On the way to Pepito Tey, a load of sugar cane on the way to somewhere.
Politics is never hidden in Cuba.
The rural community of Pepito Tey is about 15km east of Cienfuegos, and made a very worthwhile visit one day for some of our group. There we were able to visit first graders at the local Escula, and we also came across older children who were so friendly that practicing our people to people skills was absurdly easy. The Pepito Tey community sits on what was once the Soledad sugar mill.
Poor rural communities seem to rely absolutely on horse and carts for transport.
There are serious potholes in Cuba, but here's a road gang in action with hot ashphalt.
All we could see of Soledad was the old master's homestead, intact but unrestored as others we have seen. What made this visit particularly memorable was that we could inspect artifacts from the mill, old photos, and most interestingly, page through some of the old ledgers which had been preserved. We saw old accounts, payrolls etc, written in quite legible copperplate and some typed. The mill closed in 2002.
This toothless local was happy to have his picture taken, but we have no idea what he was talking about.
He's probably telling this family of the strangers in town.
Detail of the Soledad sugar mill homestead.
We were able to look at these ancient ledgers from Soledad.
We were approached by a fellow who told Mike proudly (mostly by hand-signals and an old pic) that he was the driver in a photograph of an old sugar hauling steam train. This guy followed Mike around until he tipped him (you have to supplement your income in Cuba!), but the sugar-mill guide later assured us that the photograph was indeed of him.
The proud driver of this old sugar train, probably wistful about the old days.
A once-grand but typical run-down building, probably part of the sugar mill.
The first graders (about 5yo) at the elementary school were in class, having just been woken up from their nap (on hessian cots) to meet us, and to sing for us. They were as cute as buttons, but some of them were still a bit dozy. The classroom seemed to have a lot of teachers, but we think that was partly because of their unusual guests. The room was very warm, but not even a ceiling fan in sight.
Look at my plaits!
Having trouble waking up from her nap.
Totally focused on what the teacher is saying.
The older children were a more sophisticated bunch. They readily agreed to photographs, or at least the girls did and posed like professionals, and teased us by denying knowledge of English, when they clearly understood quite a bit. A couple of boys were absolutely fascinated by Mike's camera, and he let them use it a bit. They were quite unfamilar with viewfinders, probably quite at home with smartphones (although we didn't see any).
A poor town, but all children were immaculately dressed in clean school uniforms.
Expedition leader Cindy (who is fluent in Spanish and lives in Ecuador) wanted herself in a pic with the children
Soccer on the porch.
Other boys were too busy playing soccer on a concrete porch (the grassed areas were just too rough and littered) with a geriatric and sagging ball to bother with us. But they let us join in, and Mike even got a high five when he saved a goal!
The proprietor of the town store was happy for this picture, but then someone came in to buy an umbrella.
But this shop assistant seems to be dreaming of a better life.
Prices clearly marked. 25 pesos is $1. Amanecer is the name of the store, and means "sunshine".
Not many cars in this town, but here's one of them.
Bananas on the way to market, the driver watching us closely in his rear vision mirror.
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