Wanting the kids to see some of the Cuban countryside, we had booked an all day Vinales tour with Havana Tour Company. Our tour guide today was Saul a 25 year old who has a degree in IT but has found being a guide more lucrative.
We took a van out into the countryside. While the roads are better on the main highway, the going is still slower than in the US where we can easily go 80 without worrying about road hazards. We made one stop at a roadside, Cuban run, roadside stop. This turned out to be a WiFi hotspot so we were able to catch-up on our emails. I have to say it has been nice being unplugged, but I do miss the news.
Our first stop was the cave tour we had taken the week before with our photography group. What made this stop special was having a couple of beers afterwards. It turns out Saul is a very connected guy - Facebook, iTunes, even Tender. He also loves country music. He played some of his favorites and we had a little country music sing-along Cuban style right there in the bar. This is a true 'people to people' exchange.
Our lunch stop was nearby at an Eco restaurant that grows much of their own food. The food was really yummy and had a few more vegetables than most of our other Cuban meals. I would highly recommend it if you are in the area.
Our next stop was at a tobacco farm. The one we had visited the week before seemed almost Disney like compare to this one. We drove down a dirt road, the only visitors at the time. After touring a drying barn, we stopped at their little bar to watch a rolling demonstration. This was the first time I had seen someone dip the tip of the cigar in honey before smoking it. I have to say it tasted much better!
Next we stopped at the murial that is painted on the side of a mogote. We had stopped here last week but this time we actually drove up to it. I have to say it was more impressive when you could actually see all the work that had gone into the painting of it.
We commenced our 2 plus our drive back into Havana late afternoon. The road is definitely well traveled by all sorts of transportation. Old cars, buses, vans etc. were making their way across the countryside. We also saw lots of hitchhikers hoping to catch a ride with someone. This is a way of life in Cuba. Cars are just too expensive for the average Cuban to own so they rely on catching a ride with someone heading the direction of their destination.
Tonight, we had dinner at a neat little restaurant that is owned by two chefs that had studied in Europe before returning to Cuban to open their own place. Antique furniture was used in unique ways to seat the guests. We dined 'in bed' with the headboard and foot-board serving as the bench backs of our table. The food was very good although on the expensive side.
Tomorrow: Our final day
We took a van out into the countryside. While the roads are better on the main highway, the going is still slower than in the US where we can easily go 80 without worrying about road hazards. We made one stop at a roadside, Cuban run, roadside stop. This turned out to be a WiFi hotspot so we were able to catch-up on our emails. I have to say it has been nice being unplugged, but I do miss the news.
Our first stop was the cave tour we had taken the week before with our photography group. What made this stop special was having a couple of beers afterwards. It turns out Saul is a very connected guy - Facebook, iTunes, even Tender. He also loves country music. He played some of his favorites and we had a little country music sing-along Cuban style right there in the bar. This is a true 'people to people' exchange.
Our lunch stop was nearby at an Eco restaurant that grows much of their own food. The food was really yummy and had a few more vegetables than most of our other Cuban meals. I would highly recommend it if you are in the area.
Our next stop was at a tobacco farm. The one we had visited the week before seemed almost Disney like compare to this one. We drove down a dirt road, the only visitors at the time. After touring a drying barn, we stopped at their little bar to watch a rolling demonstration. This was the first time I had seen someone dip the tip of the cigar in honey before smoking it. I have to say it tasted much better!
Next we stopped at the murial that is painted on the side of a mogote. We had stopped here last week but this time we actually drove up to it. I have to say it was more impressive when you could actually see all the work that had gone into the painting of it.
We commenced our 2 plus our drive back into Havana late afternoon. The road is definitely well traveled by all sorts of transportation. Old cars, buses, vans etc. were making their way across the countryside. We also saw lots of hitchhikers hoping to catch a ride with someone. This is a way of life in Cuba. Cars are just too expensive for the average Cuban to own so they rely on catching a ride with someone heading the direction of their destination.
Tonight, we had dinner at a neat little restaurant that is owned by two chefs that had studied in Europe before returning to Cuban to open their own place. Antique furniture was used in unique ways to seat the guests. We dined 'in bed' with the headboard and foot-board serving as the bench backs of our table. The food was very good although on the expensive side.
Tomorrow: Our final day
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