Day 12 – June 19
Hostal Alay & Yaimara
Up early for 7:30 breakfast and 8:30 bus to Salto de Javira waterfall
The entire city of Trinidad is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Approximately 45 min walk through bush, tracking river to Salto de Javira waterfall – water hole with waterfall. Water was beautiful and swimming under was like a massage, cavern behind waterfall some small bats.
Return walk and bus back.
Curiously, ‘cortico’ in Spanish has two meanings: ‘with a steel fist’ or ‘man with small penis’ – I find it hard to find any middle ground here.
I took a short rest, then Harry and I went to the ATM and Etecsa to purchase an Internet card. Afterwards, we had a light lunch at the Iberostar Grand Trinidad Hotel. Cool, relaxing and enjoyed limonada (natural lemonade).
Back to casa in good time to miss heavy rain (Jen not so lucky). Bus a bit after 4 to pottery workshop. No potting because Father’s Day. Ok stuff but old fuck asked for a cuc so he could eat – I told him to piss off. This pretty much a waste of time. Back in town enjoyed a solo walk met up with Karen, Anne and Jim, looked for handicraft market then worked my way slowly back to San Jose for spaghetti and another milkshake. Back to casa short rest, then town square Internet and tried to move flights. Dead battery – home.
Casa de la Música, or rather the steps that lead to it.
As is typical of Spanish colonial cities, a grand square dominates Trinidad’s centre. Many of the buildings on the Plaza Mayor originate from the 1700s, originally belonging to wealthy landowners
Here’s a more conversational version with smoother transitions between activities, keeping your dry, slightly cynical tone:
Day 12 – June 19 | Cuba
Hostal Alay & Yaimara
Up early for breakfast at 7:30, then we bundled into the minibus around 8:30 on the road to Salto de Javira – the Javira Waterfall.
From the bus, it was about a 45-minute trek through the bush, following the river to the waterfall. The water was spectacular – swimming under it was like a rough, very enthusiastic massage and behind the falls there’s a small cavern with some tiny bats, no doubt judging my swimming technique.
Back in town, Harry and I handled the essentials: ATM run, Etecsa for an internet card, and then a very civilised light lunch at the Grand Hotel. The limonada was excellent – natural lemonade really does make life feel slightly less absurd.
It was an afternoon to myself to wander the streets and I found myself pondering Spanish vocabulary: cortico apparently means either “with a steel fist” or “man with a small penis.” Not much middle ground there – linguists must enjoy chaos.
Trinidad itself is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which mostly just means wandering its streets feels like stepping into a very photogenic time capsule.
After a short rest, we avoided the heavy rain (Jen wasn’t so lucky) and caught a bus to a pottery workshop around 4 pm. No actual potting today – Father’s Day apparently takes precedence. Some of the stuff was interesting, but an old man asked for a cuc so he could eat. I declined politely. Essentially, a bit of a waste of time.
Evening saw a solo wander through town, then meeting up with Karen, Anne, and Jim. We poked around the handicraft market before I made my way back slowly to San Jose for spaghetti and yet another milkshake. Short rest at casa, then a quick trip to the town square for internet and attempting to move flights – dead battery meant that plan failed spectacularly.
Finally, a stroll by Casa de la Música – or at least the steps that lead to it. As with most Spanish colonial cities, the grand square dominates Trinidad’s centre. Many buildings on Plaza Mayor date back to the 1700s, originally owned by wealthy landowners, still looking impressively smug.