Another stopover town in mid-Cuba came as a relatively unexpected relief from the madness of Santiago. The pace of the place seemed very different and it was a real luxury to not be hassled in the street. The temperature was a welcome 5 or 10 degrees less and the first rain of my Cuba jaunt was actually nice to see (I never thought I’d say that).

A wander through the town centre was a little puzzling, there appeared to be actual shops. With things in them, how bizarre. I also noticed that the people were a bit more funky. Some youngsters with different style clothes and alternative looks, something I’ve not seen on the trip yet. Then I remembered that the town has a reputation as a home for artists and dancers. I passed many art studios and could have wandered in to any of them but preferred to look from the outside.

My accommodation was a little unusual. A kind of historic house complete with furnishings and fittings from 100 years ago, including a grandfather clock which chimes every 30 minutes playing the same tune as Big Ben. Quaint at 6pm but less endearing at 3am. No matter, my host was great and I enjoyed sitting down with him and his dog for a can of beer and a chat.

I ate well and mooched about the town the following day. There’s not much to see really, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. When I feel like an afternoon beer I usually try to find the spot where locals drink rather than the waiter service places where tourists go. These are not always easy to find, but you know when you’re there because they have people sat around with a big plastic funnel shaped dispenser in front of them. Three litres for about £5.

In Camaguey this came with a particular twist, the beer being served was some kind of home brew from a keg rather than the usual branded stuff. In my coffee cup (no glasses) it looked more like tea than beer and tasted pretty rank. Never one to back down from a challenge I had two before switching to the luxury of a can. If they had Trading Standards in Cuba it would probably be branded as ‘beer flavoured beverage’ rather than actual beer.

Anyway, I came away from Camaguey feeling somewhat refreshed after the drain of Santiago.