Playa Giron (Bay of Pigs)

Travel Stories - Cuba

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introduction

Playa Giron is THE place where the invasion of the Bay of Pigs in 1961 by Cuban emigrants was carried out and totally failed. Financed and planned by the CIA but mainly carried out by Cubans who wanted to carry out a counter-revolution on Cuba and Fidel Castro. With six boats they sailed and trained in Nicaragua from this country towards the Bay of Pigs.

The plan failed because in spite of air raids on Cuban airports, President Kennedy canceled further air actions and so the Cubans returned to the air in the air, resulting in a relatively easy victory by Fidel Castro and his army. The battle would last three days. There is an interesting museum, although the village is uninteresting. For the big hotel that dominates the city is a beautiful piece of beach and further away you can enjoy the sun, sea and beach.

The hotel gives you the opportunity to enjoy a beautiful swimming pool for free.

Arrival in Playa Giron

It is half past two in the afternoon when I have waited after hours on the road in Cienfuegos when a truck finally arrives. People come from afar and when they are closer I notice that they all have a small piece of paper with a number in their hands. How do they get there now? The truck is full but I have forced myself forward so that I can grab a seat next to my big bag.

The ride takes about 2 hours, the man says to me and I feel my ass already (waiting for hours) before I drop on that wooden bench. We indeed stop at every corner, it seems, when we leave the cities and villages behind us and for hours, it seems, drive through a kind of swamp area as I had already seen on the map. The two hours will be 2.5 hours and will be 3 hours. Almost everyone has now stepped out and I am also told to leave. When I leave the truck I’m almost immediately dragged into a casa. I feel my chest and get my business cards out of my pocket;

I know for sure that those people of that "casa" also charge 15 CUC and I do not want to pay more. It is pointed out to me (so probably these people wanted to ask much more) and I walk through someone else's house to find a way in a small side street. My intended sleeping place is full but I am told to walk along. I meet a man and woman who also have a room for rent. The room is fine, the people even speak some English and I drop my bag in my room, talk to the residents for a bit and decide then to walk into the town or village.

The Batista era

The little street where I got caught doesn’t very appealing; the street consists of sand, rubble and gravel and there are many unfinished houses. Chickens and stray dogs scurry around looking for something to eat. When I arrive at the main road I choose not to walk towards the museum and big hotel but opposite. At a local supermarket (cart) I buy a can of Coke and walk towards the beach.

There are some iron obstacles in the landscape but whether these are also related to the "invasion" remains uncertain. Between two small poles I come on a terrain full of holiday homes (or at least they look like that) but it is completely empty. Now I see that all the houses are closed -sealed off - and nobody is living here anymore. Later I would realize that these maybe are fom the "Batista" time when a lot of American tourist where staying here or maybe locals on holiday earned with American dollars.

Arriving at the waterline I see on one side a beautiful white sand beach with palm trees and on the other side a large piece of iron concrete which looks like a bunker and a bit further a white watchtower. I wouldn’t be surprised if this lookout was the one that discovered the boats of the (American) invasion of 1961. I decide to walk to the white beach and while I look at the terrible ugly high stone wall that has been erected in the water (later I would read a kind of basin to swim) I walk to the stone stairs that lead me to the big hotel where I read over and over again.

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Relax on the invasion beach

A very large swimming pool, white plastic sunbeds and a souvenir shop. I actually walk along the pool assuming that I am being sent away here very fast since I am not a guest. If that is not the case, I can ask again if I can order a beer, so that I can still use and enjoy the late sun.

Unfortunately I do not get the beer for free this time but a little later I’m lying on a lounger in the sun next to a beautiful big pool to enjoy with two beers (you have to get two for 1 CUC). When the sun goes down and I have to go back (I have arranged for dinner at 7:00 pm) I walk back to my "casa". The man is a fisherman and told me that he would prepare delicious fish fillet tonight. The food is delicious and too much.

I chat with the owners and then walk back into my room to update my diary and read my book about the invasion of the Bay of Pigs – the place I just visited.

Playa de Pinas

The next morning I am awakened by an orchestra of roosters who can be heard all around my room. It seems they are sitting just next to my window outside. After the perfect breakfast I walk to the museum where I meet an Austrian couple who asks me if I might be interested to drive to Havana tomorrow - they have to go that way anyway and they wouldn’t mind.

In the afternoon I decide to walk to a small sandy beach – it’s parallel along the beach and decide then from there to walk to the Playa de Pinas beach. Groups of palm trees and behind them other greenery that provide relief from the strong wind and the bright burning sun. I find a place under the trees and put the towel down that I have taken from the casa. After a while I walk back in the afternoon; First I come across the large watchtower that is almost destroyed by the hurricane. It is a strange experience here - pieces of stone and wall have been broken away by the pressure of the sea and a little further on the very ugly sea wall begins.

Back in the casa I meet some neighbours; when they leave we watch some TV together and it turns out the owners have cable. They receive foreign channels, which is actually not allowed they tell me. We drink some rum together and then I go to my bed. Tomorrow I’m leaving together (hopefully) with my Belgian friends to Havana, the capital, my last destination in Cuba.

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tips & advice (2013)

Buses stop at the junction with the large hotel and the main road (local buses) and the Viazul buses stop at the large car park in front of the hotel. There is a daily bus (12:00) to Varadero and at 18:30 a bus goes directly to Havana. Costs are about 10 CUC to Varadero and 15 CUC to Havana.

Name: Museo Giron

Address: Next to the "Villa Playa Giron" hotel (large hotel)

Price: 2 CUC entrance fee (1 CUC extra for the film)

Time: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Content:

If you are interested in history and specifically in the invasion of the Bay of Pigs of 1961, then this museum is a must-see. It is not really big - it has two large rooms with display cases full of photos, attributes, letters and posters on both sides with larger weapons (mortars and anti-aircraft guns) in the middle. It is constructed in a chronological way and gives a good picture of the 3-day battle.

Disadvantage I found that the information given is properly anti-American (propaganda). At the front (in the garden) of the museum are two tanks on display and a plane from the invasion. Behind the building is a truck, tank and one of the boats used by the attackers (including a black skull). The film (you have to ask for it) takes about 15 minutes and is definitely worth it because there is generally so little footage about this CIA instructed attack.

Opposite the museum is a small bar behind a row of shops where you can order a beer in the shade and sit at the tables, but also eat. Spaghetti is on the menu (40 pesos) and is something else than the other stuff you get in Cuba and worth it for this amount.

Name: Hostal Edith

Address: Casa # 353 A (cienaga de zapata)

Price: 15 CUC (excl.)

Phone nr. : 52279617

Content:

Probably you would not choose this casa (better: you probably can’t find it) if you do not know the name or address. It is located in a street behind the main street and I came there by accident. Advantage of such a street is that it is always much quieter in terms of people and traffic than the main street and the places are cheaper. This sweet couple has two rooms with a shower/wc inside the room.

The shower is warm and the rooms are clean. In my room (the rear) there was a 1p and a 2p bed. That made it somewhat small. There is an AC and there are two small tables. The woman (Edith) speaks some English and can be provided breakfast (3 CUC) and dinner (about 7 CUC). The dinner (fish fillet) was huge and a real feast - fresh fish with rice, salad, fruit juice and fruit.

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