Do You Need a Doctor?

A 1950s beaten up, mixed grill vehicle turns up to our door in Havana, 'Dos, Vinales?'
'Si.'
We walk downstairs and our driver asks for the $20 CUC per person up front, then loads our bags into the boot. There is another couple in the front seats, we scoot into the middle bench seats, while another row sits behind us empty. We visit two more Casa's and collect four more tourists, three per row. An Italian couple in the front, a German couple in the back and the French couple had to split one each in the middle and back.

We say 'mixed grill' vehicle as bits of it sort of look like the original, and some most certainly do not. The speedometer doesnt work, or the radio. It rattles like a tin can with pebbles but throttles along the bumpy road, dodging pot holes, weaving between horses and slowing for police check points.

After an hour the steel bar beneath the leather seat makes itself known. The heat and noise stops any conversation and we all look forward to reaching our destination. We provide our addresses to the driver and he pauses in each street of Vinales to yell out his window for guidance from a local. He receives a few gestures and help and is on his way again. He deposits each guest at their casa.

Our Vinales Casa greet us warmly and offer a drink of juice. They show us to our room, we give them our passports and they explain the dinner and breakfast. They then offer a variety of tourist activities and we accept the Option 1 for the afternoon. 'Horseride and Tobacco Farm'.

That afternoon a horse and cart arrive at our Casa and together with our new friend and fellow tourist Simon from France, climb aboard. We hobble along for 10 minutes out of town and are introduced to some horses we would be riding for the afternoon. We aren't too sure of the extent of the activities or where we are going. But climb onto our steads and receive instructions for how to operate a horse. 'Pull left for left, Pull right for right. Pull back to stop.'
The horses need no guidance and set their own pace. We meander through the hill side and forest with wonderful views for over 90 minutes, before reaching a small camp lake and cafe. Our guide says we can explore the area for 45 minutes and then we will ride back. We stop for a beer first, meet an Australian couple doing the same activity, then choose to all walk to a nearby cave and explore. After 40 minutes we return to our Guide who is having a great time with the other guides at the friendly cafe and looks sad that we returned so soon.

As the sun slowly sets, We take the same enjoyable path back to the farm. We meet a new host who talks through their tobacco farm plantation, wild honey collection, coffee bean production and cigar rolling. We consider it rude not to smoke a cigar so we elect to share one. It tastes to us like smoke. It was an experience.
That evening we ate out and thoroughly enjoyed our dishes, Ian describing it us some of the best beef stir fry he'd had. Even though plates were shared between the two of us, that evening and for the entire next day Ian spent it on the toilet. Things were not good. Jamie excelled as a caretaker and was able to purchase some lemonade and crackers for Ian to slowly sample later in the evening.

The following day Ian exited the room to applause from the Casa hosts. Back on deck, the days activities included a wonderful hike through nearby hills, caves and botanical gardens.
For the third day we enjoyed cycling a little further from town to a nearby mural depicting the scientific history of the region. Then a few more hills and caves.

Our experience of Vinales was overall positive. The scenery of the surrounding 'Mogotes' or oddly shaped limestone hills was hard to beat, and the locals, while catering for tourists, were ever polite and just wanting to share in the tourists dollar. Each person needed to perform or offer services in order to receive a tip. An example being, we paid only $3CUC ($4AUD) to enter a cave and walk through. A guide offered their service but we declined. At the exit of the 10minute cave walk we met three Cubans that danced and lit fire on a stick to swallow. We somewhat had to watch their performance as it happens at the very exit of the cave. We then need to give a small donation for their performance, $1CUC. A few more steps and we seem to be inside a restaurant. We were a little confused and didn't know where to go. We are offered a table but decline as we are not hungry. We walk around the restaurant, not knowing what to do. A band is playing and they hold out a hat for a donation. We try to politely say sorry and decline. Then discover we actually need to return back past our dance troupe and through the cave to return to the start. Maybe if we had a guide we would have known?

Vinales definitely highlighted to us the community feel. Well rehearsed Casa's received guests, explained the activities and offered meals at home, all at an extra price. As we sat on the balcony one evening, a trolly cart was pushed down the street with a loud cry of its assortment. Hosts would scurry out of their casa with a tray and make a purchase, sometimes fruit, cakes or key ingredients to a meal, a variety of items they would then sell to their guests as meals.

Their transactions would be in Cuban Peso, 25 pesos equal 1 Cuban Convertible. Our meals cost 10 Convertibles per person, while in some small local stores we can see only 20 peso could get you a small Cuban meal. It is all out of proportion and tourists aren't permitted Peso. Though we are offered them in the street, in exchange for a valuable CUC.

The other memorable experience from Vinales were the communal chickens. An extraordinary number of chicks, chickens and roosters walking the streets. We tried to discover if they belonged to someone, or were everyone's. Just a few streets out of town we saw a family preparing a chicken for their meal. Either way, they mustn't have foxes as the town chickens looked to have the town at their feet. Even the stray dogs and cats kept their distance.

Finally, after four nights we ask our Casa to organise a Collectivo to Havana. Our plan to make our way East, across the country to Cienfuegos and Trinidad, but with spare time wanting to break up the journey with a night again in Havana.