Cuba Trip - Day 6, Matanzas

It's Day 6 and we board our bus for the trip back to Havana. Along the way, we stopped at Matanzas for lunch and did a tour of the Pharmacy Museum.

Our hotel's swimming pool. 

We leave our beautiful (on the outside) hotel

and board our bus to Matanzas.

A typical country town in Cuba.

We arrived in Matanzas where we ate a

delicious lunch at the Hotel Velasco.

A quartet entertained us while we ate lunch.

A beautiful floral arrangement in the hotel's lobby. 

We then entered the Pharmacy Museum. 

This is the oldest pharmacy in Cuba.

The original white medicine jars are French porcelain.

 We made a rest stop overlooking the highest bridge in Cuba.

A popular drink there was made with Cuban rum

and pineapple juice and served in a pineapple.

Cuba Trip - Day 5, Trinidad

Day 5 begins with a train ride from Trinidad to a small town called Iznaga where we visited what used to be a sugar cane plantation. We were then bused back to Trinidad where we walked around the historical district and visited another art gallery.

Traveling the wilds of Cuba.

We were entertained by a local singer. He was good.

Tourists taking pictures of a pig being barbecued.

A small country home.

We left the train in Iznaga.

If it's made from cloth, they sold it.
The 147 foot high tower was built by slaves and was
used to oversee the slaves in the sugar cane fields.

The entrance to the old sugar cane plantation home that is now a restaurant.

Our bus picked us up for the ride back to Trinidad.
Flat lands, hills and mountains were everywhere.

Some side streets as we entered Trinidad.

Children waiting to be picked up after school.
No, they are not in jail.

We went to the Plaza Mayor to visit an art museum.

The ornate iron works around the homes and parks

gave Trinidad the nickname of "The Birdcage City."

A local cat chillin' out.

A typical street in Plaza Mayor.

We entered an interesting art museum.

Susan loved this painting.

The backyards of some homes.

Where is everybody?

Plaza Mayor as viewed from the 2nd floor of the museum.

Inside the art museum.

Looks like a storm is coming.

This painting depicts what retired men do: sit around and read the

paper and turn their memories of work in the city upside down.

When I first saw this piece, I thought that my friend in NC,

Don Pedi, had painted it. It matched his style so well.

The Devil carved out of marble.

We then left the art museum to explore the area.

I found The Beatles Restaurant

...and introduced sculptures of The Beatles.

A bronze pirate statue.

He's alive! With my sister, Pat.

The Wi-Fi hot spot in Trinidad on the steps.

Sunset over the Caribbean Sea from our hotel room.

Sunset as seen from the hotel's beach.

Cuba Trip - Day 4, Cienfuegos

Day 4 begins with a long bus ride from Havana to Cienfuegos, a city on the southern coast of Cuba. There we met up with Santiago Hermes, an artist that my sister, Pat, who is also an artist, met on our previous trip to Cuba. In the late afternoon, our bus took us to our hotel in the city of Trinidad, further east on the Caribbean coast, in preparation for tomorrow's adventures.

After 4-5 hours of crossing central Cuba we arrive in Cienfuegos. 

This is how not to be a passenger on a scooter! 

 The archway into the main square of Cienfuegos.

 A pretty courtyard near the square.

Grrrr.

 Vendors waiting for the tourists.

 We had lunch at Los Vitrales Hostel, a beautiful small hotel.

Pat finally sees her artist friend, Santiago Hermes. 

Our group enjoying lunch.

 Some of our group went on a trolley ride.

Santiago Hermes' studio and gallery.

Santiago's mission statement.

Santiago, his wife and son present an award to Pat. 

Pat is now a Member of Honor in the 

Friends' Club "Trazos Libres" Project. 

Santiago's youngest son thanking Pat for her gift

of Star Wars objects (he loves Star Wars). 

Santiago's wife is loving the beaded shawl that Pat gave her. 

Santiago thanking Pat for the special brush and other art supplies. 

Santiago preparing to do some face and arm paintings.

Maggie was the first to be painted. 

Eight ladies of our group showing their painted flowers.

 Santaigo's small studio in the back of his gallery.

I liked the painting of the little girl playing the violin.

Note the blue hat. It is in the studio picture above.

I loved this leather bra-purse.

This huge painting. The creature is made of fruits and vegetables.

Susan bought this watercolor painted by Santiago.

 

Our "Cuba Family"

 This billboard shows Cuba "blocking" Uncle Sam. Interesting...