Viñales! We again stepped into another world. Away from the big city. The country side of impossibly green never ending hills. Pine trees. Flat topped limestone cliffs. Placid tobacco plantations.
Where cigar chewing straw-hatted guajiros (Cuban farmers) drive their oxen and plough through rich brown fertile tobacco fields. And work like farmers did in the old days, doing everything by hand.
In the late afternoon we stroll through the streets of the tiny town, being greeted by locals and rural scenes, tourists and farm animals.
The next day we get up early to meet our guide just outside of town. He takes us on a wonderful hike over hills and past tiny farms and uninhabited farmhouses. The farmers live in town with their families and travel out here on horseback using the houses to relax in the shade during their lunch break. The scenery from the hills are magnificent! We get to know about the 3 kinds of potatoes that are grown here, the life of a tobacco plant and how farmers help each other and help feed the poor.
We get to swim in the lake and drink a coco loco (coconut milk with rum, what else?).
We see the caves and huge anthills, a problem which apparently get solved by the chickens. We visit a farm and hear and taste the story of coffee. We are complimented on being nice tourists! The Israelis never talk to the guide and the Chines just giggle while pointing at everything saying 'ho ho'!
Afterwards we rent so-called mountain bikes. Giving them one look and knowing that it would be humanly impossible to cycle up a small hill. But good enough to cycle the 4 km's to the Mural de la Prehistoria west of the town. One really ugly wall painting of snails, dinosaurs, sea monsters and humans, 120m long and symbolizes the theory of evolution.
Our last night we spent on the porch of Casa Jean Pierre. Trying out local cigars while enjoying a Mojito and Bucanero beer. This was one great Casa, probably the best we had in Cuba! Jean Pierre speaks English well, can help or organize anything and brews a mean Mojito! 10 Minutes before breakfast he jumps in his car to fetch fresh warm bread from the bakery! We eat freshly caught lobster and gamba's, Cuban style, in a red sauce and in abundance! And prepared by our very own Jean Pierre! He shakes his head when we ask about the dirty cops on our way here and writes 'Estacion de la Policia' in the back of our Lonely Planet.
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| And still I have no fear of ever becoming a smoker! The mojito's on the other hand ...... |
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