A day out with Dennis

This morning at Casa Lilly breakfast was on the balcony. Our first morning with no wind and a still ocean.

We had a day planned with Dennis, our driver, to Pino del Rio. Forget airbags, Dennis didn't even have seats belts! Seat beats aren't a requirement in Cuba for cars over 10 years old. Every time I got back in the car I fell for the seat belt reach, everytime! Various other non-essential internal and external bits and bobs were missing. We joked that these parts must have been traded in to tune up the engine. We took off from Lilly's at an alarming rate and from here on in it was the driving style for the rest of the day.

For the first part of the journey we didn't get out of lane two mainly because lane one was where the broken down cars sat. Dennis commented that sometimes cars don't move for days on end, some had the owners leaning against it puffing on a large Cuban with the look of "maybe in a minute she'll start but first I'll just finish this cigar".

Because of its near-perfect natural beauty, Pino del Rio in the westernmost part of the country is also known as "the Garden of Cuba." It is famous for growing the best tobacco in the world. We saw plenty on route. Milk in old style churns being transported by horse and cart. People being transported by army style trucks. Trucks with wheels that were so wonky we were amazed they were still on the truck. Old guys ploughing fields with the biggest bulls we've ever seen. Also at every corner came a classic car.

On driving into the Valle de Vinales (Vinales National Park) we reached the panoramic view deck that sits right over the Valle deVinales. The view reminded us of a Sri Lanka landscape. With flat topped mountains surrounded by deep red soils below and the odd palm tree dotted here and there. This wide open balcony, sat next to a very pink colonial Cuban ran hotel, a place where Castro himself suggested as the perfect honeymoon retreat. This province is classic "guajiro"- Cuban peasant farmer region. Crops being mainly mango, pineapple,sugar cane and of course tobacco. Large thatched vegas (tobacco drying sheds) scattered the landscape breaking up the deep rich red soil. Whilst we took in the view Dennis made polite conversation
withal complete stranger which then turned into a lunch invite at a small family restaurant. A time was set and after a quick drinks stop we were back on the turbo-powered bus to continue our tour.

From the vista point we dropped down into the province of Pinar Del Rio itself. Around 100 miles from Havana but a world away in the pace and way of life. Small colourful, non imposing stone built homes and a
few shops made up the main street. Dennis commented that in the past most buildings had been affected by hurricanes and some large trees on the pavement edges were missing. We loved the roadside barbers, in someones front garden, and the mother and baby clinic, rocking chairs ready for action on the veranda.

As we drove through country lanes we suddenly approached a rock face with a huge mural. This was painted by a former student of the Mexican mural artist Diego Rivera. Who back in the 60s chose to paint a scene that he believed depicted the process of evolution. The large scale snails, dinosaurs and chimpanzees certainly split the clouds hanging over the mountains.

These mountains not only framed very rural communities they also contained many cave networks. Some running up to 1.7 kms inland and some parts reaching into underground rivers. So for a section of route within the Cueva del Indio network we had to jump into a small boat to get us through the enormous cave network. Dramatic stalactites hung from the roof of the cave whilst massive stalagmites are constantly building at river level. With all this water and rain forest humidity came mozzies, hunting in packs of 10.

Then ohhhhhhhh what a great lunch. Dennis did good chatting with some random chap earlier at the vista point. After a morning of touring Dennis navigated us down a deserted country lane, across a narrow field to a small wooden, but perfectly formed shack. We enter this house and was greeted by the guy's wife and mother who clearly run the show. The guy from the vista point was no where to be seen. The girls informed us what they had in and with help from Dennis we ordered. So there we are sat in the front of this family's home tucking into lobster and prawns fresh from the region. Dennis commented that in his country this was quite normal to meet then eat at someones house but we reckon even Dennis was chuffed with this find. We all left with contact details for future visits, although Dennis was more likely to be passing than ourselves. The lobster was probably the best I had ever tasted.

On route back to Havana we passed through some big thunder and lightening storms, which were followed by large downpours. At one point we took shelter at a tobacco farm/small cigar factory and a friend of Dennis. As the friend was not in we were free to roam around once the storm had passed. We also both enjoyed a break from cigar salesmen, something you can't avoid if you get too close to the downtown factory in Havana.

Dennis got us home safely, and quickly. Touring out west- Cuba style. Great views, fresh fish, beers, cigars. Tough day or what.

That night Casa Lilly had a power cut just before bedtime so Lilly gave us an antique candle stick holder to take to bed, all very romantic.