Greetings from Vinales

 Vinales is a relaxed destination for tourist and locals.  The government (who owns everything) was going to build a huge hotel here, but then decided to aid private families in building casas and rent them out as Bed and Breakfast spots.  Our place is spotlessly clean with a wonderful host and hostess. We have our own building (size of a large hotel room) and bathroom.  This morning we had breakfast on the roof—as did our fellow travelers staying in other B & Bs on this same cul de sac.  We waved to each other as we ate. Lots of courtyard space with tropical plants. A he’d and her baby chicks wandered thru.  

Met the bus at 9:30 and rose a short distance to a Botanical Garden. The last hurricane (Ivan?) was cruel to this area. We saw many uprooted trees on the way here. The Casa de Caridad Botanical Garden which 190 species of plants grown on 2 acres. Many valuable specimens were destroyed. In the hurricane.  Had a very good guide.  Left thre and drove to a  local tobacco farm. The farmer who was quite gregarious and charming showed us his tobacco crop and then rolled a cigar.  One of our group, who loves cigars, smoked it. He also passed out other cigars to all who wanted them. Four or five people enjoyed them.  We were served coffee (rum or not), toured his home, saw the turkey strutting around the yard and saw a team of oxen ready for work.  Left there and drove a short distance to another tobacco. Farm for lunch.  Observed the farm’s tobacco which had been destroyed by the hurricane. We ate a our lunch in an open-air building with a swift breeze blowing through.  It was around 80 degrees and very pleasant.  We could enjoy the rounded mountains that surround this area —very similar to the landscape in Guilin in Southern China. 

Tonight we are on our own for dinner.  Decided to seek out a Tapas bar. We have had such huge meals. The guide described Cuban food as “Not hot because the weather is hot enough!” Another description by the guide when trying to describe Cuba—“It’s complicated.” Ex. Why are you importing food when there are fields not planted? Why are Cubans being punished for something that happened so long ago? 

Another fact: Cuba is about 750 miles from each to west and the largest island in the Caribbean. 

P.S. This I Pad has its own mind when it comes to spelling. And punctuation.