The history of this province is quite colourful, or so legend would
have you believe. The story goes that , in 1519, a Spaniard by the
name of Alonso de Ojeda lost his ship went down, Alonso salvaged a
statue of the Virgin Mary and, on making land, credited her with
aiding him in his miraculous escape from certain death.
As he made his way across the land he vowed to offer the statue to
the first village he came across, and on reaching the Indian village
of Cueyba, he gave it to the local chief, instructing him to build a
church in honour of her divinity.
Las Tunas City:The capital of the province is the city of the
same name which lies 662 km east of Havana. The city, originally
named Las Tunas was, in 1869, renamed Victoria de las Tunas, a title
given it by its Spanish governor to commemorate a colonial victory
over the Cubans. The name reverted to plain Las Tunas in 1895,
following the battle in which the Cubans finally took back the city.
These days Las Tunas is a centre for trade in the production of
sugar and chemicals.
There are two tourist hotels one (Hotel Las Tunas) located on the
outskirts of the city, the other (Hotel el Cornito) 10km southwest.
A thorough exploration of the city's places of interest can be
undertaken in the time it takes to mix a mojito and drink it. Cerro
Caismimu, a hunting preserve around 18km outside the city, is worth
a visit if you're that way inclined. Alternatively, the beaches
around Playa Covarrubias on the north coast of the province are good
for sunbathing, swimming and scuba diving.
The city itself is a friendly place and if you walk around the
central square area you are bound to attract attention from curious
locals. |