We left Cienfuegos around noon and after a lunch and about 2 hours drive, we arrived in lovely Trinidad. It was much older than Cienfuegos, having been settled in 1514, the same year as Havana. It was located about 12 kilometers inland to reduce it's vulnerability to pirates and corsairs. It was also built with roads running at different angles - our guide said this was another strategy to confuse potential invaders. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which will not surprise you at all when you get the flavor of the place.
One definitely felt one was in another world and time - the feeling that one really was back in Spain about 100 years ago, or more.
I start you off with this iconic picture. Why iconic?, you say. I choose it because it seems to me that wherever one is in the world, women are out in the early morning sweeping their stoops, and Trinidad was no different. It also shows the cobbled streets and the way that the house fronts drop immediately to the pavement - no porches, just big wooden doors opening onto the street. I also like the indifferent way the man is looking at me with his cigarette hanging out of his mouth! It also shows the hilliness and the curvature that was common in the streets. I also appreciate that it was too early for tourists, which were very abundant here!
This early morning photo also shows the charm of this city. You can see on the left the metal bars that allow people to have security, while still being able to watch events on the street and visit with people as they pass by. Like the man you see slightly to the left of center, it was very common to see people sitting on their stoops. In spite of the cobbled streets, there were cars and horse drawn carts. You can also see the Escambray Mountains in the background.
Many of the houses were painted in different colors - very Caribbean style. Again, notice the man sitting on his stoop and the metal window bars. If one took out the motor bike, electric pole and blue water tanks, it would be an ageless scene.
Not all was in good repair. There were many places that could have used a coat of paint.
However, some of the places that were in disrepair had a beauty that would be ruined by paint.
The casa particulare we stayed in was very colorful and had a beautiful courtyard and roof garden........
.......but the door leading into it was very unremarkable. This is one aspect of Cuban life I most enjoyed - the incredible contrast that sometimes existed between the public and the private.
Both afternoons we were in the casa, I noticed abuela - the grandmother - sitting in the window, watching the world pass. At that time of day the heat had dissipated and the curtain could be removed. At times, people stopped and chatted to her. Again, it felt like a timeless event.
The openness of the barred windows allowed me to glimpse into the lives of others as I walked around. This toy was near the window. The sign says 'For Sale', so e-Bay is not even needed! Because of the bars, it was secure.
It was common to see people chatting. Throughout Cuba, once outside the big cities, I had the sense that a lot of visiting goes on. It is worth noting, however, that one does not see phones in hands. Many people have phones, but it was often land lines ringing in the homes where we stayed.
I loved this scene of the children playing games on the street. It is possible they are there because it is cooler than inside, but they are supervised and it was a lovely sight.
Now Trinidad has a truly beautiful Plaza. Called Plaza Mayor, you can see that the world flocks to see it. By the time we arrived here, it was mid-afternoon and the thought that kept going through my head was 'only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun'. It was crowded, Both Fran and I were hot and quite tired after trekking around Cienfuegos that morning. Because of the lack of vegetation and the heat reflecting off the cobbled streets and buildings, it was unrelenting. This was the one time on the trip that we bailed out on the activity and skipped a museum visit. This was a bit of an issue, as we had signed an affidavit that we would participate in everything to satisfy the American State Department requirements for the People to People licensing, but happily we called it heat exhaustion and all was OK. A nap and quiet dinner, along with finding a restaurant that actually supplied wi-fi, set things right!
Here's another glimpse of the plaza in the early morning. I particularly liked the ceramic 'urns' it had.
We spent two nights in Trinidad, but the second day, we left town to dip in a nearby waterfall and after lunch spend the afternoon at the beach.
There's no denying the coolness of the waterfall was appreciated. There were a number of other groups there, but it was easy to access. It is called El Cubano. We saw wasp nests and a traditional 'bohio campesino' (farmer's hut), which served as the ranger's accommodation.
You can tell I really liked Trinidad. I will leave you with a few more random images.
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| He was not crying out that they were for sale |
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| I noticed this guy leave his home with his garlic and onions. |
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| He must have had a regular route. I was quite pleased when I saw him later at a home where it looked like he'd made a sale. |
In spite of the cobbled roads, Trinidad, like every other Cuban town we visited used horse carts to carry on the work of the day. The rubber tires certainly helped cut down noise.
I'll leave you with this night time scene. It was in the heart of the tourist center, but the splash of bougainvillea, along with the yellow of the building and lights was very appealing. It was right next to where we ate. There was live music all around and even though getting on for 11 pm, it was still very crowded and active.
Tomorrow, sadly, back to Havana. Our trip was nearly over.
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