Trinidad--a charming colonial city

view across Trinidad to Escambray Mountains

Sugar cane was the driving industry in Cuba for much of its modern history, fueled by large plantations and worked by slaves until the 1880’s.  Between Camaguey and Trinidad, there is a huge plain which used to be covered with sugar cane.  Many large sugar mills dotted the landscape, but when the sugar industry collapsed in the 1990’s after the fall of the Soviet Union, many of these factories were shipped to Venezuela.

tower at Manacas Iznaga

colonial building in Trinidad

We visited the plantation of one large sugar-producing family, Manacas Iznaga, where there is a beautiful old villa, some outbuildings and a tall tower left from the glory days.  The Iznaga family built the tallest tower in the area to impress the other families with their wealth.  These towers housed bells that set the rhythm of the day, from wake-up to going to the fields to end of the day.  They were also lookouts to search for slaves trying to escape to the nearby mountains, the Escambray.  Despite Cuba’s being an island where runaway slaves had literally nowhere to go, there were some runaway slave colonies in the most remote areas of the mountains where they were able to fend off their former owners who came searching for them.

typical colonial arched doorway

Trinidad is a charming colonial city with cobblestone (actually, pretty rough stone) streets, many plazas, old churches and convents, some museums, and lots of local art and music.  In fact, music is everywhere in Cuba.  It is completely ingrained into Cuban life and culture.  Almost every plaza has a restaurant or bar where musicians and bands play nightly and even through much of the day.  I am guessing that music is a vital outlet for the intelligence, energy and exuberance of Cubans who are restricted in so many ways from living the lives they imagine for themselves.

horse in shop doorway awaiting rider

The city is hilly as it meanders up to the Escambray mountains looming above it.  On the south side is the blue Caribbean, exceedingly calm right now, but which can be whipped to true fury during a hurricane.  There are many resorts along the coast, but they do not match U.S. standards.  The one we are staying in (because the hotel we wanted is full) has, in our room, no hot water, no water in the shower, tumbledown curtains on the windows overlooking the sea and more than enough mosquitos to keep us busy slapping and scratching.  The air conditioning is bountiful, thank goodness.  And, in the center of the historic part of the city is a really lovely hotel which is our intended destination when we bring a group here next year.

former palace in Trinidad

roast pork from street vendor