Santa Clara's Che

Besides Che's monument, I had no idea what there was to see in Santa Clara or where to find them. I hailed a bicitaxi to take me to the main plaza, a good starting point, I figured. I started a conversation with the driver and he offered me a private tour of the town for a small price. I agreed and started the tour at Che's monument. Entrance to the mausoleum and museum took a long time waiting in the sun, especially for independent visitors, as tour groups were allowed to skip ahead again and again. But it was worthwhile, especially seeing displays of some of Che's belongs, like childhood photos, drawings, letters, his lab coat and medical instruments, and military uniforms and weapons.

The train monument was next, and it wasn't particularly interesting in itself. Only its history made it worth the visit. But the highlight was some 100m up the road across the train tracks. It was a life-sized statue of Che and a baby boy. Its likeness was striking, and nearly hidden in the creases of his clothes were tiny details of figures rock climbing, a figure on a motorcycle as a tribute to the famous diaries, among others. After lunch where I chatted to a bunch of Italians, and a stroll about the main plaza and souvenir buying, the tour was over and my chauffeur took me back to the bus station.