Viñales 22.34.83N 83.40.40W
Chaser 2
Yvonne Chapman
Fri 11 Apr 2008 12:00
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Actually, I am writing this after the event, ie.
now back in Cienfuegos. but when in Havana applying for our visa, the
authorities told us it would be ready for collection the following day, but
because of our plan to drive west for a couple of days we told them we would
return on Friday to collect it. No problem they said.
Of course on arrival at Vinales our first task
again, was to seek out a room, we had been given an address by our previous
hosts. We found the house, all was available so we unloaded the car into our
respective rooms. The new hosts asked for our passport, so we informed them of
our situation but showed them a photocopy of our passport and the original
cruising permit/visa, but that wasn't good enough, they must have the original
passport. A little crazy because all the info is on the copy and the cruising
visa 'is' our permission to be in Cuba and that is the original. Still they said
it was too risky for them, the fine would be heavy if caught.
So, we loaded the car again and searched for
another, many houses had the same story, they tried to help but couldn't.
We did finally find somewhere, albeit two seperate
rooms but nearby. Chris and Tony viewed the first and accepted it, but it didn't
look too good, so that left Yvonne and me with the other, which turned out to be
very nice. Our hosts Isobel and Mario were lovely people but although they had
two rooms available they were only permitted to rent one, and wouldn't take the
risk to rent the two. Nevertheless, Chris and Tony were welcome to spend as much
time in the house and garden as they wished, even breakfasting and evening
meals, they just couldn't sleep there, so thats what we did.
The breakfasts and evening meal
were excellent, and our hosts interesting and informative. They were very
self sufficient, there garden grew just about everything you need, and they had
chickens and pigs too, a real country house and although little in material
aspects. They were a retired couple, Isobel a teacher and Mario a cab
driver (the horse type). Being retired allowed them to tend their garden, it was
beautiful albeit small. They had coconut palms, mangos, oranges
(eating and cooking), pineapples, herbs and spices, even coffee bean tree that
they harvest, dry,roast and mill the beans.
The countryside of Viñales is beautiful, lush and
green, many rivers, tobacco fields, caves and fileds. It was just nice to drive
through the countryside seeing the natural way of life, the Ox drawn carts for
transporting rubbish or vegetables, the horse and carts for transporting people,
an old lifestyle but not appearing to be poverty stricken. Although the people
had little, they were clean, smartly dressed, nice, tidy but basic houses with
electricity and water in lovely countryside.
Here are the photos of some of the delights
of the area, near Piñar del rio
We left Viñales for Matanzas on the east side of
Havana before driving on to Varadero, the tourist
area. These pictures were sent with Picasa, from Google. Try it out here: http://picasa.google.com/ |
