Home » Cuba » Cuba Independently? Es Posible! The Road to Vinales

A pre-dawn alarm call as we want to get out on the road as early as possible to head off west to the Vinales valley where we hope to get a room in the Hotel Los Jasmines. The early start allows us a fantastic view of sunrise over the suburbs of Havana, and it isn't too long before the Turkey Vultures are airborne from their resting place upon the top of the monolithic Russian embassy.

Cuba Independently? Es Posible! The Road to Vinales

Derek.gruar
2005-11-17 18:22:36

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A pre-dawn alarm call as we want to get out on the road as early as possible to head off west to the Vinales valley where we hope to get a room in the Hotel Los Jasmines. The early start allows us a fantastic view of sunrise over the suburbs of Havana, and it isn't too long before the Turkey Vultures are airborne from their resting place upon the top of the monolithic Russian embassy.

One piece of advice is to obtain a road map; we found the only place that sold maps of any quality was the coffee bar shop in the lobby bar of the hotel Inglaterra in parque central.

We had hired a Hyundai Sonata car from Transtur at the Neptuno-Triton who were very fair in explaining the terms of the hiring agreement. We set off through the suburbs of Buena Vista the now famous home of the former music club thanks to the film made by singer song-writer Ry Cooder, Here the traffic is as heavy as it gets, with cyclists and numerous dogs being the major hazards. We also have to contend with no sign posting and a road layout that bears no relation to the map we are following. After some nifty manoeuvring we find the Autopista and suddenly we are on a vast expanse of open concrete and there is not a car to be seen for miles. Out of the suburbs and we get into the countryside proper, this is what we have come to experience more so than the city life of Havana, and before long we are speeding along through palm lined fields of tobacco and sugar cane, with the Sierra de Rosario starting to loom on the right-hand side.

An enjoyable drive takes us as far as the city of Pinar Del Rio where we head uphill towards Los Jasmines, the scenery here is fantastic with lush green fields and wooded slopes being the norm.

We reach the hotel which is at the south of the valley and enquire about the possibility of obtaining a triple room, we are charged $73 dollars for a triple room of dubious quality but accept that this is the only room on offer and we have ...