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Published: November 22nd 2007
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So… after lots of false starts the Viñales adventure eventually takes place! Other adventurers joining the tenacious little English blonde: an equally tenacious German, (housemate of aforementioned blondie), suffering from a sore throat but determined not to let that stop the fun; another German who should be nicknamed “que lindo!!” for frequency of usage of said phrase, and completing the pack - the Denmarkian, único hombre who packed in such a rush he forgot toothbrush and anything warmer than a t-shirt.
Viñales could be another country from Habana. Its is a small countryside town which benefits from the tourism which the natural beauty of the area attracts. Its in the Valle de Vinales, a UNESCO wolrd heritage site and a national park. Almost every house on the main street is a casa particular, yet it didn’t seem overrun by tourists.
But first we had to get there… Our so-called “inside contact” at the Astro bus company failed to get us tickets in advance… so we had to get ourselves to the bus station early enough on Friday morning (even b4 the ridiculously early hour when I should have been in classes… hehe!) to wait in the cola for
an hour or so (see previous blogs for more info) which was a much less orderly cola than normal, to put our names on the lista de espera (waiting list). Then we had to wait some more… only to find our numbers didn’t get called which mean we weren’t going on that bus. We were lucky enough to be rescued by Alfredo, the cute old man who a friend stays with, who took us outside and found us a taxi colectivo to take us to Pinar del Rio - the capital of the province of the same name from where we would be able to get to our desired destination. In the van I asked the man sitting next to me if he was also going to Viñales, which he was, so he helped us find a maquina (old 1950s taxi colectivo) there. He also gave us his address and invited us to come and visit his house the next day.
After arriving at the Casa Particular we had arranged - a good deal with beautiful views over the valley - we quickly went to the bus station to try to book the return journey not wanting the same
trouble again. Only to be told that we needed to book that at least 15 days, if not a month (!!) in advance! The downside of ridiculously cheap travel (only with our magic residencia cards).
That afternoon we did something Patricia had always dreamed of (those was a little scared of) and I of course didn’t complain -we went for a horse ride through the valley. The views were spectacular - huge limestone bulbous cliffs (“mogotes”), tobacco fields, oxen ploughing the reddish earth, thatched housed to dry tobacco and campesinos riding by on horseback. We stopped in a tobacco farmer’s house where he showed us how cigars are made. They make them only from the dried leaves (seemingly so innocent but the start of worldwide addiction hundreds of years ago). He expertly rolled a tightly packed tabaco (cigar), which is glued with honey. All natural. We tried it (well I tried to try it but my sucking technique was too weak!) with some (also home harvested) coffee. That evening, was soooo cold (at least it seemed it), especially compared to Habana and we weren’t quite prepared for the cold so we stayed in, wrapped up and got an early
night. Not that that was much use… the cockerel bellow our window seemed to be the local choir master and started what seemed like all the cocks in the valley crowing… from 12.30 at night till the morning. We were almost wanting the traffic noises back!
We took the guajiro’s (countryside folk) invitation to visit his house on Saturday which was a couple of km walk up the hill on the way out of Viñales. He was soooooo pleased to see us as was his wife. He showed us his garden/orchard where he had trees and plants of almost every fruit you can grow here - orange, grapefruit J, pineapple, banana, avocado, coconut, guyava, cocoa, lemon, lime - it was a self-sufficient paradise! He told us about all the trees and harvested the whole place for us so we walked around there with our hands full and mouths and bellies fuller! They also grow coffee (completing my delight) and sell it so we got to see the berries on the trees and the drying process outside. The whole shebang is organic and done by hand! After our garden tour we got some rico café - the Cuban way of course - strong expresso with plenty of sugar. We sat in rocking chairs outside their house and talked with them, while Ronaldo (the guajiro) enjoyed the rum we had brought him. We went back to the town loaded with fruits and with the promise to return. They were sooo sweet and hospitable - a real genuine friendship - sometimes difficult to find in the city, they were just so happy to have us there -. Beautiful.
In the afternoon we had another invitation - to the birthday party of the father of Mirta, the woman from our casa particular. It was on a farm, out the back of a small farmhouse on land they farm with oxen and by hand (mainly tobacco). We took a wander around the land and chatted with the family. Of course the party involved lots of rum (which we declined - despite what u think I haven’t become an alchie yet and I cant take it straight and in the afternoon!) The men got more and more lively and loud, as did the games of dominoes (another favourite Cuban pastime). We walked back home with the family under the stars - so nice to be able to see them out in the countryside.
On Sunday we rented bikes and rode up to the top of the valley where there’s an amazing view. Tourist tack and havanatur buses roll into the guide book’s recommendation for the best view. Nightmare. Much better was the peaceful view (the same) from 5mins down the hill. We also went to the “prehistoric mural” which was painted in the 1970’s! and was pretty hideous but surrounded by beautiful views; and a cave - the palenque de los cimarrones (the settlement of runaway slaves). You walked thru a little tunnel in a cave and on the other side was where they lived. Now reconstructed into a tourist restaurant with musicians and dancers but not badly done. We arrived back in Vinales about 2hrs later than we had said we would meet Corinna, to be told we prob wouldn’t be able to find a maquina back to Pinar del Rio as it was a Sunday afternoon. Luckily we found a havanatur minivan who was happy to take us all the way home… albeit for a higher price. He asked if it would be ok if we stopped at a friends. We drove up and down the highway a bit b4 finding this little town in the middle of nowhere. I waited in the van thinking they’d be 5 mins picking some1 up and borrowing their toilet. Well over 30mins later… the taxi driver appears with a coffee 4 me. The woman had invited every1 in for a chat and a café (!) while the taxi driver loaded her broken TV into the van so he could get it repaired for her. Just another example of all the random friendliness we’ve experienced this weekend. J
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