14ymedio, Matanzas, May 8, 2024 — With the sunset, the streets of Matanzas lose vitality. Years ago, the live shows that illuminated the night emigrated to Varadero, and the “recreational” offers of the State have headed, one by one, into extinction. For those looking for entertainment in Matanzas, there are the bars inaugurated by private individuals and some nightclubs that survive State management, which can be entered only with money – and a lot – in hand.
Deceived by the lights, the views and the confluence of bars and cafes, Cubans who plan to spend a pleasant night approach Narváez Street, on the bank of the San Juan River. Prices soon destroy any aspiration to see the boats pass by with a beer or a coffee in hand. “An espresso costs 120 pesos, a beer, 400, a Neapolitan pizza, 800. Who can afford that?” complains Yandro, 19, who is no longer surprised by the situation.
“To pass the time, my girlfriend and I come and sit on this little boardwalk, next to the river, which is the only place where they don’t demand an arm and a leg,” he says, resigned.
Asked about other places in the city, Yandro says that when they have money, they prefer to go to La Salsa, a discotheque located in the Peñas Altas district, east of the city. “I like it because it’s a larger space. From time to time there are singers and live music. You can drink beer and prepared drinks at a very acceptable price. And the karaoke on Sunday is good, right?” he asks his girlfriend.
The problem, he emphasizes, is that “it’s not easy to get transportation there, and less so at night, when you have to do everything on foot. Taking a máquina* from La Vígia, my neighborhood, to Peñas Altas is very expensive. When you arrive in Athens, El Bahía or La Salsa, you are now broke, which forces us to save twice as much to go out for a single night,” he explains.
El Bahía, with a view on the sea, looks like the ruin of an old beach ma
