Day 14 Havana to Trinidad

Up at 6:30, breakfast and packed the bags. Then down to wait for our bus and another attempt at the internet. Heather actually got in and managed to send a message to Sarah. After many attempts I gave up

Jose was on time- as always. One of the most perplexing issues of this tour is that Heather and I are staying at a separate hotel to the others in the group? After the bags were stored, we set off for Trinidad, Cuba with a few stops along the long distance of 400 kms.

This time we passed through different countryside. A huge four lane highway, but often with no divider in the middle and sometimes not in very good condition. We still saw the use of the “live” fences, but now an occasional rock walls, using the vast quantity of rocks in the fields. This side seemed to have a few larger holdings. Lots of mango farms, sugar cane and cattle with some corn. I saw three tractors that had been made in the last ten years, but usually very old vehicles, not as many cars, many more people riding horses, horse drawn carts, people on bicycles, walking or waiting for buses/ transport trucks. We also saw people holding out cash in their hands waving at vehicles trying to get a ride. Lots of variously sized tour buses on the road. There are only two companies- Havanatours and one more. Both state owned.

Along every road you see huge billboards with sayings/ slogans about the revolution. The only other advertising is about resorts, nothing else. So the roads are clear of a lot of visual distractions. Possibly so you can be watchful of the odd cow that has escaped from the farm. Men sitting at the side of the road watching over cows, but usually grazing a horse on the long grass. Sometimes the horses/ goats were just tethered but usually where there was an animal grazing there was a man close by.

We passed by a huge area, which had been aerial sprayed by the Americans during the Cuban crises, effectively destroying the mango plantations to upset the economy and ruining the soil. It is now used for grazing cattle. We stopped at an “Indigenous zoo” which had a few animals native to Cuba and heard about the ones that were considered endangered. They raised money in the most fascinating way by using game of chance- a wheel of fortune. Of course we didn’t win and the place made some extra cash.

Group in "Australia"

Next stop was Australia! Yes there is a place in Cuba called Australia. We all had our photo by the sign and watched in amazement the vast number of horse drawn/ bicycle drawn vehicles pass by. Except for their modern clothes, it was like being on a time warp.

Lunch was at the crocodile farm. Magnificent gardens and the usual crocodiles, stalls, music. Of course I had to pay for the privilege of being asked to hold the crocodile and he chased after me to tell me that 25c was not enough it had to be 1 cuk! While we recognise that Cuba has a struggling economy and everyone is trying desperately to make money, as a tourist it is very wearing being asked for money every time you stop. What’s more the cuk = one euro. So for Australians it is a VERY expensive tip.

Gardens at the crocodile farm

The clouds were building, we could see rain in the distance and it was very hot. Our next stop was Cienfuegos - a real jewel of colonial classic architecture. The main buildings had been beautifully maintained. From the town we went to down to the harbour to visit a most spectacular hotel. Built during the peak of the sugar plantations as a private home in a Middle Eastern/ Indian/ Muslin theme.

Ceinfuegos
  

From here it was the last leg through hilly country, small farms, scrub, often along the coast to Trinidad. Despite the coast having crystal clear seas, the shore was often sharp rocks/ limestone with very few sandy coves. Of course the sky opened up and it teemed on the journey. Small towns were just awash with water.
The rain had almost stopped by the time we arrived at Trinidad. The others were in a hotel in the centre of town. Heather and I were far away up the hill to “The Caves”. Nice room, away from the main area, but you had to manoeuvre several steps. Thankfully one of the porters had our bags. I finally got on the internet here after another ordinary buffet dinner. It took about 45 minutes to be successful and I quickly put on as much as I could in the one hour. Heather’s kept dropping in and out.

A very late night after washing, downloading photos and then quite a bit of tossing and turning.

(Going to post this quickly. Today's clouds and thunder building.)