Driving around central Cuba

On our fourth day it was time to say goodbye to many people who had gathered at the camp for fellowship and church updates.  The other Americans had arrived a few days before us, so they were headed to the airport.  The church leaders were returning to their home towns.  We all got on the old school bus and headed out.  The first stop was the airport, then we made our way through the countryside to Camajuani, Remedios, Caibarien, and eventually Placetas where our sister church is located.  Each town was about a 20 drive from each other. 

All of the roads were paved, two-lanes roads with an abundance of potholes and a wide variety of vehicles (bikes, scooters, horse carts, trucks, old cars, and a handful of newer cars).  Drivers were pretty courteous and drove with good sense.  The only horns were used to let people know you were getting ready to pass them.  There were very few road signs at all, none of which were speed limit signs (as if any car, old or new, could speed on the rough roads!).  I think I saw maybe 3 traffic lights the entire trip.  

A 'yield' sign at an intersection in the town of Placetas.

I was determined to see a bit more of the countryside than I had seen on my ride to the camp on the first day, so I sat up extra tall in my seat straining to see out the open window.  The weather did me a favor and started raining and the bus windows were closed.  I could then see through the tinted glass and got to observe more.  The pictures below are all just random photos of houses along the way.  The architecture varies, but the materials are all concrete and metal, many with bright (or faded) paint. 

This was actually a Bodega (store) not someone's house.

Laundry lines were ubiquitous. 

I didn't get a lot of pictures, but some houses had little produce stands in front of them.  Since it was raining, no one was out selling on this day. 

We were never in the 'wilderness', but there were some areas that did not have houses along the road.  I'd describe the greenery as "lush".  I think goats and horses took care of keeping the side of the road 'mowed', but the greenery was pretty thick in some places. 

Probably a Soviet era apartment building.  

Playground in Caibarian.

It rained pretty consistently for 2 days, but on our last day it was sunny and pretty.  This was on the drive between Placetas and Santa Clara.  You can see some mountains in the distance. 

A 'do not pass' sign.  One of the few road signs I saw. 

We did sign large signs for each town, but they appeared to be at the very outskirts rather than in the city proper.  I think they have "municipal districts" that extend a ways beyond the center of the towns. 

There were a lot of raptors (often turkey vultures) that we saw in the distance. 

A bus stop.  We saw many of these along the road, but it was my understanding that a public bus service no longer ran between them.  Signs of a previous age. 

We didn't see a lot of cows, but these were along the road as we headed to the airport on the last day.

One of several "UFO" water towers around Santa Clara.