The 16th century city of Trinidad lies in the Sancti Spíritus province and is a UNESCO world heritage site, and for good reason; it’s vibrant palette, abundance of cool old buildings and cuban cowboys on cobbled streets is a timewarp.
From the Belltower atop the Museo Histórico Municipal you can see the lay of the land; Trinidad city between the Escambray mountains and the white ribbon of sand on Playa Anćon beach.
Curiously, in the morning Trinidadian men head off to work with songbirds in delicate rectangular wooden cages, hanging these on the sides of buildings to stop for a chat, or setting them outside houses before going inside, as if it’s a pet dog. It is an old past time handed down through generations to keep the culture in Trindad alive. Up away from the crowded town centre it’s possible to hear the faint song of blackbirds and canaries.
In our world, where many of the daily rituals revolve around a screen with faces staring into iPhones on the subway commute, such disparate morning routines seem magical. This is changing though, the city centre square is a literal hotspot for Wifi and draws masses with the promise of a little connectivity.
Cuban people are resourceful, whether it’s learning how to make a buck with conveniently placed mojito stand, repurposing a natural cave for an underground nightclub or managing the upkeep of their vintage cars with next to nothing.
It’s not long into our ambitious ride out to Playa Ancón that we learn the consequences of off-roading on a cheap hired bike. 5km into our 12km trip we are stranded in the burning midday sun with a punctured tire.
Roja wheels up like a bike bandit, appearing from nowhere with everything he needs strapped to his bike. He opens up the tire, pulls out the inner tube and listens for the hole. Cutting a thread of string off the hand grip of his knife he pinches the punctured area and tightly binds the string around the puncture before popping it back in. He leaves with a big grin and a gesture which could only mean “stay on the road this time.” No more off roading in Trinidad.
Back to Havana
Our final night in Cuba is spent in a fancy Casa Colonial in Habana Vieja. Ornate, double height rooms with marble, mismatched patterned tiling, candelabras, bunches of faux grapes, and spiralling iron staircases winding to the terracotta rooftop with a view of the Malecón.
Nearby in Plaza Vieja there is a functioning Camera Obscura built to show a 360-degree view of the city on a concave viewing surface, which speaks to the photographic geek in me. Viewed from above, Havana is less of a technicolour wonderland; a revelation that many of the painted facades often end abruptly above street level, painted for the people. Up here is a whole new version of Havana; a family of chickens, a man hangs 30 lime green sheets and kids scale the side of a tower in the distance. It is a reminder that exploring perspectives beyond the tourist guidebook allows you to travel deeper, richer, higher; peeling back the layers to see what is underneath.
Cuba is undoubtedly on the edge of change, buoyed by tourism. Entrepreneurship is everywhere; from the casas particulares to the private taxis, to the paladeres. To see the country at this moment in time is to simultaneously experience the old and the new; embracing pieces of modernity while holding onto elements that Cuba is well known for. Exploring through the open doors and hearts of Cubans, and the open road in a collective with strangers truly is a lesson in slowing down and being present.
The flight back to snow crusted Brooklyn is a mere three hours, but a world away from the baked tropical Cuban heat. It still amazes me to think we’re sharing the same winter season. It takes a couple of days to adjust back to a life of excess; cellphones, internet and a bodega on every corner. I notice what’s missing is the familiar Latin music that has formed the soundtrack of our journey; the Cuban spirit, the vibe, dancing to music with a Canchanchara in hand.
Read more about my other adventures here:
Havana’s Colorful Soundwave
Red Earth in the Valle de Viñales
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