The quiet town of Amancio, is located 42 km south of Guaimaro in the province of Las Tunas on the way to the south coast and its seaport, Puerto Guayabal (photos above). After the arrival of the United States as a colonial power, the sugar cane fields located in what was named Hato Viejo were sold in 1890 by Salvador Cisnero Betancourt to an Asturian family from Spain named Rionda y Polledo. These settlers started harvesting in 1902 with a first production of 67,620 sacks of 325 pounds (libras) each. In 1930, workers organized when Arsenio Yero Alvarez founded the first communist cell. In 1949, Amancio Rodriguez, secretary general of the Sindicato Azucarero was assassinated along with colleague Jose Oviedo Chacon because of their efforts to demand better working conditions at the Central Francisco Sugar Company. Once a meeting point of Camilo Cienfuegos and Che Guevara during their battle to liberate the island, the town used to be named San Diego de Buena Ventura. Still a site of a huge (15,000 hectares) sugar mill installation, its local economy still depends on installations established in 1902 which produce alcohol, rhum (Conde de Cuba, Corsario and Sevilla brands), sugar, bagasse, honey, molasses and other sweet and addictive stuff. The town thrives culturally — built as it were on old campesino legends, serenades, the trios and quartets, the bembé (religious happening of African origin), music of the organs of the east, culinary art, vegetarian habits, all the way to present-day carnavals summing up a lovely mixture of idiosyncrasies. A song by Benny Moré is famous here if only because of its title : "Francisco-Guayabal", refering to the train route from the Francisco sugar mill to the port of Guayabal. DISTANCES Cayo Romero, 107 Cayo Sabinal, 124 Camaguey, 122 Colombia, 30 Florida, 1162 Gibara, 203 Guaimaro, 42 Guayabal — south coast, 18 Holguin, 170 Jobabo, 31 La Habana, 650 Las Tunas, 90 Marti, 57 Nuevitas, 94 Playa Santa Lucia, 132 Puerto Guayabal, 19 Puerto Padre, 142 Santiago de Cuba, 295 Santa Cruz del Sur, 57 MAPS & LINKS Regional Map — South Coast, Camaguey - Guayabal Regional Map — South Coast, Camaguey - Las Tunas Regional Map — Amancio to Las Tunas Geography and natural attractions of province Yaquimo, local cultural web site Amanciero Soy, local blog by Rafael Aparicio Weather (Wunderground) Viazul bus going by Guaimaro — Rutas 16 and 24 Island-wide bus connections (horariodebuses.com/) Daily exchange rates POPULATION 47,333 in regional municipality, of which 41,000 in Guaimaro, the town (2007)

Public space in memory of Amancio Rodriguez © tank6b, flickr.com

Casa de la Cultura © sundero Panoramio •]• Casa de la Musica © sundero Panoramio

Campismo on the coast, 17 km south is not open to tourists, only Cuban workers and is named Playa Guayabal © Sundero, panoramio

Hurricane Ike's passage in Amancio, september 2008 © Cuban TV Newscast on youtube

SEE.KNOW.DO
• The large central park, • Festival de la Juventud y los Estudiantes

EVENINGS
Casa de Cultura • Casa de la Musica

PLAYAS
On the south coast, at some 18 km, the seaside town of Puerto Guayabal has huge seaport and a beach and a campismo named Playa Guayabal

SUGGESTED CASAS
V = suggested by travelers or owners but not verified by the webmaestro. • Try to reserve at least one week ahead; you must reconfirm by phone 24 hours before arrival. Otherwise, your reservation may be cancelled. • Children 16 and under may share parents' bedroom at no charge only if there is an additional bed available. Mention the age of your children when making the reservation. Comments and suggestions webmaster @cubacasas.net

BOOK BY PHONE
• From Canada and the USA : 011 53 (add phone # preceded by 31 for Amancio).
• From Europe, Great Britain, Scandinavia and Mexico : 00 53 (add phone # preceded by 31 for Amancio).


BOOK BY EMAIL : Click on logo to open a message addressed to that casa in your email application; or right-click to copy address showing at bottom of browser window. Spanish vocabulary here.

From Amancio Municipal Museum — Fotograma de Nuestra Historia
Archivo Fotográfico Museo amancio_at_tunet.cult.cu .

From left to right, calle D is ready for annual carnaval; workers' quarters; in Puerto Guayabal, unloading sugar from Macareño mill; Amancio Rodriguez Herrero and colleague Jose Oviedo Chacon, both murdered in 1949, victims of anti-union management of the town's Francisco mill; house of sugar mill administrator; masses on main street during San Francisco carnaval.

"Hot water (of course), air-conditioning, television are all part of the amenities. The place is clean and quiet. Parking available for a modical sum. Photos coming sometime in 2009. One of the best casas I have stayed in anywhere in Cuba. "

Rates : 25cuc per night for bedroom (2 pers. max.)

Suggested by Claude Boisjoly 11.11.08

One of many bucolic and quiet streets © Periodico 26