I slept 10.5 hours last night. So tired from the sun I guess. Breakfast is nearly always the same: fruit juice, usually guava; eggs in the shape of a tortilla or, this morning fried; fruit of papaya, pineapple, guava, banana; bread, sometimes crispy kinda like toast; and coffee, or I drink the decaf green tea I brought. This morning there were sliced tomatoes and carrots, sliced cheese and a salami, and their cream cheese that I didn't try but looked good!
Then off to tour some quaint streets and an old house. I love walking by the schools whose classrooms have windows right onto the busy streets.
How do they concentrate?
The old house, Muses de Arte Colonial, was quite beautiful. I love these double doors they have often here. You have your big, 10+ft tall double doors quite solid and then there's a second layer of quaint doors that are ornate and scalloped and shorter that would let the air pass over the top when closed. Today I saw some with etched glass inserts. Gorgeous! At museums here you have to pay an extra $5 to take photos but some that I've been in didn't care. This one had a guide who stayed with me through the whole house although not giving me a tour because she didn't speak English, but stopping me when I went to take a photo.
Empanadas are the pastries I'm enjoying. Cheap and tasty.
Feeling a bit under the weather today although nothing specific. My stomach has been rumbling for days but never really breaks into anything more serious. But tired. Could be the heat. I've seen the town and I've got a dinner place picked out. Maybe I'll lounge around. I've still got 4 more days of cycling: 2 to Remedios and then 2 to Santa Clara.
I'm angsting over how to fly back with my bags. I used a Web strapping and then had them plastic wrapped at the airport. Don't think that will be an option going home. But since Southwest allows 2 bags maybe I'll let one pannier go by itself, then wrap my other hanging pods with my tent bag and hopefully be able to really cinch it so it stays together. I carry the other pannier on.
Came out for lunch to one of the 2 recommended restaurants in my guidebook. Hitting the other one for dinner. I ordered a garbanzo stew. The waiter acted like I was to pick something from the list of ingredients. It was quite confusing and I used Google Translate. My menu was all English so I asked to see the Spanish one to see if there was a translation issue. He told me no I couldn't see it. He even went to ask. Hmm? Different prices? This is pretty cheap but still, makes ya wonder. The stew was quite good! I was pleasantly surprised. Small portion though. The water was over priced...more than 2x the grocery store price. But $3 was OK.
Have I mentioned about going into stores with guards at the door? Some packaged foods locked in cases? Lines at the banks and telephone company with guards that control the number of people allowed inside at one time?
After sleeping 10.5 hours last night I went back to my room and took a nap later this morning. Hope I'm not coming down with something. Fatigue is an early sign of giardia.
It was a hot day so I hung out in my room exploring maps and distances, reading, and playing games on my phone until time for dinner. I had decided to go to the restaurant suggested by the guidebook. Ambience was great. Right on the river by an old Bridge sitting on a terrace. Tourists don't seem to be able to get menus. Dinner was a selection of meat or fish with salad, bread, fruit and rice pudding for dessert. $12 for fish. While I was eating I noticed locals inside eating something completely different. The best thing was this paste for the bread, like a dip. Have not a clue what it was. Then pineapple, papaya, banana, AGAIN. Salad is always slices of tomato, cukes, and chopped cabbage which you put oil and vinegar on. That's about it for veggies here. Then the fish was unknown and not very good. Served with slices of tomato and cucumber (haven't had any of that) and rice unseasoned. Then dessert was rice pudding I found out and I couldn't have it so...that's it for $13.50 with water. 3x markup on water. I should have gone back for a double portion of garbanzo stew!! I'm finding out I'm a much fussier eater than I ever thought I was. And getting fussier as I age;). Back in my room snacking on Trader Joe's Green Tea Mints. Let's see what Remedios brings as far as good options. I have a box of veggie soup I'll heat for tomorrow night while on the road. Good thing I brought some food with me!!
