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Musicians play in one of the squares. You can hear a bit of it below |
The atmosphere in Trinidad was decidedly different. It was very
friendly and relaxed, prices were reasonable and not a single person
hustled me or ripped me off. The scale was more human too, with most
places within walking distance. Realising that I would lose at least one
day, usually two every time I travelled by bus, I decided that it would
be better to spend my limited time in Cuba visiting one or two places,
rather than trying to cover a lot of ground. This UNESCO recognised
World Heritage site was definitely worth a visit.
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| Main square in Trinidad |
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| Horses and carts still ply the cobbled streets and they are still used for deliveries, not just for ferrying tourists. |
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| Typical street but behind those modest facades are elegant courtyards
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Luckily there was an Australian girl who spoke excellent
Spanish staying in the same Casa and we were able to go out together for a meal in the evening. We also shared the cost of a cab to
visit a nearby National Park, all steamy and tropical where we swam in a
waterfall. The way down was easy enough, but I almost expired on the
way back. Just when I thought I couldn't go another step and prepared
to lie down and die, a man with horses magically appeared. Alas, I didn't beat Rachael back as I'd hoped, nor the gungho Israelis who had just come from a Capoeira (a dance -like martial art) conference and
ran all the way up, but I think that was one of the best five dollars I ever spent, though I did feel rather sorry for the horse having to slog uphill through the mud with me on its back.
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| Cooling off in a waterfall |
Afterwards we were just enjoying a well deserved coffee when there was a flash of
lightning and a crack of thunder so loud that I almost landed in
Rachel's lap. This was followed by a torrential downpour and we were completely drenched to the skin before we made it back to the cab. The next day Rachael went horse riding but I went to the Valley de Los Ingenios where there were quaint houses and sugar mills from the C19th. There was also a large tower from which they used to watch the slaves. Alas, I only made it to the first level of three or four levels because my legs ached so much. I'm glad I didn't go horse riding!
On the way back I had to run the gauntlet of the ladies selling handcrafts - they are renown for their fine lacework. After I had bought one small item from a heavily pregnant woman "for the baby," that was it. I was mobbed by all the rest offering 2, 3 and more for the same price as I had paid for the first. I ended up with five of these small placemats and nothing else, though they all tried to fit me for a blouse as well after I showed passing interest in one. Ten points for salesmanship or should I say saleswomanship!
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View from the first level of the tower at the Valley de Los Ingenios, another World Heritage site
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