On our way to Trinidad
we stopped at a hacienda in a valley for a scrumptious lunch. Afterward I asked
one of our male travelers if he was going to climb the tower located on the
grounds. We tackled it together and I
recall were the only ones in our small group to do so.
Legend says two brothers were in
competition for this property. One said he’d build a tower as high as the well
was deep. Water never was found, but the tower exists today.
We climbed the 136 steps to the top of the
142-foot high tower. What a fantastic view from the top! It was pretty windy
but we were well enclosed. Some of the steps were a bit wobbly, but we really
didn’t have any trouble.
This area is known for its lace work and
fine linens. The handwork was exquisite---and so reasonable.
Trinidad (1514), in the lee of the
Escambray, is maintained as a living museum, as it is pretty much as the
Spanish left it. The city reached its peak in the mid 19th century
during the sugar boom. It is Cuba’s crown jewel of its colonial cities. It
seems as though time has stood still here. This is where I really felt that I
was in a time warp, and it was a bit surreal.
Ballast stones from sailing ships of days
gone by paved the streets. These cobbled streets are paved with a slight V in
the center. Logic says this would be for drainage, but legend says the first
governor had one leg longer than the other. When he walked down the middle of
the street, with his longest leg in the V, he was level and was able to walk
without a limp.
Situated on a low hill the city catches
the ocean breezes, and the doors of homes reflect that with postigos, small wooden louvered windows
in the center of doors to allow the breezes to flow through.
The cobbled, narrow, slightly hilly
streets are lined with pastel painted homes with tile roofs. Balconies are
decorated with fancy wrought iron rails. The entire city is a national
monument, which disallows any architectural changes to buildings.
We saw many mule drawn two wheeled carts. Some
of us walked down a side street where some construction was going on, and the
mule-carts were hauling sand. Vaqueros (cowboys) rode horseback in Plaza Mayor
around the white iron fence that surrounded the small park in the center of the
square. We even saw a fellow walking a pig on a leash. I suspect it was going
to be someone’s dinner.
The soil is very red and a terra cotta
pottery business is alive and well. At the museum we learned that the roof
tiles were formed and rounded on the thigh of workers.
A mild climate, fertile soil, and easy
access to the Caribbean favored Trinidad’s agricultural
(sugar) and commercial
growth. Plaza Mayor was the heart of the original settlement. It was ringed by
a cathedral (1892) and four museums, once mansions of wealthy colonialists.
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| Plaza Major |
Holy Trinity Church is the largest in the
country and houses the most valuable icons. It took 200 craftsmen three years
to carve the wooden altar (1812). Seven saints decorate the altar and St.
Francis is 400 years old.
By the 19th century Cienfuegos
with a better harbor surpassed Trinidad, which started a slow steady decline
for the city. In the 1950s Bastista declared the city a jewel and tourism
started to be promoted. The town was named a national monument in 1965, and in
1988 named a UNESCO World Heritage Site
After walking up to the square, our first
stop was the Museo Romantico. The foyer was filled with plants and potted
palms. Cameras were not allowed inside the museum and had to be checked in a
cabinet at the entrance.
The museum had the most gorgeous carved
cedar ceiling dating to 1770. The tall walls did not go all the way to the
ceiling leaving an air space between the wall top and the arches of the rooms. The upper level of the building was added in
1804. Italian marble floors were throughout. The spectacular wainscoting in the
rooms was all hand painted. The detail was unbelievable. The family had 12
children and 20 slaves, so basically 34 people lived in the house.
I have never seen such a stunning
wrought-iron bed! I also was intrigued with the kitchen. Baccarat crystal
chandeliers and the Meissen porcelains were gorgeous. It was truly a treasure
of exquisite antiques.
From the Plaza it was only a short walk to
the craft market, where there was lots of lace, linen and crochet jackets and
children’s dresses. There were some nice woodcarvings as well as some tourist
junk.
We went down a cobbled alley where we
stopped in a courtyard to hear some music and enjoy another local drink served
in small clay pot/cups. I didn't get the name of the drink.
We had a delicious lunch at Eljigve, the
oldest home in Trinidad (1614).
I was most taken with this lovely city and
hope to return there someday.
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