Friday, June 2, 2017

TRAVEL SPECIAL.... THE COLONIAL GRANDEUR

TRAVEL .. THE COLONIAL GRANDEUR

Regions: Cuba to Mexico or Panama


A 17-hour journey by flight from India leads one to the Caribbean island of Cuba, which boasts of plenty of sunkissed beaches and a host of cultural treasures. Soothing timba beats, Ché Guevara posters and vintage Chevrolets trundling along the cobbled streets of capital Havana lend it a unique laidback charm.


Havana is a great place to stay as many of the city's main attractions are within easy reach. Among the most interesting places to see are the marvellous Lake Jackson Mounds State Archaeological Site and the incredible Lake Talquin State Forest.


Playa Ancón's ivory-white sand and sparkling sea, minutes from colonial treasure Trinidad, is known for its adrenaline-inducing water sports.Broad expanses of glistening, white sand make Playa Paraíso and Playa Sirena, on the protected western end of the island, worth seeking. Amble with locals along Havana's sea-hugging Malecón (boardwalk), situated between crashing waves and colonial buildings.


Beautifully-restored Old Havana is home to the Museum of the Revolution.Venture into the gently-sloping emerald hills of Valle de los Ingenios to spot the rusting metal structures of closed sugar mills, rows of thriving tobacco plantations and billboards covered with Ché Guevara's most famous quotes.


Havana's swanky Vedado district remains a heaven for jazz music aficionados. Trinidad, Vinales, Cienfuegos, Varadero and Santiago de Cuba are some of the other mustvisit attractions in Cuba.


Overall, a friendly atmosphere prevails across the country which offers a vista of pastel-coloured buildings lining cobbled streets, where cigarsmoking locals draw you into conversations about economics, or turn up the music and invite you for a quick dance.

ETPTR May 18 2017 :


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