As you may have guessed, I spent the last week in Cuba, although not (as the song says) in Havana. Instead we stayed at a little village called Chivirico, about 90 minutes out of Santiago de Cuba and 840 km east of Havana.
Chivirico is a small rural community set between the mountains of Sierra Maestra and the Caribbean Sea. Our guide told us that 15,000 live in Chivirico but most stay in the mountains. My estimate is that 14,524 people live in the mountains since there was no where close to that number of people in the village. Having said that, there’s no doubt on the total population as the hamlet was well serviced with a school, a church, a couple markets, a farmacia and bus terminal. There was also a lot of goats. Not surprising since goats are the village’s namesake (chivo).
Where there are schools there will be playing fields. Cuba’s favorite sport is baseball and on this particular afternoon, I was treated to local game. Everyone participated, even the goats. And for those kids not old enough for the team, there’s lots of adventure to be had in the surrounding trees.
Chivirico, Cuba. 2018
The Sandy Chronicles 