The tobacco area is very agricultural and it is called the “green gold region”. We arrived to one of the better known farms, La Finca Hector Luis Prieto, and had a great tour of the place and of the whole process … planting, harvesting, drying, sorting, bundling, and ultimately how to make a cigar. Extremely interesting.
We had lunch and headed out to see the caves at Hacienda Cortinas where Che Guevara hid and where he had his office during the Cuban missile crisis in 1962. Amazing natural formations with a number of caves and rivers running through it. This used to be the weekend estate of a very wealthy land owner during the Batista regime before it was confiscated by the state.
We then headed to Soroa, a well-known orchid growing area in a beautiful setting with mountains, twisty roads, jungle, birds … and, interspersed homes renting rooms here and there. We were exhausted. It was hot today. We had a great dinner in the dark … electricity went out again … and went to bed.
We had lunch and headed out to see the caves at Hacienda Cortinas where Che Guevara hid and where he had his office during the Cuban missile crisis in 1962. Amazing natural formations with a number of caves and rivers running through it. This used to be the weekend estate of a very wealthy land owner during the Batista regime before it was confiscated by the state.
We then headed to Soroa, a well-known orchid growing area in a beautiful setting with mountains, twisty roads, jungle, birds … and, interspersed homes renting rooms here and there. We were exhausted. It was hot today. We had a great dinner in the dark … electricity went out again … and went to bed.
Tomorrow, we go to the Bay of Pigs to swim in the ocean.
Good morning Cuba! The view from our breakfast table.
Huge dinosaur mural on the side of a Mogote
A panoramic vice of the valley of Vinales
I thought this guy was a bronze statue - scared the hell out of me
A typical gas station - chaotic, some gas for local, some gas for tourists with special money only
The Belgians have converted
A tobacco field
Tobacco drying
The classification and selection shop
The Guatemalan-Mexican has also converted
Historical marker - Che Guevara hid here during the nuclear missile crisis in 1962
A beautiful setting - caves and rivers
Che's official office inside the cave
The motorcycles through the tunnel
All together still : )
The motorcycle picture
Leaving the old Cortina Estate where the caves and rivers were
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