Tour group meeting this morning with Osvaldo then off in a new tour bus (seats 20 but only 7 of us and very comfortable). We have the same bus, driver and guide all trip. Group easy to get on with - 4 Aussies, 1 Malaysian and 2 US
Bay of Pigs first stop (sight of failed US organized invasion to try to overthrow Castro in 1961). Interesting museum re the battle and the Cuban revolution and amazing blue water beach for swimming, diving and snorkeling but very rocky shore so we opted to wait for the white sandy ones in Trinidad in a couple of days
Onwards now to Cienfuegos and our first casa particulare (home stay) tonight. Through small villages, very fertile farmland growing rice, corn, sugar cane, mangoes etc etc and lots of horses, cattle, wooden carts and bikes in the fields and on the road.
Cienfuegos is a non tourist town, restored old buildings, wide prado (boulevard), a large square and sea wall. Very little traffic so easy to wander around. Drinks with some of group then dinner with the whole group - ridiculous masses of good food in a family run restaurant for $10 each plus glasses of wine $1.50 - total bill for the two of us for 5 courses (appetizer, soup, salad, main, dessert) and 2 wines each was $26
Casa is fine/ok and one of the group who has been before said they get even better in other towns.
Tomorrow we drive inland to Santa Clara and then back to the coast to Trinidad de Cuba for 3 nights