Trinidad

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Channel the Bear in Trinidad, Cuba

Today, I Zeb the Duck, want to show you where my friend, Channel the Bear, has been.   You may remember that Channel and her mom go to Cuba frequently.   Channel’s mom is a tour guide for Friendly Planet trips to Cuba.   Channel sent this photo from Trinidad, Cuba.   Often animals from towels are left on the beds, but look at this.   Channel also received a rose and more rose petals on her towel.

Trinidad Cuba highlights rose and rose petals for Channel the Bear

Trinidad, Cuba highlights a rose and rose petals for Channel the Bear

This is beautiful, Channel.   Thanks for sharing this photo with us.   We love to hear and see what you experience in Cuba.

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Our Last Day in Trinidad Cuba

Our last afternoon in Trinidad mom and Connie went to the beach.  They rode in an old classic car for a taxi.  But you will never guess what happened.  Mom forgot the camera and me.  She was hurrying, and I did not get to go.  But Connie did have a camera, so this is what they saw.  I was excited to see it also.

Sandcastle on Playa Ancon

Sandcastle on Playa Ancon

They went to Playa Ancon, which our guidebook said is the best beach on the southern coast.

Ancon Beach

Ancon Beach

End of the day at the beach

End of the day at the beach

Looks great!

When they retuned, mom took me to the lobby of our hotel.  Are these presents for me??

Wrapped gifts in our hotel lobby. For Zeb?

Wrapped gifts in our hotel lobby. For Zeb?

We stayed at Iberostar Trinidad.   This is a nice hotel on a town square.  The lobby looks very pretty.

Lobby of Iberostar Trinidad hotel

Lobby of Iberostar Trinidad hotel

From our central location, we walked on our tour of the city.  We really like this hotel.

One evening we returned to the Plaza Mayor area and listened to music on the stairs I showed you a few days ago.  We heard a group of musicians play and people started dancing.

Music and dancing

Music and dancing

It was very nice and a lot of fun.  Then another group of musicians played and professional dancers performed for us.

More music and dancing

More music and dancing

We liked it all.

Before we left Trinidad in the morning, mom and I walked more streets to further experience this city.  These are public telephones.

Public telephones

Public telephones

I never saw public or pay phones before.  Telephone booths were everywhere before cell phones were widely used.  Across the plaza from our hotel we saw children waiting to enter the school.

Almost time for school

Time for school

This church across the park from our hotel seems serene.

Church in Trinidad Cuba

Church in Trinidad Cuba

The old car parked on the street

Classic car

Classic car

and the horse cart,

Ready for the day

Ready for the day

moving down the street, are morning activities in Trinidad.   I am on a bench by our hotel.

Relaxing on a park bench by Iberostar Trinidad hotel

Relaxing on a park bench by Iberostar Trinidad hotel

I will miss Trinidad, but am looking forward to visiting Cienfuegos, Cuba.

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Trinidad, Cuba Part II with Zeb the Duck

Last time I, Zeb the Duck, shared some scenes in Trinidad, Cuba as we strolled through the streets.  I saw so much.  These photos are also in Trinidad.  Diego Velázquez de Cuellar founded Trinidad in 1514, but in 1518 Hernan Cortes passed through recruiting mercenaries for his expedition to Mexico.  The town almost disappeared.

Here I am on a horse cart.

Zeb and Channel on horse cart

Zeb and Channel on horse cart

My friend, Channel the bear, is with me.

These street musicians entertained us.  Mom and other humans gave them some money.

Musicians on the street

Musicians on the street

We liked them.

At Las Terrazas, near Havana, we saw a food ration store.  If people have money, they can purchase additional food in stores like this.

People can buy food; not this duck

People can buy food; not this duck

In the streets we saw many horses, some of them with carts.  This horse was working with the men to repair the road.

Always work to do

Always work to do

The famous plaza in Trinidad is Plaza Mayor.  This church is by the plaza.

Near Plaza Mayor

Near Plaza Mayor

You can see that other buildings are being restored.  In 1988 Trinidad was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

These stairs are also near Plaza Mayor.

Near Plaza Mayor

Near Plaza Mayor

We returned here one evening to listen to music.  More about that later.

This is a very nice house and I liked the old car in the driveway.

Nice car

Nice car

Unfortunately this street market did not have all the venders at this time.

Street market in Trinidad

Street market in Trinidad

I do like markets.

This elementary school was near us and the teachers and children were very friendly.

Kids in school in Trinidad

Kids in school in Trinidad

Before leaving for lunch, we gave them school supplies we brought from the U.S.

In Cuba, Casas Particulares are similar to our bed and breakfasts.  We visited this Casa Particular.  Maria del Carmen Reyes was the hostess.  She and her husband rent to visitors.  He is the horse whisperer.  Horses are very important to Cuba, and he teaches people how to care for and feed them.  His horse is very well behaved and he brought the horse in the house to meet us.

Horse in the house

Horse in the house

We walked around the house and out to the patio.

I am on the stairs

I am on the stairs

There are lots of rooms for his family and for visitors.   We were there in December,

Merry Christmas or Feliz Navidad

Merry Christmas or Feliz Navidad with Zeb and Channel

so we enjoyed his Christmas tree.

We are going to Hacienda de Manaca Iznaga for lunch.  I will tell you about that next time.  Visit me again at ColoradoTravelingDucks.com

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Trinidad, Cuba with Zeb the Duck

I, Zeb the Duck and my group of humans arrived in Trinidad, Cuba.  Lonely Planet describes Trinidad as a one of a kind, perfectly preserved Spanish colonial settlement, where the clocks stopped ticking in 1850 and, apart from tourists, have yet to restart.

I am not sure about all that, but I have never seen this street sign anywhere else.

Horse and cart crossing

Horse and cart crossing

Our first morning in Trinidad we walked through town.  Here are some of our observations.  This is the reason for the horse cart crossing sign.

Horse and cart. I like it!

Horse and cart. I like it!

People on cobblestone streets doing daily chores.

Daily chores

Daily chores

These cakes look yummy.

Look so yummy

Look so yummy

Decorated and wrapped, but mom didn’t buy one for us.

I saw everything while wandering these streets.

Busy street

Busy street

Here are cars, bikes, a horse and people all mingling together.  The mountains as a backdrop contribute to Trinidad’s beauty.

Trinidad has hotels, casa particulares, and hostals.  Hostal Colina is bright and has flowering trees.  My friend, Channel, the cutest bear, and I are enjoying the view from the hostal.

Zeb and Channel at Hostal Colina

Zeb and Channel at Hostal Colina

This man is selling vegetables,

Selling vegetables

Selling vegetables

but doesn’t seem to have many customers at this moment.

This pottery store looks nice.

Pottery store

Pottery store

This little girl is my friend.

Our new friends

Our new friends

Mom and I brought small balls and candy to give as presents.  This little girl’s mom said she could have the blue ball in her hand.  In her other hand she has strawberry candy and butterscotch candy.  Mom said we could only bring candy that was individually wrapped.

Here is an old car used as a taxi

Old cars run well as taxi

Old cars run well as taxi

and here is one of the new taxis.

New taxi.

New taxi.

There is so much to see in Trinidad, so I will show you more next time.  We hope you like Trinidad as much as we do.  See you soon.