3 December 2024, Trinidad
Hostal Gattorno, $13 (R234)

Today, while my brother visited a coffee plantation and hiked with a group to a waterfall, Charl and I took a taxi ride to climb the 137 stairs up the Manaca-Iznaga bell tower. Located on an old sugar plantation, the tower was built between 1815 and 1830, and stands 45m high. "[It] allowed the continuous surveillance of the sugar plantations, preventing the escape of the slaves. The bells located at the top of the tower marked the beginning and the end of the work time, as well as serving as warning in case of fire in the surrounding fields."
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Cuban women spend time and money on their nails. These are often impractically but beautifully long, and creatively decorated.
Many women of all ages dress in fairly revealing clothing - short skirts, tight 'yoga' pants, fitted blouses.
Had I expressed an opinion before arriving, I would have assumed a somewhat chauvinistic society, but I found the relationship between men and women to be, at least on the visible surface, affectionate and respectful.
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These are Cuba's bank notes. Charl is still researching each of the characters showcased.
The Che Guevara three peso note is no longer in use, but is available to purchase for $1.