25 December 2025, Holguin to Gibara, 34km
Casa Luna $24 (R432)

As in South Africa, few in Cuba can afford a backup system to a failing power grid. As in South Africa, blackouts are slowly killing businesses and (what remains of) the economy in Cuba.
This evening, at a decent and attractive restaurant near our casa, serving a Xmas special*, only two tables had been occupied and served before the lights went out. They had no backup lighting even (a serious oversight on their part) so the owner or chef put his cell phone torch on and propped it against the condiments on our table to provide us with a blinding light. When we protected our eyes from the light with our sparkling wine, our food was cast into darkness!
*Soup, salad, roast chicken with rice n beans, rice pudding and a bottle of Spanish sparkling wine. Most of it fairly standard fare, but fresh and tasty and filling...
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It poured with rain for several hours in the night. At 0800, the temperature was a pleasant 24°, but the humidity 96. Simply turning one's head to greet a partner on Xmas morning, broke out the sweat!
We had a lovely ride back to Holguín, stopping a couple of times for something to drink or nibble, most home and more formal shops and cafeterias being open.
We were caught in a brief but heavy downpour, lightning too close for comfort, and we're soaked to the skin. Charl sê ek lyk soos 'n nat hoender (Charl says I look like a wet hen).
We were pleased to see that the selling stool placed on the verge outside a very modest rural hut, contained a different pumpkin for sale today than that seen yesterday - we assume a sale had been made of one of the three items the owner had on display.
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Some odd sods...
One is not always provided in restaurants with a serviette! Tonight we had to lick chicken grease from our fingers, then rub them against each other to dry them.
Cycling back into Holguín, we encountered a beggar, one hand held out hoping for cash, the other holding his grossly swollen testes on display. A shock!
In a humid climate, salt never runs and one must always unscrew the salt shaker lid to access the damp seasoning. I doubt even Cerebos would run in Cuba!