CUBA DAY 2-3: Trip to Vinales.

I woke up early and headed down to the pool for an early morning swim....it was totally delicious! one of the things that got to me at the hotel was the constant music blaring from the outside speakers by the pool! When the music started up around 10am i was a bit concerned, but in fact it was quite delightful to have lovely gentle spanish music playing as i danced and played in the pool. sunshine and clear blue skies....it did feel like paradise!

then we got our plan together: got a taxi into Havana's bus station to catch the 4pm bus to Vinales, a 3 1/2 hour trip away! Someone at the hotel helped us and made a reservation for us! When we arrived at the bus station we were immediately approached by Carlos (found out his name a little later!) who informed us that the bus was in fact full!!! and so began our first real experience of being scammed!!! this was about 2.30 pm and so we had to figure out how we would get there now. Having spent sometime the night before arranging for a casas particular there, we were excited to be seeing the countryside! But of course Carlos had a plan...he could take us by taxi, for a mere 80 CUCS - (pessos for the tourists!) the bus would have cost 12 CUCS!!! He also kindly offered to help us find maybe 2 others that weren't able get seats on bus therefore reducing our costs! and of course he found them!!! 2 young women.....a very long and drawn out bit of negotiating and we were finally on our way around 3.30pm. The taxi only took 2 hours so that was at least a blessing! We found out the next day that there were in fact 20 empty seats on the bus!!!! totally took us for a ride!

We found our Casa, a lovely house, covered in pink tiles with an upstairs apartment for us. The view was lovely, we had our own outdoors dining room and balcony! the owners, Juan and Isabella were very gracious and delighted to accommodate us. we sat on the balcony, watched as life in Vinales went on around us. Horse drawn buggies, men riding horses, oxen pulling carts....and people on bicycles and on foot, heading this way and that. our next door neighbor had many chickens, roosters and pigs....so the sounds were farm like and entertaining after the city sounds of Havana! We were extremely content to sit and look at the mountains and the roof tops of this little village. the flowers were stunning, the banana trees plentiful and lots of other types of flora i don't know the name of. Totally delightful! We were served an enormous meal, fresh fish, rice and beans, salad, fries and more...all for 10 Cucs. beer was 1 cuc!

then to walk off this large meal we headed out into a rather dark and warm night! we wandered the streets and had got a feel for a small town without much in the way of locals approaching us. only a couple of times did we get asked if we wanted a taxi! otherwise it was wonderful.

Back to the casa and a glass of cuban rum and my book. Terry did some sidoku! then to bed! and this is when the nightmare began! All the roosters in town it would seem, start calling out around 10.30 pm and they don't stop.....all night long they craw! i didn't sleep at all!!!