Cuba – mtlancelot

Vinales, Cuba

November 2, 2015November 2, 2015Tagged Cuba, vinalesLeave a comment

I turned 30 in Vinales. A big moment, but one overshadowed by our finding of Pringles. Snacks forever.

Vinales is situated in the mountains, adjacent to the Valles de Vinales, the valley where the majority of the famous tobacco is grown. My first morning as a 30-year old began with a horseback ride through the valley. I was very skeptical and a bit terrified from the get go (not a fan of horses). I barely moved on my horse Nino (who I was told was “muy tranquillo”) this left me off balance with my right asscheek doing most of the supporting. In addition every mud puddle, lose rock, or change of grade in the trail I was sure Nino was going to topple, providing me with a slew of El Nino jokes to tell in the hospital. Turns out Nino had his shit together.

Entering the valley was on of the most magical things I have done and seen. I had seen photos and was not prepared for how unrepresentative they were of the actual scenery. The vally was about a mild wide between jugle covered cliffs. I’ve learned since it is a karstic depression. The ride took us into the valley and through farms, stopping for a tour of a tobacco drying hut and lake in a river. Carmen’s horse, Lucero, continued to attempt to take the lead, but Nino was having none of it, and the only sounds interrupting the silence was our guild’s cautious cries of “Ninoooooooo!”

That night we feasted on lobster tails, friend bananas, black beans and rice, and avocado under the thatched roof porch in the rain.

Playa Larga, Cuba

October 29, 2015October 30, 2015Tagged Cuba, PlayaLargaLeave a comment

Playa Larga is basically Bay of Pigs. A perfect name if pigs were lobsters (there are a ton of lobster). Some good recent history here, although none of it visual. This was a 2 day, 3 night layover on the way to Vinales. Here were the reefs we heard so much about, incredible color and diversity in sea life. This was a tiny beach town and after killer seafood dinners, we ended every day drinking rum on the porch. We also spent a Cuban holiday here, although I don’t remember what it is called. The beach was packed with drunk, dancing Cubans, and lots of good cars and buses.

Trinidad, Cuba

October 22, 2015November 5, 2015Tagged Cuba, trinidad1 Comment

Trinidad is small, quaint, and relaxing. The houses are historic and colorful, and the beer is cheap. Next to a fantastic beach where the water is almost too warm, we had some food and a pina colada that spelled death for Carmen’s tum. I was forced to go on a catamaran ride without her, but she did manage to make it to the waterfall in the middle of a jungle. A very old model Ford, tad newer than a T, took us over the rough path to get there. I felt foolish for owning a 4×4 truck.

Our hosts Yani and Luisma were a delight. They planned 90% of this entire trip for us and made us feel like family. I am still in contact with them. The last night they took us to the “club in the cave”, it was a dance club in a cave, about 50 feet under the earth. Geology awe aside, I also came to learn that every Cuban is a professional dancer.

These are wasps nests. Some real Indiana Jones shit right here — These are wasps nests. Some real Indiana Jones shit

Havana, Cuba

October 20, 2015November 5, 2015Tagged Che, Cuba, Fidel, Havana, LaRevoluction, vintagecars1 Comment

In July of this year, Carmen and I went to Cuba. It took me quite some time to get around to these photos.

July 17, 2015

It is 7PM and everything is cooler. The wind, the heat, our room, and even the beer. We arrived at 2PM today, exhausted after an overnight at the hive-like Tampa airport, adrenaline fueled from Cuban Customs questioning, and sweating like being stuck in a sauna. Our taxi, a ’57(?) Chevrolet, colored like old salmon flesh turned hesitations into ecstasy.