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Wednesday 24 January: Santiago de Cuba. First after a nice breakfast we went to the Bacardi Museum founded by the 'ron' (rum) family. We saw some nice paintings, a little archeological stuff, and the weapons of the Spanish conquistadors. We then pedaled to the 'San Juan Fortress' on a hill overlooking the city with mountains in the background. We finished off at the 'ron' Museum. I asked why they could not use the ethanol that was a byproduct of the first distillation of rum to run their cars. I just got the answer that the government decided long ago not to do this, that is not to follow the example of Brazil. My only complaint about Cuba is the air pollution. I am still dreaming one day of an ethanol Cuba (Go Ethyl!). I then showered a second time today because it was so hot. I found a little barber shop with one chair and got a Cuban haircut for a dollar plus a dollar tip.They are the best barbers around! In the evening, we had a very elegant meal in a beautiful old colonial house where the prices are in pesos! It even had a bass, bongo, and piano trio. They played very well. Santiago de Cuba is a very noisy fast paced polluted air city of one million people. I much preferred Habana. Habana actually seems laid back and easy going by comparision. I am looking forward to pedaling through the countryside, and smaller towns. Tomorrow we will take a ride in the country outside the city.
