Scorching in Santiago de Cuba

Santiago de Cuba is the capital of the most southerly province in Cuba, right next to the Guantanamo province. Not really much is said about Guantanamo. We were given different stories. One that the lease had run out and the Americans won't leave, and another that the lease does not expire until 2033, and that Fidel, having trained as a lawyer, respected the contract that had been signed, but refuses to accept the paltry rent that is due! 

We headed past Revolution Square and it's magnificent statue and stopped off at the main cemetery. This is where Jose Marti is buried, the hero of Cuba. He stood up to the Spanish, who threatened to kill his son. He responded saying all Cubans were his sons and carried on fighting. A huge memorial has been built in his honour and it is guarded 24 hours a day. Changing of the guard happens every 30 minutes, due to the heat (it was a scorching 40c). It's all very solemn, as I suppose it should be! We also wandered around some of the tombs for the original Bacardi family, Compay Segundo, one of the original members of the Buena Vista Social Club, and the great and the good. I felt heartbroken for our guide who walked us past her own family tomb and announced she had just buried her mother there, and then burst into tears. Poor thing. Apparently everyone is buried in a grave or tomb and after two years the family have to dig up the family member, clean the bones and then put them in their permanent place of rest. Seems harsh, and traumatic, but space is a premium.

We also stopped by Moncado Barracks, an Art Deco building that was attacked unsuccessfully by Fidel and 118 revolutionaries in 1953. Fidel was then imprisoned, and later sent into exile. You can still see the shell marks on the walls.

After a quick mooch around town, and a not so quick visit to the bank, I decided to escape the heat in the hotel pool! 

Money is difficult in Cuba. They do not like US dollars, or any American card but I also had trouble with my UK card. The local currency, Cuban convertible pesos, is known as a Cuc. But there are two Cuban currencies. The one that tourists use is not what the Cubans get paid in. They have local Cuc's which they use to buy their rations in or convert to the normal cuc, at a rate of 25:1. To be honest we could not get our heads around the system or the logic behind it, but there you go!

Late afternoon most of us accepted the chance to go to El Morro Castle on the coast, to watch the sunset. When we arrived we found it had already been closed, but we found the lady with the key, convinced her to open it up again, and had the place to ourselves. Despite being on the coast there was no wind and it was so peaceful. We all found a spot and just revelled in our views!

Dinner was the usual, chicken, fish and rice with a couple of beers, at a restaurant near the castle ramparts. The hotel's claim to fame revolved around a chair that had been sat on by Paul McCartney! Just a normal, average chair, sat apart from the rest!!!

As we were heading home we passed the lighthouse, full beams rotating, and the lighthouse man asked if we wanted to see more! But we had to be quiet because there was a military barracks next door! So we crept up the numerous flights of stairs to the top, and I not only stood in front of the light but managed to get inside! It was mesmerising, but so hot! I could have stayed there for ages, but we didn't want to get the man in trouble. He got a handsome tip though! I was really chuffed. I didn't even realise "go up a working lighthouse" was on my "To Do List", and I have already done it!