Cienfuegos
Nimue
Mon 16 Jan 2012 03:28
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Cienfuegos
is a city on the southern coast of Cuba
and is located about 160 miles from
Havana. Cienfuegos, has a huge
natural harbour and is one of the chief seaports of Cuba. After the
revolution the Soviets moored submarines here. To the southwest, construction of
a nuclear power plant began in 1980, but with the fall of the Soviet empire,
worked stopped in 1992.
The city was settled by French immigrants from Bordeaux and Louisiana and
named Cienfuegos, sharing the name with Cienfuegos, a Captain General in
this time, in the island. During the Cuban Revolution the city saw an uprising
against Batista and was bombed, on September 5, 1957. In 2005 UNESCO
declared the historic centre a World Heritage site.
After first locating and checking in at our ‘casa particular’, which unusually had 3 double rooms, we took the car down to the local yacht club for lunch, which was the usual sandwich and beer. We did a little shopping and sight-seeing, before we headed back to the feast our hostess was preparing for dinner! In fact, the meals in the ‘casa’s’ was some of the best food we had whilst in Cuba!   Cienfuegos, ‘the pearl of the south’ and
some of the classical scenes seen in the historic centre
  On the northern side of the park is the
Teatro Tomas Terry, built by the sons of a wealthy plantation owner of that
name.
  Another statue of Jose
Marti. The twin-towered Catedral de al Purisima Concepcion, it’s
treasure is 12 windows, depicting Apostles in French stained
glass.
  Michael, with the Museo Historico in the
background and there’s always something Che around the
place!
  Big plant pots in the promenade and one
of the many blue telephone kiosks (although no phone in this
one!)
  Down by the water, a very rusty looking
fishing boat, but a very smart looking Customs building
  Breakfast in the ‘casa particular’ and a
quick swing in the enclosed patio garden after breakfast
All of us with our hostess    We had to reverse the vehicle out of the
‘just fit’ garage. Carefully does it and Sandy looks on
approvingly!
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