Before leaving the marina for a night in town, Rutger und Victoria casually mentioned to Dayan, the affable night security guard that they planned to eat at the Paladar El Criollito. Very good he nodded in approval. Rutger und Victoria cycled into town, past one of many al fresco domino games and half an hour later arrived up outside the restaurant to be greeted, as if old friends, by Juan Carlos who, fully informed of their impending arrival, showed them to one of five empty tables and beaming the smile of a child picked up his double drum, sat down next to his older guitarist friend and said " Por favor, disfruta la musica espactacular".
Rutger und Victoria are always looking for music and in Cuba the expectation is so much higher. Here in a simple little dining room with pleasant but unmemorable food the night was made by the joy and smiles Juan Carlos brought to his songs of Cienfuegos, Cuba, its struggles and triumphs .. "Hasta siempre Commandante, Che Guevarra".
By 9.00 the dining room was full and Juan Carlos retired, with a big meaningful roll of the eyes, saying he had to play a gig for some Navy and Police brass. Rutger und Victoria moved on to the swanky Union Hotel . Here in the Restaurante 1869 and on the roof top terrace bar with views out over the Parque Central and beyond it is easy to imagine Benny or the Trio Matamoros getting their groove on. In the Hotel's hey day Son bands would have played the night away to crowds of high styled wealthy Cienfuegans. Today Rutger und Victoria share the view with one lonely couple sipping on their mojitos so they return to the dark streets and cycle a few blocks to a community center housed in a crumbling, once sumptuous, townhouse that has a small gathering on the street outside. Inside a large crowd of mostly over 50's sit around tables in groups of six or eight drinking beer and rum, talking animatedly while they wait for the first act. A truly terrible "lounge" singer takes to the mike and the crowd goes wild ... sort of, taking to the floor in a slow motion bump and grind that brought Lawrence Welk to mind.
One beer here was enough for our intrepid music seekers so it was on to "El Cubanisimo" another cultural center, this time packed to overflowing with under 30's waiting for the 11.00 opening of Obba Ilu. Cuba, famous for Son, Rumba, Cha-Cha and Salsa is now in the grip of African roots music, the polyphonic chant and complex drumming rhythms of which emanate from numerous venues until the early hours every night.
When the band laid down their congas and turned the floor over to the DJ Rutger und Victoria, their "Old Europe" eyes feeling very sleepy, cycled back the few blocks to the marina to sleep off a great night in Cienfuegos.