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December 3, 2003
We saw some great Cuban art.
En route to the village of Cienfuegos we stopped along the shore at the Bay of Pigs commemorative museum. The Bay of Pigs Invasion was an unsuccessful attempt by United States-backed Cuban exiles to overthrow the government of the Cuban dictator Fidel Castro . Increasing friction between the U.S. government and Castro's leftist regime led President Dwight D. Eisenhower to break off diplomatic relations with Cuba in January 1961. Even before that, however, the Central Intelligence Agency had been training anti-revolutionary Cuban exiles for a possible invasion of the island. The invasion plan was approved by Eisenhower's successor, John F. Kennedy .

Travelling through Montemar National Park, located on the Zapata Peninsula, we stopped for lunch at Cueva de los Peces (Cave of Fishes) — a natural salt-water "swimming pool" filled with lovely marine fish -- colorful wrasses, tangs and angelfish. We had a chance to watch divers, at the nearby beach, swim or hike to search out the diverse wildlife the area is famous for. Montemar Grand Natural Park is one of the continent's best preserved ecosystems. The park covers 70 thousand hectares encompassing vast areas of forests, mangroves, coastal brush and weedy swamps.

Next, we continued on to Cienfuegos where we checked into the Hotel la Union located in the midst of the old quarter . Here I mistakenly plugged my 110 AC battery charger into a 220 socket. (Lesson #4763 - Don't believe the tour books. As a result of the U.S. embargo European appliances appear in all the newer renovated hotels.) It was intersting that our hotel room number was 220.

A walking tour of the town settled by French emigrantsí more than 150 years ago was next on the agenda followed by an interesting Cuban supper
Lots of Anolis lizards — How do you like those tails?

Index — Cuba - As It Was in 2003

Other Great Adventures

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