We had heard some very nice things about the city of Vinales, situated in the mountains and wanted to visit. Kathy had some difficulty securing a reasonable cab so I took it upon myself to approach a young lady bartender at the resort who spoke a little English. After a few phone calls she was finally able to set up a ride for the four of us for $80.00 one way. Half the price that had been given to Kathy. Little did we know what we were going to experience for our $80.00. This was a one way trip as we would take the bus back. Jerome decided not to go which was a blessing as he watched Peanut for us.
Sunday morning we stood outside the resort in great anticipation of what our car would look like and what was in store for us on this overnight trip. Would it be one of the old cars we saw in Havana all fixed up and shiny? Would our driver be decked out in outfit to match his car like we saw in Havana? We could only hope. It was an old car all right, but spit shined with a eye blinding coat of wax it was not! The blue 1957 Chevy pulled up in front of the hotel. The driver a thin older gentleman, dressed in work pants and plaid shirt just stood by the car and smiled. The lady bartender came out and introduced us and after a few photos we got in. We realized immediately that our driver spoke no English. This would be interesting trip. The gal disappeared into the resort and three of us got in the back seat and Tom climbed in the front. We indicated that we were all in and ready to go. Our driver just smiled but didn't start the car. Moments later the young lady bartender came running toward the car, backpack in hand. She opened the door and told Tom she was getting in the middle. Now a party of six, warm and very cramped we were on the road. Our newest and unexpected traveler spoke English which was a plus for communication purposes along the way. The 140 mile ride proved to be an experience to remember, especially in a car with no shocks and what's left of my door handle poking me in the side the entire way. The upside was that the car had electric windows. Of course they could only be operated from a switch by the driver so a tap on the shoulder would signal that we needed it up or down during the trip.
The four lane highway was actually in no worse condition that I65 in Indiana, sometimes smooth and sometimes rough as heck. There was so much to look at it was hard to decide which side of the car to look out of. There were people along the rode trying to catch a ride, or selling items such as eggs and meat, men plowing the fields with oxen and wooden implements similar to what our children pioneer days. Cows meandering along the roadside etc. Once off the highway the roads worsened. In fact there were times that the holes were as deep as the wheel on our car. Without shocks this last section was hard on the butt and back. They were also very narrow. Add horse carts, people walking along the side of the rode and larger delivery trucks and this section of the trip was a bit challenging. Then the fan belt started intermittent noises which progressively increased in length and volume. With each clunk, clang and sputter we looked at each other with a little more concern. We were certain we would be walking the remainder of the trip soon. The driver didn't seem concerned. Either it was a common reoccurring event or he was ignoring it. We stopped at a gas station half way through the trip for gas, snacks and bathroom break. I felt as if I had just gone through a time tunnel. Old gas pumps on a plot of hardened sand with an old concrete building that carried snacks, water and one outside entrance to a toilet. Lucky for us I had toilet paper in my backpack. When we crossed from one province to the next we had to stop at a checkpoint for the police to check our drivers credentials. We arrived safe and sound and were quite surprised at how busy this little town was. Later we learned that it is a huge tourist stop. In fact they have nearly 3 million visitors a year! Our next job was to secure a Casa Particulars. These are rooms in or attached to small homes that are just like a bed and breakfast in the states. They are clean and provide dinner and breakfast if you request them. We started our trek down the main street without any success. They were all full. We had been told that finding one without a prior reservation could be challenging and we were finding it to be just that. Kathy's husband Vic began expressing his concerns. He was really worried we would not find a place to sleep. A gentlemen saw us going door to door and probably heard Vic and approached. He was a professional tour guide working for the Cuban government and lived in Vinales. He had us follow him down a side street to a home of someone he knew. They had a very large room that had been built beside their home with two double beds. This allowed all four of us to stay together. The room was immaculate and the bathroom beautiful! We filled out the paperwork required including the presentation of our passports. You cannot stay in any Casa Particular without a passport. We were told that the Cuban families receive 50% of the money taken in and the government receives the other 50%. We had a lovely stay and the price was right. One nights stay with a scrumptious breakfast. $20.00 per couple.
No comments:
Post a Comment