Public transport in Cuba is bad, so I thought it best to stay close to Havana. The book suggests a triangle including a country village called Vinales, and a spanish colonial town called Trinidad. I have had more than my fill of pretty colonial towns, so on Wednesday I taxied to the tourist bus station. My God, all these people waiting here, I am going to get a room in Vinales? No need to worry, nearly everyone left on the 1 o'clock bus for Trinidad to get their fix of spanish colonial architecture. There were just 7 of us going to Vinales.
Innovative distination board, leaving no question about where the next bus is going!
Signs in english all over the place must have been "signed off" by a bureaucrat who thinks he or she knows english!
Naturally, the bus broke down - a blow out - and we waited a good hour or more for the mechanic to come to change the wheel. When we did eventually arrive in Vinales 3 hours later, it was dark, and no waiting casas particulares landladies. As always when faced with adversity, you strike up conversation with others. I met Linda and Tobias from Sweden, and we found a couple of rooms in neighbouring houses. Vinales is a truly peaceful place, chickens running around and pigs keeping the grass short in the front gardens.
The next day, I joined Linda and Tobias for a tour of Caverna de Santo Tomas. Fab. A very different cave tour experience. No fancy lighting, indeed the only light came from our helmets, and just 4 of us in the tour group. (Scroll your mouse over the photo to find out what it's about)
The day ended with excrutiating embarassment trying to dance salsa at a Cuban live music night. More mojitos needed!
The jewel in Vinales crown are the amazing magotes - square limestone hillocks rising from the valley floor. Again with Linda and Tobias, but on a different day, I rode a horse to see the fabulous countryside in all its tranquility. The "horses" were more like mules. Linda's apparently didn't like mine, it bit me and tried to barge my horse off the path! Pretty cute cowboy who escorted us...
...the first stop was a small farm to be refreshed on grapefruits filled with fresh sugar cane juice, hown grown coffee (or so they said!), and a puff on a cigar. I was buzzing!
The next place was to cool off in a natural swimming pool deep in a cave. Sorry, potos didn't come out that well, i.e. not to my liking. I need to go to the gym, or as Shaun put it "you've got udders"! Bitch.
Why lobster fest? That was my dinner at the house on my last night, a huge lobster tail cooked in a tomato sauce. Scrummy! It was the night before Mother's Day, so a special meal for the family.
Vinales good!
Chris 