We were eager to get back on Spaghetti, get to Sancti Spiritus, and tomorrow to our final destination Trinidad. For a change, we started with a 200m climb on the first 18km. But once we reached Zulueta, most of the road was downhill all the way down to Sancti Spiritus. Weather was great, roads in rather good condition, and traffic absent.
We didn’t have high expectations at all on Sancti Spiritus. In fact we were afraid this would be a second experience of a Palacios visit. But we were up to a nice surprise. Indeed the town did not have international tourism but has nice areas of interest and we were spoiled by where-to-sleep choices. We tried our recommendation of Casa Particular which we did not like and instead we went to Anay’s Palace (aka Hostal Palace). We had great experience with her and the place was in great condition.
There are some interesting things here. Hernan Cortes recruited a couple of guys from this town on his way to conquering Mexico over 500 years ago. It’s got a theater, Cuba’s oldest church called Parroquial Mayor, and the Casa de la Guayabera. Some of us grooms were married wearing a guayabera in Mexico, and is also worn by politicians and many other people in Latin America. The word is that guayaba workers’ wives of this region sewed pockets into their working clothes so that they could store all tools and food. They claim it they invented it and then taken to Mexico and latinamerica.
What we loved the most about this place is how clean and chill out everything is. The main plaza in the center has little or no traffic at all. As other places in Cuba it felt very safe but here we found a more family oriented plaza and streets. While almost everyone carries a mobile phone we found them all talking in groups of friends or family. It’s a feeling I had in Mexico decades ago but haven’t feel so much freedom and safety ever since.
Our casa particular did not offer dinner but recommended a good restaurant across the street. Again, expensive for what it was and the food was not at all our taste. They strongly recommended to have a papaya with cheese desert but actually couldn’t finish it. Needless to say we wont have it again.
Ready for next day to cycle to Trinidad!
life in 4 panniers 