08.07 It's been a hot night at Hostal Florida Center (http://www.hostalfloridacenter.com) in Santa Clara, Cuba. Our small air-conditioning system can’t cool the room. Only a few drops of water came as I stood in the shower and turned the tap. It is likely poor pressure in the pipes. Good morning everyone!

08.26 Hooray, we have water again! It is in situations like this that I realize how spoiled and whiny I am. There are people in the world that must walk several kilometres for water, every day. Here I sit and complain just because I do not get to shower at one occasion.

08.58 It is time to have breakfast. It will be eaten somewhere out there in the green lush garden.

09.49 That was for sure a hearty breakfast! First we got a huge fruit table with pineapple, banana, guava, papaya, watermelon and something else. Then we got small pieces of bread, coffee and nine kinds of cookies! I may not need to add that we were not able to eat all. Now we make the bodies and backpacks ready. Some things should be emptied and some will be filled, although not with the same things.

11.01 After getting everything ready, we´ve checked out. Our nice host Ángel just got a booking for March next year over the phone. He sighed and commented that it was very early, he may not even be alive then! We paid 67 CUC for our stay here and said that we left Katrin in the room and got a ride to the bus station. A man said "taxi" to us when we stepped out of the car. I said thanks but no thanks, we'll take the bus. He looked at me puzzled and wondered, bus? Here at the bus station, we have been at the Viazul ticket office and arranged with our pre-booked tickets. We even had time to see the young taxi guy from yesterday. He hunts for new victims.

11.15 Now backpacks are loaded in the trunk and we are on the bus. Thankfully we and our backpacks are on the same bus.

Peter is waiting for the breakfast.

High quality breakfast at Hostal Florida Center.

Low octane fuel outside Cienfuegos.

Countryside between Cienfuegos och Trinidad.

11.24 According to our booking the Viazul bus to Santa Clara leaves at 11.50. On the tickets in our hands, it says 11.30. The driver probably has not read any of them because we leave right now. It may be that all pre-booked have boarded. Those who have not booked and go spontaneous and come between now and 11.50 may have to take another bus. It smells of urine from the bus toilet next to us.

12.35 Shortly after Christer caught the little everyday dramas on film and I'll catch it in words. The bus is now standing still along a quiet street. Now we roll again. One of the passengers is visiting the bus toilet. Another passenger sneezes and on an adjusting street stands a tractor with a trailer. Now, we stop at the bus station next to a bright turquoise bus with a dark yellow flame. We are in the city Cienfuegos and have now in the recent days crossed Cuba from the north coast to the south coast. Cienfuegos is a city with French influences and is located along the south coast.

13.20 We are on the road again. The bus has stopped to refuel. Here the diesel cost 1 CUC per litre. Here you can also refuel with 83, 90 and 94 octanes. The urine smell is mixed with a hint of garlic or garlic sauce. The combination is not enjoyable.

13.54 The landscape around us is green and hilly. Now we see moving and grazing horses and cows. We also see more permanent and swaying trees.

14.39 We have reached a five hundred year old city. The city we´ll stay in was founded in 1514. At the bus station, I missed that my backpack was unloaded and looked anxiously into the empty cargo space. We hung on our backpacks and went out from the bus station. We passed a cluster of people who offered taxis and rooms. After a while we met a man and I reflexively said "no" before he even had time to say anything. Now we stay in a private accommodation Casa Neysi Hernandez Campo. It isn’t really the name of the accommodation but simply means "Neysi Hernandez Campos house/home". The city we're in has the same name as a country/island we have been to, Trinidad. This has also happened before with Antigua and Grenada. Trinidad is one of the most popular tourist cities in Cuba because of its old colonial buildings that are well preserved. Here at our accommodation, we have been offered juice and become registered. Outside our room, we have a beautiful courtyard where the sunrays find their way down.

15.52 The spelling program on Christer's phone has humour. He sent a text message to the next accommodations and announced that we will arrive on Saturday. The phone wanted to write that we will arrive at Saturn. The journey takes us further into the future. Now we are going out and look at our new hometown.

16.07 The looking around has come to a stop. The heat and the intensely bright sun drained our stamina pretty quickly. We are now in a wicker chair each. We have ordered cheese and ham baguettes and coffee. There are computers and monitors in the room next to the one we are in. We are at Cafeteria Dulcinea.

A welcome juice gives a good impression of a new home.

Christer looks happy, having just arrived to Trinidad.

This is the place where we stay, Casa Neysi Hernandez Campo.

Our home street José Martí in Trinidad.

Christer is choosing a coffee at Cafeteria Dulcinea.

16.32 It was good to get some snacks in the stomachs. Coffee is not entirely wrong either. All three functioning computers are occupied so we sit down to wait a while. It is time for a wet wipe. The internet is like a tourist magnet. The city's tourists flock to our cafe and the connected computers. It is not easy to find such things in this country.

17.36 We finally had some internet surfing time. It continues to be bad in Gaza. UN condemns the Israeli attack on a UN school. Christer has not received a reply to his text message, that of Saturn. It says in the papers from the place that they do not want any calls before 20.00. Does this also apply to text messages as well? Now we are home to take it easy for a while.

19.00 Our reading in the books on the patio was interrupted abruptly by thunder and rain drops.

20.05 The rain has now stopped. Some guests sit and eat on our resident’s patio. We will not eat, at the accommodation that is. It's time to find a restaurant for tonight's dinner.

20.22 Tonight there will be a dinner at Cubita Restaurant. On one of the walls there are countless signatures, autographs, texts. They are, I suppose, written by different guests. We also hear live music from the next room.

21.15 We got good food and lovely music. The singer has shaken her beautiful maracas. Relax, it isn’t any euphemism. She sings as well as play two maracas. Now we wait for the coffee before we ask for "la cuenta" the bill.

21.41 We bought a CD each from the music trio, En Cuerdas. The payment for the food went just fine. We rose and left the table to a newly arrived couple. Is it okay asked the guy? Sure, I said, take our table, take our bill! The girl laughed but he looked almost scared. The door was locked when we got to the accommodation. Was it about to happen once more? Would we not get past and inside? No problem, the hostess let us in.

22.57 Now we have made plans for tomorrow, a day that will be spent in this city.

23.38 Another day goes into night. Once again, we go to sleep. Tomorrow is another day.

Sign your name here if you visit this restaurant.

Peter is having dinner at Cubita Restaurant.

Friday 1st of August

08.52 We have slept well in a cool room, so much better than what we had in our previous accommodation. A new month has begun and we have now been on the road for a month. We hear some sounds from the patio. Is it the day that awaits us?

09.26 It was good to eat breakfast. During breakfast, Christer realised that we had forgotten one thing as we planned this day last evening. It's probably appreciated if we pay for the room. Now Christer try to call the next accommodations and confirm our arrival. They have not replied to the text message which was sent.

09.51 It is now confirmed and clear. Our next host Rafael pointed out that it would be a mess at the bus station. He claimed that various people would try to rent rooms to us and offer a ride. He even illustrated it with sounds. He will send a man with a note and it is him that we should go with. We must not go with anyone else. There are tricksters who come with lies and drive visitors to other places.

10.02 Enough about upcoming locations and days to come. Now, let's enjoy this day and this city.

10.06 Trinidad is a pretty small town. It has about 73 000 inhabitants and it is only a third of Santa Clara that we left yesterday. The largest industry here is the tobacco industry but as a tourist here it feels as though most live on tourism in terms of transportation, lodging, shops and restaurants. We are in the interior but the sea is no longer than 20 kilometres away if you fancy a swim.

Charming streets in Trinidad.

Christer is entering Plaza Mayor.

Tourists are exploring beautiful Plaza Mayor.

Christer in the heart of Trinidad.

Escalinata, the stairs below Casa de la Música, Trinidad.

10.47 The sun is hot today. For this reason we now do something we have done so many times before. We are having a bench break. We are having the break at the Plaza Mayor in the middle of the UNESCO-listed central part of Trinidad. A lady came by and asked for soap for her children.

11.04 Here in town the sights and surprises pops up along every street and around every corner. We are offered old cars of various types, glorious Cuban old men, musicians and beautiful buildings. At the Plaza Mayor a man sat on a donkey. The donkey had a sign which said it was for rent. It is unclear if the old man is included in the rental.

11.14 We have walked to the square below the Museo Nacional de la Lucha Contra Bandidos, freely translated to "the national museum of the fight against the bandits." This museum is in a yellow beautiful building formerly a convent, the Convento de San Francisco. On the square are a few older gentlemen that entertain people with lovely Cuban rhythms.

11.21 We and many other tourists have entered the museum where we walked around, looked at photos of Cubans who died in the struggle against US-backed counter-revolutionaries and enjoying a wonderful view of the city of Trinidad and the surrounding area.

11.37 After the visit to the museum part of the old monastery, we are now up in the bell tower belonging to the building. From here the view is even more spectacular in all directions. There are many who want up and the stairs are narrow. You have to be flexible so that people can meet. Far down below we see the square where we just have been.

11.48 We stepped down from the tower and now we are sitting on the same bench as for three quarters ago. The gentlemen orchestra here in the park is playing Guantanamera.

Iglesia Parroquial Santisima, Trinidad.

Here you can rent your own donkey.

A local band entertains the tourists with Cuban rhythms.

Museo Nacional de la Lucha Contra Bandidos, Trinidad.

Christer is looking through the museum exhibits.

12.09 We went for a walk in the nearby quarters. It's not easy to walk on the old cobbled streets. We've walked past various restaurants and withstood several offers before we returned to the restaurant we saw from our bench. Now we are at Sabor a mi for lunch. The restaurant is beautifully situated at the square by the museum.

13.24 After lunch, Christer saw a couple coming walking across the square. The woman spotted a small shop that sold cloths and she hurried there. Just as quickly the man rushed to a bench and sat down. However, he was soon picked up by the cloth lady. Now we have been shopping some things at a small supermarket. At checkout we met a lady. She pointed to a shelf where, among other things there was cooking oil. Then she pointed to herself. Did she want us to buy cooking oil? If that was the case, was it for us or her?

14.11 We're back in our room and have the necessary siesta and fluids on the body and fluids in the body.

16.01 When we sat outside our room and read our hostess wondered if we were going to the beach. Apparently, a taxi had arrived at the accommodation and was willing to take someone to the beach. We will not go there. We'll go out and walk a bit instead.

16.35 We are now back at Cafeteria Dulcinea. Everything seems to be the same out in the world. We have been looking on the internet again. There is continuing conflict in Gaza, continued Ebola in West Africa. When we left the accommodation nobody was there. We hope that the hostess has come back now. We miss a key to the front door.

Christer is looking over the wall.

The two travelers in front of Museo Nacional de la Lucha Contra Bandidos/Convento de San Francisco.

Views of Trinidad.

Trinidad from a new perspective.

The big bell is silent today.

Looking down on places we´ve just left.

Christer receives a lunch offer.

17.40 It went well to get into the house again. We trust the hostess but it always feels safest with your own key in his pocket. Some French-speaking tourists just came to the accommodation. They brought in large heavy bags from a car parked outside. One wonders why some tourists have to take half of what they own when they are going to travel.

19.17 Everything was so well planned. We would pay for our stay here and then go out and eat dinner. What is the meaning of fine plans when the hostess is missing? Should we wait until she returns or go and eat anyway? When will she return? Is she back when we return from dinner? How long can we wait and still get a table? We'll check out really early tomorrow morning and would love to have payment made already tonight.

19.55 The lady appeared and we paid. Now we are back at Cubita Restaurant. We are sitting in the room inside from where we sat yesterday. There is some practise in yet another room. It is two thirds of yesterday’s band. Sometimes you feel boring and without imagination when you return to the same restaurant again. On the other hand, why not appreciate good food, entertainment and service and actually return?

20.33 We were remembered. The singer in the band greeted us and we were not offered a CD this evening.

20.57 Again the food as well as the entertainment was good. A song that stuck to our brains was the tribute to the revolutionary Che Guevara. It's called "Hasta Siempre - Comendante Che Guevara" (link among the video clips).

21.33 Towards the end of the meal twelve French travelers turned up. They sat down at our neighbouring table. The amount of people and their circumstances with orders slowed down the service. After some waiting, we went to the counter to pay. Now we are back home to pack for tomorrow's early departure.

Siesta in our room.

Peter together with a stone dog at Plaza Mayor.

Dinner at Cubita Restaurant this evening as well.

Saturday 2nd of August

06.36 The door to the bathroom here at the accommodation in Trinidad was just closed from within. Christer shall, after an early self-composed breakfast, now have a shower.

07.05 It is good with early birds ladies. Our hostess was awake and we were let out and are ready for new adventures.

07.22 Now almost all processes atr the bus station are ready. We have come here, retrieved our tickets and left our luggage. All that remains is that the bus comes, we´ll go on board and additionally depart. It is a calm and quiet Saturday morning here in Trinidad.

07.45 The bus was already in place. It was a driver that was needed. We´ve got one now. On the bus are various common people. Here are the French family we travelled with before, a young couple from Sweden who think it's weird that it's so hot this early in the morning (poor people!) and so Christer and I.

08.35 Bananas, bananas, bananas everywhere bananas. Bunches of bananas hang in the trees. The landscape we are travelling through is flat and in the horizon are some green mountains.

The luggage is being loaded into the bus.

We are going through Ciego de Ávila.

09.24 We are driving through the provincial capital of Sancti Spiritus, the Holy Spirit. On the roof of one of the small houses in the city is a man in red shorts. This is one of many nice Cuban cities we must prioritize away. We do not have time to be everywhere during the two weeks here.

10.21 While I was away and got rid of some interior fluids the driver has stopped the bus to fill up with another liquid.

10.55 The driver just said "Ciego de Ávila, five minutes!” We have thus reached Ciego de Ávila, another big city that we do not have time to see. Two hours by bus remains on today's travel. We go just as before with Viazul. I hope it goes smoothly and that we arrive according to schedule. The city we are in has at the drive through not impressed me.

11.23 The clopping of hooves and the whining from of wheels is heard. We have made it 20 kilometres east of Ciego de Ávila and have stayed here for a 45 minute food break at the Finca El Oasis. Oasis sounds great. We are at a small serving place at the side of the road with trees around.

12.11 The break is over. Passengers have done things that people sometimes need to do. They have been able to eat, drink, visit the toilets and make various small purchases. In my case it was to queue up for and then drink an espresso. Despite the large number of people who sat down here it was us that the restaurant's dogs came to visit. We still do not know if it's our smell or kindness that attracts the world's dogs to us.

After 3-4 hours on the bus it´s time for a lunch break.

Finca El Oasis.

Christer and a few local dogs.

Sometimes a bus gets delayed.

12.54 Our next destination and getting off the bus-place is getting closer. I hope we meet a person with a note with Christer's name on it. This has been promised but it is not always so that this match reality.

13.26 Here we are, after almost five hours of travel, almost there and what happens? The sky turns gray and many and heavy drops fall. Why should it rain right now and here? Suddenly I'm not so eager to get off.

14.07 The bus arrived in Camagüey. The rain has just stopped. We didn’t stay long at the bus station. During the short stop here a man asked Christer if he might possibly be Natalie. Another man asked if I was Velasques. We went to a man with a note that read, "Chistor". It was our man. The other day Christer were called Katrin and now a man wondered if he was Natalie. Do we have a feminine look? We stepped into a car of older model and headed towards the city centre to the accommodation "Los Vitrales" Here we first were briefly inside the room 1. Now the backpacks are outside of room 2 waiting for the cleaning of the room and the recording us.

14.56 Our host, the architect Rafael Requejo gave us intense and useful information about the city, attractions and more. Now we will shower before we return to reality. We have ordered dinner at 20.00. We will dine with a Czech-Belgian couple, we have been told.

15.11 In our room, the owners have put up statistics were their guests came from. Sweden is in 24th place, clearly distanced by countries like Slovenia, Hungary and Israel to mention some.

15.35 Just as I was about to shower, I discovered that someone had called me. I sent a text message to the person asking what it was about. Once back, it turned out that the person called again. I rang up and a confusing conversation followed. I did not catch his name but I introduced myself anyway. He said that the management did not need to know anything. This was followed by a clarification from me, I am Peter Johansson from Bjästa, right now in Cuba. What is Cuba? the man asked. I explained and he excused himself. He apparently had the wrong number. Mysterious!

In the green garden at Casa Hospedaje Colonial - Los Vitrales.

Outside our room - soon we´ll move in.

Here we will sleep in Camagüey.

Christer is walking on the streets of Camagüey.

Iglesia del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús.

Like in any Cuban city, the streets are filled with beautiful cars.

15.52 We left our new home after some minor problems. It was a little hard to open the front gate. We stay next to the small Parque Martí where the grand church Iglesia del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús is located. Hope we do not get lost here. Camagüey is known for its labyrinthine network of streets where the streets constantly bends in different directions. It is said that the city has been built so to confuse attacking pirates but it has never really been proven that it really was so.

16.08 After going a few blocks to the square/park Parque Ignacio Agramonte, we are now at Café Ciudad for an afternoon coffee. We have promised the host people to ring the bell when we want to be let back in.

16.21 Recently we received an invitation to a cultural event, some exhibition. It would take place in a house at the park somewhere outside of here. The inviter was a young woman at the next table. We just got some coffee and sandwiches.

16.30 A young man in dreads came into the cafe and walked over to the table where the inviting woman with friends sat. From his bag he discreetly picked up a dark, long-necked bottle and poured some a liquid in a glass. A guy at the table drank the content and the company withdrew.

17.02 Christer came up with the proposal that we should skip the cultural event. We actually have a city to discover. We walked slowly back home, saw a cycling man who sold mango. He was sure to cry out that he sold just mangoes. Another cycling guy cried out as well. He thought that we would give him a dollar. We did not think so. Once home, I had forgotten what we promised and tried to open the gate. We got help getting inside and I got reminders from the girl who let us in. Ring the bell!

Christer is resting at Café Ciudad.

Café Ciudad, Camagüey.

Peter finds the right route in Camagüey.

Typical Camagüey street.

19.35 We are, while waiting for hunger and the time for dinner to show up, talking about past trips we made. We recall that we once moved around by train in small areas in Europe. We were governed by the guidebooks from Rough Guides and train times in a timetable book from Thomas Cook. That we would make trips like this outside of Europe was a utopia, almost a joke. This was too in the days when the travel budget did not allow taxis or hotel stays.

21.01 Today's dinner was delicious. We were served fruit cocktail, vegetable soup, chicken, rice and vegetables. Afterwards we had tasty cheese, sugary mess and coffee. We impressed the couple at the table by correctly predicting their descent. When the biggest surprise had subsided, we told them that we were in possession of knowledge. The Czech girl was amazed when I told her I could hear on the accent that she was from the Czech Republic or Slovakia. She thought I was some kind of a linguist before we revealed that Rafael told the truth earlier today. The guy in the couple, he from Belgium, had been in Sweden. He had been in Christer's hometown, Sundsvall. Furthermore, he believed that he had been in Uppsala. There he had taken by train from Arlanda and had arrived after six hours. I said you can manage to walk between Arlanda and Uppsala in six hours. The conclusion was that it was probably Sundsvall he had taken the train to.

23.24 Christer and I have spoken about different things. We have wondered about upcoming trips. What can be covered, what do we have time to see? Now we will get some sleep.