CUBA TRIP- DAY TWO

23.11.10 – Cienfuegos to Trinidad – 106km
Slept sort of OK, at breakfast at 7am ready for an early start.  Warm-up by Maneir, complete with big fat Cuban cigar in his mouth at the same time! 
Today was brilliant; a wonderful start riding downhill with the glistening sea down below.  We have some steep slopes (“nippy hills” according to Miriam, but more of that later!) but nothing I can’t manage.  1^st stop after 12km or so and then the next is by the house of a lady called Maria who very kindly lets us all use her loo!   

Bananas and fizzy drinks on offer.  We have lunch at La Vega farm restaurant; good but huge (I gave half my portion away to Neil).  It rained whilst we were eating which was well planned!  A few people took advantage of a lift in the van as we were promised a quite hilly section but I have already decided that is an option I won’t be taking- people have sponsored me for a lot of money and I’m not letting anyone (or myself) down unless I have no choice.
The scenery today was stunning; mountains with lush green vegetation.  And the people are so friendly; calling out from the roadside and waving. At a stop this afternoon lots of children came out and people were giving them sweets, letting them listen to their i-players etc.  The hotel was superb; right on the sea so the first thing most of us did was rush to our rooms, change into swimming gear and dash into the sea.  Andre went in wearing all her cycling gear!  Never has a swim felt so good!  The meal was much better tonight and tried a Trinidad Colonial; orange, grenadine, Curacao and rum- very colourful and not bad at all!  The evening entertainment was not good, an international flavour – we want Cuban!

No doubt about it; today was hard but I managed it and didn’t find it too hard, so all the training has paid dividends.