After I spent several days in Havana, I was excited to get on the road again to see Trinidad, its colorful streets and meet the music scene. 

 

One day, I saw a sky-blue colored building, with the name “Casa de la Trova” written on a handmade wooden signboard. I was passing into the main door, there was a room where you can buy Son Cubano CDs on shelves in front of widely open windows. After another door, I arrived in a big backyard with a bar nestled in the corner and tables with chairs scattered in the middle. As sun eased off, I ordered a Canchánchara -a cocktail with rum, lime, honey- while the band was serenading a table of locals who sang along every Cuban song. A few hours later, when the musicians completed, an old lady with white and short-cut hair came in through the backyard door. As some started to discuss who she is, she grabbed the guitar from the band, and suddenly started to play a song and sing in a way that's so intense, and it sounds very confident yet emotional. As I was told by the double bass player, she was the woman who established this casa de la trova which has been devoted to traditional live music in Trinidad. I almost understood nothing in lyrics, but I was filled with random emotions as I was listening to her powerful and touching voice. Between sips of the last Canhánchara, here I celebrated my evening with this simple but memorable moment that I will recall first when I think of these days in Trinidad.