We’ve got a great breakfast in our casa particulares for 5 CUC and left for a walk in Cienfuegos, as we saw just at night time yesterday, before leaving to El Nicho Waterfalls. Took some pictures and walked for an hour and a bit and got back to our casa to pickup my sandals, which my host kindly took to fix free of charge. They look like new!
Table of Contents
The Paved Plaza is located in the city of Santiago de Cuba and was constructed in the late 19th century. The plaza is surrounded by 19th century buildings and features a José Martà memorial and a bandstand. The memorial was erected in honour of the Cuban independence hero José MartÃ, who was killed in 1895 during the Cuban War of Independence. The bandstand was added in the early 20th century and is used for cultural and musical events. The plaza is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike and is known for its vibrant atmosphere.
The Arco de Triunfo (Arc of Triumph) in Cienfuegos, Cuba was built in 1834. It is located in the centre of the city and is one of the oldest and most iconic monuments in Cuba. The arch was built to commemorate the Spanish victory over the English in the Battle of Cienfuegos. It has since served as a symbol of Cuban patriotism and independence. The Arco de Triunfo is a national monument and is included in the list of World Heritage Sites.
My stomach was still very upset in the morning. Must have had food poisoning from that fish that we ate at the beach in Rancho Luna.
El Nicho Waterfalls
Our plan was to go to El Nicho – amazing waterfalls. Initially we were scared of bad roads as before, but the road was pretty smooth and aspfalt everywhere. It took us like 1hr to get there just following the signs El Nicho. We parked inside, the guy told us parking is free but entrance 10CUC per person. One local inside asked how much we paid for car rent. I didn’t want to tell him, as 2000CUC for them is like half life salary.
The park was stunning! A bit slippery on the stones, so make sure you wear the shoes (no hiking shoes necessary). We took loads of pictures! Pictures tells more than 100 words. I think we haven’t reach the biggest waterfall though.
The El Nicho Waterfalls are close to Cienfuegos and are considered one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the Caribbean. The waterfalls are part of the Topes de Collantes National Park and can be reached by taking a short hike from the nearby village of Cienfuegos. The waterfalls are made up of three tiers of cascading water with a height of approximately 30 meters. The waterfalls have been a popular tourist destination for many years and have become one of the most popular natural attractions in Cuba. The area around the El Nicho Waterfalls is also home to a variety of flora and fauna including various species of birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians.
At the end of our hike we dipped into the water, which was freezing cold and refreshing. I had a footage of us swimming, but unfortunately I broke SD card by accident from my action camera, so footage is lost.
Our road to Havana was smooth, especially driving highway (if you can call it a highway) was smooth. One taxi driver was racing with us all the time. Old cars were going 100-110km/h though they are made 70-90km/h maximum! Must be all parts have been upgraded in those 80 years. Surprisingly going really fast!
We caught some rain when approaching Havana.
Finding directions as usual was challenging, since no signs and Google maps was showing to drive against the traffic. So we relied on the map and our eyes. Eventually we found the place, but nobody was opening the doors when we were knocking. Somehow a girl working downstairs found out and ran to us to bring the keys.
Surviving the Tornado in Havana
Our host was very kind and gave loads of directions and advice. She also mentioned that storm is approaching and we need to move a car up the hill a bit. I thought she was exaggerating, how can it flood so far from sea.
After quick shower we dressed, had some Rum and left for dinner. While we were sitting at the terrace it started raining. They closed the curtains down, so it doesn’t splash and then it started pouring and suddenly electricity went down. Waitress told us that we need to pay the bill. It was dripping through the ceiling, so we went inside. They were still cooking our food. I’ve ordered some brucheta and rice as mys stomach felt bad still (I threw up moments before going to restaurant). All food was delicious even in the dark. We used our mobile torches. In total we’ve paid 50 CUC for 4 of us.
It kept raining and didn’t seem it is stopping. The road was becoming a river and we had to get to our accommodation. I asked a waiter for plastic bag to put our phones so they don’t get wet in the process of crossing that river and we were headed off into that river! What an experience! Water was above the knees almost reaching my underwear and we had to cross that very wide street! Luckily, the current wasn’t strong as the sea is just few hundred meters away and we could have easily have been swept to the sea.
On the crossroad nearby it was worse as it seemed the water was almost up to the waist. The cars that were passing were almost submerged to their windows. Only trucks seemed not to care about that level of the water. We climbed on the wall at the edge of pavement with grass, which was around a meter above the road level and we ran towards home on that wall. All of us were all soaked wet. Once, we reached the building and went inside there was no light on the stairs and we just laughed as we climbed to the 1st floor, where our apartment was. To sum up, it was pretty dangerous as that river was flowing into the sea, but luckily the current wasn’t that strong. All’s well that ends wel.
Tomorrow the plan was to explore Havana a bit.