Day 8: Guantánamo

July 5, 2017

I leave the Campismo around 6am to enjoy the cool air.

The road is beautiful and flat for the start of the day.

The price of gasoline is relatively high, around $1.25 per liter. This is very high considering the average Cuban's monthly salary of approximately $20. Doctors' salaries are currently being increased to improve retention. A doctor earns $40 per month, depending on their specialty.

After 40 km, I find a little corner of paradise to take a dip.

I am now heading towards American territory: The Guantanamo naval base

Unfortunately, we can't get close to this base for security reasons. The Americans have two airports on this vast territory. Boulevards, houses, schools. There's even a border! There's also a plant that transforms salt water into drinking water. Finally, there's the infamous Guantanamo prison.

I went up to a lookout point to observe the area, but you can't see much. Here's what I actually saw!

After that, I completed the last 25 km to reach the Cuban city of Guantanamo. This legendary place is the birthplace of the song Guantanamera (which means Guantanamo, feminine in French), composed in 1928 by José Fernández Díaz. I saw young people playing volleyball in the street; the game was constantly interrupted by traffic.