World Bound and Back Again: Al Oriente

The Oriente kept threatening to evade us. First Brown decided that Cholera was too prominent, then Sandy decided to land, flood, and wreck havoc, then most modes of transportation decided to function (or not) as usual.... we almost lost hope.

But with a lot of motivation, some good Cuban luck and a willing taxi driver we ended up in the Viazul bus station, boxing while waiting for our night bus to Bayamo.

A Bit of Boxing in Viazul

Traveling by Viazul bus in Cuba is like going into to temporary hibernation. The buses are kept at a frigid 18 degrees Celsius, the blinds are always closed and people refrain from talking or even moving while they trek across the beautiful balmy Cuban landscape. In total our Oriente hibernation time was no less than 37 hours! I am a new bear now!

Off to the East we go

First stop was Bayamo. One of Cuba's oldest cities, we had hear lots about the little place, and we were quick to find out that it was just that a little place. Strange people, food, things and you could see it all in about 2 hours.

A Various listing of "ofertas gastronómicas: en Bayamo

This sign told us that Bayamo boasts many things, we just must have missed them!

At least we found the bar.

So we carried on to Santiago. Hopping (well sprinting to catch the already departed guagua) on a bus to the big city we were happy to keep moving.
Sandy’s destruction was mostly visible in the limbless trees scattered all throughout the valley.

Though there was some obvious destruction in Santiago, missing roofs, uprooted trees, closed stores, and electricity was still out across the majority of the city.

Nonetheless, the city was beautiful, raw, and bold. It reminded me of San Francisco without development. The streets were steep, and crowded yet movement was slow, even pleasurable (unlike the sprint of Havana). Oriente clearly had a different rhythm.

We stayed the night with a good friend, then caught the Viazul bus (hibernation time) to Baracoa. Stopping in Guantanamo along the way, we say nothing of the military base.

A quick stop to refuel.

Two oxen pulling a barrel of gas. Ironic? Not here.

The land of chocolate and coco! What a great place to be! Nestled in the eastern most end of Cuba, the town is literally stuck between the ocean and the mountains. About four blocks wide, maybe 10 blocks long it is easy to get to know. And if you are directionally challenged the people are more than willing to help you out, in literally what-ever way they can.