Playa Rancho Luna

Wednesday 3^rd February

Rancho Luna beach is 11 miles (18 km) by road from the city of Cienfuegos although I’m not sure that Paul gave me that small detail when he persuaded me that it would be a good idea to cycle there.  Our current hosts have a couple of very modern bikes, which they offered to hire to us for only $1cuc per hour each.  We set off, just before the hottest part of the day, through the busier part of the city with all its ancient internal combustion engines blowing out thick black smoke and into the countryside.  The area is not quiet as flat as I had mistakenly assumed and I resorted to pushing the bike up the hill and then free-wheeling it back down the other side and it was with great relief when we reached the top of the final hill an hour and a half later.

Although the Rough Guide described it as ‘second rate by Cuban standards, this Caribbean beach is the first Cuban playa we have visited and we both thought it very beautiful.   We secured the bikes, with the ‘mega’ padlock provided, around one of the grass umbrellas, as we were asked ‘not to let them out of our sight’, and almost immediately were approached by a waiter wishing to sell us some form of refreshment.  While there are areas that are for public (Cuban) use, anywhere offering extras, like grass umbrellas and public conveniences, is bound to belong to one of the hotels but as a ‘non-resident’ of the hotel visitors are welcome to use the facilities so long as something is purchased.  As we already had our own packed lunch and neither of us is particularly partial to soft sugary drinks, there was no alternative; we had to order a beer each.  It may not have been the wisest decision, bearing in mind how hot and possibly dehydrated we were, but it was, nonetheless, ice cold and very enjoyable.

Paul, the sun slave, stripped off and commenced to soak up even more rays while I chose to hide in the shade indulging two of my favourite pastimes; reading and people watching.

Wanting to be back in the city before dark, we left the beach at around 4pm.  The bikes were pushed up that first ‘mighty’ hill and up the second-half of all the others.  On one of the longer uphill struggles (Paul had already reached the top) I was stoically inching my way up (OK, maybe I did complain, but only a little bit!) when a young lad, clearly more used to ridding his bike, managed to keep in pace with me while making polite conversation.  Eventually, as translations were a little difficult, when he decided to go back to his normal pace, he shot up the rest of the hill as if there was a jet engine hidden somewhere around the pedal area.

Our next encounter involved – overtaking another bike.  This is not quiet so impressive when I clarify that the overtaking was achieved on a flat part of the road and that the young cyclist also had an adult passenger sitting on his parcel rack at the back.  I immediately began to regret my overconfidence as another hill loomed in front of me and I could hear this little party catching me up.  On levelling with me they all began to ‘take the mick’; I don’t know what they said but it was something to do with my powerless little legs – but I gave them as good as they gave me before, they too, left me standing!

It was really good to get to bed that night!