Caribbean Compass Yachting Magazine September 2016

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It wasn’t clear whether he meant we weren’t safe from the locals or vice versa; we
suspected that actually they just wanted us where they could keep an eye on us. It
was a pity, as we were in a lovely spot with early morning birds singing in the trees
and jolly Cuban music from a nearby bar.
The next morning, having re-anchored, we set off for the city of Santiago de Cuba,
about a 20-minute ride away by taxi. One of the things we had most been looking
forward to in Cuba was riding in an old American car. We had been in Cuba for a
month already, and had had several such journeys. The cars’ bodywork and
chrome fenders were generally gleaming, even if the windows frequently had no
glass and on one memorable occasion the passenger door flew open as we cornered
at speed!
The city streets were teeming with various modes of transport: horse-drawn carts,
bicycle taxis, old American and Russian cars, buses ancient and modern, men
standing up in the back of trucks. The taxi dropped us off in Parque Cespedes, the
main square. Santiago was founded in 1515 by Spanish Conquistador Diego
Velazquez de Cuellar “in the name of His Majesty the King Don Fernando, God keep
him for many years; lord and master of these lands” and contains many beautiful
Spanish colonial buildings. Those in the centre have been restored to their original
glory, while others on the outskirts have sadly fallen into disrepair.
Parque Cespedes was surrounded on all sides by beautiful buildings; the huge
cathedral, a confection of grey and white with tall towers at either end; La Casa de
Diego Velazquez, built between1516 and 1530 and the oldest house still standing in
Cuba; the Town Hall, from one of whose balconies Fidel Castro made his first speech
to the citizens of Santiago on January 1st, 1959, a date marked annually by a public
holiday known as El Dia del Triunfo de la Revolucion (Day of the Triumph of the
Revolution). You can’t go far in Cuba without coming across huge murals and posters
of Castro or of Che Guevara, both of whom are regarded as heroes of the revolution
by many Cubans.
The Hotel Casa Grande occupied the fourth side of the square. It was well named,
as it resembled a palace, with ornate white decoration against a background of plaster
the colour of buttermilk. A balcony running the length of the façade sheltered French
windows leading to what we imagined would be sumptuously appointed bedrooms. We
treated ourselves to a drink on the hotel terrace while we used their WiFi to check our
e-mails, ensconced in comfortable wicker rocking chairs.
Waiters in white shirts and black trousers carried hamburgers
to tables, their expressions suggesting that they thought this
might be beneath their dignity in such grand surroundings.
Left: Horse-drawn carts are a common form of transport
for goods and people
Right: Images of Fidel Castro are everywhere
Below: Lively live music is everywhere, too!
A word of warning here about tourist touts; we encountered several young men
claiming to work at the marina who tried to give us guided tours or take us to local
restaurants. They were very persistent and hard to shake off, all the while seeming
to be offering helpful advice to save you money.
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The Last of their Breeds...
SEPTEMBER 2016 CARIBBEAN COMPASS PAGE 27
Perkins M135 Marine Engine
Perkins M225Ti Marine Engine
The Perkins M135 and M225Ti are the last new non-electronic
6 cylinder marine engines available on the market.
The engines are now discontinued but we have a stock of the last of them.
Contact Parts & Power today whilst stocks last!