I embarked on a spontaneous trip back to Cuba with two girlfriends in early June 2023. Our flights were in and out of Havana so we took a day to tour Old Havana including the Hotel Nacional (shown above) before heading south. Our first AirBnB was a beautiful flat on plaza vieja.
The next day we took a private taxi for the 160-mile drive to Cienfuegos, a UNESCO World Heritage site. It’s unique for its French origin and is known as “the pearl of the south” which is well earned. The French architecture against the Caribbean Ocean was stunning. We walked by blocks of mansions with pastel walls trimmed in ornate white set on neatly landscaped gardens. The town is an early example of good city planning which makes it easy for walking. Our AirBnB, Baron Balbin, was a 5-bedroom palace that has been renovated. The ocean was a few blocks south and the city center was a few blocks north with neatly laid out blocks of homes and businesses in between.
The next morning we got a private taxi for the short trip to Trinidad (83 km). Founded in 1514, it still has cobblestone streets, colonial buildings and much of the charm from centuries ago which contributed to its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Our AirBnB was typically modest and in a great location. We walked all over town as did most everyone. It was rare to see a car. Our host was super sweet but didn’t speak English so she had her American neighbor come by to translate.
The standard of living throughout Cuba, emphasized in Trinidad and small towns, is much lower than anywhere in the U.S. Electricity is unreliable, wifi is rare, homes are small and shared by multi-generations, food is basic, and medical care or medicine is not readily available. I have no reliable information on crime but I always felt safe. People were friendly and welcoming, food was fresh and not processed, and most of the country was natural and unspoiled from pollution or over-development. I don’t expect or want the world to be like America. My concern for Cuba is the lack of personal freedom, lack of freedom of expression, and lack of adherence to a fair rule of law.
The rooftop patio of our AirBnB was my favorite part of the house.
On the first of our two days in Trinidad we found a jeep/taxi to take us to Topes de Collantes, a nature reserve, in the Escambray Mountains. The drive through the mountains was lovely.
We passed almost no one on the steep two-mile hike to Caburni Falls. Swimming in the natural pool was a highlight of the trip for me. The force from the falls was so invigorating and exciting. I was the only person in the water so it felt extra special; the perfect reward for the difficult hike to reach it.
On our second full day at Trinidad we went to Playa Ancon, a beautiful white-sand beach on the Caribbean Ocean just 12 km out of town.
Jumping back in a private taxi the next morning, we returned to Havana for our last night before flying home. Old Havana has so many great restaurants and an abundance of live music. There’s a festive sense in the warm air with smiling people interacting freely. We enjoyed one last, delicious (and very affordable) lobster dinner at our favorite restaurant, Paladar Dona Eutimia in plaza de la catedral.
Cuba is such an easy and enchanting break from life in Virginia. I could definitely return again and would love to explore some of the islands. The challenge is to decide how to spend my available travel days. Exploring new places is my favorite but returning to places I love and sharing them with others is also wonderful. There’s no bad way to travel. For now, “Adios, amigos!”
“There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign.” Robert Louis Stevenson
“I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.” Susan Sontag
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did.” Mark Twain
Kathryn Byler, blog 
Pretty outdoors, my fav is always the quote at the end
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