Travel day to Vinales

It's a long travel day in front of us. Having said our last goodbye to our humble hosts, we stepped back into Orge's old-timer.

Very bumpy road but now, direction. the west of Cuba. VINALES, an unesco world heritage, and the home of the tobacco.

We stopped on the way at ciénaga de Zapata, an unesco biosphere reserve, the biggest swamp land area in Cuba.

We made a stop at a "unfortunately touristy" spot called Guama a reconstructed indigenous village, where we did a small boat trip. Despite Nina's sadness of not seeing the "real thing", we still where able to see quite some bird species - a giant harron, emerald hummingbirds and the Cuban trogon.

Back on the road we have some surprises for us.. Cuban style. For exemple half of the road is covered with grains.. So it can dry faster.

No time for food. You can stop here on the middle of the highway, and buy local cookies, fruits from sellers who are standing there the whole day.

Arriving in vinales we stopped first quickly at a tabacco farm, recommended by Orge, where we learned a part of the process of making a cigar.
We knew the next day we would learn more about it so we didn't stay too long.

At arrival on our new casa particulares, the most beautiful house on the street with again very friendly and humble Cubans. A few minutes later we also met franka (Francesca over here) a dutchie married to a cuban. She lives in this village and she will be our local guide for the next day's.

Her parents are also visiting here right now so we decided to have dinner with them and try to figure out if there is any festivities happening since it is first of May (labour day). Except for a street market with cocktail stands unfortunately not much dancing going on, so we walked home, off to bed.Читать далее