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A Journey to Cienfuegos & Trinidad: Cuba's Tourist Friendly Cities. By Habeeb Salloum Continued next page. |
| WAVE Journey.com Women's Adventures, Vacations & Experiences ~ Your Journey Starts Here! |
I was half asleep as I stepped outside the front door of our hotel in the early morning darkness.
Barely seeing a bench I moved nearer to sit down. Startled, I almost sat down on a man
seemingly exhausted with his head in his hands. “Usted cansado (you tired)? I asked in my
broken Spanish. He stared at me, “Yo perro!” I looked at him not understanding what he was
saying. “Que (what)?” I asked. “Woof! Woof! Dog! I am a dog!” Still not understanding what
he meant, I asked, “Que! Porque (why) dog? He grinned explaining that he was a watchdog for
the hotel with very little pay, hoping that tourists would feel sorry for him and throw him a bone.
Barely seeing a bench I moved nearer to sit down. Startled, I almost sat down on a man
seemingly exhausted with his head in his hands. “Usted cansado (you tired)? I asked in my
broken Spanish. He stared at me, “Yo perro!” I looked at him not understanding what he was
saying. “Que (what)?” I asked. “Woof! Woof! Dog! I am a dog!” Still not understanding what
he meant, I asked, “Que! Porque (why) dog? He grinned explaining that he was a watchdog for
the hotel with very little pay, hoping that tourists would feel sorry for him and throw him a bone.
I was still laughing to myself as I with seventeen other
passengers boarded a tour bus for the charming city of
Cienfuegos and then the treasured town of Trinidad –
one of Cuba’s gems. I felt elated as the cool morning
breezes flowing through the open windows caressed
our bodies.
passengers boarded a tour bus for the charming city of
Cienfuegos and then the treasured town of Trinidad –
one of Cuba’s gems. I felt elated as the cool morning
breezes flowing through the open windows caressed
our bodies.
As we neared Cienfuegos after a three-hour drive, rice
fields began to appear amid the sugar cane and above
them the Royal palm, Cuba’s national tree, beautifying
the skyline. The most favoured of the country’s 89
species of palms, it is heaven-sent to farmers who feed
its fruit to their pigs and use its trunk and branches for
building their homes.
fields began to appear amid the sugar cane and above
them the Royal palm, Cuba’s national tree, beautifying
the skyline. The most favoured of the country’s 89
species of palms, it is heaven-sent to farmers who feed
its fruit to their pigs and use its trunk and branches for
building their homes.
As we entered Cienfuegos, I was amazed. Unlike other
cities in Cuba, the majority of its buildings gleamed
sparkling white in the sunlight. An industrial urban
centre of some 138,000, the city is a relatively modern
town, founded in 1819. Known as the ‘Southern Pearl
of Cuba’, it hugs the bright-blue Cienfuegos Bay and is
known as one of the most beautiful cities in the
country.
cities in Cuba, the majority of its buildings gleamed
sparkling white in the sunlight. An industrial urban
centre of some 138,000, the city is a relatively modern
town, founded in 1819. Known as the ‘Southern Pearl
of Cuba’, it hugs the bright-blue Cienfuegos Bay and is
known as one of the most beautiful cities in the
country.
We drove along the Prado, the longest promenade in
Cuba that terminates at the bay until we reached José
Martí Square in the heart of town. As we tumbled out
of our bus I remarked to one of my fellow travellers: “It
looks more attractive than a good number of North
American cities.” “I can’t believe it’s in Cuba.”
Cuba that terminates at the bay until we reached José
Martí Square in the heart of town. As we tumbled out
of our bus I remarked to one of my fellow travellers: “It
looks more attractive than a good number of North
American cities.” “I can’t believe it’s in Cuba.”
Driving for a few minutes we came to Valle Palace, a
replica of a part of the Moorish Alhambra Palace in
Granada, Spain. Even the Arab Nassrid kings of
Granada’s wa la ghalib ilallah (there is no conqueror
but God) is inscribed in Arabic on its walls. Once the
home of a count that must have been enamoured with
Spain’s Arab past, it now houses an antique shop, bar
and a restaurant, surrounded by Moorish type plaster
filigree - an exact copy of those in Alhambra. For me, it
appeared like a re-creation from the Arabian Nights.
replica of a part of the Moorish Alhambra Palace in
Granada, Spain. Even the Arab Nassrid kings of
Granada’s wa la ghalib ilallah (there is no conqueror
but God) is inscribed in Arabic on its walls. Once the
home of a count that must have been enamoured with
Spain’s Arab past, it now houses an antique shop, bar
and a restaurant, surrounded by Moorish type plaster
filigree - an exact copy of those in Alhambra. For me, it
appeared like a re-creation from the Arabian Nights.
Departing from this charming palace we left for
Trinidad, the third oldest city in the country, labelled
‘Cuba’s treasure’. The fairly good, but narrow road
wound its way through the foothills of the tree-
covered Escambray Mountains whose peaks rise to
over 1,000 m (3,280 ft). From 1959 to 1965 these
mountains provided a hiding place for contra-
revolutionary bands until Castro’s forces finely wiped
them out. There was little traffic and we made good
time as we drove along the Caribbean shoreline until
we reached Trinidad - a historic town of 60,000.
Trinidad, the third oldest city in the country, labelled
‘Cuba’s treasure’. The fairly good, but narrow road
wound its way through the foothills of the tree-
covered Escambray Mountains whose peaks rise to
over 1,000 m (3,280 ft). From 1959 to 1965 these
mountains provided a hiding place for contra-
revolutionary bands until Castro’s forces finely wiped
them out. There was little traffic and we made good
time as we drove along the Caribbean shoreline until
we reached Trinidad - a historic town of 60,000.
