After another nice breakfast with mango juice this time, we headed out of Habana towards Vinales. Riding through the western side of Habana gave us another glimpse at what it is to live here. Big wide avenues with big tall palm trees and big estates all around. This city must have been amazing prior to 1959.
Once we left the city, we rode the plains next to the ocean on the north side of the island. Amazing that there is no agriculture activity anywhere and very little traffic. We eventually took a road that is not in any map (not even google maps) through the mountains. Apparently, this was a secret military road somehow.
Made a quick stop at a recreational area with forests, little lakes, rowing boats, zip lines across canopies, and buildings built for workers by the communist party in the early days.
The road after the park was an amazing twisty road through the mountains. The road quickly deteriorated from pavement with some potholes to a completely destroyed road … challenging at times, lots of rock and gravel and dirt … all through beautiful woods and tall mountains … yes, tall mountains in Cuba. Agriculture began to appear but in small scale and only around houses. People around here needed to be completely self-sufficient.
The more and more we go deeper into the country and talk to more people the more I realize that this country is in real trouble. Everything is now imported. The country does not produce much of anything and outward migration is significant … payments from abroad plus communism plus government controls have zapped the will of the people to do or fix anything … but on the other hand, we have met a lot of people, especially those involved in tourism, that have carved a nice life for themselves, are happy, and love their relaxed way of life.
Once close to Vinales, a beautiful valley opened up with a long valley with sheer rocks/mountains coming sticking up from below the ground and rising high with vertical walls and trees/vegetation hanging on to the steep hills somehow … reminds of Vietnam.
Found a cave with a disco inside and a passage through the mountain to a restaurant on the other side. No cell service, no internet, no radio, no TV … just nature and good people … but always strange because the whole system is so odd.
Time lasts so long here … slow living … like finding a way to extend life.
Reached our house for the night just in time before a big rainstorm hit the area. Vinales has a great mains treet fool of tourist … mostly from Europe … and great restaurants, cafes, and the first shops with authentic Cuban crafts.
Tomorrow, we head to Vina del Mar to see the tobacco plantations.
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