Learning the Cuban Slaves' Past at a Sugar Mill Ruin, Trinidad, Cuba

We are vacationing in central Cuba!

We joined a one day guided excursion to Trinidad, Cuba.

Cobble stone street in Trinidad, Cuba

In the morning, we strolled on the cobbled streets of the main streets of Trinidad, a UNESCO heritage and culture site.

Our visit included the Church of Trinity, sampling a popular local drink at a popular cafe bar and a few other places around the Main Square area.

We had a lunch stop at the Plaza Mayor restaurant.

We enjoyed a buffet lunch at  a restaurant at Plaza Mayor

We welcome this rest break in an outdoor buffet lunch outdoors with Barbara and Roger, a couple from our group.















While enjoying lunch, we were serenaded by a musical group of three. This happens a lot in Cuba when we dine in restaurants.
Cuban music is lively!















We enjoyed our Cuban lunch. However, with only 10 minutes to browse around at the market place right by the restaurant after lunch, we did not see many of the stalls..

I wish we had more time there shopping for some souvenirs.

However, our schedule was tight and we needed to continue touring other sites.

We visited San Isidro, Museo de Sitio where the ruins of the sugar mill and factory are located.

The bell would sound when a slave escaped from the plantation.

The first building we saw was the bell tower that sounded the alarm whenever a slave tried to escape on this sugar plantation.

Site of the sugar mill factory, Trinidad, Cuba

We learned about the old machine used to extract the cane juice from sugar canes.

The machine was so poorly made that the slaves operating the machine lost their hands and arms easily. Later on when a new machine was used, this problem was resolved.














We visited the sugar mill owner's manor, in close proximity of  the
bell tower.

The plantation owner's manor

The owner's place was a spacious palatial manor served by numerous house slaves on the plantation.

















It was a stark contrast between the owner's manor comparing to the very crammed quarter where his slaves lived. It was a cubicle measured at 4m x 4m and the entire slave family lived there.

A map of the old sugar mills in the area

The sugar production industry was not without competition. In fact the sugar beets and other sugar mills competition gradually became too strong and the sugar plantation was no longer profitable with keeping all the slaves needed for the work.

Therefore, salves were set free in 1865. ( The reason for freeing the slaves in Cuba was not due to human rights or political reason, but an economic one instead.)

The tour guide explaining the history of the sugar mill to us.

But not having jobs and with nowhere to go, many slaves continued to stay and work at their sugar plantations.

However, since the sugar could only be harvested during a certain period of time in the year, the former slaves could only stay at their plantations during these work periods.

Instead of having free room and board when they were slaves,  the former slaves were charged for rent by the plantation owners during these months.

With no money to pay for their room and board, many former slaves owed debts to their former owners and ended up working the rest of the time paying them off!














I was not familiar with the numerous slaves brought over to Cuba to work in the sugar plantations.

I had a good history lesson about the European influence and the contributions made by African slaves in the island countries.








After visiting the sugar mill ruins. the bus took us to a lookout point.

We went up to a look out point after visiting the sugar mill ruins

We had some refreshments at the cafe overlooking the sugar mill valley.

We had an excellent view overlooking the sugar mills valley.

Our last stop was the El Alfarero pottery house.

The master potter demonstrated his craft

The master potter came out to welcome us and  demonstrated his craft in front of us with ease and proficiency.

Within a few minutes, he produced a miniature hat and a small clay pot!

The El Alfarero pottery house, Trinidad, Cuba

This pottery house has been around for a long time.

Pottery workers craving designs on the pots before the firing process.

Many pots, lamps and housewares have been produced in this house for years. I bought a beautiful blue candle holder for my room. I was surprised to find that the price I paid for this candle holder was the same back at the shop at our resort!

Main Square, Trinidad, Cuba

It was a full day of activities and the tour was worth it as we got to see many places in Trinidad!

We were so tired at the end of the day that we fell shortly asleep after dinner and missed the evening entertainment.


R.T.
A Day Tour in Trinidad
Cuba