Today, more than 200,000 inhabitants enjoy the flower-lined plazas, outdoor cafes, and modern city lifestyle. The first airport opened in 1930 and a second was built in 1978. There are no trains, just buses. Gasoline is three times as expensive as in the United States. I picked the Hotel Mencey in Santa Cruz, a Ciga hotel, at random, and it turned out to be the perfect location.
Minutes away is a botanical garden park of sculpture, fountains, and foliage-covered walkways.
On the corner of the same block is a small casino, convenient as a Store 24. This big hotel is in a quiet residential area. European styled and newly restored, the Mencey is fancy yet friendly. Always seeking spots off the beaten path, I found a bakery and tiny cafe with a courtyard in the old part of the city. In a park, I came across the 50-foot face of a clock made with flowers.