Casa el Delfin – Trinidad, CUBA
Cuba is a place you have to experience to understand. I suppose this is the case with many cultures and travel destinations, but after hearing much about this incredible island country for a very long time, actually being there was as if going from black and white into full color. After our time in Havana we traveled 4 hours to the jewel of a town Trinidad. The day we decided to book a trip to Cuba I googled “vegan hotels” and up came Casa el Delfin.
With over 230 items on the dinner menu, two nights was absolutely not long enough here. Susan and Luis have created the first vegan bed and breakfast in all of Cuba, and we adored the vegan versions of traditional Cuban stews and sauces she served us. The mango juice, made from fresh pulp and the plantains made for a totally local experience.
The hotel is at the edge of a former colonial sugar town, and I have never heard so many roosters crow in memory. The neighborhood sounds were filled with joy. Loud, happy conversations, music, dancing and roosters crowing. We marveled at what a unique experience we were sharing. The accommodation was simple and convenient, and could walk into town in a few minutes. The museum and bell tower gave us a sense of the rich history of the over 50 sugar plantations that had this region thrive in the early 1800’s, and the town became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. We enjoyed a glorious afternoon on Playa Ancon, swimming, then being soaked by torrential rain! One of our most fun family memories is all hopping back into the ocean with dozens of others to stay warm through the rain.
Our experience of Cuba was excellent. We found it to be safe, incredibly affordable with good vegan options in Havana and the dream come true of a vegan bed and breakfast in Trinidad. To witness a culture where conversation, music and dancing are valued was beautiful. It was an unintentional digital detox with our cell phones out of action and no television and I felt transported to a time before my phone and computer were an integral part of my daily life.
Just don’t take cash in Australian dollars and think you will be able to change it into Cuban pesos. #lessonlearned
