VINALES VALLEY, CUBA

www.cubabuddy.ca

THE VINALES VALLEY, CUBA

Diane and I were in the Vinales Valley when Radio Cuba announced on February 19, 2008 that Fidel Castro had resigned as Presidente.

Diane at the Ermita Hotel

The Vinales Valley

Wednesday February 20, 2008 - Hordes of Cuban bikers descend on the small town of Vinales.

Encircled by mountains the Viñales valley landscape has many rocky hill type outcrops called Majotes, this area is mainly used for agricultural purposes and traditional methods of farming are still being used. This area is rich in tobacco farms and is a good place to go to see how Cuban farms have been and are still being operated. Many tourists visit the Vinales area every year for the views, for the hiking, for the bicycling and at night they eat and drink at one of the few restaurants and bars on the main street. There are many Casa Particulars spread around this small town and most people are happy to help find you a casa to suit your tastes. Cuban Casa Particulars are Cuban houses where you can stay with a Cuban family and if you want to pay extra they will usually cook your meals for you. Breakfast is not included in the prices at Casa Particulars, the food served at the average Casa Particular is usually better than what you will get at Cuban resorts or at most Cuban restaurants and the prices varies for meals at a Casa Particular from 3 CUC’s to 5 CUC’s for breakfast and 7 CUC’s to 12 CUC’s for supper/cena. 1 CUC is about $1.20 Canadian

There is NO rating system for Cuban Casa Particulars and like Canadian B&B’s the homes range in size, cleanliness, friendliness of the hosts, private or shared bathroom with shower and cost for the night. I would suggest that you inspect the Casa Particular before you commit to renting the room because you may find that some Cuban Casa Particulars are not up to your standards. Once you inspect the Casa Particular if you don’t want to stay there just explain to the owner that you want to look at other Casa Particulars and the owner may even give you some recommendations or take you to another Casa Particular. Once you find a place to stay you can finalize what the costs for the room, what the meals cost etc. Many Casa Particular owners will want you to eat in their Casa rather than at a restaurant because the Casa owner will make more money during your stay if you eat in the Casa.

Please keep these things in mind.

1. This is Cuba not Canada.

2. The prices at a Casa Particular are a lot less expensive than at a Cuban hotel.

3. You get a feel for how Cubans live.

4. There are fewer tourists and more Cubans than at a Cuban hotel or resort.

5. Sexual tourists are not encouraged to visit Vinales and they have a law in Vinales forbidding tourists from bringing Cubans back to their room.

VILLA LA TATA IN THE VINALES VALLEY

Friends and family on the front porch of Villa Tata

A campesino heading home

Tata only speaks a few words of English but you will have no problem if you have a Spanish/English dictionary and/or you know a few words in Spanish. Villa LA Tata is a small clean home with a separate entrance to the private room for rent, there is one large bedroom with 2 double beds, A/C with fan, the room has a private bathroom with a shower and sink with hot and cold running water. Villa Tata is a 5 minute walk to the center of town and is in a quiet area near the end of the Calle Adela Azcuy, this lane leads you to the trails that go through the surrounding farmland and to the majotes “see photo #1”. It is a very beautiful, peaceful spot.

Price for the room is 15 CUC’s to 20 CUC’s a night.

Breakfast is 3 CUC’s to 5 CUC’s

Supper/Cena is 7 CUC’s to 10 CUC’s

Mojito’s are 1.5 CUC’s

1 CUC is about $1.20 Canadian

ADDRESS

Calle Adela Azcuy Nort. No. 27

Find the Church in the main plaza and walk along Calle Cisernos one block toward Pinar del Rio and on the right hand side of the street you will see a small restaurant on the corner of Calle Adela Azcuy and around the corner is a panaderia/bakery, just go past the panderia about 50 meters and you will see a large sports field on the left and then walk anther 100 meters and you will find Villa Tata on the right side of the street at No. 27.

They will change your sheets and clean your room on request.

Your personal laundry is done on request; there is a charge of 2 or 3 CUC’s for up to 12 pieces of dirty laundry.

You can phone Tata at 79-33-14 to reserve a room and please remember that these people make a meager living by renting a room and if you reserve a room please show up or cancel the room at least 4 days in advance.

Tell Tata that Richard told you about Villa LA Tata.

CUBA TAXI IN PINAR DEL RIO

Call Arnaldo Rodriguez 0152846550.

Arnaldo can drive you around Pinar del Rio, Vinales or anywhere else in Cuba, he has reasonable rates and he is one of the top taxi drivers in Cuba. Arnaldo can also pick you up in Havana and take you anywhere you want to go, he is available for 1 to 10 days at a time and if you want to take a tour of Cuba he is the man to escort you around. Arnaldo is a friendly, tall man so you will feel safe when you are with him.

Tell my friend Arnaldo that Richard told you about him.

HUMANITARIAN AID TO CUBANS

Distributing anything in Cuba can be quite the experience.

I took 2 dozen t-shirts to Havana once and decided to hand them out to a bunch of youngsters hanging around watching other youngsters playing baseball. Dozens of youngsters dropped what they were doing and rapidly ran towards me. I almost panicked, hands were appearing out of nowhere grabbing for a t-shirt, I managed to get them handed out in half the time I originally thought it was going to take.

I only know of one organization that is working with Cubans but I'm sure there are many more.

Masonic Relief for Cuba has their Humanitarian Aid distributed through the Freemason Lodges in Cuba, they send medical instruments, medical supplies, multivitamins and cases of Ibuprofen, shampoo, soap, lotions, Glucosamine, Chondroitiin, MSM, Polysporin and water purification tablets.

I am a Canadian Freemason and many Cubans I have met have one family member who is a Freemason. Freemasons help the entire community not just other Freemasons and they have proven to be one of the most honest when it comes to getting the goods to the people who need it the most. I have met 2 surgeons in 2 different cities in Cuba, they were Freemasons and other members of the Cuban Freemasons are from all walks of life.

Here is a link to this Canadian Organization and you can give my name if you contact them.

My name is Richard Snowdon, Halifax Nova Scotia.

http://nelsonking.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=59&Itemid=30

If you read this page it will say the items that are most needed by Cubans.

As you are aware over the counter non-prescription drugs are not available due to the cost and prescription drugs are very difficult to obtain. The average income for a Cuban is $20.00 - $25.00 per month, the cost of aspirin or any drug is very expensive for them. There are 30,000 Regular Freemasons in Cuba and The Gran Logia de Cuba has a Masonic Home for the Aged and there is a desperate need for these non-prescription and prescription drugs.
For the last 10 years Masonic Relief for Cuba has supplied both non-prescription and prescription drugs to the Masons and The Grand Lodge of Cuba.

Cubans will take almost anything and they will be happy that you gave them a gift.

CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE PICTURES OF THE VINALES VALLEY

March 23, 2007

the Viñales valley landscape has many rocky hill type outcrops called Majotes, the Viñales valley landscape has many rocky hill type outcrops called Majotes, the Viñales valley, the Viñales valley, the Viñales valley