Playa Giron is basically 2 streets big. It’s a tiny town but it offers some of Cuba’s best from-shore diving. The town life is so slow it feels like a true escape. The only thing to do is diving, drinking and laying on the beach. It was the perfect stop before going back into the more busy city-life at Trinidad. For the full itinerary click here.

Thursday 18th: Bahía de Alemanes

Rice Road

I had permitted myself to sleep until 8:30 but woke up at 7:30. Some tossing and turning and little minutes of sleep later it was time for breakfast. Raquel had a friend to help her prepare it and as usual it was delicious mix of fruit, eggs, bread and juice. Raquel unfortunately told me that she had called the colectivo people but for now nobody was going to Playa Girón.

Her husband however could take me for 35. Which at least was less than the 50 everybody kept asking for on the street the night before. I decided fuck it and said yes. So right after breakfast I packed my stuff and had a short chat with Raquel, she pointed out pictures of daughter and told me it was too bad I didn’t get to meet her. I wasn’t entirely sure what she meant but when she added that I was ‘muy guapo’ I decided it was probably for the best she wasn’t there, and no setup would take place.

Her husband loaded my stuff and we headed out of Cienfuegos. We first followed the road we came by but soon turned left onto the coastal road. After passing by a few villages I noticed entire stretches of road were completely covered in what first looked like corn to me. Gustavo explained it was rice, which the farmers were trying to dry in in the sun. This in order to avoid using the government-run drying facilities. If they did, a part of their crops would have to be sold to the government below market value. So instead they spread it out on the road, allowing us to drive over it when a car came from the other side.

Girón

We drove into the nothingness of the mangroves with water on both sides of the road until we entered Playa Girón. I decided to stay with Ronel y Yvette since Ronel was the main diving instructor in town. Their son Carlos showed me my room and cut me a deal. If I had breakfast and dinner in the house, I would get a 10 CUC discount on the room. A bike and snorkelling gear were included, and they had Wi-Fi.

I dropped my stuff and packed for the beach which I went to search for on the bike. I got to the Playa Girón itself, unfortunately disgraced by a huge concrete wave breaker. Nevertheless, I dipped in and finished my book while drying. After I explored down the coast with my bike, where I found Playa Los Cocos. This was a way prettier beach with some more people and no wave breaker. I grabbed a beer at the little bar and suddenly recognized the tattoo on the leg of one of the girls laying a bit further.

Ze Germanz

Sofie and Ana were equally surprised to see me (we had met in Havana and went to dinner and La Fabrica together). We told each other about our experiences so far and we shared a huge coco loco. Around 4:30 they decided to go back home, and I went a bit further down the coast exploring. We agreed before saying goodbye that they would come over for a beer after we each had our dinner at the casa.

That dinner turned out to be great but way too much. I had crab with rice loaded with other mariscos. I tried to eat as much of it and the many sides as possible but had to give up eventually. When the lady came to clear the plate, she asked what desert I wanted. My first reaction was none until she mentioned ice cream. I went for the strawberry one. After I had to lie down for a while and installed myself on the porch editing pictures.

The girls came by and we explored the many animals kept in the huge garden. Asides from the deer, crocs, turtles and jutias the garden was loaded with red/black crabs and hermit crabs and even the occasional toad. We had a beer and after decided we were all tired and had to get up early. Me for diving and them for bird watching. So, I said goodbye and maybe until tomorrow at La Caleta Buena. La Caleta was this resort-ish place that you payed 15 CUC entrance with lunch and unlimited drinks included. I crawled into bed a drifted of very fast.

Friday 19th: La puta oreja

El Loco

I got up early, as usual, and hopped down to the other casa for breakfast. I had prepared my bag for diving and La Caleta so I did not have to go home in between. We got picked up by an old yellow Canadian school bus driving by an old dude, ominously called ‘El Loco’. He actually looked way too friendly to be crazy.

The bus was already loaded with about 20 people since we were the last casa in town. We drove to the diving centre, where all of us decided on one or two dives. I obviously went for two and told Ronel. We got our gear and loaded it on the bus. El loco’s name started to make more sense since he drove the old bus out of Playa Girón down roads that really were not roads. The whole ride reminded me of the buses down in Guatemala, equally bumpy and uncomfortable.

El Tanque

We got to our destination unharmed, a dive site called El Tanque. We got divided into smaller groups according to our level. We strapped everything on and first swam rather level at about 3 m out to the drop-off. When we started descending everything went well until suddenly a loud pop and intense pain filled my right ear. I knew immediately I had perforated my eardrum again judging by the all too familiar pain.

I signalled the instructor my issue and he asked if I could re-equalize and go down. I tried, punished immediately by another jolt of pain. The guide told to swim level and follow the group at 10m depth. The whole rest of the dive I cursed my own ears and shit luck knowing this first dive would immediately be my last. We got out of the water and I told the instructor I would not join for the second one.

I spent the next hour trying to get the salt water out from my ear. However, I stayed slightly clogged and my hearing was clearly different in both ears. Disappointed I hopped back on the bus and decided to get to Caleta’s open bar asap to drown my sorrow. We got back to Playa Girón at 13h and Ronel told me a bus left for Caleta at 2pm from the hotel reception. There however they told me that was not guaranteed. So, I talked a bit with el loco who eventually agreed to take me for 10 CUC. Not in the mood to argue I agreed and after dropping of everyone else he sure drove me all the way in the huge bus by myself.

La Caleta

La Caleta Buena was a lot better than I expected. It’s like a tiny all-inclusive resort for 15 CUC. You could spend all day there easily. I quickly found Ana and Sofie going in for a dip and dropped my stuff with theirs before refreshing myself in the tiny bay as well. Since it was already 2 and lunch buffet closed at 3, we decided to grab some. The chicken and pork were amazing and so were the sides and fresh piña after. Meanwhile I started my plan of reducing my ear pain with Ron y cerveza.

After a delicious lunch we installed ourselves back in our little corner and I taught them Yaniv while consuming a ton of tiny cervezas. These were all served by ‘Pequeño’ Alberto, the old eternally sad looking bartender on duty. When I went to get the third round, I noticed El loco was still hanging around as well. When I told the Germans he might actually be waiting for me they said he’s probably hoping he can take other people home. I dismissed the thought and we continued our Yaniv game.

Suddenly Sofie decided it was time for the infamous fishies pool. Apparently a closed of pool with a lot of fish. I casually jumped in while Ana did the Xtreme jump… Much to Sofie’s disappointment we did not get eaten alive but merely climbed out and went for a dip in the bay. We suddenly realized it was almost 5, the time the girls had agreed the pickup with their casa. They wanted to take a shower, so I waited for them at the exit. I was planning on hitching a ride with them bit surely there was El Loco happily enjoying a beer and Cuba libre. I asked him if he was actually waiting for me and he said “Of course, that’s what you paid for”.

Bus Ride

I was pleasantly surprised financially but not entirely sure if a drunk bus driver called El Loco was the best way to get back to Playa Girón. I felt bad however letting him hang so I said goodbye to the girls and climbed in the bus. We agreed to meet up at my casa to finish our game. Both El Loco and I were much more talkative on the way back. He was casually driving the huge bus with a very strong rum coke in his hand while almost always looking back at me while I spoke (not the road).

I finally asked him if his nickname was related to his driving and he said that it was a remnant from his younger (and wilder) years. He had been driving for 25 years without any accident (or so he claimed). To be fair despite his wild driving he did seem to have the monster-bus pretty well under control. After confessing he made about 6 CUC on me (with the gas price and all), we drove back into Playa Girón. He safely dropped me off at my Casa.

Locked out

I sobered up a bit before dinner: a delicious pork with onions and rice with a shit-ton of sides. Since I actually had lunch this time for the first time in a couple of days, I had to give up even earlier than before. At first I even refused desert but the lady had me convinced in no time I should also try the vanilla ice cream. While I was still trying to scoop the whole thing in my stomach Ana and Sofie arrived. I quickly finished and we happily continued our Yaniv. Ana managed to lose both games while Sofie ended up winning each of them. After our two games we called it a night.

I realized suddenly that while I did manage to bring the cards and score sheet, I did forget my keys of the room. I knew that Yvette had a duplicate since they cleaned my room before. Unfortunately, Ronel and Yvette were out for dinner and more. So, I had no choice but to wait with Felix the guard until they got back. Felix has one daughter somewhere in the south of France. He had never visited however but they did come back to Cuba once in a while. We talked about the jutias and how the couple’s grand Casa provided work for a lot of people in town. Next thing I know Ronel and Yvette roll in on their scooter and Yvette opens the door for me. I slid into bed and fell asleep almost instantly.