Journey to Trinidad

After Vinales where changing money had not been possible, and Las Terrazzas where with some difficulty we had changed almost the last of our UK cash, it was now important to find somewhere to draw cash on a Visa card. The only bank where this was possible was near our hotel and opened at 8 a.m.(Tom)--- "I joined the already long queue outside the door ten minutes later. The doorman was following the usual practice of only allowing someone in to replace someone else leaving. It was soon clear that I could have a long wait, but I could see that some latecomers were walking straight past the queue and being allowed in without waiting. I tried to ask the man next to me why this was. He immediately realised I was a foreigner and motioned me to wait while he went up to the doorman. A short conversation followed, I was waved to the front and allowed in ahead of the queue. Inside I had to obtain a ticket and wait till my number came up on the overhead display after a few minutes. Leaving with my money soon after I was able to thank my benefactor who had also been allowed in early."

By 10 a.m. It was goodbye Santa Clara. Our driver was on time and it was a shorter drive than yesterday over the mountains to Trinidad. However it was not quick due to the many potholes, but we did go the tourist route with many magnificent views. We had a couple of photographic opportunities.

Trinidad even in the first few hours lived up to its promise. What a photographer's dream. We were delivered to Hostal Bastida and made very welcome. We decided to eat in the Casa as recommended and chose fish as our meal. What an amount of food the lady brought - soup, salad, fish, rice, more vegetables, fruit and finally ice cream, and all for 10 pesos each. Only the wine was extra. We walked it off by a night stroll to Plaza Mayor, listening to the music and wandering through the shops, eventually buying a maracca type instrument made out of a gourd with beads on the outside. Not sure how it will pack but the luggage will sound good.