Yet another UNESCO town, this one surrounded by hills and was built by Spanish immigrants 100 years earlier than the previous UNESCO cities.
Most are simple one floor terrace houses, bigger ones with central courtyard, mottled orange roof tiles, separated by cobblestone roads. The preserved old town is very small, it is like being in a time capsule, with everything built in the same era, make this a unique place.
Arranged an excursion to first visit a coffee plantation, with arabica coffee bushes growing among bigger trees in the forest. A Japanese company likes the quality and buys all the harvest from this area.
Then a panorama view of the mountain range, the site where guerilla troops hide during the revolution.
Finally a hike down 400m to Caburni waterfall, while catching glimpses of many colourful birds, and a well eroded cliff.
It was very hot and humid for us, it is nice to slowly ease into the waterfall fed icy cold pool. Very refreshing and brings our energy back to face the uphill return trip.
Second day excursion first visits the ruins of a cane sugar plantation and distillery. The plantation worked for a hundred years making cane sugar for Spain and rum for local use, with force imported slave labour from Africa. The plantation eventually stopped running in 1890, when Europe started to grow and extract sugar from sugar beet.
A total destruction of landscape to farm one single crop, cane, a lot of cruelty incurred to Africans, all for for a short period of sugar production.
The next stop is Playa Ancon, a long stretch of fine sandy beach and clear blue sea south of Trinidad. Another reason why Trinidad is so popular with tourists.
古巴遊之六 Trinidad 靈活謀生
來到另一個UNESCO 城市Trinidad，以為又是那種樓底高、有圓柱、有大露台的房子。原來是座山城，房子是更早一代西班牙移民的簡樸建築風格，多為一層的排屋，屋頂瓦片斑駁橙紅色，鵝卵石路，很配合群山環繞的氣氛。
這區土地，西班牙人在十八世紀末開始種植甘蔗製糖，運回國家享用，全盛時期有半百產糖莊園。
到十九世紀中歐洲成功種植sugar beet 製糖，古巴的糖業開始息微，到十九世紀末奴隸制度終結，再沒有平價人力製作蔗糖，Trinidad 百年糖業終結，土地荒廢，無以為繼，是種植單一農產的危機。
所住民宿由兩間土屋合併改建而成，設計和手做傢俬頗有品味。打理民宿是位廿五歲女郎，時尚衣著，短曲髪大耳環，多個紋身，五官甜美，似個時裝模特兒，且英語流利。
介紹完房間、安排出遊行程和閑話一輪後，提到一直在古巴得知人民收入低，然而行街所見，大都衣著企理，髮型修剪時尚，年輕人染髮纹身油花甲，且大多有手機，錢從何來？
女郎爽快笑說，自己一身衣服都是二手貨，美國親戚送的，手機是母親外國友人送的舊物。在同一社區長大，習慣以物易物，例如她不合用的二手衣服，送給友人，得到免費理髮。且是遊客區，很容易找到其他兼職工作，肯做的話定有方法找外快。例如這所民宿，由她負責管理，中午有位中年女士清潔地方，早上有另一位女孩到來做早餐。
由她安排的行山觀鳥浸瀑㳍水池行程，導遊亦能說流利英語，是兩個多星期來最容易談話的經驗。
這導遊看電視電影自學外語，法文亦可以。他說在這區長大，山林中以種植咖啡為主，知道收入不多工作辛苦，所以學習導遊工作，做遊客生意收入較佳。
他正職是在油站入油，只要和同事夾好時間做足工時，就可以自由做兼職，政府知道生活艱難，隻眼開隻眼閉。
指著遠處山頭，沒車路可到之處，有兩個小農場，雖然政府低價收購九成農產，但有樹林，養豬和山羊，在野外覓食，政府不能數到真的養了多少，收入較好。
兩天外遊，都有私家車接送，司機遇上熟人都打手勢，一直手不停似的。路上到那裏休息喝咖啡、果汁，到那裏吃飯，全都由他的朋友、家人主理。多次問准我們能否順路載當地人一程，全是互惠互助的精神。
兩個多星期下來，覺得古巴年輕人，和五十多的一代，一樣的勤力工作，似是較接受現況，靈活謀生，少怨言。
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