Second Chance for Santiago

The first thing I noticed after I woke up on our 15.5 hour overnight bus ride from Havana was the change in landscape. This area around Santiago was in some parts like grasslands and then it became more like a tropical jungle. The city itself when we first arrived seemed similar to Havana in architecture and upkeep. It was also about 5°C hotter and more humid.

Our first order of business was to buy tickets for our next trip. This is when perhaps the worst disaster of our trip struck – there were no more tickets for tomorrow’s bus! What to do – buy tickets for the next day and rearrange our travel plans or find some other way to get to Baracoa. We chose option number two. We asked around at some tourist places and realised the only way to get there was by hiring a private car which would set us back 150 CUC (Cuban Convertible Pesos – the money that foreigners use in Cuba). Luckily we found someone who would do it for 120CUC – still way more than taking the bus, but we didn’t have much choice at this point.

Our casa particular didn’t really improve out mood. The hosts while nice, were a bit strange and their English wasn’t the best. The food was also the worst we had eaten in a casa particular. The only redeeming factor was our nice private balcony overlooking the courtyard.

After having a mediocre lunch at the hotel in the main square we walked around a bit to get a feel for the city. The main square is quite well-kept and touristy with a big hotel, church and the town hall. However not too far away Santiago becomes a bit of a slum. We were walking around in this area that was supposed to be artsy (Tivoli district)– but in reality was just run-down. We got some good panoramic pictures from the Velazquez balcony and these really long steps that cut through the district.

On the other side of the main square the streets are much better kept and the area seemed less residential and more commercial with shops and restaurants etc. This improved our initial impression of Santiago that it was just a sweltering slum. Our impression of Santiago would only get better from this point.

Because of the weird scheduling of the buses we had planned to do 1 day in Santiago and then 2 days in Baracoa and then then come back to Santiago before going to Trinidad. After getting back from Baracoa, we went out to dinner at this restaurant recommended by the guide book that was trying to be fancy (chandeliers, grand piano + pianist, waiter in tuxedos) but the menu and the upkeep of the place wasn’t the best. After an impromptu salsa lesson from the doorman we went to listen to some local music.

This was definitely our best music experience in Cuba. We headed to the local Casa de Trova and listened to group of older gentlemen playing some catchy Cuban music. They were really good and the audience was into the music as well which created an awesome atmosphere. We chatted with the musicians after the show and bought their CD because they were so good.

The next morning we headed out to El Morro, a fort at the entrance to the bay of Santiago. We were so early we were the first ones there and the lady had to give us change at the end of our visit! Inside the fort there was information about the early fortifications of Cuba and the early colonial period (all in Spanish). There were great views walking around outside as well as a bunch of cute lizards that entertained us for awhile.

After spending the morning at the fort we stopped at Cafe Matamoros for a hearty lunch before the overnight bus to Trinidad. This was by far the best meal we had the whole time in Cuba. My meal was delicious and the chef did a special meal for my vegetarian sister which was better than any other veggie meal she had so far. We had cocktails, dessert and coffee too all for 15CUC for both of us. The amazing interior decor and excellent service only added to our fantastic experience. Definitely recommend the place for lunch, dinner and/or cocktails for anyone passing through Santiago!

This final meal, the musical night out and the fort definitely changed our overall opinion of Santiago. I wouldn’t recommend staying more than a few days, because there isn’t really that much to see, especially compared to Havana. However, checking out the music scene is a must! Baracoa, despite being smaller offers a lot more to do especially for the outdoorsy type! Check out Baracoa in my next post!

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