Mangrove Swamps, Crocodiles and Humming Birds

Mangrove Swamps, Crocodiles and Humming Birds.
By guest author, Cheryl.

An early start, 8am! We headed back towards Havana but avoiding the centre.
We are getting used to seeing people waiting by the roadside for a lift as there is virtually no public transport. These people are not looking for a free ride, they have money in their hands, are quite often well dressed and include families with young children and girls travelling alone. It is just that there are no public buses apart from in the big towns. It's all official, and there is usually a yellow shirted official that can stop cars that are not full and demand that they give lifts. We are not required or allowed to stop being a tourist bus.

Today was lots of history as well as good sightseeing; the coffee stop was excellent! My cappuccino came with a leaf under the cup, 2 coffee beans, 3 squares of chocolate and a stem of sugar cane ( I tried sucking that, but I think it was just to stir the coffee).

A few of us decided not to have lunch as meals seem to come round too frequently and went for a walk instead. Nobody bothered or hassled us, and people were quite happy with having their photograph taken. I actually saw 2 brilliant blue hummingbirds. Not on camera of course.

Onto the Bay of Pigs, Playa de Giron.
There is a museum there now, full of photos, and memorials along the road to the Cubans that died. Some quotes of Fidel's are priceless. "We have a socialist state that is up the noses of the Americans". "The Revolution was for the humblest and by the humblest"
Every time I see a Starbucks or McDonalds from now on I shall mutter "cunning Yankee imperialism".
It was pretty shocking what the CIA did. Anyway, there were positives. It has changed the very poorest abject area of Cuba that was swamps, with unhealthy people working to an early death, producing charcoal, into an area that now has some tourism , restaurants and pride.
We went on a fast boat ride along the mangroves to an Indian village on an island.
Lots of statues in a primitive style and a little touristy demo of their culture, with paint marks put on our faces and some dancing and drumming.
Then to crocodiles, large and small, before we hurried back to the coach to get on our way to Cienfuego.
Our hotel is very good and we went to the Yacht Club for dinner, expecting a great evening. It was terrible. Any restaurant with that service and quality of food, in any town in the UK would be out of business within the week. Giles Conran would have a field day,