Guantánamo, the capital of the most easterly and most mountainous province of the same name, has one major difference from other Cuban colonial towns. The large influx of Haitian, French and Jamaican immigrants in the 19th century means that the architecture has much less of a Spanish colonial feel; the narrow, brightly coloured buildings with thin wooden balconies and wrought ironwork are more reminiscent of New Orleans than Madrid. This is also reflected in the local musical rhythms, notably the Tumba Francesa, a colourful folk dance tradition originating in Haiti, based in the centre of the town. The city is close to the US naval base of Guantánamo (which cannot be easily visited from Cuba). It is so little a part of the town that you will not, except in conversation, come across it unless you make a specific trip to Mirador de Malones to view it through binoculars. The range of the Montañas de Nipe-Sagua-Baracoa runs through the province, ending at the Atlantic Ocean on the northern coast and the Caribbean Sea to the south. The area is notable for its many endemic species of fauna and flora and it is one of the most beautiful parts of the island.
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