Trinidad

Trinidad
We left the casa at 6:30, barely more than 5 minutes to spare as we didn't get a wake up from our alarm.So we threw ourselves together and made the bus departure to Trinidad.We changed buses in Cienfuegos and it was a nail bitting trip to Trinidad.The bus wasn't as nice the road narrow and the driving fast, especially sitting at the back of the bus. When we arrived, we were met by a bicycle  and a fellow holding up our name.We loaded the bike seat up with our luggage as well as the luggage of a french couple from Bourgogne, France who were staying next door. She and I took turns riding the bike to the house for a lark. After checking in to Casa Yamluis, we went to the internet shop one street away ( the telephone company) and tried to access our account but could only do it through a google account (we didn't have the number so we couldn't)  so we went back to the house to get the info and returned to the internet. There we found out that the world is getting along very well without our interaction. We had a tasty dinner at the house; bean soup, the ubiquitous cucumber and tomato salad this time with shredded cabbage, pork with rice and fries, brochetta and flan, a bottle of white Spanish wine There is SOAP and shampoo in our room too.  We went to bed and slept until 9am.
It was a very plentiful breakfast, juice, coffee (very thick) with lots of hot milk, scrambled eggs, real toast with butter and jam, fruit plate with natural yoghurt, cookies, and the cheese and ham with buns that we didn't have room for.

Ali arriving at Yamluis hostel

Trinidad is a very nice architectural city from 1850 constructed from the wealth of sugar cane fortunes. It was designated as a UNESCO world heritage site in 1988. It has colonial mansions, French chandeliers, Spanish furniture and Italian frescos. We drank Mojitos, danced Salsa and Rumba to a band at the top of town. That evening we made arrangements at Infotur  for an adventure out of town the next day, and took an hour Salsa lesson working on di le nada, espejo and some turns.We went out for dinner in a very nice, small restaurant where a couple were playing, he percussion, she guitar and both singing.
February 14th, Valentines Day. We ate a sumptuous breakfast as usual and a Hyundai Santa Fe  picked us up at the house with our guide and a driver. The Taxi belongs to the government. First off we went to Spiriti Sanctus where there is a beautiful vista of the valley where the best sugar cane was grown in the past with mountains in the distance. (Valle de los Ingenios)
Then we went to the Hacienda Iznaga where we walked through the hacienda and climbed a tower on the property, 4 stories high on a wooden ladder.
The story goes that 2 brothers were in love with the same woman so they had a competition to win her. One built a tower more than 40 meters high and the other a well 20 meters deep, so the tower won.

The tower

View of the Hacienda from the tower

Ali swimming

Afterwards we walked in Park Baneo  where our guide pointed out 3 birds and we heard the Tocororo but never saw it. (the national bird of Cuba) There were leaves on the ground that you combine with hibiscus flowers (theirs are trees) for coughs, he picked anise leaves, and he cracked some almonds for us. He showed us some different fruit, a 200 year old mahogany tree, (they are protected)  and 3 lovely cascading waterfalls into the water that we swam in.it was deliciously refreshing.
We stopped for lunch that had been pre arranged with a local potato that was a bit starchy, black beens and rice, chicken and pork, tomato and cucumber salad and local beer. There were horse carts everywhere, trucks filled with people and bicycles everywhere.  Tomorrow we leave for Cayo Santa Maria.