Places from Cuba: Trinidad

I wasnt sure what I was expecting to see when I decided to go to Cuba. All I know was I wanted to see Cuba ( with the dissatisfied hunger of a traveller) while Fidel was alive. I wanted to see the creation of his life time..

Well, at the end of my trip, the hunger has satisfied. I saw good things, I saw sad things. I listened frustrating life stories, I listened happy life stories. So actually not much different from the other places I have lived and visited.

Of course I couldnt see Fidel with my own eyes but had the opportunity to see the first lady of the time: Mrs Castro (Raul Castro's wife). She was entertaining her guests from South Korea at a restaurant where we were also lunching and when she learned that our small group came all the way from Turkey, she did not hesitate to stop and graciously welcomed us to her country.

Well, so many words but no photos so far. As for my 'Places from Cuba' post, I want to take you to the town of Trinidad. A wonderful, beautiful and a MUST see place.

Faces From Cuba -2

Today here find some faces from Cuba from my camera, including a very happy tourist.

A painter couple from the Cojimar village. He was drawing, she was painting and today the painting he holds is hanging on my home

I always consider my time in Cuba as the beginning of my travel to find me....I remember I had so much problem at the office back home at the time. I was hating my job but I was making tons of money and I was spending tons of money. The usual dilemma...But in the 10 days I spent in Cuba, filled with music, dancing, and wonderful friends, my whole attitude towards life has started to change. It was the first time I really considered that I could actually quit my job and trade it's perks with a more happy, more simpler and more productive life. Of course it took me couple more years to do it but the little precious seed was already planted under the Cuban sun at that time.

I received a complaint from dear Mitr that I am neglecting her.. I know, I am not visiting your blogs as much as I wanted to nowadays and trying to figure out what you wrote by just looking at the titles but since we did not extend our high speed internet connection deal as we are soon moving back to İstanbul, I am struggling with a very slow connection. It is taking ages just to load a single blog. So please excuse me, I will be back with my visits soon...

Faces from Cuba

Last night Hubby was out of town and it was my fish menu night. As he hates the smell of the cooking fish at home, I prefer to make it for myself when he is out.

It was a beautiful night. I had my fish, green salad and couple glasses of wine. Candles were lit at the veranda, Cesaria Evora was playing on the background, her beautiful voice was mixing with the sounds of the waves. A perfect scene for one of my habits.

After dinner I made myself a thick, black Turkish coffee and smoked a Cuban cigar. I have never smoked in my life, but in a Cuban trip I made 6 years ago, I somehow acquired the habit of smoking cigars.  I found out that after a good dinner, in a pleasant night, there is nothing better than the rich and strong taste of a cigar to end the feast.

I am extremely selective for my cigar dates. It has to be a Cohiba and the setting should be perfect and I only smoke 8-10 per year. While I was enjoying my coffee and cigar, I realized that I have never posted about Cuba on my blog. I have to say that, so far I have travelled to many different countries but Cuba and couple other places will always have a very special place on my heart.

Last night it was also the wedding night of my dear friend Erdem. As of today he and his wife Sema are flying to Tibet for their honeymoon. I am wishing them a wonderful trip and a great life together from here.

I already posted some excellent photos of  Erdem's trip to Tanzania and Zanzibar  on Turquoise Diaries, and today for the first post of my Cuban series, let me start with some of his photos. So here are some faces from Cuba from the eyes of Erdem Kütükoğlu:

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