Trinidad

DVD. Vista Point. 26 Minutes. Located to the south of the Caribbean island of Cuba, Trinidad was founded by the Spaniard, Velazquez and in the 18th century the city experienced great wealth and recognition through the cultivation of sugar cane. The exclusive palaces and villas of the sugar barons still leave their mark on the city with tall wooden gates, barred windows and original roof tiles that characterise the style of bygone days. The Palacio Padron is located on the Plaza Mayor, the centre of the city. A few years ago the palace was lovingly restored in painstaking detail and transformed into an archaeological museum. Around the main square the most beautiful palaces stand in rows and are an impressive indicator of the colonial lifestyle enjoyed by the former sugar aristocracy. The slave trade and the cultivation of sugar cane made the island's inhabitants incredibly wealthy and Trinidad became the most important cultural and trade centre in the whole of Cuba. The former palace of the Cantero sugar barons now houses the Museo De Historia, an impressive building in the Calle Bolivar in which visitors can marvel at old timepieces, porcelain, furniture and valuable crystal chandeliers. The seven storey Torre De Iznaga rises menacingly into the sky, the bells of which once summoned the plantation slaves to work while watchmen surveyed the valley from above because of the fears of the plantation owners who believed that one day the slaves would rebel against them. Splendid exotic beauty in a land situated between sun and socialism, sugar and cigars, rumba and revolution. In Trinidad it is as though everything is in a state of suspended animation waiting to be kissed awake.

DVD. Global Treasures. 10 Minutes. Lying to the south of Cuba, the Caribbean island of Trinidad, an exotic tourist paradise of sun, sea and sand, it also contains some treasures of the past due to the influence of the Spaniards and also the wealth created by the cultivation and export of sugar. The exclusive palaces and mansions of the sugar barons have made their mark and exhibits in the Architectural Museum demonstrate their affluent lifestyle. Lush vegetation abounds on the island but the bell tower of the Iglesia La Santisima is visible from most aspects and the Plaza Mayor is a lively focal point.

DVD. Globe Trekker. Situated off the coast of Central and South America, the islands that make up Eastern Caribbean are characterized by beautiful beaches, lush vegetation, and a unique heritage of African, British, French, Dutch, and Indian cultures. Traveller Justine Shapiro starts her journey in Trinidad's capital Port of Spain, for one of the biggest street parties on earth - its world famous Carnival! She then travels to the laid back island of Tobago, the spice island of Grenada, the remote Curacao, before continuing north to the lush island of Dominica. Along the way? $_$_START_LIST ? Watch the traditional Buccoo goat race in Trinidad ? Chill out on Tobago, famous for its crystal clear waters and unspoiled beaches ? Visit the lively St. George market in Grenada ? Attend the traditional Shakespeare recital contest on the tiny island of Carriacou ? Go trekking in Dominica, an island which boasts the largest oceanic rainforest in the Caribbean! $_$_END_LIST