Cienfuegos – Trinidad - 80 km
I woke to the clip-clop of horse’s hooves, had a hearty breakfast and
hopped on the bike for my ride to Trinidad, Cuba’s best-preserved
colonial town. At first, the route was slightly hilly but levelled out on
reaching the coast, and it became a pleasant ride past scenic beaches
and bays.
One meets the most likeable people during one's travels, and this day
was no different. I stopped to chat with a lovely couple from
Switzerland (if I remember correctly).
Trinidad (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) was swarming with tourists
and tour buses. The narrow cobblestoned streets could hardly
accommodate all the busses, bicycle taxis and horse carts. Hundreds
of casa particulars lined the streets. Soon, I was nestled in a roomy
house with a great veranda leading to an enclosed backyard.
A quick shower and I were strolling, camera in hand, together with
countless other tourists down the narrow lanes of this 500-year-old
Spanish colonial settlement.
In the morning, I emerged to the hustle and bustle of people in the
street below. Vendors were peddling wares from bicycles in a sing-
song way, announcing whatever they had to sell. I hurried to the
window and smiled at the scene of brightly coloured buildings,
cobblestone streets and old men selling bread from bicycles calling “El
pan, el pan!” This was Cuba at its absolute best.