Trinidad Things to Do Tips by swesn

TRINIDAD : VALLE DE LOS INGENIOS Valle de los Ingenios Review

This region used to be the sugarcane plantation region. There are remnants of sugar mills, 19th-century manor houses, slaves quarters, milling machinery, etc... found around here.

To visit this area, there is a very kitsch activity. A replica steam-train that costs US$10 (two-way) leaves at 9.30am every morning. Many organised tours cater to this trip, making you feel like you are riding a Disneyland toy-train.

Still, the scenery, sugarcane plantations with the distant undulating mountains is rather picturesque.

Stop at Manaca Iznaga. There is a 44m-tall tower where you can climb up and be able to see what the slave masters could see in begone years as they observed the slaves at work. Naturally, this being Cuba, you have to pay US$1 for this.

Just wander around the tiny village and talk to the friendly locals. I met a great wonderful 85-year-old man here and chatted with him for about an hour.

Directions: About 50 km from Trinidad

TRINIDAD : WORLD HERITAGE SITE Street Scenes Review

Trinidad was declared a World Heritage UNESCO Site in 1988.

It is probably the best-preserved Spanish colonial town in this region. There are colourful and charming colonial houses (many, still of the peeling-paint sort) all over the tranquil town. The streets are very peaceful, compared to Habana. Besides cars, there are many donkey-or-horse carts and bicycles.

There are many half-crumbling churches and museums to visit around town. These are located around the northern part of town, around Plaza Mayor. Frankly, around here, tourists will receive more harassments from 'paladares' touts.

Further south is the more residential part of town. Here, there is less harassments of the 'tourism' sort.

Many Cubans are curious and friendly. Perhaps, it was weird for them to see a Chinese girl walking alone. I was constantly called out by them. "China!" (Chinese girl); "Chinita!!" (Little Chinese girl); "Mira!!! China!" (Look!!! Chinese girl!)

Well, they are just so friendly. A few times, I smiled at the locals before they really noticed me and their eyes simply lit up with delight, "Ah!!! Chinita!!"

So sweet.