Day 19: To Playa Larga

After another fine tropical breakfast (best fresh pineapple juice ever - we'll be facing serious withdrawal getting back to dry cereal, etc.), and a surprisingly easy money exchange at El Banco, we hopped another Viazul for a 3.5 hour ride to Playa Larga at the head of the Bahia de Cochinos (if you guessed Bay of Pigs give yourself 5 points).


It's actually a rather idyllic beach, scuba/snorkel, tropical fish, palm tree place, with a name made infamous by the botched CIA-fostered mission attempted at a spot at the mouth of the Bay we passed through, Playa Giron, now a major scuba destination.

We're at a CP right on the beach, facing south down the bay toward the mouth.


Folks passing by on the beach look envious.

The video pan swings down the east shore, across the mouth and up the west shore.
Playa Larga 1

We're here for what is reputed to be the best birding in Cuba in the Gran Parque Natural Montemar, which includes the Cienaga de Zapata, the largest wetland in the Caribbean. We've arranged for one early morning trip with a local guide, and will likely do more.

Keeping expectations low is tough. Possibilities include 10,000 flamingos, the bee hummingbird (the world's smallest bird), and the Cuban Pygmy Owl and several other endemic species, as well as a whole bunch of birds migrating from North America.

We also hope to do snorkeling in the afternoons - it's supposed to be quite good here.

Had another huge $10 huge, delicious lobster in coconut sauce dinner tonight. Too much for us, so D stuck the leftover lobster in a plastic bag for tomorrow's lunch.

Some reflection:

These folks know what a more prosperous life is, and most want it. The country has an educated populace, and seems to be without sectarian or ethnic rifts. Family ties to the US are strong and growing fast. D has been asking folks if they have relatives in the US, and about 75% say they do. Most seem genuinely excited when we tell them we're from the US, and say they want to go there, but if they can afford it, say the US embassy is denying permission. Russia is all but out of the picture, and in fact is deeply resented for abandoning them. The embargo now only serves to cause suffering, drive Cuba to alliances with US enemies, enable entrenched Communist power interests to paint the US as an enemy and to justify authoritarian rule as necessary for unfinished "revolution".

I'm convinced that getting rid of the embargo and opening up US and Canadian tourism and other trade would in effect end communism and most socialism here in less than 5 years, and Cuba, 90 miles from Florida, would eventually become one of our strongest allies. Can't figure out why those still in favor of the embargo have so little faith in capitalism.















Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Playa Larga