Rural Cuba

Thursday, March 22, 2018
Vinales, Pinar del Rio, Cuba
Our transfer picked us up in Havana at 9am. Which was a yellow Taxi but these are reasonably new vehicles (like a Camry).
We drove out of Havana - and into the country. Still lots of vintage cars on the road but now more horse and carts as well.
  • No advertising on the roads
  • Lots of potholes
  • No McDonald’s or KFC etc to be seen.
  • Traffic is horrendous.
We stopped at Laz Terrasas where Che trained his troops in preparation for battle with the US in the 60s. A famous Cuban guitarist also lived in this village and we visited his house. We then visited an orchid farm which was very beautiful.
We stopped at a local tobacco farmers residence on the way to our hotel. This was mainly so we can buy cigars and our driver gets a free cigar as commission. We bought some for Tim’s boys weekend in August. These cigars are prior to getting to the factory so don’t have the fancy wrapping!
And then we arrived at our hotel in Vinales. Vinales is a world heritage listed site studded with alluring and distinctive limestone monoliths. Vinales is a hassle free village ringed by craggy hills and Van Gogh-like rural beauty (according to Lonely Planet). The hotel is a blast from the past in resplendent pink but has an amazing view over the valley. Check in was an arduous affair of manual processes - so I was tempted to offer to work for them for a few hours to assist. They wrote down all your passport details on a piece of paper, then key all the details into the computer and then take a photocopy anyway.
Vinales is the 3rd most visited location in Cuba after Havana and Veradero. It is where the tobacco for Cuban cigars is grown. We are not going to Varadero - this is a strip of hotels along a nice beach which we are getting on some day trips and in Mexico so maximized our time in Cuba elsewhere.
We spent an afternoon by the pool at the hotel talking to other guests. We then walked to a local restaurant which had amazing views and they gave us so much food it was ridiculous but my pork tasted like a piece of old leather. So I just ate rice and potatoes. On returning to our hotel, we somehow started in a shout with a couple from the Blue Mountains and some girls from London. Everyone was keen for a few drinks and some English speaking laughs and this went on until 1am.
Then, for our next full day in Vinales we booked a Vinales tour. There were only 6 of us - us, the couple from the Blue Mountains and a couple from Tel Aviv Israel. It was a good day, visiting a tobacco farm, the scenery and some caves. We also saw Mural de la Prehistoria which is a 120 metre long painting on the side of a cliff. Very interesting! We had lunch as part of the tour, and it was very good - bbq pork, potatoes, bread and rice & beans.
We then had an afternoon by the pool. There was a Cuban band which was very good. A doctor walks around the pool constantly with a white coat and stethoscope- it is very weird.
Tim and I went into Vinales for dinner at a recommended restaurant (the couple from Tel Aviv were there also) - was just as well we went when we did as there was a line up in the street when we left to get in. Good food in Cuba is not commonplace so good places are in high demand. I had paella and Tim had rabbit with a chocolate sauce. Yep you read that right!
We caught a Taxi back to the hotel, had a few drinks and went to bed!
So, a bit about our hotel...
It is regarded as the best hotel in the area. Tim  thought that was quite funny. 
  • it has incredible views over the valley
  • Tour groups stop at this hotel every hour just to check out the views
  • It was built in 1959
  • Nothing has been done to it since 1959
  • The 1959 style is actually kind of cool
  • The mats going into the bar are bits of cardboard boxes 
  • We have lost power and water a few times. After a while, not being able to have a shower or flush the toilet is a real pain. 
  • The service is not great. Actually it’s terrible. On one occasion we went to the front desk for something and nothing was going to distract the receptionist until he had finished fixing his stapler. When that was done, and only then, would he acknowledge we were even there.
  • But the food and drinks are cheap. $1.50 CUC for a beer. 
  • The shower is awful (when it even works). There is no possible way you could wash your hair here. Thankfully I washed my hair under the beautiful rain shower before leaving Havana! I’ll include a photo of the Vinales experience. But after being completely without water for an extended period, I’ll take the trickle thanks!
  • The band by the pool of an afternoon is great - love the Cuban music!
  • Cats are everywhere. Including in the restaurant upstairs. 
  • The bath towels are basically large hand towels. You cannot put them around you - nor are they wide enough to cover both top and bottom!
  • Pool towels have to be hired (we bought our lightweight sand free ones from home). Mum -  someone else had one of these around the pool here but I didn’t get a chance to talk to her.
  • You also have to hire a key for your safe deposit box in your room. Which wasn’t an option for us as our key is apparently missing.
  • We can’t eat the butter here - it smells really bad (perhaps it is off).
  • I got bedbugs too, so now sleeping with a tonne of aerogard on.
  • From an infrastructure perspective, it is like holidaying in the sixties - it’s a classic!
Vinales itself is a very pretty village where locals take great pride in their homes. They are all very similar homes - brightly coloured with white shutters and some rocking chairs on the verandah. The locals are very friendly here. Farmers have very little machinery and almost everything is done my hand. So many horses and old wooden carts!
On the next day, we took a day tour to Cayo Levisa. This was about an hour by bus, and then 40 mins by ferry but it is a spectacular Caribbean island. We basically just chilled for the day on deck chairs on the beach, had lunch in a beach restaurant and swam in the warm waters. Also got quite sunburned oops which was dumb because I fell asleep and I lost my shade. It is possible to stay here as well in huts. There was even beach service for drinks! Staying here for a couple of days would be be cool - but Tim said one day of this relaxation is enough for him.
We have a big day of travel tomorrow to our next Cuban destination!
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Comments

Suey
2018-04-12

Not sure about some of your experiences here !! The lack of water is a worry, bed bugs - Nah!! Pity about the safe key and the total disregard for Customer Service astounds me!! Great prices for food and drinks and the amazing views are definitely almost a plus!!!!!

2025-02-17

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