 The sixth day was another break from cycling whilst we toured the sites of Santiago. This was just as well, as several more in our group were feeling a little ill. First up on our list of sites was the Moncada Barracks. This was where Fidel Castro started his uprising against the government. Now (along with most of the barracks from that time) it is a school, but you can still make out bullet holes along its walls.
As we drove around the surrounding area, we saw a lot of the large manor houses that used to be owned by the wealthy families such as the Bacardi family, as well as members of the mafia and drug barons. They were all driven out once Fidel Castro gained power, with most fleeing to Miami.
 We stopped outside the Santa Ifigenia Cemetery at midday. This is when the changing of the guards occurs outside the tomb of the national hero and visionary, Jose Marti. It is quite something to see these men marching, as each step is taken at a ninety degree angle, to which I am amazed they don’t do themselves an injury. The tomb itself is also pretty fancy, but unfortunately I couldn’t get past the guards for a closer inspection.
 Next up on our list of sites was a monument to Cuba’s revolution. Quite impressive when you get up close, consisting of huge lengths of steel (Representing the sabres of the soldiers), a large statue of some guy on a horse, and an eternal flame at it’s centre. Across the road from this is an ridiculously large empty square about the size of a football pitch. Its only real use now is to allow tourists to stand back far enough to get the entire monument in one shot.
 We proceeded to the outskirts of the town and the Morro Fort. Perched on top of a hill, this fort sits at the opening of the Santiago bay, overlooking the harbour. We didn’t end up going into the fort, but admired the views from its outer walls. Just outside the fort was a rather nice restaurant where we decided to have lunch. Apart from the terrific views looking out to sea, this place also has a claim to fame in the form of a chair with a plaque saying Paul McCartney sat here. The Beatles do seem to be popular amongst the Cuban people.
As the day drew to a close others in the group planned to head to the Casa De La Trova we had visited the previous night. By this time I was feeling bad and feared the dreaded “Deli Belly” was finally catching up with me, so I called it an early night.
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Back to day 5 - Contramaestre to Santiago |
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Forward to day 7 - Santiago |
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