BagLady's Travels and Torments: May 16, 2017

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Day 14: Rest Day in Cienfuegos

Downtown village square

Pedestrian mall

Che, the second symbol of the Revolution!

Palacio de Valle

Punta Gorda

I decided to stay 2 nights here to have a day to wander the shops and see what I could find in the grocery stores. Just because I found canned fruits and veggies in Matanzas doesn't mean I could find them here. Nope. Not a one. Went into about 4 stores. Lots of oil, sugar, canned or powdered milk, olives, ketchup, mustard, Mayo, and crackers. No canned food. I was hoping I could carry that for a dinner.

I did find a farmers market with lots of veggies though. Some things I didn't even recognize. I hope it's open tomorrow morning. I have a hard time making decisions at a farmers market because I wonder for buy from him or him or her or her? What to do? Then I just walk out. It's the strangest feeling to be so indecisive. Finally I'll push myself to just buy something. But I'll procrastinate first. Like deciding not to buy until tomorrow. It's possible there won't be the market tomorrow then the decision is made for me:). I wish I wasn't this way. It's so frustrating.

I got some more Internet cards today. What a procedure. I went to the telephone office and there was a crowd. Then dome young guy offers to sell me an hour for I don't know what price. I'm not about to buy this on the street. I wasn't born yesterday :). But he says I can't get a 5 hour card. So I say then I won't get any. I walk away. Awhile later I'm walking by chain and the line is shorter so I commit to the wait. I can't figure out who's actually in line and when I ask, their response doesn't make sense. So I stand in the middle. And like most businesses, their's a guard at the door keeping the crowd outside and letting only a few in at a time. Some more ladies come up and barge in front. People are constantly going up to her front to knock on the door and talk to the guard. Some get inside. Finally after about 30+ minutes I get inside. I have to be aggressive. He who hesitates is lost. There's no politeness in these people when queued up. I finally get my cards. 10 hours = $15. When I went outside the young man yells 5 hours?...cinque huras, I yell back.

I didn't bother with the money exchange as that is a mile out of the center. I'll go tomorrow. So I wandered. I needed lunch but again indecision. Nothing was striking my fancy. So I kept walking. I walked down to the water to sit, drink pina juice and write some postcards. Lovely. I wandered into the Teatro Tomas Terre. Magnificent! There were 3 balconies wrapping around this ornate stage. The details were do intricate. It was built on 1889 but was on incredible shape. Old chairs were still in all the boxes of the balconies for private settings. Louvered doors opened to allow access from the hallways to each private box. I've never seen anything like it!! They just don't build anything today as elegant as these old buildings. I'm glad to see them renovated or at least maintained. I believe this theater is still in use.

I finally found a place to have a sandwich. Of course the prices on the board and what I was charged was significantly different. Like 3x. No argument. Just pay it. Only $3 for a sandwich and soda. The trick is to carry pesos and pay in that currency. It's when they show prices in pesos then give you your ticket in CUCs. I can do the math. Not equivalent. But I don't want to fight. It's not much money. Always an issue, though. I had some pesos so I was able to get some pastries when I found a hole-in-the-wall place that was selling to locals. That was delicious! When I change money tomorrow I want to get pesos to use when I'm on the road. Much easier as that's how locals buy.

I got an email today from my newly engaged daughter that they've set the date: 10/07/17. Guess it's going to be a busy summer planning a wedding from the road. The wedding will be in St Augustine, Florida where most of her fiancé's family lives and they met and used to live. Both of my daughters have married into wonderful, loving families and I'm so happy for them! Their lives have rich connections. (Unlike their wandering, disconnected mother :))

It's evening now and as I wait for my spaghetti with tuna, I'll share my evening observations. This afternoon back in my room which is just past the living room and dining room and has a window to the open air hallway to the back of the house where my hosts live, I could hear the wonderful sounds of families reconnecting at the end of the day. All the neighbors sounds joyously bounce around the inner courtyards of the houses. From the outside they look stark and rough but behind the front door there are inner courtyards and open houses and the sounds of children playing and mommas chatting could all go heard in my room. Loved it!

I then wandered down to the square to get on WiFi. What a great concept. Online yet in community. (If I repeat myself it's because sometimes I don't know if I've shared a repeating thought in a previous post or just thought about it.) Yes, everyone's on their phones but some are chatting and there's a connection still. And everyone's outside together. What a concept!