Friendly tobacco country
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April 28, 2013:
Everyone knows that Cuba is famous for its cigars.
And where does Cuba's premium tobacco come from?
From the province of Pinar del Río
at the extreme western end of the island.
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 Town plaza |
 Cocosolo Palmarito |
 Farmhouse with solar panel |
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Pinar del Río is a rural paradise that lives in another century.
Except for a couple of small towns,
such as Viñales,
you won't find many gasoline powered vehicles here.
You won't see a lot of power lines either,
because every farmhouse has its own solar panel
(donated by the French government in 2008).
This is a simple, happy province
with rich soil and friendly farmers.
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 Rich soils |
 Traditional organic farming |
 Tobacco shed |
 Tobacco drying |
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I enjoyed five restful nights in Viñales at
Casa David (#95A Rafael Trejo, phone 79-31-76).
During the days, I hiked, biked or rode horses
through the surrounding countryside,
wandering down shady lanes between farms,
often stopping to chat with folks I met along the way.
(My Spanish is getting better.)
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 Typical transportation |
 Friendly folks |
 Juice from sugar cane |
 Going to market |
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One afternoon, I was invited in six times
for snacks, juice, lunch, cigars
or just plain conversation.
This was genuine hospitality:
My attempts to pay for food and drink were refused.
Viñales is surrounded by dramatic Karst topography. There are scenic limestone towers (magotes) rising up all around which are full of caves. One cave, Caverna de Santo Tomás, claims to have 46km of underground passageways, making it the largest cave in Latin America.
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 Caverna de Santo Tomás |
 Cayo Jutías |
 Lobster stew for dinner |
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Viñales is also a short drive from Cuba's north coast.
where mangrove-covered cayos (keys) offer
miles of white sand,
warm turquoise water,
and good reefs for snorkeling.
By the way, the food here is wonderful. 
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