Day off: Trinidad

There were 2 options today. We could take a catamaran trip to an island with beaches and go snorkelling and this was somewhat tempting except it was to take all day and we wanted some flexibility on our day off. Also we were happy to forgo the tame iguanas the trip was promoting! (I saw a guy with one yesterday on a street corner - he was holding it in his arms with its leg tied up with rope; it nearly made me sick).

So we opted to ride the 14 kms to a nearby beach Playa Ancon. After a nice breakfast of the usual not very nice Cuban bread, platter of fruit, omelette with cheese and (they call it ham) devon, we set off through the cobble-stoned streets and then out onto a picturesque ride through the fishing village of La Boca and then continued onwards along the coastline to reach Ancon beach, a classic white sand Caribbean beach. It was a nice ride and the beach was pretty and the water nice: refreshing and very clean. Small group of 7: very pleasant. Had a couple of hours here shaded by the trees.

Rode back; initially a tail wind for a change but then had to tack into a headwind. Hot. Now midday.

Back for a much needed shower and then a small group of us headed into town (which is just around the corner!) for some lunch. We had a set price menu for 5CUC ($US5) which comprised a platter of fruit to start (nearly always pineapple, grapefruit and papaya) then a hamburqueso which is a meat patty like at home plus a slice of cheese and a slice of devon (which I had seen earlier in large 4 inch diameter rolls being transported in a box on the back of a bicycle) - very salty no doubt as a preservative because refrigeration is very flaky here. Plus the usual grated cabbage (but this time cooked) with sliced carrots and cucumber (which I think was pickled). Plus the rice mixed with black beans (congri). All nice. Finished off with icecream - mine: chocolate, My Friend: mango. We shared. Oh yes, and I had a piña colada (the best yet!!).

After lunch we visited another museo (the Municipal one) which had been a grand Spanish home in the 1800s but wasn't as sumptuous as the one we visited yesterday.


Still, we got good views from the top of the tower.


Wandered around some more. Blokes with fat Cuban cigars stuck in their faces posing for photos - for a CUC or two.

Bought a bottle of rum (3 years old and under $10 - the blanco variety 750 ml). No wonder their homes have bottles and bottles of the stuff and most of the cocktails are rum-based. Rum is everywhere even in the supermarkets.

The late afternoon was spent resting out of the sun back at our casa.

I then went for a walk up to the back part of town in the late afternoon where there was an old church and the streets were much more working class rather than touristy. At this time of day the light was lovely.

A group of us went out to dinner; food was "so so" - but the company was pleasant.

Total ride: 28 kms