Today, after the 4h journey from Havana with the Viazul bus (11.20am), we finally arrive in Viñales (4pm). We were worried that, without having booked anything, it would have been a problem finding a casa to host us but the moment we step down the bus that changes completely. Dozens of women are in a full competition-fight in order to convince the few foreigner (now its low season and therefore not many tourists are around) to stay in their “cheap” casas. Breakfast included, rooms with view, close to the centre, inside a small “finca” (farm) or with more than one room, there’s one casa for every taste. After a bit of bargaining, we decide to opt for a 10CUC casa that also includes breakfast in the deal (although later we paid for it 5CUC each); a simple room with ensuite bathroom, AC and just a couple of minutes from the centre, pretty much all that we needed !!!
The town of Viñales is pretty small but pretty touristic; everything you might need (e.g. money exchange Cadeca, internet seller ETECSA, Viazul bus station etc…) can be found around the only main road that cuts the town in half. As far as we know, the tours offered are pretty much the same with the only difference being the transport and the price (read more about this here). This afternoon the weather is cloudy due to a rainstorm coming soon, therefore we decide (upon suggestion of our casa owner) to finish the day with a horse tour (15CUC pp) in the middle of the national park to visit a tobacco and coffee plantation. For those interested about a more social insight, this tour is a great way to understand the relationship between nature and the average cuban farmer “Campesino”.
Our first stop, is the “Finca Macondo” where we are going to understand the process of Tobacco from plant to cigar. In just under 20min, the guide from there (Roberto) explains us how all the 33 registered brands of cigars are made from the same plant; each plant is divided into lower, middle and upper part each of which is responsible for a different taste and texture of the final product. Additionally, he explains us, the lower part controls the speed of burning, the middle part the smell and the top part the taste. Super interesting ! In the end, we also have a chance to smoke a cigar in the proper cuban way: dip it in honey before you smoke !!!
Sadly enough, we also get to know what kind of life Roberto has to live everyday. In order to gain 3CUC per day, he has to work from 7am to 10pm in the fields or as tourist guide on the farm although he can fluently speak German, French, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese !! He tells us that the government is keeping cubans in a wall-free prison by paying the people a little but providing basic necessities (such as bread, legumes and water) not giving them the financial possibility to leave country. The average cuban earns enough money to have a roof on his/her head and food on the table and that is it, no restaurants, no holidays, no hotels, nothing fancy not even for a day. Think that for Christmas the usual gift for a whole family is just a bottle of Rum !
Our second stop, is at a Coffee plantation along the way to the National Park; once again a guide (Juan) of the place meet and explains us how things work around there. Now it just started to rain so we all agree in keeping the explanation short (5min instead of 10min) and go straight to the tasting area where Juan can show us their products. Here in this “Finca” they cultivate arabic coffee, sugar cane, avocados, papayas, mangoes, guayaba and honey. Juan let us smell their handmade coffee, let us taste their “Ground Honey” (made with honeycombs produced by ground bees) but more importantly a true cuban traditional Rum called “Guayaba del Pinar”. What a unique taste ! We also order a “Bebida del Campesino” to share (pineapple & cytrus & guayaba, juice, sugar cane and rum), the drink that the farmer would usually have when coming back home after a day of work. Once again, Juan explains us how tough living in Cuba is and how difficult it is to leave the country to “explore more, see new cultures and just travel”, as he puts it down, especially now that Trump has taken over Obama.
Back on the horse and in just under 20min we arrive at our last stop: a natural lake in the middle of the national park featuring a “mirador” over the Valle del Silencio. The lake is OK, nothing special, even less with the soft rain that is coming down now but the mirador is quite a nice spot; if it would have been sunny the whole landscape would have surely looked more amazing than our foggy view. After a couple of snaps, there’s not much else we can do and before the weather starts worsening, we opt for making our way back to the casa.
After such a full day of learning about Cuba, its nature and its people, it is time for a traditional dinner at our casa ! Goodnight Viñales, see you tomorrow !
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