Last Days in Cuba

    I spent my last two weeks in Cuba split between Cienfuegos and Trinidad to be able to witness more Cuban baseball as well as immerse myself further in Cuban culture. I was able to just take a bus ride from Havana to my Cienfuegos before I checked into my hotel on November 3rd. Given that my week in Cienfuegos was the last time I'd be able to experience Cuban baseball, I went to 3 games the first 3 days I was there. All three games were played at Cinco de Septiembre Stadium between the Cienfuegos Elefantes and the Matanzas Cocodrilos. 

Top of an inning in a Cienfuegos home game at Cinco de Septiembre Stadium

    Cienfuegos won the first two games by scores of 5-2 and 5-3 respectively behind strong pitching performances from César Rondón and Camilo Hernandez. Catcher Richel Martínez put in the best batting performance with 4 hits, 2 runs, 3 RBIs, and a home run over the two games. It was fun to see the home team win, but the third game brought a lot of excitement when Matanzas walloped the Elefantes 12-1. Cocodrilos pitcher Yamichel Hernández put on a clinic tossing 8 innings, striking out 9 batter, and only allowing 3 hits and a run. The offense was spread throughout the entire lineup, but DH Javier Rodríguez had quite a game with 3 RBIs, 1 run, 2 hits, and a triple in just 3 at bats. It was an absolute blast for my last Cuban baseball game on the trip.

    Before departing on a bus towards Trinidad, I spent the rest of my week in Cienfuegos at various places and activities such as a cabaret show, Guanaroca Lagoon, a couple cemetaries, El Nicho Waterfall, and José Martí Park. I had a short walk from my B&B in Trinidad to Plaza Mayor, which essentially acts as the historical center of the city and was a great place to go sightseeing and spend time in. Within Plaza Mayor, I visited the Museo Historico Municipal, a museum dedicated to exploring the history of Trinidad and its surrounding areas. I also got to marvel at the Iglesia Parroquial de la Santisima Trinidad, the largest church in Cuba, and the statue inside known as Christ of the True Cross.

A view of the Museo Historical Municipal from inside its courtyard

    I visited more museums and churches during my time in Trinidad, most notably including the Museo Romantico, the Museum of Colonial Architecture, the Casa de Aldeman Ortiz, and the Museo Nacional de Lucha Contra Bandidos. However, I had a ton of fun and relaxation at Playa Ancon. I spent a couple days just chilling on the beautiful beach and taking everything in because you kind of have to with how amazing Cuba's beaches are. I knew I would've had to take at least a couple moments to enjoy it. It capped of my month long excursion in Cuba perfectly and on such a great note.

More Baseball... In Cuba!

    For the next two weeks of my trip, I stayed at the guest house, Casa Carmen, in Havana, Cuba, hoping to see some more baseball action like I did in the Dominican Republic. However, since there was a break in the season for about the first week I was there, I got to experience some other stuff first. One of the great things in Havana was Old Havana, just a beautiful neighborhood (also a UNESCO World Heritage site) to walk around and take in the locals and their culture. The best parts of Old Havana were Plaza Vieja, the main square filled with art and liveliness, and El Malecón, a stunning 5-mile long boulevard between the sea and the city.

Plaza Vieja in the center of Old Havana

    I also went to nearby places to learn about the history of Cuba alongside its unique culture. I visited the breathtaking Plaza de la Catedral as well as Finca Vigía, the home of Ernest Hemingway for 22 years while he lived and wrote many of his most famous works in Havana. I visited the Museum of the Revolution which essentially detailed the entire history of Cuba and the events that led to Fidel Castro's successful uprising. I also got to see the Museum of Fine Arts which had a very nice collection of Cuban and international works. I also visited some of the beautiful beaches there because they were too good to pass up.

    Now, I couldn't miss my absolute favorite activity, especially in Cuba, watching baseball. The Cuban National Series has a long history and is another one of the respected Latin America baseball leagues. Fidel Castro even played baseball in Cuba when he was a young spry lad. I was able to see two of Industriales' home games at Estadio Latinoamericano given the awkward timing of my arrival and the schedule of the winner series. 

An Industriales batter and a Las Tunas catcher watching the baseball after it was hit

    The first game I went to on October 27th saw the Industriales Leones beat out the Las Tunas Leñadores 6-4. The Leones exploded for 5 runs in the third inning and held steady behind their starter, Erlis Callava. Yoalkis Rondón picked up the loss for the Leñadores while Wilfredo Jiménez, the designated hitter for Industriales, put up the best offensive performance with 2 hits, a home run, 1 run scored, and 2 RBIs.

    The next game I saw on the 29th, Las Tunas got their revenge, whipping the Leones to a 7-0 victory. Yander Morales pitched 6 shutout innings to get the win for the Leñadores over Angel Jiménez of the Leones. Las Tunas spread their 7 runs out over 4 innings with help from catcher Rafael Alvarez' stellar performance. He put together 3 hits in 4 at bats including a home run, 2 RBIs, and 2 runs scored. While these Cuban baseball games didn't have the same star-power seen in the Dominican Republic, they were still an absolute joy to watch and experience.