Back in Trinidad Cuba....in a different Casa Particular......

As we couldn't stay in La Casona for 3 nights we decided to stay on in Trinidad in a different Casa Particular which was closer to the center.......

The Casa Brisas de Alameda......

It was actually quite nice....... on a very quiet street...... with very little traffic noise!

.... they had  beds which were not quite long enough!

.......but there was a hammock just outside......

We had hoped to eat in the Casa as the owner is a chef.....and had worked in France ......however we had to eat out......
The Iberostar hotel was very close to this Casa...

and it had internet in its bar area and sold the internet card, with a drink!!........
This was infinitely preferable to standing in line at an Etesca office for 20-30 mins!
.....so we definitely checked out their mojitos....
 and did try their restaurant.....which was quite good...if somewhat formal!

The restaurant may have been formal but we were intrigued by this lady in hair rollers!

The location of this casa meant it was also easier  to check out the center, without walking uphill all the time.......
So we decided to visit some of the beautiful palacios....owned by the sugar barons.......

The Palacio Brunet, now the Museo Romantico, had been owned by the Borrell/Brunet family.....

......and its location was at the same level as the Church of the Holy Trinity...

The interior was very interesting, all the rooms around a central courtyard....

..with family living space upstairs....

....very formal.....

.... a great kitchen, with original tiles...

and it even had a bath...

and a loo....

The Museo de Historia Municipal  had been owned by the Cantero/Borrell family..... it would seem as though all the families were somewhat inter-related!

Impressive rooms........

.......with original frescoes.....

and an outdoor kitchen....

This was apparently the largest palacio in Trinidad in its time....and it has a superb view from the roof area......

We enjoyed exploring Trinidad, however it is definitely on the tourist route!

Valle de los Ingenios, Trinidad Cuba

When in Trinidad one needs to visit this valley, the Valle de los Ingenios which was once the most productive area of Cuba....
and was the source of the riches seen in the palacios of Trinidad.......

We were picked up at our Casa Particular in a 41 year old Seat from Argentina, driven by a 41 year old local....
and the car's original engine had been replaced with a Polish one!

We first checked out the view......spectacular. In its hey day these 3 interconnected valleys had 70+ sugar plantations!

Now there are only 2 ! And not much evidence of cultivation!
Obviously the price of sugar has gone down.......but other large sugar companies ( some ex-Cuban) are still making money!
We went to  San Isidro de los Destiladeros........ which has very little left of the original plantation house.....but it is being renovated.....

It was interesting to see what  has been excavated...... not much! This area was the slave barracks...

These molasses pits, called the Jamaica train, which distilled the molasses into rum.......
made sense....

.....when we saw what the urns looked like at the next plantation.......

This is the only plantation, the Manaca Iznaga,which still has its watch tower intact as well as the plantation house...... now a restaurant for tourists. We had seen that the Iznaga palace in Trinidad is being turned into a 5* hotel but nothing was left of its former glory except the facade!

We actually would have been quite happy staying there for lunch, particularly after our uphill walk....

......passing what had been the slave housing......

 ...the bar actually looked very inviting....mojito time!!

However our driver convinced us that there was a smaller more intimate plantation nearby..... which he said was better.......

As we approached we saw the steam train waiting.......

Apparently the train runs from Trinidad irregularly and obviously stops indefinitely en route!
The train workers like to eat at this place....so the train waits!!
It was very different from the other place..... but it was also an old plantation house.

.......with tables overlooking an area where there lots of animals....

.....chickens roamed around....but they were all out of chicken on the menu!

......and we even had a cat and dog at our feet hoping for a hand out!

The food was not too inspiring!!