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Published: December 28th 2012
We managed to negotiate Havana's busy streets and find our way to the autoroute to Pinar Del Rio. This was not easy as there are very few road signs!
Once on the autoroute the road was very quiet.
There was just the odd heavy goods vehicle belching black diesel fumes, the occasional transtour coach transporting tourists between the main cities and the odd taxi.
We had to be careful with farmers crossing the road on horse back, pony and traps and cattle. There were pigs, dogs, horses and chickens and pedestrians on the road. There were also many people trying to hitch lifts at every road junction or bridge.
We found the branch road to Vinales and thankfully avoided any serious damage to our hire car from the numerous large potholes.
The rural scenery in Western Cuba is very beautiful and Vinales is a colonial village in a pretty vally. The farmland, hills and the "mogotes" limestone outcrops provided some great scenery.
Vinales is a peaceful tranquil place with many small chalet style homes painted in differnet colours. Several were offering accommodation.
We stayed in a "casa particulares" a local home, clean but fairly
basic and a far cry from our more luxurious hotel in Havana. The family were very welcoming and friendly and we had nice breakfasts. The casas here were very good value costing around 35CUC's (Cuban convertible pesos).
The local caves were interesting - one previously used by escaped slaves (Palanque de los Cimarrones). The second cave Cuevas des India included part of an underground river system.
On a drive through the Vinales valley we saw many different birds. We also witnessed some ancient farming methods with bullocks and ploughs and farmers using ox and cart.
The recently constructed Ermitage Hotel was a good spot for lunch with magnificent views over Vinales , the valley and the surrounding hills.
Vinales is a picturesque small town where time stands still. The cockerels woke us at 1am, goats and pigs were found outside the front door. A man with a cart brought fresh vegetables - potatoes, cabbages, peppers to the front door. There is no supermarket like Tesco here!
No internet, satellite tv or newspapers are to be found! Bliss!!?
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Michelle Cavanagh
non-member comment
Travels in Cuba
Thanks for taking us along with you on your travels in Cuba; it certainly looks to be a beautiful country. And what a privilege it must have been to spend time in a local home in Vinales. Trust you had a great Christmas & Happy New Year!! M xx