Discovering a world beyond his own and meeting new people revived Mark Blomkamp’s energy levels and sent his spirits soaring!

An island in the Caribbean had fascinated me for some time. When you think of Cuba, you think of cigars, rum, salsa, sugar, Fidel Castro and Che Guevara. From the middle of March I spent almost four weeks there. I had three weeks in a casa particular (bed ‘n breakfast home stay) in Trinidad de Cuba. Music provided a soundtrack to my entire trip with bands playing in the streets, restaurants and paladares. Many of these bands were just playing for tips, but it was worth supporting them because they created such a great atmosphere.

From tobacco growers and slaves to mobsters and revolutionaries, Cuba is a 500 year old social experiment. I was curious about this island nation. Today, the longest standing socialist state in the western hemisphere boasts universal health care, free education and low crime rates. Yet there has been rationing, censorship and government control. Even today there is still limited telecommunication and I was basically incommunicado for just over one month. However, every house has a telephone, electricity, running water and flush toilet, colour TV and other amenities.They don’t own a car, but most own a bicycle. Nor do they have a personal computer. Some now have a mobile phone. And generally, they are happy.

I reached Trinidad de Cuba after a five hour bus trip from Havana. Viazul provides comfortable air-conditioned buses, leaves on time and is driven safely. Trinidad has a rail station and an airport but presently these services don’t function. Indeed, much of Cuba is, like its rambling buildings, in a state of disrepair. Trinidad has been described as a ‘living museum’. The city was founded in 1514 and it remains one of the best reserved colonial towns in the Americas. Trinidad is an historical and cultural treasure and has been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. It was like being a time traveller. Clocks in Trinidad seem to have stopped in the mid-1850s. I was woken with roosters crowing and horses’ hooves along the cobble stoned streets.

The casco histórico (old part) is easy to explore on foot and there is very little traffic. In fact, you are more likely to come across bicycles, horses and carts and donkeys than vehicles. Wandering along the narrow cobble-stoned lanes I saw architectural jewels, dating back to colonial times, such as pastel-coloured houses with balustered windows and red tile roofs; charming mansions bedecked with Italian frescoes, Spanish furniture, French chandeliers and Wedgewood china.

All roads lead to Plaza Mayor (the main square) where on one side is the Cathedral (la Iglesia Parroquial de la Santísima Trinidad) and the museums are also close by. I would recommend visiting three – Museo Romántico which belonged to the sugar baron, Brunet and has a fine collection of 18th and 19th century furnishings; Museo de Architectura, the former residence of another wealthy landowner, Iznaga, shows off the aristocratic splendour of a bygone era; and Museo de la Lucha contra Bandidos, a former convent which displays the struggle against the counter-revolutionaries in the early 1960s including the fuselage of the U2 spy plane shot down in 1962.

Music and dance are everywhere in Cuba and definitely provided some of the great highlights of my trip. I’d attended salsa classes last year for a month or two and was looking forward to practising with people who really knew how. Before arriving in

Trinidad de Cuba I had organised a class so that I could learn some basic steps and rhythms. Then every second night after dinner I would watch a band play at La Casa de la Música. It was a wonderful opportunity to interact with the locals, drink mojitos and occasionally try to dance as well.With sensuality and soulfulness at the core of salsa, it is usually danced together with a couple. But at La Casa de la Música the more experienced might dance in a group where partners were exchanged in a ‘rueda’ (wheel motion) which mixed fun and social interaction into an energising choreography.

Welcoming people is a genuine way of life in Cuba and one of the many surprises on this safe, peaceful tropical island. It is a caring society. The local people have no hesitation in sharing things, be it a cafecito (short black) in their homes or a lift in a motor vehicle. Speaking a little Spanish helps, because when a local hears that you are trying un poco espaňol, 9 times out of 10 you’ll be rewarded with smiles, friendly service and memorable travel moments. People talk to each other, whether they be strangers in a queue or a chance meeting in the street.

A fascinating sight, particularly on a Sunday morning is la esquina caliente (‘hot corner’) where a dozen or so adult men are shouting loudly at each other. At first, I was a bit concerned about this angry mob and what they were arguing about – pelota, the previous day’s games of baseball, the form of players and the match statistics.

In the evenings, the streets were alive – kids practising pelota (baseball) with a worn out tennis ball or even paper mâché; residents seated outside on their sillon (rocking chair);blokes with a table on the street playing dominoes; older chaps smoking cigars in the doorway; or TV blasting the neighbourhood with a telenovela (soap opera), game of pelota or news (at 8pm). In the bars and cafes folk gathered to drink una cerveza (beer) or ron (rum).

There are many other sights and activities in or near this museum city. About 8 km east is the historic Valle de los Ingenios (Valley of Sugar Mills).In the early 19th century French settlers arrived and set up over fifty sugar mills in the valley. It is also a World Heritage Site and contains ruins of old sugar mills, colonial manors, slave quarters, warehouses and other structures. One of the landmarks is the Manacas-Iznagas Tower which is the symbol of Trinidad.

About half an hour’s drive north is the Sierra del Escambray, a mountain range where visitors can see a number of springs and streams. Topes de Collantes is the main tourist mecca. There are walking trails through the forests with abundant fauna and flora, waterfalls and the Caburni River. Nearby you can also visit coffee plantations and caves.

Only 12 km south of Trinidad is a beautiful white sandy beach: Playa Ancón has three luxury hotels which will arrange boat cruises, fishing or diving expeditions. You can hire bikes from Las Ruinas del Teatro Brunet in Trinidad and it’s an easy 40 minute ride along the tidal flats to the beach. Another pleasant beach is La Boca, about 8km west of

Trinidad.

A variety of taxi transport is also available from air conditioned State-owned taxis, old American cars, coco-taxis, bici-taxis, to horse and carts. The streets are clean and there is no graffiti. Instead of advertisements you will see socialist slogans reminding the population of the revolution, exhorting the people to not forget the principles of socialism, or generally be kind and considerate to others.

In the evening, there’s much entertainment to choose from: La Casa de la Música is by la Iglesia Parroquial at Plaza Mayor. There’s no admission fee and the salsa band begins to play at 10pm; followed by an Afro-Cuban music show. Nearby, on Calle Echerri is La Palenque de los Congos Reales with an emphasis on Afro-Cuban drumming and rhythm. Also on the same street is La Casa de la Trova with distinctive Cuban music. ARTex Cara Fisher has fewer tourists and is just around the corner from Hotel Iberostar. These 3 places charge an entrance fee of $1CUC and locals and tourist alike will be dancing ‘til midnight. Then, for the ‘night owls’, one can go to Disco Ayala and dance the night way in the surreal atmosphere of a cave. This disco is located near Motel Las Cuevas.

Getting There

There are no direct flights from Australia to Cuba. Most flights go through hubs in USA to Cancún. You will have to change airlines. For good connections, fly to Mexico or Canada where you can arrange a direct flight to Havana. Viazul provides a twice daily bus service from Havana to Trinidad.

Staying in Trinidad

There are over 600 casas particulares (B&B/homestays) in Trinidad. The families are hospitable but take time to look around as the quality of accommodation can vary from a stately mansion to an apartment. Most will have an ensuite and an air conditioned bedroom.

Presently there is only one luxury hotel: Iberostar Grand (La Ronda is under reconstruction, and a large hotel is being built using the façade of an old church on the hill above the city). Motel Las Cuevas has units on the hill which provides panoramic views.

Currency

$1 CUC (pesos convertibles) = US$1

$24 CUB (moneda nacional) = $1 CUC

Don’t take US dollars with you. Banks and other ‘Cadenca’ charge up to 20% premium to change dolares norteamericanos (US $). And don’t Australian dollars either. I just could not find a place to exchange my A$ notes. I would recommend taking Euros.

However you can obtain convertible pesos with your VISA or MasterCard at a commission. You will not be able to use AMEX because of el bloqueo (US trade embargo). It is advisable to change some convertible pesos (CUC) into local CUB (moneda nacional) so that you can purchase food or gifts from street vendors at a very cheap price.