’t welcome in some areas of town. It seems the entrepreuners welcome us and are friendly but otherwise the Cubans rather wish we weren’t here. If you plan to visit, here’s a tip. Make sure you have some small change in Cuban currency otherwise you’ll overpay for a visit to el baño.
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